Shadow Slave

When the appalling darkness of the Nightmare Gate split reality apart, sunlight dimmed and turned strangely bleak, making the world look desaturated. A gust of cold wind rushed across the snowy park, as if the sky itself was being sucked into the black fissure. A moment later, an eerie shockwave rolled over the soldiers, making them stagger.

Neph's white cape fluttered in the wind, but none of the four Saints moved.

For a moment, the only being moving in the impact zone was Saint. She walked steadily toward the Gate, her graceful figure emanating the feeling of a cold, indifferent inevitability.

Kai stared at her back for a second, then cleared his throat.

«Your Echo seems really impressive, Lord Shadow. Stylish, too… such a chic and understated armor design… monochromatic in theme, yet rich and expressive instead of being dull. What a beautiful use of form and texture variation to counterbalance the lack of a dynamic palette… splendid, really! Wait… where was I?»

He paused for a moment, and then added with an embarrassed smile:

«Right. What I meant to say was… your Echo can stall the abominations and break their momentum. We will follow behind and engage the Nightmare Creatures when they get past her.»

Sunny glanced at him and tilted his head a little.

«…Get past her?»

Kai hesitated a little, unsure of what to say.

«Yes… there is a high enough possibility that this Gate will reach Category Three, after all. Even if she is a Transcendent Echo… it might be a bit tough.»

Sunny smiled behind the mask.

«Just watch.»

He turned away and stared at Saint. Kai, Nephis, and Morgan had no choice but to follow his example.

In fact, Sunny felt a bit awkward, just standing there and doing nothing while Saint did all the work…

He would have summoned the Shadow Chair and sat down, but sadly, that chair usually stood behind the reception desk of the Brilliant Emporium. Anyone who had visited the dining hall could recognize it at a glance.

«Standing awkwardly it is, I guess.»

Out there in front of them, the first of the Nightmare Creatures appeared from the dark fissure of the Nightmare Gate, It was a hulking beast with a bulging body, terrifying muscles moving smoothly under its tough grey hide. The abomination's hind legs seemed underdeveloped, but its front limbs were grotesquely large, resembling craggy tree trunks.

Two vicious tusks curved upward from its jaw, as long as pikes.

The beast let out a deafening bellow and charged forward, the ground shaking from its heavy footsteps.

Saint did not slow down. She simply lowered her shield, meeting the abomination's charge head-on, midstride.

In the next moment…

snow in a crimson wave. The massive abomination collided with the shield and was crushed into pulp against its surface,

it had

by Sunny's

the taciturn Shadow before, seemed unsurprised. Morgan was too shrewd to show a reaction, but her gaze had turned a

Sunny smiled.

were born from the appalling darkness. A tide of them, each seemingly powerful enough to rip

to pay them

blur. A cloud of snow, ice,

time the soldiers had registered that, she was already among the

upon the tide of Nightmare Creatures, tearing flesh from bones and swiftly turning crimson from the haze of blood. A cacophony of howls filled the air, and severed

course, the four Transcendents

it

her sword with chilling grace, reaping a harvest of lives with each movement. Her swordsmanship was solid and precise, each step measured, each slash

and fell, severing abominations in half. The onyx shield swung crushing their skulls and breaking their bodies. The sword was like the ruthless

the gruesome massacre she was perpetrating, her dark armor remained spotlessly clean, with not even a single drop of fetid blood landing on its

her to weave between the falling bodies without

collided with her and came to a shuddering halt,

took a

Echo of yours… is quite

Kai nodded slowly.

must cherish her a

them a short glance, then turned

the second weakest

Class. Of course, Sunny would not bet money on any of his other Shadows surviving

wasn't even sure that he would survive something like

at him with wide eyes, prompting Sunny to smile

«The… second weakest?»

He nodded.

original as a Sleeper, after all. It

The beautiful archer paled.

that… as

remained silent for a moment, then

the Nightmare Creatures I killed as a Sleeper, she was one

had killed plenty of abominations of higher Rank and Class on the Forgotten Shore… including a Great Devil. So, if one

then closed

knowing what to say,

Sunny chuckled Internally.

missed teasing this

the Nightmare Gate, Saint had mercilessly obliterated the first wave of the