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.

out about the fallout of the destruction of

worse, she was his handler and his point of contact with the government. If things turned from bad to worse with the great clans, the authorities were the only force

Sunny grimaced.

I need to collect my thoughts

back and studied the familiar, peaceful landscape of

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

famous, and this latest accomplishment was bound to stir up a real storm, both in the media and behind closed doors. Sunny would not be

each of

most remarkable in how useful it was. Sunny had expected the huntress to receive another combat Ability, but instead, her new power appeared

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

maintained the line of sight with the huntress, without an additional cost

to do to form full cohorts of Ascended. However, that did not mean that one could not build supporting teams

to get very, very

was in a similar situation, although

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

heard it to follow his commands. The result and the consequence depended on how much essence he poured into the compulsion and the target's resistance, as well

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

might grow weaker, and their

with more fervor or to hold their ground no matter what. He could invoke any feeling he wanted in large

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

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

so his friends had no idea what the evolution entailed. They only knew that their

then there