Shadow Slave: Foreign shadow

High atop a plateau overlooking the crimson labyrinth of the Forgotten Shore, the crisp, chilling morning air enveloped three young minds, each lost in the crucible of their own thoughts.

’This makes absolutely no sense,’ Sunny thought, scratching his head.

He sat cross-legged on the bare rock, one hand resting on his hip. Behind him, Nephis stood facing West toward the Bone Ridge—their destination. Cassie sat facing East, the direction they had come from. Like him, both girls were silently pondering the blind seer’s vision. Different perspectives, but the same underlying worries.

’Up until the woman with the bronze spear and the archer shooting arrows, it’s exactly like the original timeline. But after that?’

Sunny carefully weighed the possibilities.

’A siren singing notes of blood? A demon staring into his father’s eyes? And who exactly is supposed to be riding me?!’

However, those bizarre anomalies weren’t what occupied Sunny’s mind the most. It was the final part.

’An angel and a spirit fighting to the bitter end in a dance of ice and fire. A spirit. Not a shadow. Meaning... this time, it won’t be me fighting Nephis! Which means...’

The realization hit him like a lightning bolt. He raised his head, a fiercely satisfied grin spreading across his face.

’I did it,’ Sunny thought, triumphantly clenching his fists in his lap. ’I actually did it. I crossed the gateway. I went home. I didn’t turn back just to play the tragic hero.’

A surge of pure pride blossomed in his chest.

”Ah... ahahah!”

Sunny chuckled. It was a low, brief, slightly manic laugh that caused Nephis to glance over her shoulder, scrutinizing his back with narrowed eyes.

’I won,’ he told himself, stifling the laughter, though the grin remained stubbornly glued to his face. ’Still, now I need to figure out who is going to fight in my place. A spirit and an angel. Fire and ice. Hm. The only person I know with ice-related abilities is Yukino. Does that mean she ended up on the Forgotten Shore too? If so, she must have spawned near the walls of the Dark City where we’re heading. But why would she and Nephis end up trying to kill each other? It makes no sense. They get along perfectly fine; back at the Academy, they acted like sisters, with Yuki playing the older one.’

He rubbed his chin with his right hand, thoroughly pondering the dilemma.

Ultimately, Sunny decided to just drop it for now. If they didn’t reach the citadel first, it was entirely possible the three of them would just find their endings in the jaws of some abomination anyway.

Meanwhile, as he sat lost in thought, Cassie stood up and walked over to Nephis. With calm, elegant steps, the blind seer sat down right next to Changing Star, drawing her knees to her chest and resting her hands on them. Her unseeing eyes faced forward, mirroring Nephis’s gaze.

”Neph?” she called out cautiously, hesitation coloring her voice.

Hearing her, Nephis turned. Seeing her friend’s conflicted expression and feeling entirely powerless to ease it made Changing Star feel useless.

She hated it.

”Tell me,” she replied directly.

”Can I... ask you a favor?” Cassie asked, her voice thin and frail.

”Of course,” Nephis nodded.

Encouraged by the immediate response, the blind seer hesitated for a moment before asking, ”Nephis... no matter what happens, promise me you’ll come back to me and Sunny?”

Changing Star was caught off guard by the words. Her first instinct was to say yes immediately, without a second thought. However... over the past few days, a dark seed of doubt had begun to undermine her trust in him.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

A quiet, suffocating feeling of resentment and hostility began to bloom in Nephis’s chest—a profane flame that didn’t burn with passion, but rather consumed her from within.

Like water carving through stone drop by drop, it had started as a whisper, a mere breeze in her mind. But over time, watching how Sunny expertly navigated battles, how flawlessly he utilized every resource at his disposal, and how capable he truly was despite claiming to be a simple rat from the Outskirts... those whispers had evolved into blaring sirens, constantly screaming that he was not the harmless fool he pretended to be.

Sunny was not normal. And almost certainly, everything he had told them—from his supposed origins to his absurd feats in the First Nightmare—were nothing but massive, calculated lies.

Therefore, instead of giving a direct answer, her expression hardened. ”Cas, why do you trust him so much?”

