Chapter 505: The Slaughterhouse
Sunny get out of the PTV, somewhat apprehensive of what he was about to see. The police officers present at the scene looked very relieved to see Master Jet and him appear — their tense faces cleared, and the darkness hiding in their eyes seemed to dissipate a little.
This was not at all how these types of situations were usually portrayed in popular media. In the crime mystery shows, whenever a plucky mundane detective encountered a cold and by-the-book Awakened agent, their relationship always started very confrontationally, with mutual disdain and debates over who was supposed to handle the case… only to end as an entertaining team-up, of course.
Once again, reality turned out to be very different from how storytellers liked to portray it. There was no conflict over jurisdiction or negativity expressed by the police officers. Instead, they were genuinely happy to see the Awakened specialists arrive.
…Well, of course they were. It was just as the old policeman had once told, right before Sunny faced the First Nightmare — if he died there and no Awakened was near, they would have to fight the Nightmare Creature his body had turned into themselves. And that was not something mundane humans ever wished to do.
Master Jet walked over to one of the policemen and greeted him with a short nod. Despite the fact that he was much older than her — not to mention Sunny himself — the officer treated them with the utmost respect.
"Nice to see you again, ma'am. Greetings, sir. Let me show you the way."
He led them deeper into the alley, toward a heavy metal door that hid in the deep shadows. It was wide open, and there were strange flashes of intense white light coming out of it, mixing with the red glow of the police sirens. The whole situation seemed a little surreal to Sunny, as though he was in the midst of a strange dream.
'I mean… where else would I be addressed as "sir" by a police officer? Life sure is funny sometimes…'
Slightly amused by this thought, he turned to Master Jet and asked:
"What is this place?"
She hesitated for a few moments, then said in an unexpectedly dark tone:
"It's a… club, of sorts. Called the Slaughterhouse. One of the few such establishments in the city."
Sunny stared at the door, which had no sign or any indication that there was a club on the other side of it. Was this a marketing ploy to create a feeling of mystique and exclusivity, or were there things going on inside that needed to be hidden?
"...A peculiar name for a nightclub."
Master Jet smiled with a corner of her mouth.
"It is meant for a very specific clientele. The ground floor is your usual dance club, but beneath it, there is a VIP area with an underground arena. There is nothing illegal going on there, just… things that are in poor taste."
She paused, and then added somberly:
"They send Echoes, usually dormant beasts, to fight against mundane fighters there. The fighters are paid generously, of course, and the club profits from the rich assholes who enjoy watching this sort of thing enough to recoup losses if one of the Echoes is accidentally destroyed. Everyone wins… I guess."
Sunny frowned.
He knew that wealthy people were big fans of wasteful forms of entertainment, and that there were arenas where precious Echoes were made to fight each other just for the spectacle of it. Hiring mundane humans to battle them, though… wasn't it a bit too much?
'Did I suddenly become a child after the Awakening?'
Of course, nothing was ever too much. Sunny knew all about how vice worked, from his childhood in the outskirts. His current surprise was just because he lacked knowledge of what forms it took among the more affluent layers of society.
"So what happened in that Slaughterhouse?"
Master Jet shrugged.
"That's what we have to find out. All I know is that everyone inside is dead. Kind of ironic, actually!"
The police officer guiding them spared her a glance, and then said hoarsely:
"It's a… proper mess there, ma'am. Not for people with weak stomachs. And also not something that a mundane human would have been able to do."
'Charming…'
Inside, the air was filled with the smell of blood. Sunny found himself in a vast hall flooded by flashing lights, blinding white mixing with short moments of absolute darkness to create a strange and invasive atmosphere. It was hard to perceive anything in this strobe light hell.
Master Jet frowned:
"What's with the light show?"
The policeman looked down in embarrassment.
"Sorry, ma'am. We figured out how to turn off the music, but the lights are giving us some trouble."
She gave him an unamused look.
"Well, get on with it."
The officer turned around and walked away, shouting at his colleagues. A few moments later, the hall suddenly became enveloped in darkness, and then the regular illumination kicked in.
Without the constantly flashing strobe lights, the club looked smaller and more worn down than Sunny had expected. He did not pay too much attention to the design of the interior, the raised stage, or the bar with hundreds of expensive-looking bottles standing on the shelves behind it.
With a gloomy expression on his face, Sunny was looking at the bodies.
There were more than a dozen of them, all broken and terribly disfigured, as if chewed and spewed out by a tornado. But of course, a natural disaster had nothing to do with what had happened in the seedy club. The result only looked like it.
This was the work of an Awakened.
Suddenly, he remembered Master Jet's question, seeing it in a new light.
When an Awakened loses control… what do you think happens?
The answer was right in front of him.
Terribly battered human bodies were lying on the floor, drowning in pools of blood. Indeed, this was not a sight for those who had weak stomachs... but, for better or worse, Sunny had seen enough horrors to not be moved too much by such a scene.
It left a deep impression even on him, though.
Sunny didn't have to look too closely to realize what had transpired. The position of the bodies, the nature of their wounds… the murderer had not used some powerful Memory or let an Echo loose on these people. No, it was much simpler.
They just did it with their hands.
Back during the Gate battle, Sunny had thrown a heavy vehicle at the advancing horde of Nightmare Creatures, carving a bloody path in their ranks. That was the strength of an Awakened. Even if he had been augmented by a shadow, his own strength was still vastly superior to that of a mundane human.
A frenzied Awakened could tear through a dozen humans in a matter of seconds, and none of them would be able to do anything to stop it. In front of a Spell carrier, mundane humans were like paper dolls. It only took a little effort to destroy them.
'That bastard…'
Sunny remembered how he had doubted whether or not he wanted to play the role of an executioner on the way to the crime scene.
...Rain could have been one of the victims. He could have been one, too, before becoming an Awakened.
As he was looking at the broken bodies, all his doubts disappeared.
Chapter 506: Silent Witnesses
As Sunny studied the bodies, Master Jet went away to talk to the police officers, and then returned with one of them. There was a disappointed expression on her face.
"No usable recordings left. Figures… places like this one only exist because they value the privacy of their clients. And the few cameras they did have show nothing but darkness."
Sunny looked at her, then sighed:
"Not much to tell from the victims, too. The murderer just used their fists."
She shrugged.
"That's how it usually goes, in situations like this. The most likely scenario is that the murderer was one of the clients, who went on a rampage because of either alcohol or stimulants, and a momentary failure to hold on to their sanity. So I doubt that this mess was premeditated."
Master Jet remained silent for a moment, and then added:
"He was lucid enough to use his Aspect to obscure the cameras, though. So dealing with him won't be too simple."
With that, she turned to the police officer and asked:
"Any survivors? Do we have witnesses?"
He hesitated for a bit, then gave her a strange look.
"That… yes, actually, there are a few. But…"
The officer didn't finish the sentence, and just stared at them with an uneasy expression.
Sunny raised an eyebrow.
"But what? Are they refusing to talk?"
The policeman shook his head slowly.
"No, they're not refusing. They just… I don't know, something is wrong with them. They just don't speak, or even react really. I've seen a lot of people in shock, and sometimes, they can seem almost catatonic. But this… this is something else. Gave us all the creeps, to be honest."
Sunny and Master Jet glanced at each other, and then, one of them said:
"Lead the way."
The officer sighed, then escorted them to the back of the club, where an inconspicuous door led to the service rooms. The witnesses were gathered in a small office, standing there motionlessly, with nervous paramedics trying to determine the reason for their condition.
There were five of them, all sharing the same blank, strangely peaceful expression on their faces. They were completely silent, motionless, and still. They did not react to the arrival of new people at all.
Their eyes were calm and empty.
Sunny paled.
'How… how is this possible?'
