His face was hidden behind the fearsome visage of Weaver, the Mantle of the Underworld had formed around him and coalesced into a foreboding onyx armor, Serpent had emerged from its tattoo form and took the shape of a menacing dark odachi, and finally he used a memory to change his hair to stark white.
With all preparations complete, Sunny shifted his posture and Mongrel stepped onto the red sandy floor of the vast oval arena.
Resting the tenebrous blade on his shoulder, he walked towards the center of the arena.
It had been a week since his debut and due to his busy schedule this is only his second appearance.
The other participant in this arena were all amateurs, and he had already lost all interest in dueling them.
However, he still needed another seventy wins to gain entry into the professional arenas.
'Huh… that's weird.'
For some reason, today, much more people wanted to challenge him. A literal crowd of Awakened assembled around Sunny in a span of a minute, staring at him with disturbing intensity. Also, the challengers seemed to be way more talkative…
'What's up with these fools?'
"Hey, Mongrel! What is your real name?"
Sunny stared at the young woman challenging him, then answered with slight irritation:
"Mongrel."
She smiled knowingly, as if struck by a mysterious epiphany, then asked:
"What style do you practice?"
Sunny frowned behind the mask.
"I practice no style."
The girl opened her mouth to say something else, but he interrupted her by stepping forward and activating the challenge.
Two seconds later, the girl's dead body was already turning into a rain of sparks.
Looking at the crowd of Awakened, Sunny growled.
"Words are worthless, silence is gold. Don't waste my breath!"
He raised his odachi and pointed it at the nearest awakened.
With that a grueling gauntlet of blood and gore began, with every step Sunny took his blade sang and claimed the life of an opponent.
Few were capable enough to defend against even a single strike, and those that were did not survive the next.
But even with his tyrannical might, seventy opponents was a slog.
Sunny grit his teeth as his odachi pierced the heart of his latest challenger. The body dissolved into motes of light.
'Only one left'
He glanced at his sword, he was lucky that his reserves of shadow essence lasted this long, no doubt due to him having four cores.
'Thankfully all these awakened are weakli-'
"Oh! Looks like it's my turn!"
A familiar voice resounded throughout the arena.
Sunny froze.
'It can't be…'
He slowly turned his head.
And lo and behold, standing in front of him was Gemma.
Gemma, who should still be in the dream realm traveling toward The Dens.
Gemma, who was supposed to report to him immediately upon returning.
Gemma, who was absolutely, unmistakably not supposed to be here.
Unless…
'...That bastard… Is he trying to get out of work!?'
Sunny seethed internally.
'I could have dumpe-delegated so much work onto him!'
Gemma squinted at Sunny's armored form.
"Say… do I know you?"
Sunny rose and commanded Serpent to return to it's tattoo form so he can preserve essence. A fight against Gemma will be a battle of attrition.
"No."
Gemma frowned.
"Really? Huh- Wait. Don't tell me you're going to face me without a weapon?"
Sunny scoffed and raised his fists.
"I am the weapon."
Gemma's grin widened.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun."
Sunny dashed forward.
Sunny dashed forward, sand exploding beneath his boots as Mongrel's armored form blurred across the arena. Gemma reacted instantly, faster than Sunny expected, his sword forming in his hand, it's blade gleaming in the light.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun," Gemma said, grinning like a lunatic.
Sunny didn't bother responding. He swung a heavy punch toward Gemma's jaw.
Gemma twisted, the blow grazing his cheek, tearing off a layer of flesh that instantly healed, and then he countered, slashing upward in a clean arc. Sunny jerked back, the blade passing inches from his armor.
The crowd around them roared.
Sunny lunged again, this time aiming a kick at Gemma's ribs. Gemma blocked with the flat of his sword, the impact sending a shockwave through the sand. He slid back several meters, boots carving trenches.
His skin rippled, and the bruising vanished instantly.
Sunny clicked his tongue behind the mask.
'That is going to be annoying.'
Gemma rolled his shoulders, sword resting casually on one shoulder.
"Man, you hit like a truck. You sure we haven't fought before?"