”What?” Cassie tilted her head, utterly taken aback by the question.

”Why do you trust Sunless so much? Assuming that’s even his real name,” Nephis pressed, letting her paranoia bleed into her words.

The blind seer blinked, not understanding where this was coming from. So, Changing Star doubled down.

”What do we actually know about him? Do you really believe the ridiculous nonsense he’s fed us? No. I think he’s hiding something dangerous. Think about it carefully, Cas. Why would a boy like him—someone who earned a True Name—go out of his way to befriend a girl everyone else considered dead weight? I’ll tell you why: because he wants something from you. You need to be careful, Cas. I’m saying this for your own good. The second you turn your back, Sunless is going to pounce on you.”

Nephis poured out her fears all at once, driven by anger and the desperate fear of failure. She didn’t want to lose her. Not Cassie too. Changing Star couldn’t afford another failure; she would never forgive herself. She clenched her fists tightly, looking at the fragile, defenseless blind seer as if she were the only thing left in the world to protect, slandering their companion just to drive a wedge between them and prevent her worst fears from coming true.

However, Cassie’s reaction was anything but fearful.

Instead, a deep, dreamy blush rapidly spread across her cheeks, and she shifted excitedly in her spot.

”Do you... really think Sunny wants to take me by surprise and make me his?” she asked, sounding as if she were genuinely hoping for it.

”What?!” Now it was Nephis’s turn to reel back, her silver eyes widening in sheer disbelief at seeing Cassie get excited by the prospect. ”No, Cas! You don’t understand! You shouldn’t trust him! You shouldn’t even be falling asleep in his arms! What would you do if, in the dead of night, he—”

”I don’t mind,” Cassie interrupted with a casual shrug.

Nephis’s jaw practically unhinged, dropping open in stunned, absolute silence.

Met with her friend’s speechlessness, the blind seer sighed softly. ”Neph, listen... why are you doubting Sunny so much all of a sudden? Maybe his tales are exaggerated, but I want to believe them. After all, if there is one thing that gave me hope during our days at the Academy, and even now in this Forgotten Shore, it’s been his stories. Those absurd, crazy, impossible feats kept me going when I was struggling to live with my Flaw. Besides, Sunny has been so incredibly kind to me, and I... well...”

Her blush deepened furiously. Cassie had to lower her head, entirely embarrassed by what she was about to confess.

”Because of my lack of sight, I never knew what the other Sleepers or the professors at the Academy looked like. But then, one night... that time you, Yuki, and I spent the night in Sunny’s dorm room... I had a vision. And in that vision, I saw his face. And ever since then... well... I’ve had certain... fantasies.”

Her voice trailed off into a hushed squeak at the end, her unseeing eyes darting around as if pretending to look anywhere else.

Nephis said nothing. She was utterly paralyzed.

Having dropped that bombshell, Cassie stood up to head back toward Sunny, but not before turning back to Nephis one last time.

”Neph, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but ever since we found you unconscious, you haven’t been yourself. Honestly, I don’t know what’s driving this sudden distrust toward Sunny, but believe me when I say that everyone has their secrets. I have mine, and you have yours. So, when you finally decide to let it go... why don’t you join us? Sunny is really warm, and the nights here are freezing. And besides...”

She paused, flashing a cheeky, unseen wink.

”...I really don’t mind sharing.”

With that, she turned around and walked back toward him.

Nephis sat frozen, staring blankly at Cassie’s back as the girl settled down comfortably next to the boy, who was still entirely absorbed in his own thoughts and blissfully oblivious to their conversation.

Changing Star slowly brought a hand to her chest. A sharp, phantom pain squeezed her heart. Suddenly, her festering doubts felt incredibly cheap and flawed—yet, the treacherous poison was still there, refusing to let her go.

***

’Okay, I’ve made up my mind. Since we’re keeping pace with the original timeline, I’ll use the time we spend in the Ashen Barrow beneath the Soul-Devouring Tree to complete my Awakening and unlock the second step of Shadow Dance.’ Sunny mused, absently drumming the nails of his right hand against his thigh. ’Assuming, of course, that I don’t get enthralled again. That experience with Goliath literally scarred the shit out of me.’

