Shadow Re: Slave

Three weeks later, it was finally time to depart. No one had seen Sunny during that time. He was in a grim mood.

His gentle interactions with Nephis before the fight for the throne had stirred something in him — something dangerous. He wanted more. More of her. More of Nephis. But he knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon.

So instead, he had buried himself in battle. He hunted Nightmares relentlessly and fought until his hands bled and his thoughts went numb. Somewhere along the way, he had become a Devil.

Not just that… he had turned the Mirror Tyrant into an Shadow.

The creature now possessed a faint glimmer of intelligence — just enough to follow simple commands. It could detach from Sunny's body and hunt Nightmare creatures on its own. But it still couldn't mimic other beings as Sunny had hoped… not yet, anyway.

That would come with evolution.

For now, the Mirror Tyrant was already a Transcended Terror, but to evolve again, it needed to fulfill one requirement:

Absorbed Fiends: [0/1000]

It had to devour a thousand enemies stronger than itself.

Which, unfortunately, wasn't possible right now.

Or at least, not for the time being.

Nephis, Cassie, Kai, Effie, Caster, Gemma, and Kido had started hunting together, training as a team to adjust to one another's fighting styles and build cohesion for the upcoming expedition. It was clear they were trying to grow not just stronger individually, but as a unit.

Gemma and Kido had grown particularly close. They often held hands while sitting together, soft smiles constantly lingering on their faces. Gemma had come to genuinely like the handsome archer and singer known as Nightingale, who he now knew better under his real name — Kai.

Kido, in turn, got along well with Effie, and managed to maintain a polite and steady relationship with Cassie, even if they weren't especially close.

However, both Gemma and Kido felt awkward around Caster. His legacy upbringing, combined with an undercurrent of arrogance and aloofness, made him seem distant — at least to anyone who wasn't Cassie. And while he was polite enough, there was always something in his demeanor that made others keep their guard up.

All of them liked Nephis — respected her, even admired her — but despite how close they were growing as a group, there was always a certain aloofness about her. A quiet distance that no one could quite bridge.

It wasn't coldness exactly. She listened when they spoke, fought beside them with unwavering focus, and offered calm, level-headed guidance when needed. But something in her presence — in the way her eyes seemed to always look past the present, into something distant and unreachable — reminded everyone that she was walking her own path.

And though they followed her willingly, even proudly, Nephis still felt like a star they could never quite touch.

Then, when the morning of their departure finally arrived, Kido glanced around the group and asked, "Where is Sunny? Has anyone seen him since Nephis started ruling the Great Castle?"

Everyone shook their heads.

But Nephis just answered calmly, "We'll start the journey. He'll either catch up… or he's already waiting somewhere."

And so they did.

They said goodbye to Seishan, and left through the great dining hall — throne room — accompanied by the sound of cheers, echoing off the stone like distant thunder.

⸻

Meanwhile, in the quiet shadows of Seishan's room, Sunny stepped out of the darkness without a sound.

He looked at her, eyes cold.

"Just know this," Sunny said, his voice calm but sharp as a blade. "It won't end well for you if you try anything I'd consider a threat — to me or my plans. I'm leaving someone behind to watch you. If it sees something suspicious… you lose an arm. Try again, and you'll lose a leg. Am I clear?"

Seishan only smiled, her expression unreadable.

"Calm down, Sunny. Have I ever failed your expectations?"

He held her gaze for a long moment, staring into her strikingly beautiful eyes.

"No," he said finally. "But we both know you're still loyal — and you'd betray me in a heartbeat if your mother walked through that door."

Her smile didn't fade. She didn't answer — because in some way, she hoped he was right. That she would still choose her family.

But deep down, she knew: she'd grown to like this strange, dangerous boy — someone who couldn't be classified by any normal measure. She saw the strength in him, the leadership, the values twisted by suffering but still unbroken. And something more… something that made her unsure.

Sunny gave her one last look, then vanished back into the shadows.

When the others finally climbed the outer wall of the Great Castle, Gemma and Kido paused in stunned silence. They had never seen Sunny's absurdly large king-sized bed before, and now there it was—sprawled out on the crumbling stones like a royal relic. Next to it stood Sunny, calmly packing a few bags while clad in the Mantle of the Underworld.

Both recognized the armor from Stev's shop. But seeing it now, fully repaired and radiating quiet menace, made them realize just how powerful it truly was.

Sunny turned toward them, a wide smile stretching across his face the moment he noticed them. Then his eyes landed on Kai.

Without hesitation, he practically flew at him, rushing past the others and slamming into Kai with an overjoyed embrace that nearly sent the archer tumbling backward.

Internally, Sunny grinned even wider. That's for all the times you hugged me out of nowhere and made me feel weird, Nightingale.

Then he pulled back slightly, just enough to look Kai in the eye.

"How have you been, my dear friend?" he asked, still smiling. "I've missed you. Deeply. Actually… I missed most of you. I hope you've all been well."

And like that their expedition started.

And just like that, their expedition began.

They ventured out toward the last of the headless stone statues—one of the old landmarks marking the path to the Dark City. It was the same one Cassie and Nephis used to rest at before, and once again, the two of them set up camp there. They made it comfortable and chatted quietly while the rest of the group settled around.

As Gemma observed Sunny, that unnerving young man with deathly pale skin, black eyes, and a quiet intensity, he found himself reconsidering his opinion. Sunny was far too dangerous to ignore, but seeing how friendly he was with Kai—and even with him, in his own blunt, dry way—made Gemma pause.

Kai eventually broke the relaxed silence. "Sunny, what have you been up to these past few weeks? You had me nearly worried, you know. Not a single word from you."

Sunny's smile dimmed just a little, turning quieter. "I had to clear my head," he said. "Too many useless thoughts bouncing around. So I went hunting in the Dark City. Nightmare creatures. It was… fun. Butchering those things. Worked almost as well as meditating."

Cassie, Caster, Effie—even Kido—froze. Their mouths hung open as they turned toward Kai, trying to gauge whether Sunny was joking. But Kai didn't react. He just nodded like it was the most normal thing in the world.

That made them pale.

Until now, they'd all believed Sunny to be a sleeper. Maybe a powerful one, yes—but still a sleeper. Effie especially had no idea who he really was. Nephis had simply forgotten to tell her—there had been too much to organize, too much to plan. And since the others had been careful not to speak Sunny's name, Effie hadn't connected the dots.

So when she heard him casually mention hunting in the Dark City—alone—something snapped.

"Stop spouting bullshit, little boy," she said, her voice sharp as she pointed at him, especially at his lofty, regal-looking armor. "You look like some spoiled legacy brat who's never fought for anything in his life."

Sunny's smile turned sharper. "Ah, the one who used my bed is now trying to pick a fight." His tone was calm, almost amused. "But let me ask you something, Effie… between the two of us, who's the one that never had to lift a finger back in the waking world? Who spent her days lounging while others struggled to survive?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't like being judged by appearances, do you? So maybe don't do it to others."

He paused, then added in a more cheerful tone, "Let's forget this little misunderstanding. Be friends. I'll even cook for you. Got a fresh Fallen Beast for dinner tonight."

But Effie wasn't listening anymore. His words—especially never lifted a finger—had cut deep. Her fury boiled over, almost to the point of tears. With a roar, she charged at him and lashed out with a full-strength kick—

Only for the sound of a sickening crack to echo through the clearing.

Her leg broke on impact.

Sunny didn't move. Didn't flinch. He just stood there, unmoved, while Effie collapsed in front of him, clutching her shattered leg in stunned agony.