Sunny answered while rushing him.
"I'm sure."
Gemma met him head‑on, sword flashing in a blur of silver. Sunny dodged the first strike, blocked the second with his forearm, and ducked under the third, but the fourth caught him across the shoulder, sparks flying as the blade scraped the Mantle.
Sunny drove a fist into Gemma's stomach.
Gemma folded over the blow, then straightened instantly as the wound healed.
"That hurts," he wheezed, "but I've had worse."
Sunny swept his leg low. Gemma jumped, flipping over him with a burst of force. He landed behind Sunny and slashed downward.
Sunny spun, catching the blade between his gauntleted palms.
Gemma blinked. "Okay, that's cool."
Sunny twisted, wrenching the sword free and tossing it aside. Gemma dove after it, rolling across the sand and snatching it up just before Sunny's boot came down where his head had been.
He sprang back to his feet, panting lightly.
Sunny blurred forward.
Gemma barely had time to raise his blade before Sunny's fist slammed into it, sending him flying backward. He hit the sand, rolled, and sprang up again, his skin rippling as the damage vanished.
He grinned, exhilarated.
"Alright. Let's dance."
Sunny cracked his knuckles, he felt something prickling the back of his mind, as if he was close to grasping something.
Gemma charged first this time, sword slicing through the air in a flurry of precise, practiced strikes. Sunny dodged, blocked, and countered with brutal efficiency. Every time Gemma landed a hit, Sunny's armor was gouged. Every time Sunny landed a hit, Gemma's body healed instantly, but his breath grew more ragged.
Blood and sparks scattered across the arena.
Sunny feinted left, then slammed his elbow into Gemma's ribs. Gemma staggered, gasping, but the injury vanished instantly.
Sunny lunged, grabbing Gemma by the collar and hurling him across the arena. Gemma hit the sand, rolled, and popped up again, sword raised, but his stance was wobbling now.
His essence reserves were running low.
Sunny advanced slowly, like a predator closing in.
Gemma's eyes were blazing, his grin not fading in the slightest
He rushed him.
Gemma roared and swung with everything he had left. The blade met Sunny's gauntlet in a shower of sparks. Sunny pushed forward, overwhelming him with raw strength. Gemma's knees buckled, but he didn't fall, he twisted, ducked, and slashed upward, catching Sunny across the chest.
The Mantle held.
Sunny grabbed his wrist, twisted, and threw him again, but Gemma landed on his feet this time, sliding backward in a spray of sand.
He charged again.
Gemma's sword carved a shallow line across Sunny's armor, and Sunny's punch sent Gemma skidding back, coughing, but instantly healed.
Gemma wiped his mouth, grinning through the exhaustion.
"You're… really something, you know that?"
Sunny raised his fists.
"No, I am nothing."
Gemma raised his sword.
They clashed one final time.
Sunny's punch connected with Gemma's guard, shattering his stance. Gemma's sword flew from his hand, spinning across the arena. Sunny followed through with a sweeping kick that sent Gemma crashing to the ground.
Gemma tried to rise but was met with an armored boot obliterating his head with the weight of a mountain.
Sunny secretly panted as an ocean of sweat dripped down his face under the mask.
There was silence in the arena as Gemma's body disappeared in a shower of sparks
He was exhausted, fighting seventy awakened, including a supreme talent like Gemma was a bit too much, even for him.
"Mongrel has won!"
The quiet was shattered as the arena announced his victory.
And as if a dam broke the crowd roared.
"Lord Mongrel won!"
"That was Gemma! He beat one of the Seven Stars!"
The crowd was a cacophony.
'The hell is the Seven Stars?'
Throwing one last glance at the crowd of silent Awakened, Sunny shook his head.
'What a bunch of weirdos…'
With that, he gave the Dreamscape the command and left the illusion, both exhausted and mostly satisfied with his progress.
***
Sunny crawled out of the simulation pod and lay on the cold floor for a while, breathing heavily.
'How come an illusory arena is so exhausting?'
He lay there for a long moment, staring into the darkness. His muscles ached, his head throbbed, and his essence felt like it had been wrung out and hung to dry.
