Shadow Slave Fanfic: The Song of The Shadow Beast

[5000 words for the 10th Chapter. Man…that one took a while. I hope you enjoy it. I'm going to just…I don't know…relax my brain for a while.]

She could no longer deny it.

With the strength he possessed, he would find a way to kill the last standing Supreme.

This man had accomplished the impossible more than once. Who could dare insult his ambitions by calling them unattainable? No one else in the two realms could replicate his feats.

And so, Revel had made a decision. She struggled to come to terms with it, but she was certain that in the coming weeks, or months, until the war's end, she would learn to live with it.

An end that would include her mother's death. One way or another.

No matter what she did, that… she could not accept.

But Sunny wasn't satisfied with merely pushing Revel to the point of accepting her mother's fate. No… what he needed wasn't someone who would passively accept it. Nephis required someone who would follow her. Someone who would see that she was a better leader than the Queen of Worms. And would be willing to be a helping hand in leading the people of the Song Domain.

That seed had already been planted. Now, it just needed the right conditions to bloom.

Luckily for him, Revel had fallen asleep, deeply embraced by her nightmares. He could sense them through his Black Steed. Now, it was time to shield her from them, and to show her the reality she had spent her life trying to justify.

Revel wandered aimlessly through the wasteland of Godgrave, her eyes refusing to focus on the horrors around her.

Her sisters had fallen. No, they had been brutalized. Their heads severed, their skin flayed, their intestines spilling from torn-open torsos.

The sight was unbearable.

And at the center of it all stood a man clad in onyx armor, his face concealed behind a demonic mask.

His hands and hair were drenched in blood. Shadows coiled around him, corpses littered the ground.

She knew this wasn't real. But her mind couldn't help but wander to the thought of what if it was?

Her worst fear had come true.

And yet, funnily enough, her mother's corpse was nowhere to be seen.

Was it because her subconscious still believed her mother was too powerful to be defeated? Or… was it because she simply didn't care anymore? That her mother no longer deserved to lie among the dead she had loved?

A voice, melodic yet eerily out of place, called out to her.

"You know we aren't dead."

Revel recognized it instantly.

Bin. Her dear sister. The one she would push off a cliff, only to catch her at the bottom.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her body trembled.

And what she saw defied reason.

Beastmaster stared at her, her severed head still impaled on a spear so dark it devoured the light around it.

But that wasn't the strangest part.

No… the strangest part was the smile.

It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile.

One eyebrow arched, Beastmaster looked at Revel as if she were the one who had lost her mind.

Revel recoiled, her heart pounding in an unstable rhythm.

"Y-you shouldn't be talking, Bin. You died!" She stumbled over her words like she had stumbled over stairs countless times before.

Bin laughed.

"What are you talking about? This is a nightmare." A chuckle laced her voice. "Though I do agree, the things you dream about are awful. But look around, we're fine."

Revel squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to process.

'Right… I… I fell asleep.'

She exhaled, an inward sigh of relief.

'Thank the Goddess of Beasts.'

When she dared to open them again, the world had changed.

She was still in Godgrave, the heat still drained her of water and will, but her sisters were alive once more. Laughing, chatting, unbothered by the horrors that had plagued her moments ago.

Now, they sat around a table.

The Lord of Shadows was gone, replaced by a striking man in a black mantle. A serene smile played on his lips, one that melted Bin's heart more than the scorching skies of Godgrave ever could.

Though still disoriented, Revel welcomed the reprieve.

"Are you… going to sit with us?"

Silent's voice was playful, her finger tapping against an empty chair beside her.

Revel chuckled, obliging.

But just as she moved, the dream shifted.

A thin line formed in the distance, like a blade slicing through her illusion.

Then, the line shattered. Darkness and black mist poured forth.

For a moment, panic seized her.

'By the Goddess of Beast, please…not again…'

But instead of death, an angel emerged from the rift.

The same man.

Yet, now he was clad in pristine white, a stark contrast to the ominous black he had worn before. His robe billowed as he rode toward them at astonishing speed.

Confused, she turned to the table. Her sisters remained at ease, unshaken.

"What's happening? Is this real?"

Master Sunless shook his head, amusement flickering in his gaze.

"No, Revel. This is still a nightmare." He took a slow sip of coffee, just as he always did. "Well… it was. Now, it's just a dream."

He gestured lazily, his smile as captivating as ever.