His look was fixed on the Bone ridge right in front of him, thinking about their next moves.

Then, a soft, warm weight pressing against his side snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning around, he saw Cassie sitting to his left, gently resting her head on his shoulder. Her golden hair draped over her face, leaving only her small, delicate lips visible, slightly damp from the salty sea air.

Seeing her, Sunny smiled. He draped his left arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to offer the comfort of his warmth.

”What’s wrong? Need some cuddles?” he teased softly, giving her right shoulder a light squeeze.

”Mhm,” Cassie hummed, nuzzling her face against him and melting into his body heat. ”I’m tired. We spent the whole morning stressing over my vision. I just need a hug.”

Hearing her flimsy excuse, Sunny let out a breathy chuckle. He lowered his head, pressing his forehead gently against the crown of her head, right where the cascade of pale gold began.

”You know we have to get moving soon, right? So, you only get five minutes.” He brought his other hand over, wrapping her up affectionately in a full embrace.

Cassie pouted, tilting her face up to show him just how offended she was by his stinginess. Their faces were incredibly close—so close they could feel each other’s breath. Time seemed to slow to a crawl around them, and the nightmare of their reality faded with it.

Then she spoke, her voice hesitant and heavy with anxiety for the future. ”Sunny? Do you really think we’re going to make it back home safe?”

”Of course we will,” he answered without a second of hesitation, gently rubbing her back.

”Really?” Cassie’s face lit up, a warm smile making its way to her lips, though a sliver of fear still lingered in her unseeing eyes. ”You genuinely believe we’re getting out of here?”

”Obviously,” Sunny nodded. ”And it’s all thanks to you. After all, without your visions, our little pyromaniac friend over there and I would’ve been wandering aimlessly for the Gods knows how long—assuming some abomination didn’t devour us first.”

The blind seer lowered her head slightly, a vivid blush rushing to her cheeks at the compliment.

Then, he added casually, ”Besides, you shouldn’t think of this journey as a life-or-death situation.”

”Huh?” Cassie looked back up at him, tilting her head in confusion.

”Think of it more like a date. Yeah, this is a date. Maybe a death-trap hellscape isn’t the most ideal spot for a first date, but in my opinion, it still has its romantic charm.”

At this latest, utterly shameless display of bravado, Cassie clamped both hands over her mouth to muffle her giggles. ”Pfft! Ahahah!” She laughed from the bottom of her heart, feeling the heavy weight on her chest finally lift. ”Really, Sunny? A date? Pfft! I honestly wonder how you can be so shameless sometimes.”

The pure, candid sound of her laughter was a balm to his soul, and the way she squirmed with mirth tickled his chest slightly.

Seeing her cracking up in his arms, he raised an amused eyebrow. ”Why? Are you offended that I tricked you and Nephis into a three-way date in a literal death zone? Need I remind you, my dear, that not too long ago, I brought you, Nephis, and Yuki crashing into a date I had with a Master? Or have you forgotten already?”

”Ahahahahah!!!” Cassie laughed even harder, forced to grip his tunic tightly for support just to keep from collapsing from the laughter.

’Much better,’ Sunny thought. He let her let it all out, gently stroking her hair with one hand while holding her securely against him.

Deep down, however, he knew that Fate was never that kind. If he truly wanted to protect them—if he wanted to preserve that pure, sincere smile of hers—there was only one thing he could do.

”Cas?” he called out softly, gently cupping her cheeks. The tone of his voice suddenly turned dead serious.

”What is it?” Cassie looked up, still buzzing with joy, wiping a stray tear of laughter from her cheek with one finger.

”Could you make me a promise?” Sunny stared directly into her unseeing eyes—eyes as brilliantly blue as the ocean.

”What kind of promise?”

”If the worst comes to happen, and you are forced to make a choice...” he paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly before continuing. ”If it ever comes down to choosing between saving me or Nephis... I want you to abandon me. Sacrifice me.”