Eventually, he pushed himself upright, swaying slightly as he staggered toward his sleeping pod. The lid hissed open, Sunny climbed inside, exhaled, and let the pod seal shut around him and closed his eyes.
When he opened his eyes again, he was standing in the Sanctuary of Noctis.
He raised his arms and stretched his weary body, joints popping one by one.
With a sigh he walked away from the alter island and headed towards the southern side of the citadel, the section that the White Feather clan had assigned to the Fire Keepers.
'I never would have thought I would be thankful for paperwork.'
He walked through the rows of stone buildings, each one marked with the Fire Keepers insignia, an upright burning blade. The building he approached was modest but sturdy, two floors, shallow slate roof, and a row of windows on each level. Two Fire Keepers stood guard at the door
Sunny waived at them lazily as he opened the door.
Inside was an office with two wooden desks next to each other and facing the door and a fur rug covered the floor in front of the desks. The rear and left walls were dominated by wooden shelves, mostly empty for now. On the right wall was a rudimentary charcoal map of the chained isles on a large stretched hide with another door in the furthest corner and a small table with refreshments in the other corner.
He sighed again when he saw the pile of parchment on the left desk.
Dragging himself behind his desk, he pulled out his chair and sat down. The wood creaked under him. He grabbed the first report and began the mind‑numbing task of reading.
Halfway through a hunter's account of dangerous nightmare creatures near Shipwreck Island, the door opened.
Nephis stepped inside.
She blinked as he looked up at her with tired eyes.
The corner of her lips moved up ever so slightly.
"Are the reports really that bad?"
She asked as she stepped behind his chair, her hands settled on his shoulders as she leaned forward to read the report on his desk.
Sunny let out a breath and leaned back into her touch.
"They've gotten better," he grumbled. "But one of the bastards wrote his report on a clay tablet."
Nephis's fingers paused, then began massaging his shoulders.
Sunny tilted his head back against her, letting out a low groan of relief.
"If the reports have gotten better," she murmured, "then what has you so tired?"
Sunny hesitated.
"I was… training. I think I'm close to unlocking the next step of my Aspect Legacy."
Nephis's hands stilled.
Then she wrapped her arms around him from behind, bending down until her chin rested lightly on top of his head.
"I envy that you found your legacy already," she whispered. "I have no idea where to begin with mine."
Sunny swallowed, trying very hard not to focus on the soft warmth brushing the back of his neck.
He patted her arm.
"...You'll get there, if anyone can do it, it's you."
Nephis gave him a gentle squeeze, then pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head before pulling away. She moved to her own desk, pulled out her chair, and sat down gracefully.
"Thanks," she said. "Want some help with the next step?"
Sunny nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think just you will be enough."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Nephis narrowed her eyes.
"Oh? And what is that supposed to mean?"
Sunny shot upright, waving his hands frantically.
"I just meant that I'm already familiar with fighting you! I'll need an extra challenge to push me over the edge!"
Her eyes remained narrowed but a mischievous glint shone in her eyes as a small smirk formed on her lips.
"I know," she said slyly. "I just wanted to tease you."
Sunny groaned.
"I'll let Cassie know to make some time tomorrow," Nephis added.
Sunny nodded
"Thanks, it'll have to be in the afternoon, I'm busy all day."
She raised a brow.
"Busy? Is that what you call stalking your sister while she goes to school?"
Sunny gaped at her.
"It's not stalking! I'm just watching over her so nothing happens! Besides... I never got to go to school, they teach some interesting things there."
Nephis's expression softened. She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand.
"You know… you could just, talk to her? I'm sure Rain will be happy to see you again."
Sunny chuckled self depreciatingly.
"Yeah, right. If she even remembers me…"
He looked into Nephis's eyes, then sighed.
"I'll… think about it."
Nephis nodded.
"You should."
She straightened, picking up a parchment from her desk.
"Now, we still have a lot of work to do."
Sunny looked out the window for a moment before turning back to his own stack of reports that he had hardly put a dent in.
"Yeah," he winced. "We do."
***
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter!