Chapter 76 The Abyss
Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie venture west of the Ashen Barrow, only to discover a horrifying truth. Instead of flat wasteland, the land drops into a colossal, hundreds of kilometers wide crater. The sheer scale of the chasm renders their previous efforts futile, as the western path is utterly blocked. Sunny, filled with rage and disbelief, realizes their hope of finding a gateway to the real world is lost. Nephis, equally crestfallen, turns away with a bitter expression. As the dark sea’s rumble signals its return, the crater fills, transforming the abyss into a vast black ocean that overflows, engulfing the land. Sunny observes, “I think we found the source of the dark sea.” Nephis, resigned, replies, “…Let’s head back.”
Back at camp, Cassie remains bewildered, questioning the lack of higher ground. Sunny confirms their thorough search, stating, “The whole land just goes down, down, and down.” Cassie insists, “I’ve seen that we had reached the castle! There must be a way!” Nephis, trying to maintain some semblance of hope, suggests, “We will try to come up with something tomorrow. Worst… worst-case scenario, we’ll have to go around the whole thing.” Sunny shudders at the thought of such a perilous, months-long journey, the chances of survival feeling depressingly ‘abyssal.’
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Despite the devastating discovery, they cling to the belief that a solution exists. Cassie’s conviction that they reached the castle fuels this fragile hope. As night descends, Sunny attempts to push away grim thoughts, focusing on the plan to rest and strategize. The immense crater and the overwhelming dark sea present an insurmountable obstacle, threatening to trap them indefinitely, but the unspoken promise of finding a way forward, however improbable, offers a sliver of defiance against their bleak reality.
Chapter 77 Enthralled
The somber mood from their discovery of the colossal crater is shattered when Nephis and Cassie are found enthusiastically devouring glistening, black-skinned fruits with ruby-red insides. Sunny recoils, utterly bewildered by their nonchalant feasting, especially after an unspoken agreement to avoid the strange produce. His protests are met with confusion; Nephis asks, “Did we?…Why?”, and Sunny himself struggles to recall the original reasoning behind their caution, his memory a frustrating blank. Cassie, sensing Sunny’s distress, offers him a fruit, attributing his anger to being left out. As Sunny bites into the intensely sweet and nourishing fruit, he is momentarily lost in its unparalleled taste, a feeling of deep satisfaction warring with an unsettling unease.
Despite the overwhelming sweetness that distracts him, Sunny manages to focus on the source of his disquiet. He realizes his Shadow, usually an inseparable extension of his will, is conspicuously still, refusing to mimic his action of eating the fruit. This subtle but significant defiance from his own essence highlights the unnatural allure of the produce, planting a seed of suspicion in Sunny’s mind. The delicious sustenance that had promised relief now carries a hint of something far more sinister, leaving him questioning the true nature of these fruits and the disturbing lack of memory surrounding their supposed prohibition.
As Sunny wrestles with his growing unease, the chapter leaves the reader with a chilling question: what ancient power or compulsion do these fruits from the Soul Tree hold, and what is it about them that causes even Sunny’s Shadow to resist? The immediate threat of their western escape route being cut off is momentarily overshadowed by this more insidious danger, suggesting that the true perils of their journey may lie not in the landscape, but within the very sustenance they consume.
Chapter 78 Bliss
Waking amidst the tranquil scarlet glow of the Soul Tree, Sunny finds an uncharacteristic peace settling over him, a stark contrast to the recent anxieties. He observes Cassie and Nephis already awake, a simple sight that elicits an inexplicable grin. Nephis questions their lapse in vigilance the previous night, asking, “Do you remember why we didn’t leave anyone to keep watch last night?” Sunny, attributing their lack of concern to exhaustion and the perceived safety of their surroundings, offers reassurances about his Shadow’s vigilance. Their shared distraction, as they are “easily distracted these days,” leads to a relaxed discussion about their “vacation,” with Cassie playfully decreeing, “You too, Sunny! You are not allowed to plan, plot and scheme. Just sit back and enjoy the day.”
Sunny experiences a fleeting sense of forgetting something important, a subtle dissonance beneath the surface of their idyllic interlude. His attempt to recall Nephis’s motivation for climbing the Soul Tree the previous day is met with a vague, “Uh… I don’t really remember. To get the fruits?” This shared amnesia, coupled with the fruits’ overwhelming sweetness and his Shadow’s continued defiance, deepens the unsettling mystery. The days that follow are marked by blissful idleness; they sleep late, indulge in the delectable fruits, and pass time by the fire, engaging in conversation or enjoying moments of quiet solitude.
