Shadow Slave

Sunny stared at Nephis with a complicated expression. After a while, he asked:

"Why did you entrust me with something so precious?"

She glanced at him, lingered for a few moments, then shrugged.

"We had a deal, remember? My knowledge in exchange for your share of the spoils we earn."

There had indeed existed such a deal. However, he had not exactly acted in good faith when proposing it. After all, he had no use for those spoils, in the first place.

Sunny scowled. If Changing Star had really revealed a family secret to him because of a lie, she had a valid reason to be resentful of him.

Just like he was of her.

With a dark smile, he looked away and said:

"You must have realized by now that I have cheated you in that deal."

Nephis turned to him and said, her voice calm and even:

"You mean the fact that you don't need to absorb soul shard to grow stronger?"

Sunny froze for a moment, then gave her a nod.

"You don't seem very surprised."

Figures. When Sunny first learned about this ability of his, he was stunned. But Neph seemed to know a lot more than a normal person did.

She didn't even try to pretend otherwise.

"It's a very rare Aspect trait, but not unheard of among the upper echelons of the Awakened. In fact, I am capable of something like that myself. Although your case does seem to be especially unique."

Sunny glanced at her.

"How so?"

Changing Star remained silent for a few moments and then said, her voice hinted with a bit of wonder:

"Usually, when an Awakened absorbs the soul essence directly, the process leaves the remnants of the soul core empty. But when you do it, the shards are left brimming with it. This is very… unusual."

shifted uncomfortably,

share of secrets, too, Neph. Don't think that

and looked at her with a frown, she said

Sunny. I am serious. Just knowing them might get

a long time, and

don't really want to know, anyway. The mysterious "upper echelons" you mentioned can play their dirty little games all they want, as long as they leave me out

frowned and

to ask you, because it involves

She raised an eyebrow.

"Sure. Ask away."

He grimaced.

the true core of your technique from

Star looked at him for a

That's good, too. Yes… I've been using a different style when

her with

"Why?"

She shrugged.

you incorporate elements of the Stone Saint's technique

He shook his head.

tricks. I'm the one who taught them to you, remember? So just stop. Answer my

glancing at the silhouette of the Crimson Spire that loomed in

won't change anything until then, anyway.

is that supposed

Star stood up and turned to leave. Before that, however, she lingered for a

Sunny. I expect big things from

that, she walked away,

does she mean

***

and foundation of the

not have enough experience and mastery to be able

even hide that damn mystery inside the Aspect

distant future, he would be able to. But right now, it was as though he had found the door, but was not strong enough to turn the key and unlock it. It just stood there and teased him endlessly, just like

It was pure torture.

wasn't supposed to notice the existence of the hidden

gain insight into its secrets. Was it all for nothing? All the

do

we're talking about!