It only took him a second to recognize what was wrong with the survivors, of course.
In fact, they weren't survivors at all. These people were dead.
To be more precise, they were Hollow.
'How can a mundane human be Hollow?'
Suddenly, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
Looking at Master Jet, he saw that she had a deep frown on her face, too.
The massacre in the dance hall was bad enough. But this, this just made the whole situation frightening and eerie. If before Sunny was just disgusted, now, he was starting to get concerned.
"What the hell?"
Master Jet stared at the five Hollows for a few moments, then turned to the paramedics.
"Go take a break, guys. Let these people be. They are already dead."
One of the paramedics — a mature woman with short blond hair and gentle eyes — looked at her with confusion.
"I'm sorry, ma'am? But… but they're fine. We need to…"
Jet let out a heavy sigh.
"Their souls are destroyed. There is nothing you can do to help them. Something else will take care of the rest."
The paramedic looked at her for a while, then glanced at the ground and silently walked away. Her colleagues followed, expressions of regret, anger, and horror clearly written on their faces.
The police officer stayed, but made a point of standing as far away from the Hollows as he could.
Master Jet stood silently for a few moments, her scowls growing deeper, then turned to Sunny.
"Answering your question, I don't know."
He hesitated for a bit, then asked:
"But how can a mundane human become a Hollow? It's only supposed to happen to those who die in the Dream Realm, right?"
She glanced at him, then silently shook her head. Eventually, Master Jet said:
"...Wrong. There is a very small chance of a powerful soul attack creating a Hollow. But beings capable of dealing direct soul damage are very rare, so it doesn't happen too often. Almost never, really."
Sunny walked closer to the five empty humans and studied them.
"Can you do something like this?"
Master Jet lingered for a bit, then answered simply:
"If I am really precise."
Something was very wrong with these people. And not just the fact that they were Hollow. There was something else… something that almost made Sunny's hair stand on end.
A feeling of subtle, but profound wrongness.
He reached out with Shadow Sense, and flinched.
Master Jet did not miss that sudden reaction.
"What? Did you discover something?"
Sunny gritted his teeth, then nodded.
"Their shadows… they're dead."
She stared at him with a raised eyebrow:
"How does this work? I don't know much about shadow affinity, sorry… it's a very rare type of Aspect. Does damage to a shadow correlate to soul damage?"
Sunny thought for a bit, then shrugged.
"I am not so sure myself. There's no manual for it, after all. But… only two things ever managed to damage my shadow. One was another shadow, and the other was a soul attack."
Sunny wasn't sure that he was comfortable providing Master Jet — a person specializing in exactly such a type of attack — with this information, but decided to share it nevertheless.
He trusted her that much, at least.
"So… since shadows are susceptible to soul damage, it is not too much of a leap to assume that they share a deep connection to the soul, or are tied to it somehow, at least."
She nodded, and remained silent for a while, thinking. Then, Master Jet echoed his recent question:
"Can you do something like this?"
Sunny shook his head.
"No. My Aspect doesn't have means of dealing damage to someone's shadow. At least not yet."
His Shadow Sense, meanwhile, spread throughout the whole club, allowing him to perceive it as a whole.
And there, deeper underground, he noticed something strange.
Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then turned to the police officer.
"Gather your colleagues and leave. Don't come inside again until either Master Jet or I tell you to."
The policeman opened his mouth, wishing to say something, then simply nodded and hurriedly walked away.
Master Jet glanced at Sunny with a question in her eyes.
"...What was that all about?"
Sunny gave her a dark look.
"That's... how do I say this? I think the killer is still inside."
Chapter 507: ln the Spotlight
Master Jet remained silent for a second, then asked calmly:
"Are you sure? This place has been swept multiple times before we arrived."
Sunny nodded.
"He is here. Underground."
She looked down, her face slowly turning somber.
"...Well, I guess we should go and say hi."
Sunny nodded and made a step toward the door of the small office. However, she suddenly stopped him.
"Wait."
He looked at her with a bit of confusion.
"Yes?"
Master Jet hesitated for a few moments. There was a complicated expression on her face. Finally, she said:
"There are very few people with a shadow affinity Aspect in the world, and even fewer who frequent places such as this."
Sunny frowned.
"What are you trying to say?"
She looked at him darkly.
"I'm saying that I might know this guy. In fact, when I heard that there was an incident in the Slaughterhouse, I already had a suspicion of who was responsible."
He blinked a couple of times.
"You know the murderer?"
Master Jet shrugged.
"There are hundreds of thousands of Awakened in the world. That seems like a big number, but in fact, it is not. If you live long enough, sooner or later, you will know of everyone who is worth knowing… more or less. It's a small world."
She paused for a moment, and then added:
"Point is, if I am right, then this will be dangerous. This guy is not someone who has spent his whole life behind a Citadel wall. He is… was the real deal. A specialist."
Sunny glanced at the five Hollows, then frowned slightly.
'A specialist… what a peculiar word.'
But he understood what Master Jet had meant. Most of the Awakened were thrust into the Spell and tried desperately to survive, striving to return to a semblance of a normal life. A much smaller amount, for whatever reason, embraced their new nightmarish reality and adapted to it… even thrived in it. They shaped their lives to suit the deadly challenge of the Nightmare Spell, and not the other way around.
Sunny was one of these specialists himself, after all.
"If he is such a specialist, then how did this mess happen?"
Master Jet shook her head.
"Who do you think are the most compromised Awakened? Folks who spent as little time as possible in the Dream Realm and then return to their actual lives? No, it's people like us, the professionals."
He thought on it for a bit, then said with confusion:
"I don't get it… even if he is a seasoned fighter, so what? You are an Ascended. Surely, dealing with him will be easy."
Master Jet shook her head.
"Nothing is ever easy, Sunny. That is a mindset that will get you killed. No matter how powerful you are, one mistake is all it takes. Raw power doesn't always decide the outcome of the fight. You should know this already… every Aspect has a Flaw, and every power has a counter. So keep your guard up."
Sunny had to agree that she was right. His own experience served as the perfect proof. Harus had died by his hand because Sunny's Aspect was a perfect counter to his formidable Ability, and Caster had been undone by his Flaw.
He remained silent for a few moments, and then said:
"When we confront this guy, pay attention to your shadow. Don't let him get anywhere near it."
Master Jet frowned, and then gave him a simple nod.
Together, they returned to the dance hall, and then found another heavy metal door. Behind it, a narrow staircase led further down, to the underground arena.
The arena itself was larger than Sunny had imagined, and looked more like a luxurious theater than a fighting pit. The rows of seats were furnished with red velvet, and there were private boxes for the most affluent of the visitors. The arena itself resembled a stage and was surrounded by a protective barrier fashioned out of transparent alloy.
The whole space was sparsely illuminated, with deep shadows nesting between the areas of light. Still, one could more or less see everything.
Master Jet studied the interior of the arena, then said quietly:
"There's no one here."
Sunny lingered for a moment, then walked over to a control panel hidden in one of the boxes and moved several switches.
A moment later, bright spotlights ignited on the ceiling, flooding the arena with a bright radiance. The wave of light chased away the shadows, and suddenly, a figure of a man could be seen in the very center of the stage, sitting on the floor with his face buried in his hands. Previously, that place had seemed to be utterly empty.
The man grimaced, and then raised his head to stare at the lights with a dark expression. A hoarse voice resounded in the silence of the underground theater:
"Bastards… why can't they just live me alone…"
The murderer was around thirty, with a gaunt unshaven face and bloodshot eyes. There were several used stimulant packs lying on the floor around him, as well as shards of a broken liquor bottle.
His clothes, hands, and face were covered with blood, but the man didn't seem to mind.
Blocking the light with one hand, he lowered his gaze and slowly focused it on Master Jet and Sunny.