"We… are just a dream now."

Revel's face twisted into a dozen expressions as her mind struggled to keep up.

Howl, of course, noticed, and laughed.

"Right… you forgot. Did he never tell you about his Black Stallion? The shadow that holds dominion over nightmares?"

Something clicked in Revel's mind.

'Right… he did tell me. There was just so much to take in, I forgot.'

It made sense now.

And it explained why they knew.

They were part of her subconscious, after all.

Embarrassed, she turned away, her gaze shifting once more toward the approaching rider.

The infamous dark stallion carried him forward, incandescent flames dancing in its wake.

Still dazed, Revel glanced back at the table, at her sisters' relaxed faces, at the life shimmering in their eyes.

For now, that was enough.

"So… what happens now?" she asked hesitantly.

"What else?" Bin mused, her eyes never leaving the sight of the enchanting Master. "We were saved by him… and now you're going to be saved too." One hand lazily gestured behind Revel.

Before she could respond, the heavy thud of hooves vibrated through the ground behind her. A loud whinny rang out as the mighty stallion came to a halt, kicking up dust from the unscathed bone plains.

The rider extended a hand toward her, a pleasant smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Revel couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the moment.

"My knight in shining armor? Is that what this is supposed to be?" She raised an eyebrow, suspicious of the exaggerated entrance. Though, admittedly, she found it amusing nonetheless.

Sunny shook his head, his charming smile curling into a smirk.

"I thought we both agreed that we're just friends, no?" He raised an eyebrow of his own, giving her the answer she had hoped for.

"Exactly. I'm not crazy like Bin, trying to go toe to toe with Changing Star." She took a deep breath before looking at him mischievously. "Besides, you're a little short for my taste."

Without another word, she took his hand.

In one fluid motion, Sunny swung her onto Nightmare's back, and they took off.

From a distance, Beastmaster watched the scene unfold, her expression shifting. A pang of frustration twisted in her chest, left out, denied the same treatment. She pouted, but quickly remembered the copy sitting beside her.

Meanwhile, Revel held on tightly. She knew she wouldn't fall…probably…but the thought of it was still unpleasant. Folding her arms in front of his stomach, she braced herself against the rush of wind.

Flustered, she mumbled under her breath, hoping her words would be lost in the air.

"Gods, this is weird."

But her hopes were dashed the moment Sunny picked up speed. Glancing over his shoulder, he shot her a smug look.

"It's only weird if you make it weird. But I have to admit… it's rare that I pick up someone like this."

Revel stared at him, incredulous.

'Is this really just a normal Sunday morning for him?'

Once again, she let it slide.

'Ahhh… it's pointless to question him anyway.'

But before she could settle, her eyes widened as the dream before them began to split apart once more.

A rift.

It grew closer with every second, its infinite darkness stretching outward. A deep, primal fear crawled up her spine. The unknown.

Sunny sensed her tense up immediately, his voice calm, reassuring.

"It's okay. I'm taking you to my dreams. There's something I need to show you."

Still confused, she quickly asked, "How? Aren't you right here? How can you be asleep at the same time?"

Sunny just chuckled.

"Isn't it obvious? One part of my mind can sleep while the rest operates my incantations."

Revel rolled her eyes, letting out a tired sigh.

"Sure. Why didn't I think of that?"

When they entered the boundless darkness between dreams, she hadn't expected to feel so… at peace.

Nothing could harm her here.

The darkness that had once unsettled her now wrapped around her like a familiar embrace. It felt safe. Almost as if her very essence belonged to it.

Seeing it from the outside had put her on edge. But being here? It grounded her.

Sunny understood that feeling well.

But still, he was surprised when she relaxed against his back, momentarily forgetting her worries.

With a small cough, he pulled her attention back.

"Are you okay? For a second, I thought you were flirting with me." His tone was teasing, but there was an undeniable truth behind the words.

Carelessly, she dropped her chin onto his shoulder, dismissing his attempt to rile her up.

"Shut up, Sunless. I'm just… relaxed for the first time in a while."

Her annoyed tone was betrayed by the deep gratitude she felt at that moment.

"My friends call me Sunny, you know?"

Revel chuckled softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Is that so? Then let me thank you… Sunny. For all of this."

Pleased with her response, Sunny urged Nightmare forward again. He rode carefully, making sure not to disturb her too much as they moved toward their destination.