A heavy, suffocating silence fell over them, letting the crushing gravity of those words weigh down on the moment.

Sunny didn’t want her to betray him, but more than anything, he didn’t want Cassie to ever find herself in a position where she felt forced to betray anyone she cared about.

It hurts.

It wasn’t fair.

But it was precisely that betrayal in the original story that had slowly caused her to lose herself, isolating her from the others and turning her into a hollow shell. She had become an empty husk wearing the facade of a beautiful, graceful girl, while the sweet, caring Cassie slowly died inside.

Sunny refused to let that happen. He couldn’t allow it.

He had learned to love this Cassie. To truly love her. Her genuine smile, the tender warmth of her embraces, the sincere laughter she gave him whenever he told his ridiculous stories. He refused to let tragedy claim her.

So, instead of breaking her with the illusion of choice, Sunny preferred to force upon her the reality of that single path—the harsh reality of Fate.

”...” Her eyes widened, struck entirely dumb by the sudden, morbid request.

”Cassie, can you promise me that?” Sunny pressed, holding her face gently, waiting for a response that wasn’t coming.

”N-no,” Cassie shook her head, an almost imperceptible movement, utterly terrified by the prospect.

”Cassie, please.”

”No,” she insisted, rejecting the very idea with every fiber of her being.

”Do it for me.”

”I SAID NO!”

Before he could utter another word, Cassie grabbed Sunny by the collar of his shroud and pulled him fiercely toward her. Their lips crashed together in a desperate, passionate press, her tongue frantically seeking his.

She tasted of salt. Sunny stared at her, unable to close his eyes, watching her own flutter shut as she poured everything into the kiss.

Smack.

Parting her lips, Cassie looked straight into his eyes. Hot, solitary tears traced down her doll-like face, and her small hands trembled violently as they maintained an iron grip on his tunic.

”No... I won’t do it, Sunny. I love you. So please... please, never ask me to do something like that again. I’m begging you. It would kill me.”

Cassie sobbed out the words, her voice breaking under the weight of that horrifying prospect—a future where she couldn’t stand by his side.

Sunny just looked at her.

Pain, guilt, warmth, and profound affection all swirled together into a bittersweet cocktail of devotion for the girl. A sincere, innocent love.

The blind seer clung to him tightly, burying her face into his chest, seeking his warmth and stifling her painful sobs against him. Sunny welcomed her back into his arms—arms that had never truly let her go—and with all his heart, he prayed they would never have to part.

He rested his chin on her shoulder, her golden hair tickling his nose. Her fingers dug into the fabric covering his skin, their bodies silently entwined as they shared their warmth. Eventually, emotionally exhausted by the outburst, the two of them drifted off to sleep.

A few steps away, having watched the entire exchange in silence, Nephis slowly stood up. Rather than ruining the beautiful portrait they painted, she silently walked over, wrapped herself around them both, and chose to become a part of it instead.

At last, the three of them resumed their journey at the break of dawn the following day.

***

At the break of dawn the following day, Sunny awoke to find Cassie still curled tightly in his arms. Nephis was already on her feet, her weapon drawn and ready as she silently kept watch over the horizon.

After gently rousing the blind seer and getting to his feet, Sunny summoned Thene, and the cohort resumed their journey.

The Bone Ridge turned out to be exactly what its name implied: the colossal spine of some unfathomable leviathan that had died eons ago. The fractured skull featured a massive fissure that allowed them to slip inside, eventually exiting through the beast’s gaping maw. Its two rows of razor-sharp teeth—each as long as an adult man’s arm—framed the exit like the jagged gates of a spectral cavern. Yet, despite its macabre appearance, the ancient structure remained incredibly solid and secure beneath their feet.

’By the dead gods, this carcass alone does a better job than seven structural engineers combined,’ Sunny thought, glancing back at the leviathan’s gaping jaws.

Their trek continued relatively peacefully, with only a handful of Nightmare Creatures daring to cross their path. Eventually, the trio ground to a halt as their next major landmark finally loomed over the horizon.

