Shadow Slave

Sunny described what was happening in a hushed voice. He didn't really need to whisper, considering that they were surrounded by a dome of silence, but it made him feel better.

And what was happening... appeared pretty clear.

The monstrous butterfly had been attracted by the smell of blood and arrived to feast on the corpse of the Black Turtle that the Azure Serpent had so laboriously killed. The Azure Serpent, meanwhile, was having none of it.

In fact, judging by the madness burning in its eyes, the Great Beast was overcome with the bloody desire to rip the giant butterfly apart as well.

'This thing... really doesn't know what's good for it, huh?'

What was the reason for the Azure Serpent's reckless insolence?

Humans often described Nightmare Creatures as mad, but that description was not entirely accurate. The abominations were indeed insane, but that did not mean that they lacked sanity. Rather, it meant that their sanity was perverted, sinister, ineffable, and entirely different from what humans deemed sane.

So why would the Great Beast risk its life fighting much more powerful Monsters?

Was it indeed madness? Was it pride? Was it reluctance to give up such an enormous prize?

...Or was it more reluctant to surrender two human souls that burned the flames of divinity to the stronger abomination?

Whatever the reason was, the stubborn leviathan seemed ready to battle the monstrous butterfly to the death.

The butterfly let out an indescribable sound. The waters of the Great River suddenly grew restless, rippling as they were assaulted by the powerful sonic waves. The serpent roared again, rising higher above the river's tumultuous surface.

"I think they are going to fight."

the two of them. He was belatedly happy about his decision to abandon the skies and seek shelter on the shell of the Black Turtle...

seemed to be swaying on the edge of a perilous abyss. They were deeply unsure of their ability to slay a Great Beast... but a

abominable

no matter how strange it sounded, Sunny had no choice but to root for the familiar Great Beast that had been staring at them hungrily

Monster... maybe the mad snake would be

coming to a decision, the butterfly waved its wings and plummeted down, landing on the shell of the Black Turtle a moment later. The entire island

motionless as it looked up at the six incredibly thin and long legs of the monster. The pale body of the butterfly was high above the ground, and its wings were open, covering a vast area in deep darkness. Now that it was closer, Sunny could see that it was covered in thick

on the creature's wings, as well, coalescing into a strange image... an image... and image

shadow to look away as a strange certainty that he should never, ever try to look directly at the pattern covering

'D-damnation...'

"Sunny? What is happening?"

sucked in a shaky

staring at each

from the black rock. Its trunk-like mouth slowly unfurled, turning into

surface of the dead turtle's shell with its beak. One, two, three times... the island quaked, but not even a thin crack appeared on the rock. The butterfly froze for a moment, then twisted its

reluctant to go into

sea creature. The butterfly has to go into the water if it wants to gorge on the Black Turtle's meat, but that would

maybe it would simply

the butterfly suddenly folded

sonic boom and a harrowing black and white blur that

from the confounding

"It's attacking!"

water rose into the sky. The serpent seemed to have managed to avoid the abominable butterfly's obliterating charge. However, its sharp legs tore at the