Shadow Slave

'Damnation!'

Before the first wood wraith could even fully form, Saint was already upon it. The blade of the Midnight Shard flashed through the air… and bit into the body of the creature with the dull sound of an axe striking the bark of a tree.

The effect was somewhat the same: although she managed to do some damage, the wraith simply ignored the shallow cut and lurched forward, towering above the graceful stone knight with destructive menace. Its hands fell down with crushing force, the wooden blades aimed at Saint's helmet.

…Wood couldn't cut stone. Right?

The Shadow seemed reluctant to check. She easily sidestepped the creature's attack and thrust upward, driving the tip of the Midnight Shard into the enemy's neck. Augmented by one of Sunny's shadows, the sword went deep into the adamantine wood.

A moment later, the second shadow wrapped itself around the body of the taciturn demon, causing her skin to shine with dark radiance. The coral gem of the Broken Oath glowed brightly on her black breastplate.

Saint twisted her blade and pushed it sideways, causing half of the wood wraith's neck to explode into a rain of splinters. The creature staggered and lashed out with another strike, but it was too late — the Shadow calmly shifted her weight from one leg to another and delivered a devastating slash, beheading her enemy.

As the wraith fell apart and turned back into a pile of debris, she looked at it indifferently, and then hit the dull side of the Midnight Shard's blade against her shoulder twice.

The voice of the Spell whispered:

[You have slain a Fallen Beast, Sailor Doll.]

[Your shadow grows stronger.]

Sunny gritted his teeth.

'Crap!'

Augmented by two shadows, Saint had defeated one of these Dolls without too much problem.

were countless more rising from the ground. Sunny counted at least

'What should I do?'

Beasts was clearly suicide. He could either retreat, or order Saint to draw their attention

also recall one of the shadows, send it ahead, and then use Shadow Step to travel

Decisions, decisions…

fine for

demon,

"Have fun, you three!"

looked at him, then silently turned away and raised the

to shadow,

slain a

too much

the shadow and wielding a powerful

down, he dove under the blade of another wood wraith, then lashed out with the Cruel Sight. The silver blade of the sword

of the massive creature. Twisting around, he thrust his sword into empty air. A split second later, however, the hilt of

spear deeper into its flesh. Sunny tilted his head, then dissolved into shadows and appeared behind the creature. A moment later, the Moonlight

a Fallen Beast, Sailor

[Your shadow grows stronger.]

Sunny retrieved his weapons.

[You have slain…]

Saint was busy, too.

he saw that she was close to being surrounded by a mass of menacing

'Not good…'

any more time, Sunny turned

***

reached the broken ship, dove into one of the breaches in

immediate threat to him, he then quickly checked on the taciturn demon in the Soul Sea. The Shadow had received several wounds in the fight against the swarm of wraiths,