A hint of recognition slowly appeared in his eyes, which was then replaced with contempt.
"...Is that you, Soul Reaper? Hell… they sent the attack dog herself after me? Ha! What an honor…"
Sunny sighed inwardly.
What was it with people and calling others dogs? He really didn't get it. Dogs were marvelous creatures, from what he knew. Of course, only the rich could afford to have one. Dogs were the rich man's best friend…
Jet took a step forward, piercing the man with a cold, cold gaze. The murderer shivered.
"Hi there, Kurt. Long time no see."
After hearing her voice, the man called Kurt suddenly grinned.
"Yeah... long time indeed. You got really full of yourself lately, haven't you, Jet? Funny that a government lapdog like you finds it beneath herself to associate with upstanding people like me. Back in the day, you at least knew how to show respect, bitch."
Ignoring his insult, she smiled, too.
"...Do you even understand what you have done, Kurt?"
The grin disappeared from his face. As Sunny and Jet slowly walked toward the arena, he furtively looked away.
"What, that mess upstairs? Ah… shit, who cares? They were just cattle, anyway. Mundanes only exist to produce more of us, right? So what's the big deal..."
Sunny's eye twitched.
'He's a proper bastard, isn't he?'
Master Jet, meanwhile, stopped smiling.
"...I care, Kurt. I care."
He suddenly laughed.
"Wait… wait, you're being serious? You're really going to do the whole thing? I'm getting the full parade? Fuck, that's hilarious!"
Suddenly, an ugly expression appeared on his face.
"Have you forgotten who you are, Jet? Gods, did becoming a Master give you that big of a head? Come on… we all know who you work for, and who I work for. You'll still be a Master when I am a Saint, wench."
He glanced at Sunny, and then added in a mocking tone:
"Look, you even had to bring a kid to help you out. I guess no adult is willing to get your stench on them."
Then, Kurt got a bit serious and stared at Jet darkly, deep shadows slowly gathering around him.
"Look… I get it. I fucked up. So let's have it. Give me a slap on the hand, on be on your merry way, alright? I'm having a really hard day as it is... we all know that you won't dare to do more, anyway."
Master Jet tilted her head a little, and then said with amusement:
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Kurt. I do dare. Yeah, we both know who I work for, and who your sorry ass works for. But, the thing is… I don't give a damn."
She chuckled and outstretched one hand, as if ready to summon her weapon.
Kurt laughed again. This time, however, his laugh was a bit desperate.
Then, he looked down and whispered:
"Ah, well. Not like it matters, anyway. You know about the Obel scale, so why even bother? Nothing will change…"
He remained still for a moment, and then suddenly exploded with movement.
…After that, everything happened very fast.
Chapter 508: Battle of the Shadows
Kurt moved with terrible speed, covering the distance between the center of the arena and the first row of the seats, where Sunny and Master Jet were, in a split second.
Just from the way he moved, it was easy to tell that his soul core had been fully saturated a long time ago. He was indeed a powerful Awakened.
…Still, it wasn't enough time to summon a Memory.
The white sparks that were supposed to form into a glaive were just starting to manifest themselves around Jet's hand, but he was already upon her. One of Kurt's hands shot forward, a knife forged out of a strange lusterless alloy appearing in it as if out of nowhere.
The was no magic involved in its sudden appearance, though. The knife had just been hidden in a secret sheath on his forearm.
Of course, Master Jet was much faster. She blocked the strike before it could ever reach her flesh… at the last moment, however, Kurt twisted his wrist and let go of the handle, sending the knife flying past her.
…Right at Sunny.
He had barely any time to react.
The Cruel Sight was still in the process of being summoned, so Sunny used his other hand to try and swat the knife away. It jerked up, but then froze.
'No, wrong!'
A fraction of a second too late, Sunny realized that the knife was not aimed at his body.
It was aimed at his shadow.
And since he had wasted precious time being mistaken about the killer's intentions, it was too late to move his body away to make the shadow shift out of harm's way.
Luckily, Sunny's shadow could move on its own.
It suddenly went out of the sink with his movements and jumped away, letting the knife bury itself in the floor and send a net of cracks through the sturdy synthwood boards.
Shaken, Sunny belatedly jumped back.
'What is this…'
Any other Awakened would have been killed by that devious attack, most likely. To Kurt's misfortune, though, he had met a fighter well-versed in all things shadow.
A few steps away, Master Jet was already turning her block into an attack. Her fist seemed to teleport forward, tearing through the air so fast that it sent a small shockwave rolling through the underground arena.
Kurt had long disengaged, though. As soon as he threw the knife, he saturated his body with essence and lunged back, smashing through the velvet seats and momentarily appearing a dozen meters away. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he was already moving again, dashing sideways.
At the same time, free more knives flew at terrible speed toward Master Jet and Sunny. Their purpose was not to kill or wound them, but just to slow them down.
One was meant for the Ascended, one for Sunny, and the last one for his shadow.
Sunny dodged the knife and summoned the shadow to wrap itself around his body, feeling his strength and speed become even more enhanced. He dashed forward, and finally felt the cool wooden surface of the Cruel Sight's hilt appear in his hand.
'Not… not too bad…'
Jet's voice tore this thought to shreds:
"Be careful! He's planning somethi…"
Before she could finish the thought, a dark smile appeared on Kurt's face.
In the next moment, something massive broke through the floorboards and struck her… or at least tried to.
Soul Reaper easily sidestepped the attack and jumped back, then suddenly twisted, making her shadow grow smaller. A fourth knife appeared out of nowhere and pierced the floor where it had been just a moment ago.
Kurt clicked his tongue.
"...So annoying."
Sunny, meanwhile, was staring at the thing that crawled from under the floor.
It looked like a mound of worn rags , with two long arms that had one too many joints growing out of it, each ending in three terrifying curved claws. The towering thing was vaguely humanoid in shape, with broad shoulders and a small head covered by a tattered hood.
He felt angry at his own stupidity.
'An Echo… curses, of course he has an Echo!'
Why else would the bastard frequent the Slaughterhouse and its underground arena?
Something didn't add up, though… whatever that thing was, it didn't look like any kind of a dormant beast Sunny had ever seen. If he had to guess, he would be willing to bet that the creature was at least of the Fallen Rank, and had at least three soul cores hiding in its raggedy carcass. Maybe more…
Weren't the arena meant for dormant Echoes?
As a vicious-looking curved sword appeared in Kurt's hands, Sunny got his answer.
Three more Nightmare Creatures suddenly appeared out of the shadows. These seemed not to be Fallen, at least. He wasn't sure if they were beasts or monsters, though… just that they looked rather menacing. One was covered in black chitin and had a long tail that ended in a jagged blade, drops of poison falling from it and leaving smoldering holes on the floor; the other was like a repulsive mix of a human and a pale centipede, its limbs numerous and thin as bone needles; the last one resembled a marionette with sharp knives sewn to its wrists.
The four Echoes surrounded Master Jet. If it was anybody else, Sunny might have been worried… Soul Reaper, though, seemed unperturbed. She simply raised her glaive and smiled darkly. The air in the underground arena suddenly felt bitterly cold.
She was probably capable of handling the Echoes without too much trouble, even if one of them was a Fallen Demon or worse.
Would she be able to do so while also paying attention to her shadow, though? That was not something people intuitively knew how to do…
As the Nightmare Creatures attacked, Kurt surrounded himself with dancing shadows and dashed forward… while Sunny simply took a step back, and suddenly appeared in his way.
The more shadows the bastard used, the easier it was for Sunny to get to him, after all.
He noticed a hint of surprise in the killer's eyes, and brought the Cruel Sight down.
The somber Memory was in the form of a short sword right now, so the almost non-existent distance between the two of them was not an issue.
