Dark city

In the starless darkness of night, there was nothing but the sound of wind striking the sail of the boat. No one spoke, each of them lost in their thoughts. Sunny was holding the staff that generated strong winds, while Cassie slept on his shoulder, and Nephis nervously scanned their surroundings.

This continued for hours—Sunny studying the Memories he had and forming his plans, while Nephis remained tense, flinching at every tremor in the water. Their boat was incredibly fast; they were drawing near to the Stone Hand that rose from the sea. Nephis couldn't see it, but Sunny could.

"How lucky… we haven't been attacked by any creature yet."

"Neph, wake Cassie. There's something that looks like a hand a few hundred meters ahead."

It took them a minute to reach the hand. Cassie was lowered first, then Nephis. But when Sunny's turn came, a thin tendril shot out from the water and dragged him into the depths.

Sunny tried to resist, but the tendril coiled around him tightly. He had no choice but to summon the Coral Ring and his shadow.

"Sunny!…"

Cassie screamed at the top of her lungs, trembling atop the palm. Nephis summoned her sword, but she didn't dive into the water—she couldn't help Sunny down there.

In the dark sea, Sunny couldn't see, but he could barely make out the movements of the tendrils trying to pull him deeper. Empowered by his shadow, Sunny grabbed [Midnight Shard], enhanced by another shadow, and slashed the tendril coiling around him. He tried to swim up to the surface, but couldn't. He dodged one tendril and severed it, but another tore through his side.

He tried to locate the creature's body—he wanted to rip apart the wretch that dared drag him down. But he couldn't. Sunny charged and slashed two more tendrils, though they tore into him in return. Then, he sensed a movement—something trembled at least twenty meters away from him. Sunny surged toward the body, dozens of tendrils rushing to stop him, but he didn't care. The [Midnight Shard] worked to keep him alive. He cut through tendrils, and they cut through him. One pierced deep into his thigh, slicing through the Puppet Master's Mantle, but Sunny didn't care about the pain—he was already numbed by more than ten similar wounds.

Just a few meters remained between Sunny and the creature, but the beast began to retreat. Sunny wouldn't let it go and leave him like a pierced doll. He grabbed one of the tendrils still connected to the monster's body and pulled himself toward it. He couldn't see it—only his Shadow Sense let him feel it. The wretched creature resembled a squid, but rows of sharp teeth jutted from where its mouth should be.

Sunny's ribs were shattered, one even puncturing his lung, causing blinding pain. But through sheer will, Sunny pulled himself toward the monster. More tendrils moved to intercept him, some piercing into his shoulders and along his legs, but he quickly severed them. When he reached the wounded monster, the hideous creature slammed into him with full force, trying to rip him apart. Sunny resisted by stabbing into its mouth, enduring the teeth that crushed his wrists and arms. Then his blade struck something soft—like a puppet with cut strings—the teeth stopped, and the creature began to sink into the dark sea. A familiar incantation echoed in Sunny's mind:

[You have slain a Fallen Monster: Spawn of Shirelth]

[Your Shadow grows stronger]

[You have received a Memory: Shirelth Armor]

Sunny didn't pay the spell any attention. He pulled himself upward, barely conscious, but still able to tell up from down, thanks to the Blood Weave, which kept him from bleeding out. Sunny raised his head and barely saw the palm, a hundred meters away. He surged toward it, enhancing the Coral Ring with his shadows, allowing him to reach it in seconds. When he placed his hand on the edge of the palm, a soft yet strong hand grabbed his and pulled him up. When he looked up, he saw Nephis staring at him with pale shock. That was the last thing he saw—only the feeling of warmth remained before darkness took him.

Sunny didn't know how long he had been asleep, but it had been a while, judging from the temporary shelter between the thumb and forefinger.

"That was a good nap… Ah, I'd love to repeat it."

"Neph! Neph! Sunny's awake!"

Cassie's excited, worried voice interrupted him. He couldn't remember what had happened after that wretch pulled him into the depths… but maybe he had fought it there and beaten it down.

"Oh, right! That bastard! How dare he drag me into the deep?! Where is he? Where did he go?!"