As they reached it, a strange sound caught his attention. He glanced back…

'Is she serious?'

Revel had fallen asleep.

Her head rested against his shoulder, a small line of drool hanging from her chin.

And to complete the picture?

She was snoring.

Like a child who had spent the entire day playing outside, now seeking warmth in a soft, trusted embrace.

'Gods, I wish I had a camera. This is straight-up blackmail material.'

The so-called Lightslayer was passed out on his back, a distant smile lingering on her lips as she bathed in the nothingness around them.

Scoffing, Sunny stepped into his own dream.

The moment he did, Revel was jolted awake, cannon fire ripping through the air, the biting cold shocking her back to reality.

She had been allowed to rest for a while, but now? They had a purpose to fulfill.

And for that, he needed her awake.

She sat up so fast that she nearly fell off Nightmare, if not for the fact that her arms were still draped around him.

"Wha… what happened? Why are we in a warzone?"

Her gaze flickered across the frozen wasteland, recognition dawning as she remembered the reports she had once read.

But before she could process it fully, Sunny answered. After all a question had been asked so he had no other choice but to answer…Revel was still coming to terms with the reality of his Flaw.

"We're in Antarctica." His voice was steady, but there was something else beneath it. Something heavier. "I figured you'd never been here before. But I have. And I told you, it was a turning point in my life."

Accepting that, she gave him a small nod.

Even as a Saint, the biting cold was still unpleasant. Moments later, a thick pelt mantle materialized over her black shirt and shorts.

She glanced at him, puzzled, before murmuring a quiet, "Thank you."

Together, they rode.

The road before them was no longer fit for humans, yet they pressed on. And to her surprise… the sound of heavy engines suddenly rumbled behind them.

When Revel turned, her breath hitched.

A second Nightmare rode alongside them.

But the one astride it…

A boy.

She had never met him before.

And yet, she had.

Not this younger version of him, but him.

His body was littered with wounds, his bodysuit barely holding together as he led an endless convoy toward Falcon Scott.

"That's you… isn't it?"

Sunny nodded, his expression darkening.

His voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of history.

"Yes. This is only days before the Winter Beast destroys the last siege capital in central Antarctica. I was a Master back then, part of the evacuation army, as I told you before."

Revel's gaze followed the convoy, taking in the civilians' expressions…defeated, hollow, clinging to life by nothing but sheer will.

And at the front of it all, a young Captain Sunless, leading them forward.

Sunny exhaled deeply.

"I wanted to show you why I despise the Sovereigns. Anvil. Your mother. Neither of them covered themselves in glory for what they did here."

They continued riding, the past unraveling before them in flashes, days passing in mere moments.

She watched awestruck as the sun danced up and down on the horizon, yet never falling behind it.

Then, a new scene.

A harbor.

Titanic vessels packed with civilians, desperate for escape.

And on the horizon…

A Blizzard so gigantic that it swallowed the very horizon so wide she had to turn her head to look at all its destructive nature.

The calamity that would wipe them all out.

Revel…still having trouble understanding how a Corrupted Titan was capable of such a terrible presence. Turned to face him. Her voice was calm yet glazed with pained knowledge.

"It's…it's the Winterbeast…correct?"

Sunny just gave her a cold nod. He had trouble keeping his rage at bay while seeing the thing again. Even if it was just a dream.

"Yes…" He gritted his teeth. "It will wipe out everyone."

He took a shallow breath.

"All but one…" Sunny whispered, a single frozen tear slipping down his cheek.

"Me."

Revel stiffened.

She had known of the tragedy.

But she hadn't known he was the only survivor.

And she still didn't understand why he was showing her this.

Before she could ask, the scene shifted again…

And what she saw stole the breath from her lungs.

"By the dead gods…"

Frozen corpses.

Millions of them.

Forever screaming in silence.

And Noone that would listen.

The fear of a grunted death is forever frozen in their expressions.

Suddenly, she heard someone move in the snow beside them.

A survivor.

Of course, she already knew who it was. But the man she had come to know was nowhere to be seen.

His eyes burned with hatred and sorrow, deeper than anything she had ever witnessed.

Ashamed, she watched as he picked up his frozen cohort. Unlike the others, they seemed to have died in peace, their faces marked by quiet acceptance. He buried them, barely holding himself together.

The shadows around them, those that hadn't been frozen, swayed in rhythm with the catastrophic turmoil of his emotions.

