Shadow Slave

'Damn it… damn it all! Why did it have to be the divine flame, of all things?!'

The three of them were finally allowed into the central hall of the temple, where a tall chalice cut of a single slab of grey stone stood, full of blinding white fire. The hall was drowning in stark light, deep shadows, and suffocating heat… however, even that sweltering heat was too forgiving.

…This close to the orb of Sun God's flame, all of them should have been already turned to ash.

Sunny stared at the chalice with a grim expression, remembering the suffering he had gone through in the Sky Below. This was a true remnant of the obliterating pillar of white fire that had been brought down on the Kingdom of Hope by a god, and then continued to burn in the depths of the shattered land, slowly devouring it until nothing but an empty void remained.

The pale version of it that he was able to channel through the Cruel Sight was already immensely destructive, and this… this was the real deal.

How was the chalice even capable of containing the annihilating white star?

He shivered, and then glanced under the surface of the stone vessel, noticing an intricate weave of ancient runes glowing inside the grey stone. An enchantment… and a powerful one, at that. What kind of sorcerer had created it? Who had been powerful enough to contain a piece of divine fury?

…In any case, without knowing how to control the enchantment — if there even was a way to control it — getting the Glass Knife out was not going to be easy, or maybe even impossible. Their task just grew exponentially more difficult.

'Damn it all!'

Absorbed by the dire sight of the stone chalice, Sunny didn't even notice the three women standing in front of it for a moment or two. When he did, however, his mood dropped even further.

Turned into black silhouettes by the furious white flame burning behind them, three Ascended battle masters watched the uninvited guests with eyes full of cold, cutting killing intent.

One had red hair and wielded an odachi similar to his own, its blade forged out of vibrant scarlet steel. One had black hair and held a simple spear, its shaft covered by a complicated weave of runes. One had white hair and was unarmed.

…That last one scared him the most. Solvane, too, didn't feel the need to wield a weapon. If the first two Maidens seemed like warriors of terrifying skill, the third one… the third one gave him a sensation of being something much more than that.

vessel of War,

hall, remembering how it had looked

cracked and misshapen, the mighty pillars broken and toppled over, the roof had collapsed. The walls of the hall, seemingly so strong and unassailable, had been shattered outwards, suggesting that something had detonated

bones littering the hall, some still covered by the remains of red silk garments, with vengeful wraiths carrying murderous

Temple of the Chalice and destroyed it, slaughtering all the fearsome Maidens

he, perhaps,

faces suddenly appeared in his mind… that of Solvane,

the fiend with white hair, looked at Saint with

wish to retrieve the legacy of our

for a moment, then moved her

smiled, sending chills running down Sunny's

prove yourself before the Chalice. Kill me, and then my two sisters. If you do, the Glass

tilted her head a little, expressing an indifferent

a furtive

or rather three consecutive ones, against the senior warriors of the ancient sect. These Ascended were truly formidable, but fighting

true. As for whether or not Saint would be able

of the sect were dead, finding and rescuing

War Maiden with white hair grew silent, another one — the woman wielding

have to prove that you have the right to challenge us. You will fight, and

soon as she stopped speaking,

"...Or you will die."

pose any threat to Saint, who was an Ascended Demon, and formidable well beyond

felt off. He couldn't tell what at the moment,

glanced at Kai, and noticed a similar apprehensive expression in the archer's eyes.

her to slaughter your disciples, fearsome as they may be. Such a fight would not be a struggle for her, and as such, would not please the Goddess of Life, offending her in this