Shadow Slave

Not wasting any more time, Sunny dove into his Soul Sea.

Despite his changed mental state, it was as calm as always. The silent expanse of still water stretched into the empty distance, with the Shadow Core hovering above like a dark star. Tiny spheres of light floated in the air around it, reflecting on the surface of the tranquil sea.

The silent shadows were still there, standing motionless at the edge of darkness. Compared to before, their ranks had swelled. Monsters of all shapes and sizes were among them now, making Sunny's collection of slain enemies look increasingly impressive. Walking past them, he glanced at one or another from time to time, recalling the thrilling battles with a mix of dread and pride.

This was his personal museum, a dark monument to all his sins.

"Wait… sins? Why sins?"

Just at that moment, Sunny stumbled and stopped. Not too far away from him, a gaunt shadow stood among the menagerie of terrifying creatures, silently staring at him with empty eyes.

That shadow once belonged to a young man, not much older than Sunny himself. He had lived in the ramshackle settlement beyond the castle's gates, struggling to survive like everybody else. Before… before…

Sunny looked away.

"Don't you look at me like that. It was your own fault, fool. You shouldn't have asked me all those questions!"

Out of the three people he had murdered with his own hands, this kill was the only one that made Sunny feel something. Because it wasn't done in the heat of the battle or to settle a personal score. This one… this one was done in cold blood.

It was why he had to leave the castle — among other things.

Sunny grimaced.

"I said stop looking at me! Just stay dead and don't bother me with your nonsense!"

Huffing angrily, he turned away. Soon, he walked past the shadows of the Blood Fiend, the hunting party's leader, and the deadly Stone Saint.

Glancing at the statuesque figure of the stone monster, Sunny forgot all about the gaunt shadow and smiled. He was here to take a look at her Echo, after all.

of great help to Sunny in the past, tremendously increasing his combat performance.

Saint was a monster. Her power was comparable to that of the ferocious carapace centurions, far surpassing anything that Sunny could ever hope to achieve in this cursed place. The strange nature of the steadfast living statue made her

waiting to see what miracle his Aspect was going to perform, hoping that the results would surpass

the black sun of his Shadow Core, observing the spheres of light that represented his

nine of

he actually used were the Puppeteer's Shroud, the Midnight Shard, the

summoned each of them one by one and

had gotten the heavy kunai after defeating a peculiar creature that resembled a monstrous armored porcupine. The rain of jagged bone quills had left several holes

Memory: [Prowling Thorn].

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Tier: II.

Memory Type: Weapon.

as unpredictable and fickle as the affection of a young beauty, but, perhaps, not

Enchantments: [Rose of

This string is

but wonder if the Spell had been scorned by a

the list was his most dangerous Memory, the talking

Memory: [Ordinary Rock].

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Tier: I.

Memory Type: Tool.

Description: [Just an ordinary

Memory Enchantments: [Not Really].

[The word is mightier than the

thing was that the Ordinary Rock, which was capable of repeating various sounds, had fallen into the hands of a person who was unable to tell lies. It was now the most honest

also made Sunny think twice before

the most precious to him. It was

Memory: [Endless Spring].