Somehow, Kurt managed to dodge the silver blade and swiped at Sunny with his curved sword. Although he was incredibly fast, Sunny was much, much faster. He moved the Cruel Sight and blocked the strike without too much effort.
'Easy…'
Simultaneously, Master Jet's words echoed in his mind…
One mistake is all it takes.
Yeah… Sunny knew it all too well. Usually, he was the beneficiary of this deadly truth, and exploited the mistakes of his enemies to bring them down.
This time, however, the situation was reversed.
As something broke with a deafening crash and a roar full of agony resounded behind their backs, a triumphant spark appeared in Kurt's eyes. At the same time, his shadow suddenly moved. Even though the curved sword was already blocked, its black reflection held in the shadows hand continued to swiftly approach Sunny's flesh.
Before it could cut him down, though, the blade of the Cruel Sight suddenly ignited with blinding radiance, summoning pure sunlight into the underground arena.
Sunny had activated the [Light Eater] enchantment, which could absorb and expel light.
Because it shined much brighter than the lamps illuminating the theater, Kurt's shadow was suddenly thrown away, appearing behind him and far away from Sunny.
An expression of shock twisted the killer's gaunt face, and he swiftly jumped back, creating distance between himself and the radiant shortsword, which was already flying toward his heart.
The hilt of the Cruel Sight, however, suddenly elongated, turning into the shaft of a spear.
Before Kurt could do anything, the silver blade pierced his armor and buried itself deep in his chest.
He opened his mouth, eyes full of disbelief. Before any words could escape it, though, the spearhead turned furiously incandescent, and suddenly, the killer's body became enveloped with white flames.
In mere seconds, he had turned into ash.
Sunny sighed.
[...You have slain an Awakened human, Kurt.]
[Your shadow grows stronger.]
'What a pity… I hoped to receive more than a single fragment from a fellow shadow user.]
The Spell wasn't done talking, though.
[You have received an Echo.]
Chapter 509: Ghastly Reward
In the deadly silence that settled over the underground arena after the Spell had spoken its last sentence, Sunny stared motionlessly at the flakes of ash swirling in the air.
'...An Echo?'
He was now in possession of a new Echo.
A human Echo.
Of course, it was only logical that an Awakened could leave one behind. Sunny had received his first-ever Memory after killing a human, after all, and those were not too different. However, somehow, he had never considered commanding an Echo left behind by a dead man. One that he had killed with his own two hands, no less.
Wasn't it a little bit too ghastly?
He imagined the soulless, empty copy of Kurt staring at him with lifeless eyes, and shivered a little.
The situation was only made more morbid by the fact that a softly glowing soul shard was left in the pile of ash that the killer had turned into. Just like with Nightmare Creatures, the strange nature of Sunny's Aspect left the crystal intact despite absorbing the shadow fragment. If an ordinary Awakened was in his place, the shard would have formed empty and cracked.
Sunny had never dug into the corpses of his human victims to retrieve one, so this was his first time seeing a soul shard left behind by one of his own kind.
…Before Master Jet could see it, too, Sunny bent down, picked up the luminescent crystal, and hid it in his sleeve. His face twitched slightly.
Just as he did, an amused voice resounded from behind him:
"Well, I'll be damned… that was fast."
He hesitated for a moment, and then turned around.
Master Jet was surrounded by a scene of devastation, the interior of the underground theater in her vicinity completely destroyed. She was casually leaning on her glaive, and there was an amused expression on her face. Kurt's Echoes, of course, had disappeared after his death… however, Sunny didn't know how many of them she had killed before that happened.
In any case, there were no wounds on her body.
Master Jet whistled.
"You actually put down the bastard all by yourself. That's, uh… nicely done, Sunny."
From her voice, it was clear that she was pleasantly surprised. And why wouldn't she be? Kurt was… had been an Awakened with at least ten years of experience under his belt, with a fully saturated soul core and an insidious, deadly Aspect. While Sunny… Sunny had become an Awakened less than a year ago. He was never formally trained, and had no clan or organization supporting his growth.
Not bad for a kid from the outskirts.
He shrugged.
"He was overly reliant on the unique nature of his powers. A little knowledge of the shadows was all it took, really."
She slowly shook her head.
"Maybe you're right. Still, Kurt had quite a reputation back in the day. But hey, why am I surprised? They gave you the SS designation for a reason."
With that, Master Jet sighed and looked at the pile of ash with a complicated expression.
After a few moments of silence, she added:
"...You know, he was a promising young Awakened too, once. One of the few who didn't treat me like a walking corpse back in the Academy."
Sunny glanced at the ashes, trying to imagine Kurt as young and promising. It wasn't too hard… however, thinking about a person he had killed this way made him uncomfortable.
It was better to remember him as he had been at the end — a depraved, demented murderer. More of a rabid beast, really, than an actual human.
Sunny scratched the back of his head.
"So then what happened to him?"
Master jet lingered for a bit, and then shrugged.
"Life, I guess. Not everyone is cut out for the kind of life we live. In fact, very few are."
Sunny dismissed the Cruel Sight, thought for a few moments, and then asked the question he really wanted to ask:
"So, uh… that stuff he told about having a powerful protector. What was that all about? Are you going to be in trouble? Wait… am I?"
Jet smiled.
"What, did you believe that fool? Don't worry, he was just being delusional. Sure, he had rather powerful masters. But these people… they're not going to make a fuss about someone like him. Kurt became of no use to them the moment he lost control. What's more, he turned into a liability. So, if anything, we did them a favor by taking care of the mess ourselves."
Her smile suddenly grew wider… but also darker.
"And if they decide otherwise… I'm not so easy to deal with, Sunny. And they would have to go through me first to get to you."
He frowned a little, then nodded, accepting her reasoning. It all made sense, after all. Powerful people were also practical sort. They wouldn't hesitate to discard a broken tool, and that was what people like Kurt were… tools to be used and discarded once they couldn't be used anymore.
'Good thing I didn't join a Legacy clan. I guess that is what I would have become if I did. Master Jet warned me against it for a reason..."
Then, something else came to his mind.
The strange words Kurt had said right before launching his suicidal attack…
"Not like it matters, anyway. You know about the Obel scale, so why even bother? Nothing will change…"
What did he mean? It almost seemed as though the knowledge of this mysterious Obel scale was the real reason for why he allowed himself to lose control. Of why he had lost… hope?
Sunny lingered for a few moments, then asked cautiously:
"Oh, by the way. What was that nonsense Kurt went on about? The… Obel scale? What is that?"
Master Jet gave him a long, somewhat strange look. Then, she simply shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. It's not some secret, anyway. You can find the information on the network… Obel was the name of a scientist who developed the spelltech system the government uses to detect signs of a manifesting Gate. The infrastructure of that thing is getting old, though, so the readings have become less reliable lately. Nothing that some thorough calibrations can't fix."
Sunny tilted his head a little.
"Why was he so fixated on it, though?"
She looked at him with amusement.
"How would I know what went on in that crazy head of his? The bastard massacred twenty people, and thought that I would let him go after a stern reprimand. He was obviously not all there at the end…"
He frowned, and decided to let it go. Either Jet knew, or she didn't. Either way, it didn't seem like she was going to tell him.
Instead, Sunny asked:
"Uh, so… what now?"
Master Jet dismissed her glaive and massaged her shoulders.
"Now? Nothing much… give me twenty minutes to settle things down with the police, and then we'll go get you your reward."
She looked at him and added with a smile:
"...By the way, thanks. This would have been much messier without your help."
With that, Master Jet walked toward the exit from the arena, leaving Sunny alone.
He stood silently for a while, and then sighed heavily.
It was time to see about his new Echo… and decide whether he was going to keep the ghastly thing or not.
