Shadow Slave

Some time later, Sunny left the house and sat on the porch by himself.

His thoughts were in disarray.

So much had changed, so much had happened. So much was going to happen in the next few days, as well. His life was inevitably going to transform… hopefully, for the best.

However, there were many obstacles he was going to have to overcome and many decisions he was going to have to make in order to avoid being destroyed by the changes instead. Although Sunny had grown considerably stronger, and obliterating him was not as easy anymore, there were still threats out there that he did not dare to face.

He sighed, and looked down.

'I am a Master.'

The knowledge rested in his mind, but he was yet to truly comprehend it. Ascended had seemed so distant and glorious to him, once. Not quite demigods, but also not mere mortals anymore. But now, he was one of these venerated beings himself. He could feel inhuman power coursing through his veins.

That was something he couldn't process that fast.

And yet, time waited for no one. Sunny knew that there would be no opportunity to properly get used to his swiftly shifting circumstances. He had a lot to do, and he had to do it now.

'Just take it one step at a time.'

What did he have to do immediately?

Call Aiko, for one. He had to let his business partner know that he was back and get an update on how Rain was doing.

discover a way to contact the White Feather clan and find out about the fallout of the destruction of the Night Temple…

If things turned from bad to worse with the great clans, the authorities were the only force influential enough to shield him… for

Sunny grimaced.

need to collect

and studied the familiar, peaceful

fact that the Great Clans possessed incredible powers, it was not too easy to deal with Sunny and the other members of the cohort anymore. All four of them were Masters now, and exceptional ones at that… not only had they conquered the Second Nightmare, but they had also done it at an abnormally young

latest accomplishment was bound to stir up a real storm, both in the media and behind closed doors.

that each of

receive another combat Ability, but instead, her new power appeared to bolster her allies as long as they could see her. It was as though they were

experienced that enhancement himself when Effie enthusiastically activated her new Ability, and had to admit that it was… powerful. Not comparable to what the young woman herself

with the huntress, without an additional cost in essence. That basically meant that any cohort, any force, and even any army could

to form full cohorts of Ascended. However, that did not mean that one could not build supporting teams of Awakened or even mundane soldiers around them. Sunny had seen exactly that when

was about to get very, very popular among the great powers

a similar situation,

strange, and a little bit frightening. None of them, not even Kai himself, had the chance to explore the full range of its capabilities.

quality that compelled people who heard it to follow his commands. The result and the consequence depended on

hard to force on people with strong willpower or high resistance to mind attacks. For example, if

grow weaker, and their attacks might grow

upon his allies to fight with more fervor or to hold their

Ability made him incredibly valuable for those who held power, as well. The government propaganda machine especially was going to lose its collective mind over Nightingale

to happen, but were also incredibly rare. His Awakened Aspect was now Ascended, which made his previous

time to explore these changes yet, so his friends had no idea what the evolution entailed. They only knew that their friend had grown stronger, although

there