Shadow Slave

Sunny had never fought in his shadow form, and really, he didn't even know how. All he had were his instincts, but that wasn't enough. In fact, trusting your instincts too much was a sure way to get yourself killed.

Intelligence was the most dangerous weapon in the arsenal of a human, and it was Sunny's mind that ended up saving his life.

He had realized that his enemy was not invisible, but a shadow just like him only a moment before the creature was upon him. In that split second, Sunny managed to come up with the only way to escape death.

As sharp pain pierced his entire being, he lunged forward… and escaped the shadows, rolling away on the grass. Jumping to his feet, Sunny staggered and clutched at his side, blood flowing between his fingers.

"Argh…"

The shadow of the unknown abomination lunged in pursuit… and swiped uselessly across his body, not causing him any harm.

It was just a shadow, after all.

Throwing a glance at the thin tear in the Puppeteer's Shroud and a deep wound beneath it, Sunny took a step back. Simultaneously, he gave his shadows a command to hide themselves under his armor and augment his body.

Physical attacks couldn't harm shadows… but shadows also had no way to harm living beings. That was the thought that had saved him. If he had failed to assume the shape of a human in time, he would have been dead by now… most likely.

Because he had not, however, he and the shadow creature were now at a standstill.

The master of the Reckoning Island tried to attack him several more times, each strike ending up as fruitless as the previous ones. Then, it froze, as if slightly confused by the situation.

Sunny finally had a chance to take a good look at the hostile shadow.

It looked just like a shadow would — like a dark, ethereal silhouette of a person painted on the grass in black. The creature seemed to have two legs, two hands, and one head. If Sunny didn't know what it really was, he would have assumed that the shadow was cast by an ordinary person.

There was no one else in sight, though.

Backing away and grimacing because of the pain radiating from the deep wound in his side, Sunny stared at the enemy and thought feverishly:

'No, this is wrong…'

creature was, indeed, deadly for someone

other human on the Chained Isles,

been killed by it? And

His eyes widened slightly.

hand to the side to summon the Midnight Shard… and just in

next caused him to

figure stepped out of the shadow. It was

hair and was wearing a light armor made out of soft silk and black, lustreless

he recognized the face in front

It was his own face, after

Reckoning was like looking into a

uh… since when was I

Sunny recoiled in shock.

hell

lips moved, however, there was sound, as if the abomination was

no problem reading its lips,

hell are

'What is going on...'

he had to defend himself against a

back, his hands trembling from the force of

'Curses…'

much, much stronger. About as strong as a Fallen Devil would

painfully familiar grace of his own battle style. This time, the tip of

smile appeared on

Sunny grunted.

fought through the pain. He was barely holding on… for now, at least. Because of how strong and fast the creature was, Sunny had no doubt that he'll be

someone who knew all his tricks, but was also much more powerful? Even the Shadow Dance was useless... what was the point in trying to mirror the

Especially