’This is it,’ Sunny thought, a heavy knot forming in his throat as he swallowed hard. ’This is where Weaver’s drop of Ichor is hidden. And the exact spot where that fucking tree took root.’

His pitch-black eyes scanned the desolate horizon, taking in the full, dread-inducing scope of the landscape before them.

Rising from the crimson labyrinth was a massive, towering hill composed entirely of the black ash of pulverized dead corals that looked exactly like ferrous sand.

The Ashen Barrow.

And at the very peak of this natural mound stood a colossal tree, its obsidian branches piercing the sky. Its trunk was impossibly thick and so profoundly dark that it threatened to blend entirely into the blackness of the impending night. Its leaves were a vivid, hypnotic shade of scarlet. Ripe, luscious fruits hung heavily from its boughs—seductive, inviting, and as dangerously tempting as death itself. Even from this distance, the glowing veins weaving through its massive trunk seemed to throb rhythmically, echoing the steady, sinister heartbeat of the tree itself.

’The Soul-Devouring Tree,’ the name instantly flashed in Sunny’s mind the moment his gaze locked onto the towering monstrosity.

The air felt suddenly thick and heavy. Looking at it felt like staring directly into a fever dream.

’Dammit! That thing is giving me major PTSD flashbacks,’ he thought, a sudden, icy shiver violently tracing its way down his spine. Even from miles away, well outside its immediate range of influence, he could feel a sickening, unnatural pull drawing his mind toward those sweet, juicy fruits.

The chilling, paralyzing memory of being enthralled by Goliath during his First Nightmare was still carved far too deeply into his soul.

”Sunny, what’s wrong?” Nephis asked from beside him. She had noticed him freeze, his unblinking gaze locked onto the giant tree miles away.

Cassie, who was holding his right hand, turned her face toward him as well, genuine concern written over her face. She squeezed his hand gently, feeling the sudden, cold sweat coating his palm. Even Myriad Shade, who had been guarding their flank, paused to look at him, mirroring the exact same worried expression as the blind seer.

Snapped out of his trance, Sunny turned to them with a forced, casual shrug. ”Oh, it’s nothing! The perimeter is clear; we’re safe for now. I was just wondering... looking at that giant tree over there... how is it even possible for something like that to grow in a marine environment? The ground here is nothing but dead coral and mud, and there isn’t a drop of fresh water for miles. But more importantly... doesn’t it strike you as a bit weird that there isn’t a single Nightmare Creature anywhere near it?”

He deliberately listed off the glaring anomalies, actively trying to plant seeds of doubt in their minds. He needed them to be as wary as possible of the area’s deceptively peaceful, ”protective” aura. Because Sunny knew the horrifying truth: that false sense of safety was nothing but a psychic lure caused by its enthrallment. Once the mind and body surrendered to the tree’s insidious mental control, the spirit inevitably followed. That was exactly how the Soul-Devouring Tree with its bleeding leaves—an Awakened Terror—managed to thrive and feed in the desolate hellscape of the Forgotten Shore.

Nephis and Cassie listened to his words intently, weighing his concerns. Curiously, Changing Star furrowed her brows, her silver eyes darting suspiciously between Sunny and the distant tree. Against the darkening sky, the onyx silhouette of the trunk—where it wasn’t outlined by the glowing scarlet leaves—was already becoming difficult to distinguish. Night was falling fast, and with it, the dark sea would return.

The seed of doubt inexorably took root in her mind.

”We’re out of time for today,” Changing Star declared decisively. ”Tonight, we’ll make camp on the Bone Ridge behind us. We’ll head toward the tree tomorrow. Whether we like it or not, there’s no other high ground on the horizon to survive the night if we want to keep heading West.”

Sunny and Cassie nodded in agreement. With the plan settled, the cohort turned back, seeking refuge atop the colossal spine.

That night, even when it wasn’t her turn to keep watch, Nephis didn’t sleep a wink.

***

The sun had already reached its zenith. Sunny crouched with his companions at the edge of the Ashen Barrow, keeping a very deliberate, safe distance from its silent ruler. He had sent his shadow, Gloomy, ahead to scout the terrain.