Chapter 510: Human Echo
Sunny looked around the destroyed theater, then found an intact seat and sat down. Relaxing on the soft velvet cushions, he crossed his legs and looked at the broken stage with a complicated expression.
The shards of glass and empty stimulant packs attracted his attention for a moment. Sunny had expected the stimulants to be of the pleasure-inducing variety, but to his surprise, they were more or less the same as the ones he had used to stay awake for an entire week after returning from the Forgotten Shore.
A slight frown appeared on his.
'Don't tell me… was this guy afraid of going to the Dream Realm?'
…Kurt might have been even more broken than he had suspected. From how Master Jet had described her former acquaintance, the man had once been a dedicated combatant, a specialist... but what kind of a specialist was scared of his specialty?
With a sign, Sunny stared into the distance and summoned the runes.
And there it was, written in the ancient symbols in the air in front of him:
Echo: [Shadow Blade Kurt].
Echo Type: Beast.
…All humans were considered to be Beasts by the Spell, since they only had one soul core, so this was not surprising.
Well, all humans except for Sunny and Nephis.
As the thought of becoming a Demon drifted into his mind, Sunny read further.
Echo Rank: Awakened.
Echo Attributes: [Swift Hand], [Shadow Sworn], [Mark of Death].
[Swift Hand] Attribute Description: "Your blade strikes fast and true."
[Shadow Sworn] Attribute Description: "You are known to shadows."
[Mark of Death] Attribute Description: "You bear a mark of Death, as just like Death, you were created to be a weapon."
Sunny tilted his head a little.
So, an Attribute that increased perception and agility, an Attribute that gifted Kurt affinity to shadows — although to a much lesser extent than his own — and a third Attribute that… actually, Sunny had no idea what the third Attribute did.
Its description, though, was very interesting. He knew that death had been created by Shadow God, and now, he learned that it had been created as a weapon… but against whom? What kind of enemy could have demanded the creation of such a terrible thing?
Someone immortal, perhaps… no, that didn't make sense. If there had been a time before death was invented, then everything back then was immortal, eternal, and endless… right?
Sunny wasn't sure that he understood the concept of a world without death. What he did know, though, was that something as harrowing as death would not have been invented without a reason.
He frowned, then turned his attention back to the runes:
Echo Abilities: [Shadow Manipulation], [Shadow Strike], [Awakened].
[Shadow Manipulation] Ability Description: "You can affect the movement of shadows and walk through them unseen."
[Shadow Strike] Ability Description: "You can strike at the shadows, and your shadow can strike at the living things."
'...As expected.'
Sunny had more or less surmised what Kurt's Aspect Abilities had been. They were different, but at the same time similar to his own. Both were much less versatile and powerful than what he was capable of himself, though, even if the ability to deal direct damage to and through his shadows was something Sunny would have loved to have access to.
[Shadow Manipulation], especially, was almost no more than a slightly different version of his passive Attribute, [Child of Shadows].
…Still, having a Shadow like Kurt could add a new layer to his battle prowess.
There was also the last Ability:
[Awakened] Ability Description: "This Echo has the innate abilities of a carrier of the Spell."
So... using Memories? That was a nice ability to have. Even Saint herself was limited to only using weapons and charms.
Full of thought, Sunny looked at the last string of runes.
Echo Description: [I have entrusted you with a beautiful blade, but all you created was a hideous nightmare.]
He blinked a couple of times.
'...What's up with that description? Oh my, am I imagining things, or does the Spell sound… bitter?'
What a funny thought that was.
Sunny reclined in the chair and waited for a bit, then grimaced and dove into the Soul Sea.
'Let's take a look…'
He walked past the rows of silent shadows, noticing the dark figure of Shadow Blade Kurt standing among them motionlessly. Sparing him a glance, Sunny approached the spot between the black suns of his Shadow Cores, found a large sphere of light that orbited one of them, and summoned the Echo down.
The sphere floated to the surface of still waters and slowly dimmed, revealing a gaunt, naked man standing inside.
Sunny felt his skin crawling.
In front of him was a human… or rather, a soulless copy of a human. Echo Kurt looked almost like a person, but the lifeless emptiness in his eyes screamed of a profound, abhorrent wrongness. It was incredibly unnerving.
The Echo was very much like the Hollow victims of its original, only even more vacant and devoid of the undefinable spark that all living things possessed. It was an artificial copy of a man that lacked the very thing that made him human.
A ghastly effigy.
…The thing was incredibly creepy.
Sunny hesitated, then tried to think about things logically.
The Echo was more or less useless to him in its current state, but thanks to its [Awakened] Ability, it would possess the innate capacity to use Memories… which meant that Sunny could provide Echo Kurt with an armor and a weapon.
That question was… did he want to?
On the surface, that question was rather simple. Who wouldn't want to have a creature equal to a powerful Awakened in their service? But really, things were more complicated.
Sunny frowned, then raised a hand and poked the ghastly creature in the shoulder.
A new string of runes appeared near it:
[Transform Echo into a Shadow?]
He froze, thinking.
Having a human Shadow certainly had its benefits. But having any Shadow also demanded a tremendous investment of resources. Nurturing Saint was very hard on Sunny, and especially on his pocket. Less importantly, but still somewhat pressing, was the need to spend a hundred shadow fragments to complete the transformation.
Sunny had spent so much time and effort to get close to creating a third core, and the idea of being suddenly pushed back by a whole hundred fragments did not seem too alluring.
The point was, he felt reluctant to turn just any Echo into a Shadow.
So was Kurt a worthy Echo?
Even though Sunny was very curious to see what would happen if one of the silent shadows was placed into a human Echo, the answer was… no.
Sunny wasn't sure that he was.
There were two reasons.
The first one was rather simple, but also not too convincing.
Master Jet had said that all of them, seasoned Awakened, were walking one step away from the madness. Sunny felt like dragging around a reanimated copy of a man he killed would bring him closer to making that step. His humanity — and sanity, to be honest — were already on thin ice.
However, that wasn't the main reason.
The second reason, and the most important one, was the nature of the Shadows. Shadows weren't soulless, empty copies of their originals. They possessed a semblance of a consciousness, and a distinct personality… Saint was living proof.
Yes, she was created from a powerful Nightmare Creature, but her Attributes and Abilities were not what made her strong. Saint was strong because she was Saint. Her will, intellect, and unbreakable resolve were what made her such a deadly presence on the battlefield, and a valued companion for Sunny.
And that was why he didn't want to create a Shadow of Kurt. Yes, Kurt possessed powerful Abilities that shared the affinity with Sunny's Aspect.
But Kurt himself… was weak.
His weakness was the cause of why he had drowned himself in alcohol and distasteful hobbies, and why he had eventually surrendered to the burden of the Nightmare Spell and massacred defenseless humans in a fit of demented frenzy.
No matter how powerful, Sunny didn't want to possess a Shadow of an unstable butcher… but more than anything, he didn't want to possess a Shadow of someone who was weak. How could he rely on someone like that?
On the path he was taking, there was no place for weakness… at least not for the weakness of that kind.
With a sigh, he summoned Saint, and watched her appear near the naked figure of Kurt in a whirlpool of black flames.
The taciturn demon stared at him with her indifferent ruby eyes, not paying any attention to the human Echo. Seeing them side by side only made Sunny more sure of his decision.
He remained silent for a few moments, and then gestured at Kurt:
"Do you, maybe... want to eat him?"
Saint remained motionless for a few moments, then silently turned to the Echo and raised one hand. Her gauntlet easily pierced the chest of the dead killer, and a few moments later, his body disintegrated into a flood of white sparks.
Those sparks formed into three brilliant streams and entered into the darkness that hid inside the Shadow, then flowed into her three core remnants.
[Your Echo has been destroyed.]