"I… think I understand. And I can't even find an excuse for it."

She gripped his clothes tightly, unable to meet his eyes as he watched her in silence.

Her voice trembled. Her body trembled.

"She… could have changed it. I know she could have."

When she finally dared to look up at him, she saw the pained smile on his lips. She knew he had shed more tears over this than she could ever imagine. So, it didn't surprise her that he remained silent.

Once more, she turned to his past self, watching as he dug graves, one by one, laying his fallen comrades to rest.

No matter what she had thought before, she now understood perfectly why he hated her mother. Why he despised Anvil.

Not for what they did, but for what they refused to do.

'Why, Mother? Why didn't you do something? Anything? Why…'

She mourned in silence.

But she was wrong.

They had done something.

And Sunny was here to show her.

"I know what you're thinking," he said quietly. "But I can show you what they did. I can also promise you… you won't like it."

Once again, the world around them shifted.

They were still in Antarctica, of that much, she was sure.

But now, it was worse.

Now, they were on a battlefield.

The Battle of the Black Skull.

"That's what they did," Sunny said, his voice laced with bitter amusement. "They didn't send their Saints to help the civilians. Beastmaster. Silent. Others. No… they had other plans."

She already knew the rumors. She had overheard whispers from her sisters, though her mother had never spoken of it. Perhaps fearing that her eldest daughter wouldn't accept such a cruel reality.

And she would have been right.

Revel didn't understand.

No matter the worth of the Great Citadel hidden deep within the Nightmare Desert, it could never outweigh the lives her mother and Anvil had sacrificed for their secrecy.

"And the worst part?" Sunny's smirk was ice-cold. "They didn't even conquer the damn thing. It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic."

She clenched her teeth, fists trembling with barely restrained anger.

But before she could respond, a sharp yelp echoed through the battlefield.

Her breath hitched.

No.

Impossible.

She turned her gaze toward the sound, eyes widening in disbelief.

Before her, Dire Fang lay sprawled on the bloodstained snow. A blade buried deep in his skull.

The entry wound? One of his eyes.

The exit? The back of his head.

It was a sight that shook her to her core.

Not just because Dire Fang was dead.

But because the one who had killed him… was none other than Sunny.

And he hadn't escaped unscathed.

His entire left side looked as though it had been shredded by a lawnmower, his wounds deep enough to make even a Saint hesitate.

Then again, considering who he had fought… that was no surprise.

Revel swallowed hard, trying to grasp the sheer magnitude of what she was witnessing.

"A Master… killing a Saint… impo…"

She nearly said it.

Nearly called it impossible.

But she couldn't.

Not after everything she had seen.

Turning to him, she found his expression unreadable as he studied the battlefield. But her reaction hadn't gone unnoticed.

A knowing smile played at the corners of his lips, his eyes gleaming as Dire Fang's lifeless body twitched from time to time on the ground.

"It looks impossible," he admitted. "But in fact, he wasn't even the first Transcendent I killed."

Revel's breath hitched.

Her mind reeled, spinning wildly at the outrageous implications of his words.

'No…No, he can't be…'

Her heart pounded faster than should have been possible for a Saint.

And before she could even finish her thought. So Sunny finished her off instead.

His voice was light. Amused. As if he were sharing a simple, passing fact.

"I killed my first Saint as an Awakened." He sighed, almost exasperated. "She was Immortal, too."

He glanced at her, smirking.

"I suppose that's why I had to kill her twice."

Revel swayed.

Then nearly fell from Nightmare.

If not for Sunny catching her at the last moment, she would have hit the snow face-first.

He steadied her, but not before letting out a proud chuckle.

And then…

Revel… lost consciousness.

Sunny sighed.

He had successfully victimized another person with his outrageous demeanor.

Still grinning, he adjusted his grip, securing her in one arm before ordering Nightmare to leave the dream.

Moments later, they both awoke…separately.

Revel groaned, pressing her fingers to her temple as only one thought echoed through her mind.

'I bet the bastard killed her with nothing more than a wooden knife… or he just talked her to death.'

Somehow, the second option felt just as likely.

If he revealed one more impossible truth, she was sure she'd leave the realm of the living for good.

Sitting up, she mumbled to herself.

"I'm getting too old for this shit…"

Meanwhile, in the Ivory Tower, the atmosphere was much lighter.

Nephis lay curled against him, her soft body pressed to his. She was still asleep, but it was time.