This period of enforced rest offers Sunny a much-needed respite, allowing him to savor the “almost forgotten feeling of privacy” after weeks of constant companionship. Despite the island’s expanse enabling their individual pursuits, the trio often finds themselves together, reinforcing the unshakeable allure of their current repose. Yet, the lingering questions about the fruits and their forgotten prohibitions remain, a subtle undercurrent to their peaceful sojourn, hinting that true danger might still lie dormant beneath this deceptive tranquility.
Chapter 79 Twist Of Fate
Cassie sleeps peacefully, her visions thankfully absent since their arrival on the tranquil island, yet Nephis’s mood darkens, her silent melancholy casting a shadow over their idyllic reprieve. Sunny, determined to lift her spirits, sets his sights on acquiring more of the Soul Tree’s magical fruits, the sweet taste a potent remedy for Nephis’s strange sadness. He notes their reliance on him for the fruits, as Nephis’s preoccupation keeps her from their usual gathering duties. Sunny, driven by a desire to present Nephis with a delightful surprise, abandons his plan to wait for morning and begins his climb into the darkness, the familiar ascent taking on an eerie quality under the moon.
As Sunny ascends the Soul Tree in the dark, the familiar scarlet leaves, once comforting, now rustle with an unnerving sound, reminiscent of “thousands and thousands of trapped souls, all screaming in agony.” He dismisses these unsettling thoughts as foolishness, chastising himself for doubting the tree’s benevolence after all it has provided. His mind drifts to forgotten aspects of the tree, a vague sense of its true nature – “always ravenous, always growing… starving, hungry… forever…” – surfacing before he shakes his head and pushes onward, disappointed in his own ingratitude.
Sunny’s quest for the ripest fruits is fueled by his concern for Nephis, but the dark climb awakens a disquieting awareness of the Soul Tree’s true, more sinister essence. The absence of sunlight transforms the tree’s vibrant magnificence into an eerie stillness, and Sunny’s internal monologue reveals a nascent unease about the true nature of their sanctuary. This chapter leaves the reader pondering the lingering questions about the fruits and the forgotten prohibitions, hinting that the tranquility of the island may be a fragile illusion, concealing a deeper, more dangerous reality.
Chapter 80 Spirit Of Exploration
Sunny’s ascent through the Soul Tree’s foliage reveals its hidden depths, culminating in the discovery of a colossal, abandoned nest woven from the tree’s own ancient branches. The sheer scale of the structure, with an entrance large enough for a truck, hints at a creature of immense proportions. Despite initial apprehension about its abandonment and the risk of disturbing the slumbering realm, Sunny’s insatiable curiosity, coupled with a warped trust in the Soul Tree’s benevolent nature, compels him to explore. He reasons that anything connected to the great tree must be safe.
He plunges into the nest, landing on a thick cushion of ancient, brittle spiderwebs that give way like sand. At its center, a gargantuan, grey egg, as tall as Sunny himself, rests silently. The egg appears petrified by time, yet upon touching its surface, Sunny is struck by its surprising warmth. A peculiar sensation washes over him as he feels a “strange pull affecting his core,” an unnerving indication that the seemingly inert egg might be attempting to draw from his very life force.
This discovery ignites a thrill of exploration within Sunny, a profound satisfaction in uncovering a secret unknown to all others. He marvels at the egg’s swirling grey patterns, lending it an almost mystical aura. However, the palpable warmth and the nascent parasitic drain create a palpable tension, raising the alarming question of the egg’s true vitality and purpose within this hidden sanctuary.
Chapter 81 Weaver’s Eye
A newfound Memory, “[Drop of Ichor],” jolts Sunny, revealing the true nature of the colossal egg. It’s not just an egg, but the remnant of a “Great Devil,” a creature of immense power, one class below a tyrant and possessing four soul cores. This revelation forces Sunny to re-evaluate his recent victory, realizing he has slain one of the most potent Nightmare Creatures to ever fall to human hands. The chapter delves into the hierarchy of Nightmare Creatures, from Dormant to Unholy, and human ranks, highlighting the rarity of such a feat, especially considering the Great Devil was found defenseless and weakened by time. Sunny’s partial immunity to its life-sucking abilities proves to be an extraordinary stroke of luck.
