SWNOVELXO CHAPTER 276: SHADOW SLAVES
"I'm aware," Thomas said firmly, meeting Greg's gaze. His voice held no hesitation. Betrayal was never a thought that crossed his mind—not even once.
Though he rarely admitted such things out loud, Thomas had grown attached to this group. They were rough around the edges, a strange mix of personalities, yet somehow, they felt more like family than the one he was born into. There was a warmth, an unspoken loyalty, and a kind of chaotic unity among them that made him feel... accepted.
"That's decided then," Greg nodded. He swept his eyes across the gathering, the faint glint in his expression betraying the weight he carried. "With nothing more to say, I hope you all get some rest. We'll be creating a guild tomorrow—a floating island of our own, one that'll serve as our fortress within Apocalypse. From this point forward, our goal is domination—both in this world and the one we came from."
One by one, the members dispersed into the night air. Their thoughts were heavy with responsibility, yet flickering with excitement. The beginning of something monumental had been set in motion.
---
******
Kate arrived at the familiar old hideout. The scent of dust and faint smoke greeted her as she stepped in, but something felt... off.
It was empty.
Too empty.
The usually vibrant energy of whispered conversations and quiet plans had vanished. The room, once a place of safety and escape, was now hollow—lifeless.
"Where did they go?" she whispered, her voice barely audible beneath the creak of the door closing behind her.
Her instincts, sharpened by years of stealth and survival, screamed that something had shifted. After her escape, she'd taken every precaution—moving through shadows, avoiding surveillance, and leaving no trace behind. She hadn't dared use a phone or check the net. Not when the risk of tracking was so high.
Frowning, she began searching the safehouse. Drawer after drawer, shelf after shelf, every familiar hiding spot she could think of turned up empty. No notes, no coordinates, no lingering clue.
Her frustration swelled. Her fists clenched.
"Damn it..." she muttered, stepping outside into the dim street.
"You must be Kate," a calm male voice greeted her, his tone polite—almost too polite. "Favourite daughter of Sabbah. Come with me. Your presence is needed."
Her eyes darted forward.
Arthur stood in front of the door, hands behind his back, his smile calm and disarming. His aura, however, was anything but.
Kate's heart jumped. She hadn't even sensed his presence—something no ordinary person could've pulled off. Every trained instinct in her body screamed that this man was a threat.
Without hesitation, she lashed out with a punch.
Arthur didn't flinch. He merely tilted his head and gave a lopsided grin.
"Come now, sweetheart. No need to be so worked up. While I do admire fire in a woman, I'd appreciate it if you remained calm. I'm not in the mood to play games today, love."
Kate wasn't listening. Her mind spun for an escape. Shadows flickered behind Arthur as she summoned her ability—her own training allowing her to command shadows for sneak attacks.
A tendril of shadow lunged toward Arthur's own, aiming to bind him in place.
But it was futile.
Arthur gave a light chuckle as her shadows disintegrated mid-air. He hadn't even lifted a finger.
"To think you could control my shadow... how talented of you," he said, sounding genuinely amused. "But still far too young, far too inexperienced to best me in your current state."
Kate's heart pounded. This man wasn't just dangerous—he was on an entirely different level.
"Time to come along," Arthur continued, stepping forward. "We have matters to discuss. You see, you are the key—your presence will help your dear father open his mouth a bit faster. Or... maybe he'll surprise us and prove to be truly heartless. Either way, I'm curious."
"Who are you?" she asked, trying to stall for time, mind still racing for options.
"Arthur," he said simply. "The primogenitor of the Sword Family."
Kate's breath caught. The founder? The origin?
There was no way she could resist. Not now.
Recognizing the futility of resistance, she stilled her body but kept her mind sharp. She was done throwing herself at a wall—now she needed to plan, wait for the right moment.
Arthur gave her a knowing smile.
"My advice? Stop exhausting yourself with thoughts of escape. You won't succeed. It's best to conserve your strength and stay on your best behavior," he said, raising his hand.
A sword hovered into view beside them—elegant and ancient in design, glowing faintly with runic light. Without jostling her or causing discomfort, Arthur gripped her firmly and stepped onto the sword.
The blade rose into the air, carrying both of them high into the sky as the world below shrank away.
---
******
The next morning, Greg entered Apocalypse—not with a headset, but with a thought. The old ways of entering the game were obsolete now. The link between the mind and the virtual world had grown seamless.
He washed up quickly, prepared himself, and with a focused thought, teleported into the world.
This time, there was no system fanfare. No bright messages. No warm "welcome back."
This was no longer the beginning.
> [Would you like to create a guild?]
[Y/N]
Greg selected Yes.
> [Name your guild]
He entered the word: Twilight.
> [Choose guild members]
He added the names—each one chosen without hesitation. This wasn't just a party. This was a declaration of intent.
> [Choose Guild's location]
"System," Greg said, "use the floating island in my inventory."
> [Verifying...]
[Floating island detected.]
[Consent needed to remove item from inventory...]
"Do it," Greg affirmed.
The world responded. A tremor passed through the land as a shadow stretched across the landscape. Above him, the clouds parted as the massive floating island emerged, casting its dominance across the sky like a new celestial body.
> [Floating island assigned as your guild's territory. You are now independent of any kingdom jurisdiction.]
> [Assign members and roles...]
Greg assigned: Lilith, Dual Blade, Red Witch, Abyss, Sword God, Odin, Gold Goblin, Scarlett, Shadow, and Healer.
> [Invites sent...]
They accepted rapidly. Everyone except one.
Kate.
She hadn't entered Apocalypse yet.
Greg retrieved a guild teleportation scroll, a rare item that allowed instantaneous return to the guild base. He activated it.
With a blink, he appeared at the central platform of the floating island—a circular structure built from white stone, etched with gold runes and surrounded by open sky. Towers floated around like satellites, casting long shadows over waterfalls that cascaded into the clouds below.
One by one, the others began appearing beside him. Their presence—solid, real—meant the dream was becoming reality.
"You guys made it," Greg began, his voice firm. "Now we'll be discussing the way forward in—"
> [WORLDWIDE EVENT!]
[WORLDWIDE EVENT!]
Everyone froze.
> [The Shadow Clan has released an abomination upon the world: Shadow Slaves.]
[Creatures forged from unspeakable experiments. Corrupted mockeries of life. Their only goal: to consume and corrupt.]
[All players must unite with native forces to purge this evil from the world.]
Greg's jaw tightened. His fists clenched.
"This can't be happening..." he murmured, his tone heavy with rage and dread.