Sunny felt a wave of bitterness wash over his heart, but very soon, it disappeared.
He was watching the shadow fragment counter in the runes describing Saint.
…Apparently, feeding on Echoes was much more nourishing for a Shadow. She received much more fragments than she would have from an Awakened Memory of the first tier.
Right now, the counter was showing a simple number:
Shadow Fragments: [200/200].
A triumphant smile appeared on Sunny's lips.
Chapter 511: Ascension
'...Finally.'
How long had it been since he created Saint and saw the dreadful [0/200] written in her runes? A year, no less. That was how long it had taken Sunny to gather enough Memories to saturate the dark embers that burned in the black depths of his Shadow.
…What was going to happen now?
The last time Saint had evolved, her transformation took a very long time. Was she going to retreat into the chrysalis of his Shadow Core again? Or was reaching two hundred fragments completely different from what had happened to her after the killing of the Black Knight?
A few moments later, Sunny received the answer.
Bathed in the lightlessness of his Soul Sea, Saint suddenly shuddered. The darkness hiding in her body surged, and the three embers hidden within it — one in her chest, one in her abdomen, and the last one in her head — shined with black radiance.
It was very different, but also very similar to the process he himself had gone through twice, once after the First Nightmare, and once after going through the gateway in the Crimson Spire.
'Is she… is he ascending to a new Rank?'
The thought filled Sunny with a jubilant thrill.
Meanwhile, Saint was in the throes of her transformation. The still waters around her were now restless, as though assaulted by invisible winds. Wisps of dancing black flame suddenly appeared around her body, and it rose above the surface of the water, becoming partially obscured.
Sunny took a step back and silently watched the strange and beautiful process, his heart beating wildly.
After a few minutes, it was over.
The invisible winds disappeared, and so did the black flames. The water turned tranquil and still once again. Saint landed on her feet and straightened, her graceful figure brimming with new power. The glow of her ruby eyes seemed to have become brighter.
Unlike the previous time, the taciturn demon had not changed outwardly. Her onyx armor was still composed of polished, stonelike metal. Sunny knew that beneath it, her skin was still smooth and white as alabaster.
…On the inside, though, the changes were nothing short of profound.
The darkness hiding in the body of the living statue now seemed much, much deeper, and the three embers seemed to have become substantially larger. More than that, they appeared to be… more complete, somehow. Not yet whole, but also not as broken and fragmented as they had been before.
Sunny hesitated, then summoned the runes.
Shadow: [Marble Saint.]
…Her name didn't change. The next string of runes, however, was vastly different:
Shadow Rank: Ascended.
He froze.
'I'll… I'll be damned!'
Ascended, Saint was now Ascended! Indeed, she had achieved a new rank… the same Rank, in fact, as that of Master Jet, as well as the Black Knight, Mirror Beast, and Mordant Mimic.
An Ascended human was called a Master, while Nightmare Creatures of the same Rank were called Fallen. Saint was now somewhere in between — a creature possessing multiple cores, but following the path of ascension as opposed to the path of corruption.
Like Sunny himself.
Of course, she was much more powerful than him now.
Sunny was torn between being mad with joy and slightly bitter. Back when he had created Saint, she was stronger than him for a long, long time. After becoming an Awakened, he had finally caught up to her… but now, she was the stronger one once more.
He sighed, then looked at his demon with a wide smile.
"Good job, Saint! Who's going to stop us now, huh?"
The taciturn demon did not answer, and just tilted her head a little.
…Then, however, she silently raised her hand, made a fist, and lightly struck the left side of her breastplate twice.
Sunny stared, not accustomed to his Shadow being so chatty.
"...Uh, yeah. Exactly."
Feeling a little awkward, he lingered for a moment, and then looked back to the runes.
Saint's Class, Attributes, and Abilities did not change. At the very end of the plane of runes, however, he was met with an unexpected surprise.
'What?!'
The last string of runes read:
[Shadow Fragments: 39/200].
He stared at the number for a few moments, then rubbed his eyes. No, he wasn't mistaken. It was indeed thirty-nine out of two hundred.
Pleasantly confused, Sunny narrowed his eyes.
'But how does it make sense?'
Before Saint had consumed Kurt, the runes showed [179/200]. How many fragments exactly had eating the Echo given her?
With a sudden suspicion, Sunny turned around and looked at the rows of silent shadows.
…The shadow of Kurt was gone.
'So, she consumed it too…'
He was starting to understand what had happened. Most likely, a larger share of the fragments came not from the Echo, but from the shadow of its original. Kurt had been an experienced Awakened, one in possession of a fully saturated core. By absorbing his shadow, Saint must have inherited a portion of all the soul fragments he had accumulated over his life — just like a human would after slaying another human.
That amount was enough to bridge the gap to the next Rank, and then some. Of course, since his Shadow was now an Ascended, she required shadow fragments of similar quality to grow one-to-one. Those that came from Kurt were only Awakened, though.
So, in fact, the current number would have been [78/200] if Saint's Rank had not changed.
That meant that she received almost a hundred shadow fragments by consuming the Echo of Shadow Blade Kurt… an utterly insane number, considering that it had taken Sunny somewhere around half a year to feed her that much before.
Suddenly, the regret he felt over sacrificing such a valuable Echo disappeared.
'That's a windfall… a crazy windfall!'
Today, luck was truly on his side.
…And an Ascended Demon was now by his side, which instantly propelled Sunny to a completely new level of capability. Together with the newly transformed Saint, he would be able to do much more, challenge much more powerful Nightmare Creatures, and therefore, accelerate his own growth even further.
Even better, this change could not have come at a better time.
Because it was nearly time for him to return to the Shipwreck Island, and challenge the terrifying being that dwelled in the ancient wreck.
Having an Ascended Shadow by his side would be of enormous help.
…Sunny only noticed that a wide, stupid smile appeared on his face when Master Jet returned to the underground arena. He hurriedly erased it and stood up.
"All done?"
She gave him a relaxed nod, then yawned.
"Yeah. We are free to go… a little paperwork, and the contribution points I promised will be yours to spend. We can grab a bite first, if you want."
Sunny smiled.
'Oh yes… there is also the reward from the government.'
Now that he didn't need to spend all the contribution points on bringing Saint to full saturation as soon as possible… what else would he be able to get?
Chapter 512: Unburdened
Sitting on the very edge of the Sanctuary island with his feet dangling above the abyss of the Sky Below, Sunny was enjoying the view of the clear streams falling down into the darkness and turning into clouds of water dust.
After a while, he lowered his eyes and looked at the item laying on his palm with a bit of confusion.
'So… that's it?'
This was one of the two Memories he had exchanged for the contribution points given to him for helping Master Jet deal with Shadow Blade Kurt. It looked like a long, narrow needle forged out of black steel, with gold wire wrapped around one of its ends — sort of like an antique acupuncture needle, but much sturdier.
The needle's name was Heavenly Burden… a very ironic name for a Memory, here on the Chained Isles. He had just received it this morning, and this was his first opportunity to properly study the thing.
Very curious, Sunny summoned the runes:
Memory: [Heavenly Burden].
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: III.
Memory Type: Tool.
Memory Description: [To be free of a burden, one has to let go of all attachments they hold in their heart. Only those who untethered themselves from everything can become truly free.]
'Sounds wonderful...'
At first glance, the Memory wasn't too outstanding. Its Rank wasn't high, and neither was its tier. With the amount of money Sunny was making, he could probably buy something like this after a week or two of collecting soul shards in the Dream Realm.
But that was why contribution points were more valuable than credits. The government had access to things that were exceedingly rare or simply impossible to get on the market. Heavenly Burden was one such thing, and it was due to the enchantment the needle possessed:
Memory Enchantments: [Unburdened].
