Shadow Slave

Sunny used everything he had, moving with unimaginable speed, agility, and precision. Both shadow essence and the tenacious blood of Weaver flowed through his body, supplying his muscles with the strength and endurance necessary to perform with such an inhuman level of effort.

His mind was aflame, devouring information about his surroundings and the enemy's movements, making lightning-fast decisions, trying to predict countless probable eventualities, and simultaneously studying the sophisticated battle style of the battle-hardened Master.

…And despite all that, he was barely surviving Pierce's unrelenting assault. Every moment, he was just a split second away from death.

The knight of Valor was just too powerful, skilled, and overbearing. His cold eyes were full of calculating ruthlessness and dark, iron killing intent. They were calm and focused, like that of an experienced predator stalking helpless prey.

That prey, unfortunately, was Sunny.

'Damnation!'

Nothing he had experienced could have prepared him for this. Sunny had fought many opponents that were stronger and faster than him, but he had never been this outmatched in terms of sheer power, at least not in a fight against a human… who, unlike most Nightmare Creatures, also possessed a keen mind, devious cunning, and martial skill that were the greatest weapons of his kind.

Maybe only Morgan of Valor… but she had held back, and theirs had not really been a battle to the death.

Sunny and Pierce clashed on the bloodied stones, their weapons flashing through the air fast enough to leave afterimages behind. The clangor of metal filled the somber hall, mixing with the furious sounds of battle coming from their left.

There, two different storms of metal raged violently, one centered around Mordret and Welthe, the other from where his Shadows fought the Echoes of the fearsome Master.

Sunny had no time to look that way, but he could hear the constant ringing of blades landing on Saint's shield. There were so many blows that their sounds almost merged into one dreadful, uninterrupted litany of steel. He had not heard the Spell yet, so he knew that none of the Echoes had been destroyed.

The Shadows were in one piece, as well…even if he didn't know whether or not they were whole, damaged, or dying.

He deflected another strike of Pierce's swift longsword, then whipped the butt of the Cruel Sight forward, hoping to catch the enemy in the face. Helmet or not, such a strike was bound to deliver some damage…

and didn't even flinch. Instead, he lunged forward and rammed into Sunny with his shoulder,

bastard! Is he

and landed on his feet, tasting blood in his mouth. That shoulder bash was powerful enough to shatter

bones had not shattered,

a powerful thrust,

longer I survive, the better I understand his style… the better I understand his style,

sign of doubt, hesitation, or weakness. Yes, Sunny was younger and less powerful… but he was skilled and experienced,

was a

had managed to land several debilitating blows, rattling his entire body. The Undying Chain held, but beneath it, Sunny was bruised and

of the Cruel Sight through a crack in the enemy's armor, it was like trying to cut through a monster's hide. He only managed to burn the bastard a little, and make a few

as it should have

and grinned

do? Not

Sunny growled.

suddenly have time to

attacked again, this time switching the enchantment of the mirror blade from incandescent flame to

deflected the blow

was almost time,

aiming to distract and agitate the opponent, Sunny had a split second

the verge of destroying one of the Echoes, and

doing worse. Faced with six opponents, she couldn't launch a successful attack. Some of the Echoes surrounding

was not

Echoes. He wanted

and more

The Patient Avenger…