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.

and find out about the fallout of the destruction of the Night Temple… although

handler and his point of contact with the government. If things turned from bad to worse with the

Sunny grimaced.

yet… I need to

the familiar, peaceful landscape

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 age and after entering the Seed

bound to stir up a real storm, both in the media and behind closed doors. Sunny would not be able to remain

each of them received extremely powerful

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

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 could

any number of people as long as they maintained the line of sight with the huntress, without an additional cost

did not mean that one could not build supporting teams of Awakened or even mundane soldiers around them. Sunny had seen exactly that when Master Jet

very popular among the great powers

similar situation, although for

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

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

people with strong willpower or high resistance to mind attacks. For example, if Kai commanded another Ascended to drop their weapon, they

weaker, and their attacks

too. The compulsion did not have to be aimed at an enemy. Kai could call upon his allies to fight with more fervor or to

who held power, as well. The government propaganda machine especially was

that were known to happen, but were also incredibly rare. His Awakened Aspect was now

had no 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 perhaps in a

then there