Shadow Slave

Sunny remained in the ravine for a few minutes, considering his options and hoping that the unknown archer would have to shift to another target.

He had already revealed his ability to teleport during the Gate battle, but the quality of the recording hid the details of how he was able to do it. With the crystal clear picture of the Dream Tournament broadcast, though, Sunny couldn't risk using Shadow Step again. Even if he really, really wanted to...

Neither could he send his shadow to scout the position of the archer, which left him in a bind.

The best option would have been to stay hidden for a while, but luck was really not on his side today. Shortly after he had defeated the other Awakened taking shelter in the ravine, the sound of the rustling leaves subtly changed, and an ominous darkness suddenly moved between the roots of the ancient trees.

As more and more people were eliminated, the remaining challengers were bound to start having trouble finding new opponents in the vast arena. So, the arena was designed to grow smaller as time went by.

This year, it seemed, the players would be forced to move toward the center by the fact that the beautiful forest was slowly turning back to its true nature — that of a giant, abominable, flesh-devouring titan.

'Great! This is just goddamn great!'

Pushing off of the rocks, Sunny cursed and started climbing up the slope.

***

Some time later, full of annoyance and with sparks of light falling off his armor, he walked out of the cover of trees and entered a small clearing. There, an Awakened in a lustrous brass armor stood above the disintegrating corpses of two others, holding a heavy war hammer in his hands. A few steps away from him, another was bandaging a shallow cut on her forearm.

The man threw one glance at Sunny and rolled his eyes.

"Great! Another Mongrel impersonato…"

Before he could finish speaking, though, the blade of the odachi pierced his throat, sliding precisely between the lip of the brass breastplate and the bottom edge of the helmet.

As the body of the Awakened hit the ground, his partner looked at Sunny with wide eyes. A battle axe fell from her hands.

"Oh crap! You're… you're actually him!"

The girl turned around and tried to run, but before she could, Sunny was already upon her, ending her participation in the battle royale with one swift strike.

"Challenger Abel was eliminated."

"Challenger Wynne was eliminated."

Sunny sighed and remained motionless for a bit, resting.

…He was more than a little bit tired.

worst was still to

of trumpets rolled across the ancient

hundred

Dar of the Maharana clan, seventy-eight kills;

at the sky, the black mask hiding a grim expression

gee. Who is

own twenty-seven opponents had not been exactly time-consuming, but looking for them was. Who wouldn't need to waste precious minutes prowling the woods in search of enemies

sense his targets

step up

wouldn't do for Lord Mongrel to lag behind some Legacy

him. These Awakened were armed with all kinds of weapons, looking at him with satisfied

at least one person with some sort of clairvoyant Ability among them. Otherwise, no one

else did

Sunny sighed.

took a step

you, especially after you risked your life to hold that Gate. But those Valor weapons are just too sweet, and

man for a few moments, and then an elusive, but strangely familiar voice

"...None whatsoever."

Sunny was not at all

one?! Where is your shame, thugs?! Come here then, you damned cowards! I'm gonna

ambushers obliged. All kinds of Aspect Abilities activated at once, turning the small clearing into a furious storm of

'...Oh crap!'

***

seems like

the broadcast. Both he and Dimi were glued to the screen, even forgetting to do

of

center of a bright clearing, staring at the twelve ambushers surrounding him with cold indifference. Mongrel's voice sounded

"...None whatsoever."

symphony of violence. The ambushers attacked without wasting even

Syclus held his breath.

Mongrel! Use your spatial

this was the only

himself, Syclus knew that Mongrel never used his Aspect in the Dreamscape, as if it was somehow beneath him. Mongrel only ever relied

'Such dignity…'

too, the mysterious warrior refused to compromise his unassailable, noble principles. Instead of activating his Ability, he simply lunged at the enemies

dark, liquid metal and flowed onto his arm, soon turning into a round shield. With that shield, Mongrel deflected an incoming javelin, then twisted his body, dodging a hail of razor-sharp windblades, and dove into an immolating stream of fire that one of the Awakened breathed out of