Shadow Slave

Morgan studied the distant army of Song and inhaled deeply.

Then, her face grew slightly somber.

"...There are countless nuances to war, Master Sunless, but at its core, war is simple. All there is to it is power, and application of power. The former is important, but the latter is more so. There is no point in being strong if one can't properly exert their strength, after all. The daughters of Ki Song might think that they possess more power... but look at them. I have them exactly where I wanted them, even if the path to this moment was not what I expected it to be. Ah, but that is another thing... one has to be flexible when waging war... rigid things are always the first to break..."

With a chill, Sunny realized that Morgan had been acting throughout the entire attempt at negotiations. She had never wanted the duel to happen. She had never wanted to avoid the battle... instead, all she had wanted was to lure the enemy into committing to it.

In the end, it was Beastmaster who insisted on proceeding with the battle, thinking that she had forced Morgan into a corner...

He shook his head in amazement.

'...Why is everyone in that family so devious?'

Well, it was not like he had anything to complain about. Morgan had said a lot of things, but conveniently failed to actually answer his question and explain what exactly gave her the confidence to face the superior force of Clan Song on the battlefield. Still, her confidence was a good sign for him.

Sunny let out a sigh.

Now, all he had to decide was how far he was willing to go to ensure that Valor achieved a sweeping victory. What was he willing to show, and what was he willing to hide?

The unpleasant answer was rather simple - Sunny had no right to hide anything. He had to give it his all unless he wanted to make every decision he had made thus far meaningless.

Even if abandoning his pretenses might end up putting him in danger...

It was time to go all out.

Morgan, meanwhile, turned to her soldiers and smiled.

voice echoed across the plain, sounding as sharp as a sword leaving

Valor! Today, we sanctify this field with blood. Have no fear! Have no mercy! Have

they did, Morgan coldly looked at the Knights among them and

to the ground, awash in

head slightly and

that I wouldn't find her

she looked at the frozen soldiers with murderous determination, unsheathed her

dead. Be strong!

And as she did...

sparks. A hurricane of them, much larger than the one produced

swords slowly appeared, hovering above ground. All of them... all of them were Memories, and of considerable power at that. No sword was the same as the rest,

something strange about these swords, too, just like there was about the one she was holding in her hand. Sunny stared at the cloud of swords, stunned, until he noticed a common detail that all of them

by a sword either

those...

directions, each landing in the hand of an Awakened warrior. And as he did, he felt that he knew what these swords were, and who had

of Valor... the

his Domain, or at least

silvery longsword, and Cassie

Jet, though, did not receive

grandiose bestowal of swords with guarded

any preparations you want to make, I suggest that you make

on her glaive, showing that she was already as prepared

the other hand, did have a few things

sigh, he called upon several Memories. The Sin of Solace, the Dying Wish, the

sparks swarmed around his hand, Morgan tilted her head slightly, as

manifested itself, however, one of