"Sunny, calm down, you idiot! Don't you know how worried we were about you?!… Neph didn't sleep for two whole days—she just sat there, waiting for you to wake up. When she finally did, she—"

The last word was cut off by Nephis's hand closing over her mouth. Sunny grinned widely when he realized what Nephis had done for him. A surge of warmth and longing filled his heart. But Nephis interrupted his sweet thoughts and daydreams with a question.

"So… you killed it?"

"What? What did I kill?"

"The monster. Did you kill it?"

"I don't know… I think so. All I remember is getting dragged down by a tendril and being blinded by pain and rage."

"I see," Nephis said simply. But Sunny didn't miss what Cassie had said earlier.

"So… you stayed up watching over me for two days? Ah, what a beautiful feeling, having someone worry about you!" Sunny said with a sincere smile.

Nephis blushed faintly—barely noticeable, but not missed by Sunny.

"Didn't you have anyone who worried about you?"

"Not at all. I had my mother, but she died when I was a child… and my father died before her. I had a sister, but she was adopted by a wealthy family. As for me, I just wandered the outskirts, trying to survive however I could."

Nephis said nothing, but Sunny saw pity in her expression—maybe even some empathy. Their stories were similar: both had lost their parents as children and endured harsh lives to survive.

"Should I assume we've reached the city… or the Citadel, or whatever it is?"

"Yes. Look behind you."

Sunny turned his head and saw the dark patch of land rising above the cliffside. Upon it stood a long city wall, built from polished gray stone, towering over the abyss. It looked impenetrable.

It was the Dark City.

Beneath the city wall, Sunny was staring at a strange rock trying to bite his leg. He had a warm, proud smile on his face—like a father watching his child. The rock tried to bite a few more times, but the Puppet Master's Mantle, enhanced by two shadows, didn't even get scratched. All he felt was pressure on his right leg.

"Oh, you pitiful little rock…"

"Who are you talking to?" Nephis asked, with Cassie behind her barely stifling her laughter.

"I'm talking to the rock, look!"

Sunny brought the tachi down on the rock, smashing it. The incantation whispered:

[You have slain an Awakened Monster: Rolling Boulder]

[Your Shadow grows stronger]

[You have received a Memory: ordinary Rock]

Later, they were beneath the towering city walls. They decided to rest for a bit before starting to climb. Sunny decided he would tie Cassie to his back while climbing—she was a light girl, not a burden at all. It reminded him of carrying Rain back to the outskirts.

Sunny climbed quickly using [Midnight Shard] or his hands to grip the stone. He was completely familiar with this place. Behind him, Nephis wasn't far behind. As he neared the top, he grabbed a stone, shifted his weight, and leapt up, landing atop the wall. He quickly set Cassie down and looked out at the familiar sight of the city—feeling a wave of nostalgia and a desire to hunt creatures in the night.

Sunny glimpsed several Nightmare Creatures roaming around, but didn't look too long, afraid they'd notice.

"Cass, it's just like you said… a dark city, with monsters moving through its streets."

"You need to be careful, Sunny. I know you're reckless, but please… be careful."

"Yes, Sunny, you're way too reckless."

Nephis had climbed the wall and now stood behind them. Sunny didn't mind being called reckless—in fact, it reminded him to be more cautious. He knew there were Corrupted creatures in the city's center, even in some outer parts.

"There's a castle on that hill in the middle of the ruins. It's made of white stone… it looks like a radiant fortress, reflecting sunlight."

They wouldn't be able to meet Effie—they had arrived too early compared to Sunny's previous life. But that was for the best. Sunny wanted to move quickly. He wanted to become a Demon… then a Devil… then a Tyrant. The mission wouldn't be easy, but he knew he'd have capable and fiercely loyal companions to help him.

They moved along the walls, following Sunny's advice and avoiding monsters. He didn't want them to make noise—this wasn't the time to hunt. Then they descended into the streets of the Dark City. Sunny had his shadows scout ahead and behind, leading them through alleys or ruins when needed. If monsters blocked their path, he sent Crab to eliminate them swiftly.

After hours of maneuvering, fighting, and scouting, the group finally reached the base of the hill. The sight of the shining castle at the hill's center was a beacon of hope—but Sunny knew better than anyone what that castle truly hid.