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 want to

then slowly shook her head. When she spoke, her

really. It's

frowned a little, then asked in a

you have

girl sighed, then

but after dad got me a spot in this one… uh, I just study and go home.

one way to

at her,

are overrated anyway! I never had any growing up, and look at me.

doubt clearly written on her

"Yeah… but…"

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"But what?"

few

have a

Sunny blinked.

'Huh?'

tell me that

Rain giggled.

So I asked Effie, and she

Sunny's eye twitched.

repeat that stupid joke about us before realizing that it isn't

mouth to retort angrily. However, Rain's next word

bring her flowers every week, and even visit her mom from time to time. I think it's

expression. Feeling that his reaction was a bit strange,

I

for a few moments, then

Effie just likes to run her mouth sometimes. She shouldn't have told

was happening, but feeling dark undertones in his voice, the teenage girl

just get Effie

the practice weapons,

is indeed a girl I bring

at him

you bring

her darkly. Rain suddenly shivered, realizing that she had

moments later, he said

of the Dream

thought for a few moments, then