Before him, the colossal tree loomed, its scarlet leaves and plump, inviting fruits appearing more imposing and ominous than ever. Now that he was closer, the sheer terror of losing himself to its mind control flared back to life.

’Dammit! I hate enemies that mess with your head.’

His own mind wasn’t doing him any favors, maliciously dragging up thoughts of a future opponent who possessed similar, terrifying powers: the Dreamspawn.

> his Jiminy Cricket chimed in, ever eager to rub his past choices in his face.

Sunny scowled, glancing at the imaginary creature standing on his right shoulder. ’I didn’t read past volume ten because the story stopped being good. I mean, come on! After all that buildup and suffering, Sunless literally chooses to go back to being a slave? He basically spat on every single ounce of effort he put into breaking his chains! And for what? Love? Sorry, but that’s not my genre. Besides, how the hell was I supposed to know that, out of all the poor bastards in fiction, I’d end up reincarnating as him? Give me a break!’

He let out a sharp snort, returning his focus to scanning the perimeter through his shadow’s eyes. Thene stood quietly beside him. Behind them, Cassie and Nephis waited with weapons drawn, ready to move on his signal.

As Gloomy peeked around the edge of a massive, protruding obsidian root, Sunny finally spotted it: the enthralled custodian of the Soul-Devouring Tree. An Awakened Demon.

The Carapace Demon.

The creature was as large as a house, with its eight segmented legs resembling tall pillars. Its form was similar to that of scavengers and centurions, comprised of a crab-like carapace and a protruding, somewhat humanoid torso. Instead of chitin, the behemoth’s shell was seemingly made out of polished, lustrous metal. The steel monster resembled a giant knight, but it radiated a sinister aura. The polished armor of the creature was covered with long, jagged spikes. Its humanoid torso had four mighty arms, two ending with powerful pincers, the other two—with razor-sharp, terrifying scythes. The demon’s head was more pronounced than that of a scavenger and crowned with several tall, sharp horns. Its metal face was almost human-like but simultaneously repulsively monstrous and bestial.

’That would be incredibly cool, if only I didn’t have to try and kill the damn thing,’ Sunny thought, absentmindedly rubbing his chin.

He glanced at Myriad Shade beside him. Over the past few days, he had let the formidable shadow priestess do the heavy lifting, effortlessly slaughtering the most dangerous Nightmare Creatures and clearing the densest swarms. He had practically grown dependent on her protection, limiting himself to fighting off only the weakest, isolated stragglers.

Thene caught him staring and offered a warm, tender smile. Sunny knew that all he had to do was ask, and she would carve that steel abomination in half with a single strike. There was no real need for him or the girls to dirty their hands and risk their lives fighting an Awakened Demon.

Yet, Sunny couldn’t help but ask himself, ’Am I relying on her a bit too much?’

Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to throw Myriad Shade on the Carapace Demon and be done with it. But if he did that, neither he nor the girls would gain any battle experience, severely stunting their growth. Furthermore, he could feel himself standing on the very precipice of unlocking the second step of Shadow Dance and acquiring his second legacy Relic. Indulging his cowardice and avoiding strong opponents was actively hindering his progress.

’Where the hell is the grit I had when I defeated Goliath in my First Nightmare?’ Sunny thought, shaking his head and practically biting his thumb in frustration. He quickly looked away from Thene, who tilted her head in innocent confusion, unable to grasp the source of his sudden irritation.

’I can’t keep using her as a crutch. Thene isn’t omnipotent. She’s only an Ascended Shadow, and in this world, that rank means absolutely nothing compared to the true titans roaming around. If I shy away from danger now, I’ll never be ready for what’s coming.’

His resolve hardened, and his gaze turned calm and cold once more.

’It’s better if I leave Thene in the rearguard to protect Cassie. Nephis and I will take on the creature ourselves. Besides... I still have another card up my sleeve.’

---

Shadows: [Myriad Shade], [Soul Serpent], [Carapace Scavenger].

Shadow: [Carapace Scavenger].

