Shadow Slave

His words caused a dead silence to settle over the Rhino, Luster, Kum, and Dorn froze, grave expressions appearing on their faces. Professor Obel looked down, suddenly appearing even more fragile and old. A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.

Beth's eyes widened.

"W-what... what do you mean, dead? That is impossible."

Sunny looked at her silently, and then shook his head.

"This is the era of the Nightmare Spell. Anything is possible, and terrible things are doubly possible. In fact, they are all but inevitable. We were lucky to get out in time, but the others were not. That is all there is to it."

His voice was full of grounded confidence, but in fact, Sunny felt very unsettled. He was not entirely sure if he was trying to convince Beth, or himself.

Professor Obel, who had been born during the Dark Times and lived through the horrors of the First Generation, seemed to understand what Sunny was trying to say. He must have experienced many such calamities throughout his long life, and lost a lot of friends. His young assistant, however, did not.

Looking at Sunny with a pale face, she forced out:

"B-but..."

He interrupted her.

"Don't think about it too much. Concentrate on your own survival instead. We are not out of the woods yet, and what is to come is far more important than something that is already over. And it is over."

down. The previous lively atmosphere disappeared as if it had never

and manage anyone's feelings right now. They were all adults... actually, he was the youngest person here, so why was he the one who had to take care of

terms of power and authority. And with

'...Ugh. How irritating.'

hesitated for a few moments, and then

way to honor those that are gone is to make sure that we don't follow them. So, rest well and gather

walked away, leaving them

howled through the rusted frame of the ancient war machine, the remains of which rose from the ground like the bones of a giant beast. Even though staying outside was cold and uncomfortable, right now,

area through the senses of his shadows,

was no way back, and the path ahead was dangerous and unclear. Remaining in this spot was not at

approaching Nightmare Creatures before they launched into a frenzied attack, but also hid them from the sight of the abominations. Unless a swarm stumbled

played in Sunny's

thoughts wandered back to the lost personnel of

hundred people... sixteen, even, if he counted those that had died in the weeks before. Just like that, so

It was... expected, actually.

number was much higher than fourteen hundred, too. There were seven hundred million people living in the Southern Quadrant, and he had not been inclined to give a damn about a single one. At least not

He was still indifferent.

distant and abstract. When speaking about millions of people, people stopped

million, to him, they were real. He had lived with them, shared bread with them, and fought side

Sunny much more than the potential evisceration of the whole quadrant. Knowing what he knew now, he couldn't help but

goal of evacuating the whole continent, but their plan was already bursting at the seams. Many more people were