Shadow Slave

As expected, the refugees were devastated by the news that their salvation had slipped away from their grasp at the last moment. Many of them looked like they were about to give up, but strangely, the terrible change did not end up being as crushing to their already crumbling morale as Sunny had thought it would be.

The reason... he was the reason. Or rather, his status and reputation.

Although being found by a Master was not really comparable to boarding a rescue ship, Ascended were a kind of symbol among humans. Saints were too mysterious and distant, so it were the Masters that dwelled in the human subconscious as the epitome of valor, achievement, and might.

Sunny did not know about valor and achievement, but Ascended were indeed immensely powerful. And he was more powerful than most.

So, when the refugees learned that Master Sunless of the First Irregular Company had taken command of the convoy, many of them were elated despite their extreme exhaustion. He had a fearsome reputation, after all... in fact, Sunny felt that the mundane soldiers had gone out of their way to embellish his achievements as much as they could when they delivered the news. Their purpose was transparent - the soldiers, too, wanted to keep the morale of the civilians from reaching the very bottom of despair.

As a result, the refugees regarded him as some sort of intrepid hero, who was both the scourge of Nightmare Creatures and a dauntless savior of men. When they looked at him, their eyes were full of hope and reverence.

Sunny was weirded out by these gazes.

'Fools. How easy are you to deceive?'

Did they not hear the part of the story where a whole settlement that he had been stationed at was completely destroyed? But no, they didn't. People just wanted to believe in something that would give them solace, no matter how far removed from the truth their belief might be. It was strangely easy for them to ignore anything that conflicted with such a belief.

In the end, making people lie to themselves was the best and most effective kind of deception.

mistaken impression of him. Not only did it make the refugees easier to control, but there were other things to consider. Namely, the spreading plague of

a tiny Seed, as well, he couldn't help but feel that it could only be planted into

like that, it was no surprise that the Nightmare Spell had descended during the height of the Dark Times. Back then, the whole world

of the convoy, he would be able to reduce the number of mundane humans succumbing to the

me,

of an Awakened Demon that rested under the snow less than a hundred meters away, he wanted to leave the terminus of the coastal highway as soon as possible... but there

Obel, can I speak to

through the havoc of the First Generation, so he would have valuable insight

had never happened in the history of the world before, so there

as well as Professor Obel, Beth, and Sergeant Gere in the command

didn't waste any time and

brief. Our first task is to inspect the vehicles of the convoy and service them as needed, to make sure that they will be able to make it across the mountains. However, we can't do it here in the open. There is an abandoned military bunker not too far from our position... if all goes well, we will reach it

a Nightmare Creature inside one would be devastating. So, ideally, they needed to find a well-protected campsite every time they needed

since the Dark Times, was hidden in the mountains at a sufficient distance from the ocean. It was a conducive place to achieve a lot of

at his subordinates with

we need to be wary of: those from beyond, and those from within. I won't say anything about the former, since they just mean that we must enter battle with the enemy. The latter, however... I

a moment, and

the transports completely and move all passengers to the other four. That will be our mobile infirmary. If someone does fall asleep, wake them up. If they don't wake, transfer the sleepers to the infirmary and get ready to put them down,