Enchantment Description: [Those pierced with this needle will rise to the skies.]
…Indeed, it was a Memory that could allow him to fly.
Sort of.
Flight enchantments were extremely rare and tremendously valued. In all honesty, Sunny had no business being able to get his hands on a Memory such as this — he was already incredibly lucky to have the Dark Wing, which, while not capable of true flight, was pretty close to it.
Usually, only Masters or Saints were able to purchase decent flight Memories. That was why Kai was so lucky… but Master Jet pulled some string, and as the result, Sunny was currently holding the Heavenly Burden in his hands.
Well… from what he understood about the black needle, calling it a decent flight Memory was a bit of a stretch. Still, it was indeed capable of gifting him the ability to fly.
He grimaced a little, then thrust the needle into his forearm. However, nothing happened… well, of course it didn't. The thing failed to pierce the soft, but adamantine fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud.
Sunny thought for a bit, and then enhanced the Heavenly Burden with one of his shadows. This time, the needle went through, and buried itself in his flesh.
'...Ouch.'
The pain was sharp, but not too bad. More than that, Sunny had no time to think about it… and that was because as soon as the Heavenly Burden pierced his skin, his body floated up.
…And continued doing so.
Sunny was steadily rising into the sky, be it at a slow speed. It was as though he had suddenly turned into a balloon. The feeling would have been rather funny, if it wasn't so terrifying — mostly because a sudden gust of wind threw him slightly to the side, and now, there was nothing but the darkness of the Sky Below beneath him.
Both amused and slightly tense, Sunny summoned the Dark Wing. He also summoned the Prowling Thorn, just to be on the safer side. After both Memories manifested themselves, he hesitated for a moment, and then wrapped the black needle in his second shadow, too.
Immediately, the speed with which he was rising into the air increased.
Sunny allowed himself to float upward for a few moments, and then commanded the Dark Wing to activate. With its help, he changed the direction of his flight, and slowly moved back toward the island. Making sure that there was solid ground under him, he then dismissed the Heavenly Burden and smoothly glided down.
'...Not bad!'
Now, he had two Memories to deal with what Cassie had seen in the vision of their supposed death. One Memory could only move him upward, while the other allowed him to glide in any direction except up. Together, they gave him the ability of true flight. Even if it was slow and not nearly as effective as what Kai could do, it was still flying.
The point was, he was not going to fall endlessly into the Sky Below again… not unless he wanted to.
Sunny returned to the edge of the Sanctuary, sat down, and stared at one of the chains leading to a neighboring island.
It was early morning, and he was waiting for someone.
'They're still not here…'
With a sigh, he looked down and summoned the second Memory he received from the government. A piece of beautiful ember that looked like solidified flame appeared on his palm, inlaid in a frame made out of dull metal.
He summoned the runes:
Memory: [Memory of Fire].
Memory Rank: Ascended.
Memory Tier: I.
Memory Type: Charm.
Memory Description: [...And then, there was nothing but flame.]
'Huh… short and sweet.'
Memory Enchantments: [Scorching Heat.]
Enchantment Description: [This charm provides the wearer with moderate resistance to fire.]
And that was that. With these two Memories, Sunny felt more or less ready to plunge into the dark abyss below the Chained Isles once more, when the time came. With Dark Wing and the Heavenly Burden allowing him to fly… or rather, float… and the [Underworld Armament] of the Mantle enhancing the protective effect of the Memory of Fire, his next trip to the Ebony Tower would be less perilous.
Hopefully…
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Looking at the chain, he noticed a row of black dots moving across it, far in the distance.
Straining his vision, Sunny sighed.
'They're here…'
Chapter 513: War Council
Soon, he was able to make out the silhouettes of seven people walking across the chain. They were led by a delicate beauty in a light polished armor, her pale blond hair dancing in the wind. Cassie walked with her eyes covered by the silver half-mask, her hand resting on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer. If Sunny didn't know that she was blind, he would have not suspected it.
…The Fire Keepers had returned from their lengthy expedition to the Desecrated Grove.
In the end, it took them almost two months to find the… whatever they had been searching for on that remote and ghastly island. And now, it was time for Sunny to join them in the assault on the ancient shipwreck.
He grimaced.
After two months spent without returning to the real world, members of Cassie's cohort looked weathered and exhausted. They were covered in dirt and dust, and their armor bore marks of countless battles. However, these young men and women seemed to be healthy and in good mood. There was a spring to their steps, and as they got closer, Sunny could see smiles on their lips.
Two of them were carefully carrying a large box fashioned out of crude wooden boards. He assumed that it contained the thing Cassie had spent two months looking for.
Sunny tilted his head, curious.
'What might it be, I wonder?'
Eventually, they noticed him, too.
Cassie slowed down a little, and in the next moment, the Fire Keeper walking behind her gently touched her on the shoulder and said something. Then, he gestured toward Sunny and waved a hand.
Sunny sighed and dismissed the Memory of Fire.
'Ugh… people…'
In the six months spent on the Chained Isles, he had gotten accustomed to only dealing with other Awakened in small doses. Knowing that he was going to have to be in the company of relative strangers for a while and fight with them side by side did not make Sunny happy.
In that regard, Mordret had been a perfect companion. He only appeared once every few days for a short while, helped Sunny with advice, and then disappeared without a trace, not asking for anything in return.
If only all relationships could be so simple…
Sadly, the mysterious prince was still nowhere to be found. Sunny had not heard from him ever since returning from the Ivory Tower, almost making him think that he had simply imagined the whole thing.
The mirror shard he kept in the Covetous Coffer reminded him that he had not, though.
Sunny forced a smile to appear on his face, and waved at the Fire Keepers in return.
"Welcome back, guys! It's good to see you... sort of..."
***
After the Fire Keepers had time to clean themself up and fill their stomachs, they gathered in a spacious room provided to them by the White Feather clan. Sunny looked around the room and signed inwardly.
…Why were his own quarters so tiny? Even if his True Name remained a secret, Sunny was still an SS class Awakened. Where was his preferential treatment, huh?
The large wooden box was placed in a corner, and the seven Awakened gathered around a table. He hesitated a little, then joined them.
"Hey, Sunny! How have you been?"
Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then said in a neutral tone:
"...Busy. Really busy."
The young man who had asked him the question smiled.
"Really? What's keeping you busy?"
Sunny summoned his runes, and glanced at a particular string.
It read:
Shadow Fragments: [1936/2000].
He sighed.
"...All kinds of things. Haven't you heard? I am the most indispensable shopkeeper on the Chained Isles. By the way, if any of you want to purchase something, just let me know. Toothpaste, spices, underpants… we have it all!"
The Fire Keepers gave him strange looks, then laughed.
'What's so funny? That's a legitimate business, you fools!'
Shaking his head, he glanced at the table, where a map of the Chained Isles was placed, with possible routes to the Shipwreck Island marked on it. From the look of it, they were well-thought-out and as safe as could be.
A somber expression appeared on his face.
"So you were really serious. We are actually planning to attack a Corrupted Monster in its lair."
Cassie gave him a nod.
"Indeed."
He sighed.
"Let me ask you this. Are you cr…"
However, then, Sunny fell silent without finishing the question and suddenly cleared his throat in embarrassment.
The blind girl frowned.
"Are you alright?"
Sunny waved a hand.
"Yes, yes! Don't mind me. I, uh… oh right, you haven't been back to the real world in a couple of months."
One of the Fire Keepers raised an eyebrow, and asked with confusion:
"Sure? Why is that important?"
Sunny looked at him with an unreadable expression.
"It's not. Don't worry about it. No, really... anyway, let's get back to the Corrupted Monster. How much do you guys know about that thing?"