Time to tell her the truth.

Reluctant to disturb her peaceful dreams, he sighed. Then, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple, he whispered gentle pleasantries to her.

Moments later, she stirred. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open.

The sight before her was breathtaking.

She loved it.

More than anything.

If she could wake up like this every day, she wouldn't care what time it was.

Noticing his troubled expression, she reached up, brushing her fingers along his cheek.

"I hope you haven't hurt yourself again."

He shook his head.

She studied him for a moment before sitting up, unconcerned about covering herself in front of the man she loved.

If Sunny had fought one of his toughest battles trying not to laugh when the Song Sisters first met him…

Well, that battle was nothing compared to the one he was fighting now.

'Don't look.'

He panicked.

'Keep eye contact, Sunless. You are a respectful gentleman, after all.'

But even the mightiest warriors lose some of their battles.

His gaze flickered.

Just for a second.

But a second was enough.

Just the corners of her lips betrayed her amusement with a knowing smile.

"Oh? Have I caught you staring, Master Sunless?" She smiled, tilting her head. "What is it that you find so interesting?"

"And such a strong reaction, too… you look like a tomato."

Sunny gulped.

He had been in similar situations before.

Since then, he had refined the art of handling his Flaw.

And so, with the confidence of a man grasping at straws, he answered:

"Your brea…I mean, your heart, Lady Nephis. It's truly one of a kind."

Nephis closed her eyes briefly, her smile growing just a fraction wider.

"That's very sweet of you."

Then, more seriously:

"Now, tell me. What did you wake me up for?"

Sunny swallowed hard.

"Oh, I just wanted to take you somewhere. To meet some very special people. You know…one could argue I have dove into the passion of collecting."

Nephis raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't have taken you for the human trafficking type."

Sunny smirked and swung from the bed, quickly manifesting a set of clothes from the shadows.

"No. But I do need you to step into this."

He summoned a black duffle bag.

And bowed.

"After you, Lady Nephis."

Hundreds of kilometers away, Rain's shadow stirred before speaking in a low voice.

"Hey… sis. I need you to go somewhere private. We need to talk."

Rain tensed instantly.

Panic crept up her spine.

She had been nervous ever since the battle of Godheart. Since then, her brother hadn't spoken to her. Not that he had many chances to do so before, not in the past.

But now…

Now, things were different.

All the Royal Saints of the Great Clan Song had seemingly vanished from the face of the Dream Realm. The chain of command was shattered, leaving the Song Army disturbed and unable to act.

Which meant she had spare time.

Too much spare time.

The boredom was killing her.

Sure, it was nice to not fear for her life for the first time in months, but such a sudden change was almost too much.

And now, her brother was reaching out to her?

'That can't be good, right? What has he done this time? Killed a Cursed Titan just to show me its dead body?'

Narrowing her eyes, she walked toward a secluded corner of the Seventh Legion Camp.

Then, suddenly, a thought sparked through her mind.

A thought that sent a rush of pure excitement surging through her.

'Wait… does that mean he wants to make new memories for me? YES! Finally! I'm getting the treatment worthy of a legacy!'

When she reached her destination, though…

Nothing happened.

She barely had time to process the disappointment before…

Someone shoved her into a black duffel bag.

Meanwhile, Sunny turned to his collection.

As he wandered through the Mimic, he picked up every Song Sister along the way.

Most of them had been lounging in the common room, playing Uno.

Which meant… they were covered in bruises.

The cards had clearly been repaired with tape multiple times.

But at least they had all agreed that the violence was consensual.

'Sadly, I don't get to scare them to death. Well, at least that means they won't all know who I am too soon.'

He sent them all to the dining room.

Only one remained.

Silent.

She had been hiding in her room ever since the incident.

Sunny knew exactly why.

And he hoped he could salvage the situation.

Knocking on the door, he was met with an exasperated sigh, followed by heavy footsteps.

"I swear to the Goddess of Beasts, if one more person invites me to play that stupid game, I'll rip them apa…"

The door swung open.

The words died in her throat.

All that remained was a terrified kitten staring up at him, frozen in place.

Her wide eyes betrayed her shock, her entire body going still.

Sunny greeted her with a pleasant smile and a slight bow.

Then, he spoke.

"Would you feel better if I gave you an outlet for your stress?"

Silent was momentarily at a loss for words.

