Shadow Slave

It was already morning by the time Sunny made his way to the dormitory tower where Professor Obel was staying. The cold had gotten even more oppressive, and the wind was like a sharp knife that cut ruthlessly against his skin.

It was rather strange. Soon after the news of the Winter Beast's inevitable attack spread through the city, the whole population seemed to have gone marl. Fear, panic, and desperation were like a wildfire that spread through the siege capital, throwing it into utter chaos. For a while, it was as though Falcon Scott had turned into a wounded, frenzied beast.

...But now, a strange calmness permeated the snow-covered streets. Even near the port, the mob had become meek and docile. A few more ships arrived, and a few more millions of people were taken away.

The rest either surrendered themselves to fate, or gave up completely.

As soon as they let go of hope, their fear disappeared. Their panic subsided, too. Sunny walked through the city, he saw different people coping with the merciless reality of the situation in different ways. Some seemed numb and lethargic. Some seemed serene and at peace. Everyone found solace in their own way.

He even saw groups of people climb to the roofs of the highest buildings, carrying chairs, portable heaters, and food. They were going to watch the arrival of the titan, and meet their ends together.

Others were trying to get as deep underground as they could. A siege capital like Falcon Scott had plenty of durable subterranean shelters... however, if anyone thought that they could hide from the approaching doom there, they were sorely mistaken. No amount of frozen soil and layers of mundane defenses were going to stop a Corrupted Titan.

There had been shelters in Erebus Field, too, but no one who had entered them survived. And Goliath was in no way a match for the Winter Beast.

As for Sunny himself... he had not given up yet. He still had some will to fight left in him.

He had spent these hours trying to come up with a way to if not defeat the abominable horror, then at least tie down and stall it. Sadly...

Sunny saw no way to win, no matter how hard he looked.

The enemy was just too strong, and his bag of tricks was all but empty. There was no time to prepare anything, and even if there were, he was not sure. that he would have been able to pull another miracle out of thin air.

Killing Goliath was already an astonishing feat... in the past, before the Transcendence of the first Saints, it had taken all of clan Valor decades to slay a Fallen Titan. But Sunny destroyed the dreadful stone colossus in a single second.

...If he had been a couple seconds slower, the city would have probably already been destroyed. That was how terrifying titans were.

The further one walked on the road of Ascendence — or Corruption — the greater the distance between individual steps. There was a vast chasm between a Terror and a Titan, and an even more boundless abyss between a Fallen and a Corrupted one.

good idea. His own strength was insufficient, and there

'Is it really hopeless?'

accept that fact. And yet, a shadow of doubt was

to Gere and Carin. His mood turned dark as he remembered all the people he had brought to Falcon Scott, and how

now? The nameless Sleeper, the kid who had called him "Uncle" once, the brave soldier who had lost his arm

evacuated! Or were they still out there, somewhere, within the doomed city? Most of the two hundred million people had already been evacuated, so... the chances

the entrance to the dormitory, he looked at the piles of snow on both

man who had been so happy to give him a sandwich...

And countless others...

deep sigh, Sunny entered the tower and made his way to Professor

met him

Sunless. Come in,

inside the apartment except for the old man. The two of them remained silent for a

thank you. Some time ago, I made a request of you... to not choose to save my life over

old man with a bleak expression. He remembered that conversation. Back then, he had foolishly proclaimed that he would not have to choose, because he would simply save

Scott, and although there were some casualties, he never ended up having to put Professor Obel's life over that of

their woes would only grow

lips, and then said in an

your decision. After all the effort I've put into keeping you alive, you still chose to stay. It

of people were faceless. To him, Professor Obel had long become somewhat of a personification of all the mundane humans

man smiled

are as principled as you, young man, are a rare

help but feel responsible for the entire world. However... the world is too vast, Major

defeat it all by yourself. And you shouldn't be

at him with

is

couldn't help

Professor... you are deeply mistaken. I have no principles to speak of. I