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."

uncomfortably, and then

too, Neph. Don't think that I didn't

fell silent and looked at her with a frown, she said in a strangely

am serious. Just knowing them

stared at her for a long

know, anyway. The mysterious "upper echelons" you mentioned can play their dirty little games all they want, as long

Sunny frowned and

I have to

She raised an eyebrow.

"Sure. Ask away."

He grimaced.

are you hiding the true core of your technique

looked at him for a bit,

Yes… I've been using a

at her

"Why?"

She shrugged.

incorporate elements of the

He shook his head.

for your tricks. I'm the one who taught them to you, remember? So just

the Crimson Spire that

the Dark City. It won't change anything until then, anyway. Your safety won't be compromised in any

is that

he glared at her, Changing Star stood up and turned to leave. Before that, however, she

I expect big things

she walked

does she

***

Sunny returned to staring at his shadow. However, despite the fact that he had figured out the essence and foundation of the elusive battle art that hid inside it, he

did not have enough experience and mastery to be able to create something out of nothing. It was a dead

hide that damn mystery inside the Aspect

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

It was pure torture.

wasn't supposed to notice the

into its secrets. Was it all

would Spell do this

the damn Spell we're talking about! Why wouldn't it do something like this