Shadow Slave

Because of Effie's easygoing personality and affable attitude, it was easy to forget just how fearsome of a warrior she was.

Out of all the members of the cohort, she had survived on the Forgotten Shore the longest… she had done so while hunting down Nightmare Creatures on the cursed streets of the Dark City all alone, as well. Mostly because anyone willing to help her would have been disposed of by the ruler of the Bright Castle, who had been scorned by her rejection.

The fact that the young huntress had never bowed to his demands despite the black mark placed on her only went to show how unyielding her will really was.

Her Aspect made Effie a perfect instrument of war. While not as drastic as the dire, but narrow speed augmentation Caster had possessed, it was still great and wondrous. More importantly, it was an all-around enhancement — speed, strength, agility, endurance, resilience… every facet of her physicality was elevated to an inhuman level.

Sunny knew of her abilities better than most, since Effie had taught him how to wield a spear. However, due to the fact that their lessons had taken place in the real world, where the huntress was bound to a wheelchair, he never experienced her full strength in a fight himself.

Until now.

'Crap… that really hurt…'

Before, Sunny had hoped that their strength would be more or less equal, considering that he was augmented by three shadows. However, it was not even close… that one blow almost shattered his body into pieces. That was only made more bizarre by the fact that it had been delivered by a scrawny child.

Maybe if he had an additional shadow, or two...

Sunny had become much more powerful, but Effie had grown much stronger after the Forgotten Shore, as well. Her core was now fully saturated… more than that, while Sunny had been surviving in the Red Colosseum, she had survived a hell of her own, it seemed.

Being tortured, taught, and tempered by the cult that had created Solvane, of all people.

Sunny spat some blood, gritted his teeth, and slowly stood up.

'This is… not good…'

glanced at him with surprise and tilted her head a

alive?

no time. A split second later, she was already upon him, her leg flying through the air

but he also didn't want to die. And getting hit by this bruised, wild, monstrous girl was going to kill him soon

to

ribs survived Effie's wicked kick due to Bone Weave, the organs protected by them were not that

of his lower hands forward, putting the sharp blade of the dagger in the path of Effie's small, bony, and bruised leg. She was going to have to rethink that attack or risk having her

she was using her second Aspect Ability,

'Curse it a…'

as though it was made out

shards flying through the air. Before Sunny could regain his balance, the next attack came… and then the next,

he had no choice but to retreat under the onslaught of deadly strikes, receiving several glancing blows that left him reeling and in pain. The scrawny girl was very small, but made up for it by being incredibly nimble and swift. The little imp was so wily and fast, in fact, that it almost felt as though she was in

us… let us finish this quickly… I am

for a

unrestrained fury and brought the greatsword down, creating some space between himself and

was not very hard to do… there were many ways, really. He could use one of his shadows, or summon a familiar Memory… if only she

Effie did not. She was also not fighting in any style Sunny was familiar with. He knew her usual technique pretty well, but this assault had nothing in common with

breathtaking. Even when

that was also the worst option, because doing so would reveal his

'Think, you fool!'

to be a better

a step back, then froze for a split second… and threw his buckler

was hideously bent

of his hands now free, he made it into a fist,