Shadow Slave

The piece of flotsam had survived untold years of drifting on the currents of the Great River, and was so sturdy enough that Sunny couldn't easily leave a scratch on it despite being an Ascended Tyrant. Nevertheless, in just an instant, it was utterly obliterated.

The thousands of manic runes carved into its surface were destroyed. All that remained were tiny splinters, and even those disappeared a split second later when the giant jaws snapped shut.

A massive serpentine head appeared from beneath the water, two monstrous eyes staring at Sunny with hunger and malevolent fury. Azure scales glistened in the sunlight, each one larger and thicker than the armor plates of a heavy military APC. The creature... was utterly enormous, ancient, and seemingly mad.

But Sunny was already in the air.

The height of his vertical jump was nothing to scoff at, so there was a lot of distance between him and the sharp narrow snout of the abomination. However, it did not matter, because the giant sea serpent continued to rise from the water, revealing its tower-like neck.

Its maw opened again like the gates of a dark abyss.

Another second later, it had already shot two dozen meters into the sky, threatening to swallow Sunny whole.

'Curse it... why does such a huge monster even want to eat a tiny morsel like me?!'

But then again, Nightmare Creatures were not really interested in human flesh. What they wanted were human souls... and as far as souls went, Sunny's was powerful and vast despite his modest size.

'Damn it!'

Sunny twisted in the air and kicked down. He was not trying to strike the sea serpent - instead, he used one of its fangs as a trampoline to catapult himself even further up. The timing of this desperate maneuver had to be incredibly precise, and the tiniest mistake meant death... but he was nothing if not quick. Especially when augmented by all five of his shadows.

And if the bastard lost a tooth as a result, well that would be even better.

However, the sea serpent's fang did not break from Sunny's powerful kick. In fact, it was almost the opposite - if not for Bone Weave, Sunny's leg might have snapped. The giant fang seemed utterly indestructible, like a monolith made of pristine crystal jade.

into the sky... and the creature followed. The serpent's long body continued to rise from the water, revealing its terrifying size and length. Just from the small part that could

a true

'Gods...'

high enough to save himself from the sea monster... or rather, the

looked at the approaching

Memory he had summoned

the Sin of Solace,

narrow needle forged out of black metal,

The Heavenly Burden.

forearm, grimaced, and swiftly sent all his shadows to wrap themselves around it. Instantly,

fly, but it did make the things it pierced float upward. Usually, the speed with which

to Sunny at a frightening pace, slowly started to fall behind. He was ascending into the air faster than the serpent was rising from

of the Great

feel like a hot

snapped shut once again, and the leviathan stopped, staring upward with dark,

its long body had already risen from the waters of the Great Rivers, looming above them like a tower of glistening azure scales. Streams of water

monstrous sea serpent... was rather

if not for the clear signs of decay and corruption marring its

snout. The azure scales were covered by countless scars, some of

ancient serpent stared at Sunny, and

'This... is not good.'

Granted, dwellers of the depths were often larger than

all kinds of ways

concentrated and peered through the azure scales. He needed to understand what the creature's Rank