Shadow Slave

The dojo was rather large and submerged in absolute darkness. Sunny gave the home a command, and immediately, bright light chased the darkness away, revealing the floor, walls, and ceiling that were covered by heavy plates of armored ceramic alloy.

Some of the plates already had cracks in them, which Sunny was painfully aware of… after all, those cracks had appeared as the result of Saint repeatedly slamming him against the floor. Simply looking at them made Sunny ache all over.

'I'm going to have to replace a few soon…'

He exited the elevator and walked over to a stand where various practice weapons were kept. These weapons were made out of reinforced synthetic materials to withstand the intensity of Awakened training, and had cost him a fortune. Sadly, Sunny had never even touched them, since training with the real deal was far more effective.

'Hm…'

Behind him, Rain walked into the dojo and looked around with curiosity. This space looked dark and mysterious, like a lair of a mythical monster.

"Do you come here a lot?"

Sunny gave her a short look.

"Of course, I do. This is where I sleep."

She was slightly surprised, but then seemed to understand the meaning of his answer.

For mundane humans, such a shelter would only be useful if a Gate opened nearby. But Awakened were more or less defenseless while in the Dream Realm. They needed the protection an underground bunker could provide much more, since their empty bodies could be easily destroyed when the spirit wandered away.

Her gaze traveled to the steel sarcophagus of the sleeping pod, and then moved past it. Suddenly, Rain's eyes brightened.

"Wow! Is that a Dreamscape pod?"

Sunny hesitated, surprised by her strong reaction.

"Uh… sure. Why?"

'My super expensive sleeping pod is much more impressive! Why is she so fascinated by that silly thing?'

The teenage girl walked over to the alcove with the two machines and studied one of them with excited curiosity. The luxurious, state-of-the-art sarcophagus received zero attention.

"Do you play often?"

He rolled his eyes, then shrugged.

"From time to time, I guess? When I have time. Dueling other Awakened helps with my own training."

Rain sighed with envy.

"That's cool. Some of my classmates have personal Dreamscape pods, too. They play the version for mundane humans, of course, but it still sounds amazing."

Sunny smiled.

you

then slowly shook her head. When she

not really. It's only

a little, then asked in a

don't you

then

a spot in this one… uh, I just study and go home. People there are not... very

way to put

at her,

had any growing up, and look at me. Have

doubt

"Yeah… but…"

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"But what?"

a few moments, then asked

you have

Sunny blinked.

'Huh?'

What girlfriend? Don't tell me that you think that Effie

Rain giggled.

I asked Effie, and

Sunny's eye twitched.

I'm really going to kill her… better yet, I'll make Saint kill her! How many times will she repeat that stupid joke about us before realizing that it isn't funny? It wasn't funny the first time, and it's certainly

However,

visit her mom from time to time. I

with a heavy expression.

did I say

lingered for a few

her mouth

happening, but feeling dark undertones in

just

practice weapons, Sunny

bring flowers to

glanced at him in

uh… why do you bring her

shivered, realizing that she had never seen

later, he

out of the Dream Realm,

few moments, then paled a