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.

a volcano erupts... oh, a volcano is just a fire-breathing mountain. And a mountain is basically a big sharp rock, tall enough to reach

old man's eyes

want to live on land... it sounds

at him

the hell do you mean, terrifying?! You live on an endless river that falls into

shook his head, then said in

"Nightmare, come out."

shadows surged, forming into the shape of a dreadful black steed. Light glistened on Nightmare's steel

Cronos yelped.

"Ah! A... a horse!"

wrinkly face grew pale, and he took a

Lord... you didn't tell me that horses are such terrifying beasts! Do land dwellers really r-ride

bad about it. The kid was very old, after all... what if seeing Nightmare gave him a

then patted

your usual horse. He is an ancient shadow creature that used to

threw an excited glance at the black steed and summoned

eat? You... you don't seem to

of Nightmare's Ascension,

have what I need to

took a few more steps back, he gave the old man a strange look

Sorry it took me so

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

flowing into one of the dark embers burning within

'Here we go... finally!'

black steed a little. It was not without a reason, of course. Nightmare's main purpose was not to be a destructive force in combat. He was a loyal steed first and a fighter second. The utility he offered Sunny was much more valuable than an additional

this moment had been

hiding inside

the lightless silence, he saw his Shadow standing on the surface of

'Yes!'

six dim embers was growing more and more intense. The water suddenly surged, as if assaulted by an invisible wind. Wisps of black flame

Rank several times. He knew that the transformation would not

He waited patiently.

was happening somewhere near, but away