Shadow Slave

Sunny smiled and leaned back on his chair, then looked at his friends with curiosity.

There was a question he really wanted to ask, but tried not to up until now.

"...What's your second Ability, anyway?"

His words hung in the air for a few moments. Suddenly, Kai coughed with embarrassment and looked away. After a couple of seconds, he said in a strange tone:

"I, uh… can see really far now, when I want to. Even when there's no light. I am also supposed to be able to see through illusions and all forms of obfuscation, whatever that means. And… uh… I can also see through objects.

Sunny and Effie stared at him and asked almost simultaneously:

"Like, through walls?"

"Like, through clothes?"

Kai hid behind his glass, lingered for a bit, and then answered in a small voice:

"...Yes. But I would never!"

While Sunny tried to imagine why would Kai refuse to look through walls, Effie laughed out loud.

"I see, I see. What a great Ability!"

She shook her head, then turned to Sunny and asked:

"Hey, doofus. I bet you often wanted to stab me with something sharp. Wanna try?"

He frowned in confusion, then raised an eyebrow.

"No. Why would I stab you?"

her face,

invulnerable. Well… comparatively, of course. Skin of steel, that sort of deal. A very sweet comprehensive defense boost, if

a very powerful Ability. Combined with Effie's previous one, it turned her into an exceedingly formidable presence on the

him

"Well, what about you?"

He shifted slightly.

I can go through walls… while you can just plow through them, I guess. In your

Effie grinned.

choice of words. I

hurriedly changed

uh… what are your plans, guys? What Citadels are you

of the conversation. For a while, a strange silence settled

on the Forgotten Shore, the three of them had forged a

worse, they were about to go their separate ways. Perhaps fate would bring them together

while,

Valor and clan Song, but… you know me. I don't do well with authority. Plus, none of them have moved a finger to help me when I really

wheelchair,

might take them up on the offer, or I might not. It depends on what the fastest way to get ready for the Second Nightmare would be. Maybe I'll have a better chance of becoming a Master soon if I stay independent and don't have to compete against

spiritual body became their physical body. Reaching the rank of a Master would free Effie from her terrible disability, so Sunny understood her motivation

he knew why she had said that for her, striving to conquer the Second Nightmare was the

of his own, Sunny had

few moments. Then, he too

I'll be going there

of his life, he didn't sound too happy. There was a

Sunny frowned.

that tone immediately, Kai. There's nothing wrong with living like a person should, not having to worry about being eaten every goddamn day. Don't even think about feeling

young man

my ungratefulness. But what about you,

the back of

won't believe it, guys, but as it turns out, scribbling a few words about the things you see in the Dream Realm can actually earn you money. And! I think I can weasel my way into receiving a salary from the Academy as a research assistant, whatever that means. So, uh… actually, I haven't decided