Shadow Slave

As he walked through the empty streets, Sunny breathed in the cold winter air and tried to calm his wildly beating heart. He should not have been that fatigued, but he was. The strange ailment tormenting him had become less severe in the last couple of days, however, it was not gone yet.

'All, curse it...'

Sunny grimaced, then noticed a group of soldiers ahead and forced himself to put on the mask of a confident commander. Mundane humans looked up to Masters, and if they saw one walking around with hollow eyes and a troubled expression, their morale would suffer.

He had never thought that being preoccupied with concerns about people's morale would become something he bothered with, yet here he was.

As Sunny walked closer, he heard bits and pieces of their conversation.

"I saw Mongrel fight yesterday. Gods, he truly is a fiend. My whole unit would have been dead if not for him. I wish I could thank the man... but he is definitely not from the First Army. Maybe he's a Legacy from a local Antarctica clan?"

"No, no... haven't you heard the rumors? Mongrel is that Master from the First Irregular Company. The Devil."

"You lost your damn mind, fool. Mongrel is like two meters tall, while Master Sunless is on the shorter side. Believe me, I saw them side by side, the day the wall was first breached. Also, Mongrel is definitely a woman."

"Yeah, I saw it too. She even caressed his cheek... well, uh, more like poked it. Wait... guys, do you think there's something going on between them?"

"You are all idiots. Mongrel is obviously several people..."

Usually, hearing such conversations amused Sunny, but this time he remained detached and indifferent. The soldiers grew silent when he approached, straightened, and then bowed respectfully. He nodded at them in passing and continued on his way, uncaring.

'Alt. But that reminds me...'

Sunny summoned the runes and glanced at the description of Saint:

Shadow Fragments: [185/200].

'So close.'

With the two Memories he received today - one from an Awakened Monster, the other from a Fallen Beast - the counter would increase by two fragments, bringing it to one hundred and eighty-seven. From here, he only needed thirteen more for Saint to Transcend.

of his personal Memories that could be sacrificed

like I am almost there, but the Midnight Shard is still

the spellweave, grimacing when the thundering clamor of the distant battle grew especially loud and

the noise became quieter, although it never went away entirely. Sunny passed through the barricades, left the secondary defense ring, and

deeper into the city, the signs of overpopulation were not as dire as one could have expected. The naval convoy had been busy ferrying the refugees across the strait, after all. By now, somewhere around eighty million people had already been transported to

as though

actual proof that all his efforts were not in

He studied it for a moment, noticing a familiar figure handing out

in that direction. As he walked closer,

not be cutting the

looked up and blinked a couple

Sunny? What are you doing

He shrugged.

my way back from

her, then led him aside, to a humming heat projector. Beth stopped

"How was your day?"

a bit, not knowing how to answer.

woman peeked at him and

few words, are

Sunny dismissed again.

the old man? Did you guys receive placement in the

Beth sighed.

the strait, so many placements were postponed again. As for Professor, he is doing fine. The Army got him consulting on how to upgrade the communication array, so he has something to do, at

looked at him

you coming over

hesitated, then slowly

gut tells me that tomorrow will be a tough day. Your dormitory is away from the wall, but still. Be careful.

young woman turned back to

"Yeah, yeah..."