Cassie lingered for a few moments, then said:
"We know its Rank and Class, the general characteristics, and a few details that the White Feather clan had shared with us. Master Roan had thought the thing in the past, but only briefly."
Sunny looked at her, then shook his head.
"Well, I don't know what he told you, but I've seen that monstrosity in action with my own two eyes. So let me paint you the picture…"
He pointed to the Shipwreck Island on the map, and said in a dark tone:
"The wreck is situated in the center of the island, and the creature itself made a nest in its main cargo hold. Don't think that you'll be safe before we reach the ship, though. Actually, its vines stretch beneath the ground throughout the whole island."
He paused, and then added:
"Since it's a Corrupted Monster, most of you won't even be able to cut the vines, let alone sever them. You don't have the Dawn Shard augmenting your Memories anymore, after all. However, if you do manage to cut the vines, each cut will produce a cloud of poisonous mist. There will be poison in the air whether you cut them or not, though, especially inside the wreck. There, breathing is almost impossible."
With each word he said, the Fire Keepers grew more and more serious.
…However, they were still in too good of a mood!
'What is wrong with these idiots?!'
Sunny cleared his throat.
"Oh, and by the way, there are other Nightmare Creatures on the island, too. Big nasty Fallen Beasts called Sailor Dolls."
He hesitated, and then said:
"Well, if there is one good about the whole situation, it's that the creature in the wreck usually slumbers until one of its vines is disturbed. Cassie told me that it is weak to fire. So my suggestion would be to just burn the whole ship down, and the scary bastard with it."
The Fire Keepers glanced at each other with strange expressions.
Cassie remained silent for a bit, and then said awkwardly:
"...No, we can't burn the ship."
Sunny blinked a couple of times.
"And why, pray tell, is that?"
She turned her head to the large wooden box in the corner, lingered for a moment, and then answered:
"Because we are going to repair it."
Chapter 514: Hidden Blade
Sunny was at a loss for words.
Had he even heard it right?
"You are going to… repair… the ancient, broken, monster-infected ship?"
Well… it made a lot of sense, actually.
Cassie nodded.
"Yes. We are going to cleanse, repair, and make it fly again."
Oh, so it was a flying ship, too!
'Perfect!'
Honestly, Sunny shouldn't have been surprised. All the clues had been there for a long time.
He had already known that the ship depicted on the miraculous coins was, most likely, the very same that lay broken on the Shipwreck Island. The connection was pretty easy to make, considering that they looked alike, and that the coins had come from its treasury in the first place.
Sunny had also asked himself the question of what a sailing ship was doing in the middle of Chained Isles, which had no sea and no rivers for it to sail on. The thought that it had actually been designed to fly through the skies had crossed his mind, among other things.
And finally, on the coins, the ancient ship was shown as having a beautiful tree wrapped around its mast. It had also belonged to the enigmatic person called Noctis. Wasn't it too much of a coincidence, then, that Cassie had come to the Sanctuary of Noctis and ventured on a long expedition to a Desecrated Grove?
The word "desecrated" implied that the burned grove had been sacred once. After all, only sacred things could be desecrated. And a sacred tree sounded exactly like something capable of making a massive ship fly.
…Right?
Sunny stared at the large wooden box with a ponderous expression. After a while, he asked:
"So what's in the box?"
Cassie walked over and gently put a hand on its lid.
"...A sapling. We spent two months searching for a living root in that ghastly place. And finally, deep underground, we found the only one that remained. The wondrous tree which kept the ancient ship afloat in the sky had come from that grove, once. The sapling will grow into a new one."
She sighed, and then turned to the Fire Keepers:
"Shakti and Kaor were Artisans back in the Bright Castle. Shakti is gifted with an Aspect that helps plants thrive, and was Kido's apprentice. Kaor is an Awakened carpenter. We have more people on the way to the Chained Isles, too, to help with the reconstruction."
Sunny remained silent for a while.
So she had been planning to commandeer the ancient wreck for a long time. From before he had come to invite her to challenge the Second Nightmare with him… was it a coincidence? They were going to have to brave the Sky Below to get to the Seed, after all, and here was Cassie, conveniently planning to claim and repair a flying ship.
How much did she really know?
As if hearing his thoughts, Cassie turned to him. Her face suddenly turned somber.
"...With this ship, we might be able to cross the Hollow Mountains. At least… at least that is our hope."
The Fire Keepers grew quiet. After a while, the familiar girl — Shakti — said in a dark tone:
"We have to try, no matter what. Going there on foot is suicide. Maybe flying will be different."
They were all really, really resolute in their desire to find Nephis, it seemed.
And what about Sunny himself?
Well… things were complicated.
He sighed.
"Alright, that answers the question of why you want the ship, and how you might be able to repair it. But how are we going to defeat its current tenant without using fire? No offense, guys, but I really don't think that you can handle that fight. Maybe you can hold on for a while outside the wreck, but inside… it's a death trap."
The Fire Keepers looked at each other again. Finally, their mood turned dark.
Cassie hesitated for a few moments, and then said:
"We are going to kill it the old-fashioned way. Use someone as bait, and strike the monster down while it's distracted."
Sunny rubbed his face.
"Let me guess… I am the bait?"
The blind girl smiled, then shook her head.
"No. We are the bait. You are the blade that will pierce the creature's heart from the shadows."
That sounded solemn and sort of grand, but she immediately ruined the moment by adding in an awkward tone:
"I mean… uh… if it has a heart. If it doesn't, then… well, you know. Kill it some other way."
'Not exactly the icon of eloquence, are we…'
Sunny frowned.
He did like the idea of not being the bait for once… well, to be honest, Neph was usually the bait. Actually, this plan sort of made sense. He already knew that he could survive in the poisonous miasma inside the ship, and that with enough augmentations, the Cruel Sight could damage the vines.
And that had happened even before he infused the [Dark Mirror] enchantment with divine flame. Yes, Sunny couldn't burn the ship itself, but that didn't mean that he couldn't deliver once surgical, immolating strike to the main body of the monster. The bastard was weak to fire, so the result would probably be nothing short of spectacular.
The problem was… would the Fire Keepers be able to keep the monster preoccupied long enough for Sunny to achieve his objective?
He looked at them gravely, and asked:
"Why are you all so sure that I can kill that thing?"
One of the Fire Keepers shrugged:
"You were in Lady Changing Star's cohort, were you not? She wouldn't trust just anybody to have her back. If she trusted in you, then so do we. No one weak survived the Forgotten Shore, anyway."
Sunny barely suppressed a laugh.
'Wouldn't trust just anybody to have her back…'
Oh, the irony! He almost wanted to tell them about how Neph made the person literally sent into the Dream Ream to kill her the second-in-command.
But of course, he did not.
"Yes, I suppose I was in her cohort."
Another Fire Keeper smiled.
"Plus, Cassie thinks that you'll be able to do it. She is rarely wrong, you know."
'Do I ever...'
Sunny scowled.
She wasn't wrong this time, however. In fact, her plan to deal with the thing that dwelled in the wreck was simple, but ingenious. Mostly because it relied on the only Awakened capable of delivering a fatal blow to such a creature... him. Without Sunny, it would have been really impossible.
What a fortunate thing, that he needed her help with something else...
He thought for a bit, and finally asked:
"Are you guys certain that you can survive drawing the monster's attention? Even after everything I told you?"
The young man who Cassie described as an Awakened Carpenter, Kaor, chuckled.
"Pretty certain. As much as one can be certain about anything in the Dream Realm, I guess? All of us survived the siege, so we're aware of what we are signing up for. We have a good combination of Aspects and know how to work together. We even have a healer, which should help against the poison. Point is, we are as ready as we ever going to be."
Sunny stared at him for a while, then looked down at the map, and sighed.
"Alright, then. Let's kill a Corrupted Monster."