Shadow Slave

The scavenger was dead. However, it wasn't Sunny's blade that killed it.

While circling the target, he was focused on staying unnoticed and not alerting the enemy to his presence before reaching the optimal position for an attack. After that, he only saw the monster's back.

That's why he didn't notice the terrible wound that ran from the top of the creature's torso to its segmented legs, obscured by the rain.

The unbreakable carapace was cut open like a tin can. The scavenger's flesh and mangled organs could be easily seen through the large gap, oozing azure blood. It streamed down only to be washed away by the storm.

Sunny gulped.

He might have felt awkward about performing a perfect ambush on a long-dead monster if not for the fear of whatever had killed it in the first place.

Looking around, he hesitated and summoned the Azure Blade back, then wrapped himself in the shadow.

The small island was silent except for the howling of the wind. The rain was still falling down, forming a constant veil that hid away all details and distant objects. A rare flash of lightning sometimes flooded this bleak world with stark whiteness. Then, a thunderclap would come, making the skies tremble.

With cold fright settling deep into his bones, Sunny cautiously moved to the next scavenger. He could tell from some distance that it was also dead, but had to come closer and make sure. Indeed, he was right: the creature was almost severed in half by the unknown assailant. Its wet innards were lying on the ground in a messy pile.

The darkness had long ago stopped being comforting, becoming terrifying and oppressive instead. Sunny shivered.

…By the time he checked on all eight monsters and confirmed that they were all dead, he was nauseous and scared out of his wits. When Sunny had first realized that the black shapes were, in fact, scavengers, he thought that the situation was as bad as it could get. Now, he wasn't sure anymore.

In fact, he was pretty convinced that things went from bad to worse.

Standing near the last scavenger, Sunny observed his surroundings and thought about returning to Neph and Cassie. Maybe the terrifying killer had already left the island. They could just hide and hope for the best. He wouldn't be alone, at least.

However, not knowing what kind of danger was hiding in the darkness would drive him insane long before the morning came. Plus, with his Fated attribute, "hoping for the best" was a fool's errand.

That's why, although his body was covered in cold sweat, Sunny gritted his teeth and slowly walked toward the ridge that was obscuring the rest of the island from him. Coming close, he started climbing, trying to be as quiet as possible.

The ridge wasn't very high, so he was able to scale it without much effort. Sticking close to the rocks, he raised his head a looked down.

Then, he immediately wanted to let go and fall to the ground.

Right beneath him, just a few meters away, a dark silhouette was outlined against the rocks. It was much larger than the scavengers, with jagged spikes growing out of its thick carapace. Its chitin was black and crimson, like an ancient armor splattered with fresh blood. Instead of pincers, two terrifying bone scythes were protruding from the joints of its arms.

Each one was long and sharp enough to split a scavenger in two.

Sunny froze, afraid to move. He even stopped breathing.

'So that's the killer.'

seen retrieving the transcendent soul shards from the giant shark's carcass, or another of their kind. He remembered how the two creatures had cut through the horde of scavengers, killing or throwing aside any beast that got in their way. Slaughtering just seven of them would

to mention getting rid

His whole body was trembling. Moving his arms and legs with utmost precision, he began climbing down from the ridge, praying not to be heard, sensed, or noticed in some other

the monster remained oblivious

Feeling as though his back was being pierced by invisible needles, the young man stealthily moved in the direction

he returned to Nephis and Cassie. The girls were tense and nervous, waiting for his return in the darkness. Before coming out of the shadows, Sunny

"It's me."

little. Her

she said, careful to

time, he was genuinely happy not to

the thing with the crimson pattern on its carapace and scythes instead of pincers.

white sparks ignited in Changing Star's eyes. Soon, the reflection was gone, leaving

whispered, as though talking to

"An awakened monster."

Sunny licked his lips.

what

while, leaning on her sword. Then, she

"Kill it."

***

collected himself and said the first thing that came to his

"Are you nuts?"

of fighting that thing was pretty ridiculous, if not completely insane. Realizing that his words might have sounded a bit rude, he cleared his

through? How

Nephis slowly inhaled.

things through. We

to them with a

attack. Then, our only advantage — the element of surprise — will be gone. If we have to fight it anyway, it's better to be

Star looked around

can still see. Once the night comes, this won't

Sunny shook his head.

it. That thing just dispatched eight scavengers like it was nothing. We are

After a short pause, she

an

but stare

mean, "just" an awakened monster? Have you forgotten that all three of us are only Sleepers?! Dormant humans are not supposed to be able to deal with awakened beasts, let alone monsters. The fact that we can reliably kill scavengers is already