Shadow Slave

The crow hopped on Sunny's shoulder, and they headed toward where Nightmare was hiding. Cronos, annoyingly, followed them with an excited smile. That said, Sunny couldn't remain annoyed for long because of the worshipful gaze the old man was giving him.

"Lord Sunless... if I may ask..."

He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"What?"

Cronos hesitated for a moment.

"...What is a horse?"

That almost caused Sunny to stumble.

'What the hell... why does it sound like something I would say?'

He shrugged.

"It's a large animal that runs really well. People used to ride them to get around. Of course, my horse is no ordinary horse... he's a real menace, that beast."

The old man frowned in contemplation.

"But why wouldn't they just use a boat?"

Sunny suppressed the desire to grind his teeth and answered in an even tone:

"The world outside the Tomb is not all water, remember? Most people live on land. Horses are land animals."

Cronos looked into the distance, confusion written all over his face.

"Ah... I see, I see. Are there no land boats? That seems strange!"

The barrage of questions continued.

By the time they reached the deep shadows where Nightmare was hiding, Sunny felt a bit tired.

fire-breathing mountain. And a mountain is basically a big sharp rock, tall enough

old man's eyes

want to live on

stared at

the hell do you mean, terrifying?! You live on an endless river that falls into a bottomless abyss, plagued by roving

shook his head, then said in a stifled

"Nightmare, come out."

of a dreadful black steed. Light glistened on Nightmare's steel fangs and

Cronos yelped.

"Ah! A... a horse!"

and

tell me that horses are such terrifying beasts! Do land dwellers really

kid was very old, after all... what if seeing Nightmare

a moment, then

He is an ancient shadow creature that used to serve an

Sunny threw an excited glance at the black steed and summoned the nacre

what does this dreadful beast even eat? You... you don't seem

of Nightmare's Ascension, Sunny smiled

don't worry... I have what I need

the old man a strange look and offered the ornament to

it took me

then brought his snout to his hand and pushed it, throwing the Memory to the ground. Then, he crushed it with one strike of his

streams, each flowing into one of the dark embers burning within the

'Here we go... finally!'

of course. Nightmare's

moment had been

were absorbed into the darkness hiding inside Nightmare, his silhouette suddenly grew vague.

Soul Sea. Appearing in the lightless silence, he saw his Shadow standing on the surface

'Yes!'

was growing more and more intense. The water suddenly surged, as

a new Rank several times. He knew that the transformation would not take long - unlike evolving to a new Class,

He waited patiently.

if feeling the importance of what was happening somewhere near, but away from their