Shadow Rank: Awakened.

Shadow Class: Beast.

Shadow Attributes: [Strong], [Armored].

Shadow Abilities: [Shadow Shell], [Devourer].

[Shadow Shell] Ability Description: [This shadow can use its resilient carapace as a shield against physical attacks.]

[Devourer] Ability Description: [The Carapace can devour the corpse of his fallen foes to grow stronger.]

Shadow Description: [A cursed soldier of the fallen legion turned into a shadow by the treacherous Everlasting Gloom—a creature forbidden by his solace that was never meant to be].

Shadow Fragments: [0/100].

---

’Now I just need to feed it some Memories to make it grow. If only I had even half of one to spare!’

Sunny had acquired the Carapace Scavenger Echo just two days ago—much later than he was supposed to in the original timeline. Since the original Sunless’s Echo had been destroyed before he could turn it into a Shadow, Sunny had taken the opportunity to experiment.

’It turns out I can possess way more than seven shadow creatures at a time, even though I can’t summon more than the number of cores I currently have. The only exception to that rule seems to be Myriad Shade,’ he reasoned, scratching his head as he reviewed the runes. ’It seems the limitation exists because my Shadows use my cores as regeneration pods of sorts. But if that’s the case... how the hell do I explain Thene?’

It was a spontaneous question, and one destined to remain unanswered for now.

Sunny looked at Thene again. She beamed at him, blissfully oblivious to his internal theorizing. ’Does ”because she’s Thene” count as a rational, scientific explanation?’

Regardless, his strategy was straightforward: Summon the Shadow Carapace to tank the Demon, use Thene for ranged support, and flank it alongside Nephis. Once the Scavenger reached its limit, he’d dismiss it and summon the Soul Serpent to finish the job.

There was just one complication—a detail Sunny had just spotted lurking in the deep shade of the tree, entirely concealed even from the Carapace Demon’s line of sight.

A second guardian.

’Who is—’

There, nestled beneath a massive, exposed root that gripped the earth like a skeletal hand, stood a figure. It was humanoid, yet completely hairless and seemingly stripped of its skin, resembling a grisly ghoul. It wore a heavy set of black iron armor. But one specific detail stood out starkly against the darkness: a single, glowing amber right eye.

’Wait a minute! Is that... a human? A Sleeper who got enthralled by the tree? What the hell happened to that poor bastard to reduce him to that?’

Right on cue, behind him, Nephis let out a sudden sneeze.

It was difficult to tell at first glance, but Sunny could read shadows. Even from a distance, where he couldn’t see fine details or sense its emotions clearly, he could easily distinguish a human shadow from a Nightmare Creature.

He sighed internally. ’If that’s the case, I definitely need to leave Myriad Shade in the rearguard. I’ll have her keep an eye on him during our offensive. Nightmare Creatures can be unpredictable, sure, but humans have always been worse. If that enthralled Sleeper tries to pull anything, she will shut him down instantly.’

”Sunny, what’s the situation?” Cassie’s voice called out softly from behind him, her [Crystal Monocle] shining in the dark. The two girls had been waiting in tense silence for twenty minutes while he scouted the area.

Clap.

”Alright,” Sunny said, turning around and clapping his hands together to begin his briefing. ”The tree has a guardian. An Awakened Demon. If we want to move forward, I’m afraid we have no choice but to fight it. There also seems to be a secondary complication lurking nearby. Because of that, we’ll have to leave Thene back here as cover to ensure our safety, which means we’re fighting the Demon by ourselves.”

At his words, the blind seer’s face instantly went pale. Her hands trembled against her legs as her delicate fingers tightened around the hilt of her blade.

Nephis, on the other hand, simply nodded. ”Then we’ll face it,” she declared.

Yet, beneath her usual stoicism, there was something imperceptibly alien in her conviction.

A lingering hesitation. A sliver of doubt.

Sunny pushed himself up from his crouch, rubbing the back of his neck to work out the stiffness from remaining still for so long.

”I’ve worked out a plan to take it down,” he said, looking between the two of them. ”Are you willing to hear me out?”