Shadow Slave

As it turned out, Nephis had not found a Gateway to escape the Dream Realm and Awaken.

Instead, after two long years of solitude and relentless battles for survival, she had found a Seed of Nightmare and conquered the Second Trial of the Spell as a Sleeper.

She had done it alone.

At least that was the only way Sunny could explain the runes he was staring at.

Ascended.

'That is impossible.'

Surviving the Second Nightmare was already not easy for a cohort of prepared Awakened. More people perished while trying than returned victorious. How could a lone Sleeper accomplish the same?

No one had done it before.

However… no Sleeper had been a Tyrant before.

No Sleeper had escaped alive from a battle with a Corrupted horror of the depths before.

No Sleeper had slain a Fallen Terror before.

Nephis had long established her penchant for accomplishing the impossible. Why was Sunny so surprised that she had done it again?

No, he wasn't surprised. He was… dismayed.

A deep, unsettling emotion nestled in his chest, making his face grow dark and his eyes grow dim. The shadows around him seemed to become deeper.

is that she is

To him, it was of paramount importance. His obsession with becoming more powerful than Nephis was not born out of simple vanity or empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase power just for the sweetness of it,

using her prodigious strength, so people did not really have any choice except to let her pass. Even Instructor Rock, who had appeared

the Dream Realm. It was no wonder that he dropped everything to

them and froze for a moment,

Is it true? Princess is

at her for

passed her to the healers with

for several seconds. Then, a wide grin split her face. It looked as if she was on

yes! I never had a doubt! No Nightmare Creature exists that can keep that pampered

a little, infected by her

arrived, as well. Usually, his appearance would have caused a stir, but

the confirmation, an expression of profound relief appeared on the young man's beautiful face. Kai swayed a little, and then

"Gods… thank the gods…"

truly too decent of a person for this vile world, and infected by a misguided sense of

and waited. Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all over them. Some… Kai especially…

him, they had no reason to feel

looking at them, Sunny decided to ignore the darker part of his mind

to avoid becoming a slave, he would. If

he chose to just share

cohort was back,

armored doors finally opened, and one of the Awakened healers in the employ

Even Morgan of Valor looked up from her

government agents couldn't

how is she? Lady Changing Star is really