Chapter 17 : First Prep

In one of the corridors inside the bright castle. Two figures were walking alongside each other while chatting about the current events.

"So, what do you think will happen to our businesses now, Stev?" Aiko asked with an exhaustive sigh

"I mean, we're just business owners, right? We shouldn't be affected by the current events." Stev said while caressing his chin

"Ohh, but unlike my business, you run a memory market. What if Lost From Light looked for you and ordered you to give him the memories?" Aiko asked with tease

"Well, it doesn't seem like he's that kinda of guy, right?" Stev raised an eyebrow.

"Well, who knows?" She said with a shrugg

"(Who knows?) What are you? GuiltyThree? Haha" Stev just laughed out loud

"Hey there, Stev" Stev froze as he heard a familiar voice coming from the end of the corridor.

'Oh no, don't tell he's really going take my stock.' Stev shivered as he awkwardly turned to look at Lost From Light, who was walking towards them.

"What a honor, what does Lost From Light want from this humble business guy?" Stev said awkwardly while rubbing his hands.

"You don't have to be so formal. Just call me Sunny like before. Anyways, I was looking for you to buy some memories" Sunny said in a natural tone

'Oh thank God, he just wanna buy.' Stev sighed in relief inwardly

"Well, how much are you looking to spend?" Stev turned into his business man mode

"Well," Sunny pondered for a moment "about one thousand awakened soul shards."

Stev blinked a few times, then turned to look at Aiko, who looked utterly confused, and then turned back to look at Sunny.

"Oh my, I must be aging so fast. I thought for a moment that you said you're spending one thousand soul shards" Stev said with an awkward laugh.

"Yeah, me too." Aiko followed up with the same reaction.

Sunny looked at the two with confusion

"You didn't misheard, I said I'm spending one thousand soul shards. Is there a problem with that?"

Stev's and Aiko's jaw dropped. They looked at each other with dumbfounded expressions

"o-o-one t-t-thousand!!?" They both were in utter disbelief.

Sunny frowned and said in an annoyed tone.

"Do I need to repeat myself??"

Stev and Aiko looked at each other for a while. Then, Stev's expression turned a 180°

"Welcome, dear customer! Let me take you to my humble market" Stev said in excitement as he grabbed Sunny's wrist and started guiding him hurriedly to his market.

***

Sunny just followed Stev and let him guide him. Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to not know why they were shocked, but he found it entertaining to mess with them. Aiko followed them for some reason.

After a while, Stev took him inside his market.

"Welcome to my humble store. You can pick anything. Are there any specific memories you're looking for?" Stev spread his arms in excitement while steam could be seen coming out his nose.

"Well, I want to get as many memories as possible. I prefer quantity over quality. Also, I have a specific memory in mind. Do you have any memory in stock that makes a sound barrier that blocks sounds from entering or exiting?" Sunny asked in curiosity

Stev pondered for a while, then said, "I think I do have a memory that matches your description. Here, follow me." Stev walked Sunny to one specific memory.

It was a flute made out of dark wood, and its wood was carved into a feather shape with some marks of blood stains scattered randomly on the flute.

Stev started explaining, "This memory is called [Silent Requiem] it's an awakened memory tool of the second tier. And it has one enchantment, and it's the one you asked for. It's sold for 30 soul shards."

'30 soul shards!!!' Sunny almost choked and coughed awkwardly "Alright then, I'll take it, but you better give me a discount on it! I'm buying a huge amount of memories today"

[Author's note: I really don't know the prices and how it's supposed to be priced, but I'll leave it like this]

"Sure sure" Stev nodded so fast "other than this, what memories do you want?"

"Just give me as many memories as possible. As I said, I don't care if they're straight garbage and useless. Just give me as many memories as possible. "

Stev looked at Sunny with confusion, not sure why he wanted this much. But who cares? At least he can sell his stock!

"Alright then, I'll get you as many memories as possible" Stev said with a wide smile

....

After some calculations. Sunny was able to get around 78 memories. Of course, he could've got way more, but the memories left could be useful for other people, and it was more expensive.

"That would be 667" Stev said while trying to hold his smile. He was able to get rid of all of the useless memories in his stock.

Stev gazed at Sunny as he took out a brown bag and flipped it over. A lot of soul shards started falling over. After a while, a pile of 667 soul shards was formed. Stev and Aiko looked with drooling expression at the soul shards.

"Sunny, are you sure you don't wanna buy more?" Stev asked while looking with hunger at the shards.

"Yes, that's all" Sunny said

"Are you sure? I still have more memories in stock" Stev tried convincing Sunny but he just said with inpatient and annoyed:

"Yes I'm sure"

"W-well, Pl-pleasure doing business with you" Stev shook Sunny's hands many times. Sunny heard the notifications of the new memories.

"Me too" Sunny nodded, and started leaving the room as the duo were still looking with hunger and greed at the soul shards.

.....

After a while, Sunny stood alone in a corridor and then dove into his soul sea.

Five black suns illuminated his dark soul sea. Sunny looked at the motionless black figures that filled his soul sea. Representing the shadow of the thousands creatures Sunny had killed.

Slowly, he walked beneath a black sun that represented his soul Core and summoned Saint.

"He he, guess what, Saint? I brought you a feast!"

While summoning the first memory, Sunny took a quick glance at Saint's runes

Shadow: Stone Saint.

Shadow Rank: Awakened.

Shadow Class: Monster.

Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].

Shadow Fragments: [59/200].

Of course, while traveling the labyrinth and killing a lot of nightmare creatures. Sunny was able to get a ton of memories. Some of them were useful, and the other were useless to him.

After the first memory was summoned, he handed it to the Saint. She took the memory without showing any emotion and ruthlessly shattered it with her gauntlets

[Your memory has been destroyed.]

[Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

It took a while to give Saint all the memories. But eventually, he finished and then gazed at Saint's runes with satisfaction.

Shadow fragments: [164/200]

He was now close to make Saint an Ascended. Which will be helpful for him in the future

'Hopefully, I'll be able to ascend her before the winter solstice'

After that, Sunny got out his soul sea and summoned his new memory. After a while, a flute made out of dark wood appeared on his hands.

Sunny took a glimpse into the memory description.

Memory: [Silent Requiem].

Memory Type: Tool

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Tier: II.

Memory Description: [Once, there was a poor wanderer who loved singing with his flute. But unfortunately. He found himself in a deadly situation against an awakened monster. After getting severely injured and on the brink of death, in a desperate attempt, he stapped his flute in the creature eye. Killing it miraculously. But the poor wanderer got severely injured. In his last breaths, he brought the flute to his mouth and started singing. But only silence came out.]

'That's kinda sad story' Sunny continued looking down the runes.

Memory Enchantments: [Veil of silence]

[Veil of Silence] Attribute Description: "This flute can make a sound barrier that blocks sounds from entering or leaving."

A satisfaction was paint all over Sunny's face

'First prep done!'

______

[Sorry guys, I know the chapter was uploaded so late. But I was in the hospital😔 but it was just a check up and I turned out to be just fine and healthy]