Shadow Slave

'Not good…'

The vine wasn't as large as some of the ones Sunny had seen back on the ancient ship, but it was still as thick as a man's arm, with curved black thorns protruding from its glistening surface.

The vine brought the sickeningly sweet smell with it.

Sunny hacked at it with the Cruel Sight, but barely managed to break the vine's skin. As a fine aerosol of aromatic juice shot into the air, the damned thing moved.

His eyes widened.

The vine easily shredded the leather boot of the Puppeteer's Shroud, as if the Awakened armor of the fifth Tier was made out of tissue paper. Before the sharp thorns could saw off his foot, however, Sunny cursed and brought the Cruel Sight down once more, this time augmenting the silver blade with both of his shadows.

The shortsword hacked through the vine, severing the stretch of it that was wrapped around Sunny's leg. The rest of it didn't like being cut one bit: surging forward, it aimed at his torso. Several more appeared from beneath the most at shot at Sunny, too.

However, now that nothing was holding him, he could finally use Shadow Step again. Before the vines reached his body, Sunny turned into a shadow. Safe and sound in their tranquil embrace of the darkness… for now, at least… he slid a few meters away and stared at the struggling abomination.

The creature was entangled by several thick vines, which moved across its body, leaving bloody trails on it. Sparks flew as the black thorns scraped fruitlessly across the adamantine surface of the wooden chest, though. It seemed to be much tougher that the rest of the creature's body.

The monstrosity gathered its limbs underneath it, then pushed with all its might, trying to stand up. An angry shriek escaped from its maw.

The vines were trying to hold it down, but either they were much weaker here, far away from the wreck, or the abomination was much stronger than Sunny had thought. It raised to its knees, then lashed out with its talons, ripping two of the vines apart.

Suddenly liberated, the monstrosity crawled from underneath the remaining vines, and then dashed toward the edge of the island on all fours.

Sunny hissed.

'Crap!'

couldn't it just

the shadow and ran after the unreasonably swift abomination…

very edge of the island and jumped off of it without slowing even for a moment. The lid of the chest clicked close as

"What the hell!"

a few seconds

grim expression appeared on his

***

side of the island. This

itself was different,

seemed… sick, somehow. Weakened. The chain was

rather long, stretching for good ten kilometers or so into the distance. Because the Shipwreck Island continued to descend, it was slightly angled upward. Sunny could see a relatively small isle on

everywhere in between, grotesque Chain Worms were crawling

had underestimated just how disturbing these creatures were. With their long serpentine tails, human-like torsos, and long muzzles that brimmed

was already dead, and they

the rusty iron and bloated beyond any reasonable measure, towering above the damaged chain like small hills of flesh. The scales on the latter ones looked like they were now made out of steel, and shined as they reflected the sunlight. Those who had not satiated their

'...Crap.'

swaying dangerously as it went. From time to time, it fell to all fours and launched itself into

a Chain Worm. The winged creature lunged at it… only to be kicked in the muzzle and have one of its

was suddenly grabbed by a long root that lazily extended from the darkness of

in the terrible sight, giggled,

Sunny hesitated.

was getting