'Is… is he not going to kill me? Gods, this man is driving me insane. I hope he's not still mad at me…'

"What… what would that… ou-outlet be?" she stammered.

Sunny's calm smile never wavered.

"I was thinking of sparring. Without weapons, of course."

He noticed her tense even further, so he quickly added:

"Not against me. The other option you didn't want to take earlier. His name is Fiend. Friendly fellow… really."

Silent wasn't in any shape to make decisions right now.

So, she simply nodded.

"I… I'm not sure. I'll have to see."

As Sunny turned to leave, she hesitated before blurting out.

"You're not going to kill me… are you?"

He scoffed.

Slightly offended.

She was still alive, wasn't she? Shouldn't the answer be obvious?

Without turning around, he replied.

"No, I'm not. Now come with me. Our guests are here."

With no other option, she followed.

Once they were all gathered at the dining table, Sunny took it upon himself to deliver a quick briefing.

Just to make sure they didn't do anything stupid while Nephis and Rain were here.

Standing at the head of the table, arms crossed behind his back, he regarded them all as they sat patiently.

"So… I want to inform you about a few things."

His tone was calm, yet authoritative.

"The guests we will be receiving are, for one, Changing Star. And second…my younger sister."

The seven women exchanged intrigued glances.

New faces were always a welcome sight.

Technically, one of them was an enemy, but his sister?

Now that was a surprise.

Silent, in particular, leaned back with a lazy smirk.

"How exciting. I have to say, I am a little surprised to hear you have a sister."

Her tone was light. But laced with amusement.

She could only imagine how terrified the poor thing must be of her monster of a brother.

Sunny ignored the remark.

Instead, he continued.

"I hope you all realize that she is very important to me."

His gaze flickered toward Revel, who gave him a knowing nod.

"And let me be clear, I've said this once before, and I'll say it again…"

His voice was even.

Unshaken.

"If I so much as see a bruise on her, I will personally ensure your head ends up on a stick…sent to your mother…and the rest of your body?..."

Some of them gulped. A smile a little too sinister replaced his usually calm one for just a moment.

"...will be eaten by Fiend."

The ones who knew him took the threat seriously.

The ones who didn't?

Well… they weren't planning on stepping out of line anyway.

"So much for his interpretation of "Friendly Fellow"." Silent mumbled under her breath. Luckily...no one catched on.

So, it was acknowledged.

"Furthermore," he added, "I strongly advise you to keep your remarks about me to a minimum. Or, better yet, left out entirely."

He turned his gaze to Beastmaster, his voice darkening slightly.

"Nephis doesn't take jokes about her loved ones lightly."

A pause.

Then, more pointedly…

"No matter what kind of comment might come to mind… Bin."

Beastmaster just smiled.

Innocently.

Sunny, meanwhile, feared for her life in silence.

'She's going to get burned. Definitely. Ahhh… she'll be fine… I hope.'

With the briefing over, everything was ready.

No ugly surprises.

No disasters.

And then…

The door to the Brilliant Imperium opened.

Nephis.

The Lord of Shadows.

And Rain.

The moment they stepped inside, Sunny noticed it.

Nephis' expression.

To everyone else, she was perfectly composed.

But he saw the flicker of shock in her eyes.

And then…

Rain.

Rain, who, after mere seconds of taking it all in…

SNAPPED.

A crazed laugh burst from her lips.

"You can't be serious…"

And then…she charged at him.

Fury unmatched by anything he had ever witnessed.

"First you stuff me into a duffel bag to drag me into your gods-forsaken Soul Sea…"

She reached him in a blur.

"...AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU DEFEATED THE ROYAL TRANSCENDENT FAMILY AND CAPTURED THEM?!"

Silence.

Everyone watched, stunned, as she swung.

Sunny's eyes widened.

'Wait. Am I an idiot?'

He had meant for this to be a joke.

But he had completely forgotten Rain's impulsive nature.

The next moment…a fist slammed into his face.

Then a swift kick to his…

Well.

Let's just say… Sunny was very lucky there was such a massive power gap between them.

He didn't budge.

But Rain?

She definitely felt that impact.

Stumbling back, shaking her aching hand and feet, she shot him a glare sharp enough to kill a man.

"Sometimes," she gritted out, "I really don't know if having the Lord of Shadows as a brother is the worst or best fate imaginable."

Sunny sighed.

His plan…

Had failed spectacularly.