The immediate aftermath of the discovery is marked by Sunny’s stunned realization of his greatly increased strength, evident in his Shadow Fragment count. While he anticipates receiving sixty-four fragments for the Great Devil, his total jumps to 196, leaving a puzzling surplus of thirty-six fragments unaccounted for. This discrepancy, coupled with a growing, unexplainable forgetfulness that clouds his thoughts when he tries to focus on the extra fragments, hints at a deeper, more insidious influence at play. The thought of the fruits they’ve been consuming also crosses his mind, but seems unlikely to account for such a significant gain.
The true prize, however, lies not just in the fragments, but in the Memory he has acquired from a Great Devil – a “[Drop of Ichor].” This Supreme Memory of the fourth tier is a groundbreaking discovery, promising untold knowledge and power. As Sunny accesses this new Memory, his mind grapples with the unsettling surplus of Shadow Fragments and his own waning recall, setting the stage for future investigations into the true extent of the egg’s influence and the secrets it holds within the Soul Tree.
Chapter 82 Fear Of The Unknown
The shock of acquiring the “[Drop of Ichor]” Memory is swiftly overshadowed by an unimaginable agony as Sunny is violently reshaped. His body convulses, his eyes burn as if pierced by molten metal, and an overwhelming torment tears him apart and rebuilds him, leaving him questioning if he has become a monster. Despite the horrifying transformation, Sunny finds himself physically unchanged, though a subtle shift in perception, a newfound depth to his vision, hints at the profound integration of the Great Devil’s essence.
The ordeal concludes, leaving Sunny drained but physically intact. The Spell announces the acquisition of a new Attribute and the readiness of an existing one for evolution, a promising development amid his lingering fear. He touches his eyes, finding them outwardly the same but inwardly altered, and notices a faint golden sheen within his blood, a testament to the diluted ichor now fused into his very being, a tangible, albeit subtle, mark of the immense power he has absorbed.
This transformation, triggered by the “[Drop of Ichor]” and the leftover fragments, leaves Sunny not only stronger but also with a peculiar new perspective on the world. While the memory of the torture remains, the whisper of his new attribute and the potential for evolution beckon, promising further advancements and perhaps shedding light on the unsettling mystery of his surplus Shadow Fragments.
Chapter 83 Five
Sunny finds himself facing a silent, unnerving audience of shadows within his Soul Sea, a development he attributes to the recent transformation of his eyes. These shadows, unlike anything he’s encountered, remain utterly still and unresponsive, prompting Sunny to question their purpose. His initial fear subsides as he rationalizes they are mere manifestations of his Aspect, rather than direct threats. He realizes that his newfound vision, a result of integrating the Great Devil’s essence, allows him to perceive these previously unseen entities.
Turning his attention away from the enigmatic shadows, Sunny retrieves the Puppeteer’s Shroud. He observes its structure, noting the five glowing nexuses that resonate with the Memory’s tier V classification and its origin from a five-souled tyrant. The repeated appearance of the number five unnerves him, a feeling he can’t quite place. More significantly, new enchantments are revealed: “[Enhanced Durability]” and “[Doubtless],” the latter offering protection against mind attacks, a welcome confirmation of his intuitive understanding of his Memories.
Sunny then examines the Silver Bell, a tier one dormant Memory with a single enchantment extending its range, before setting his sights on the Midnight Shard. The Spell now provides explicit details on Memory tiers and enchantments, a significant boon for Sunny’s understanding and strategic use of his acquired powers. This newfound clarity, coupled with the subtle but profound alterations within him, promises to unlock further mysteries and capabilities as he continues to explore the depths of his power.
Chapter 84 Black Seed
Following the intense battle against the Carapace Demon, Sunny and his companions seek refuge to rest. However, their brief respite is shattered when Cassie, displaying raw terror, urgently shakes Sunny awake. She implores him to “stop it,” revealing a dire prophecy: they will all forget, but Sunny must remember the significance of “five.” As Sunny tries to calm her and understand the cryptic warning, he finds his own memory of the preceding moments becoming disturbingly hazy.
Nephis remains on guard, observing Cassie’s desperate plea to Sunny, noting that she directs her concerns solely to him, ignoring the vigilant Changed Star. Cassie, her fear slowly replaced by confusion, insists on the importance of remembering “five,” a simple yet vital piece of information she imparts before her own memories of the event begin to fade. She believes this single word, the simplest concept to convey, holds the key to future changes.
Sunny, though disoriented and struggling to recall the exact reason for Cassie’s panic, promises to remember the crucial number. His confusion deepens as he realizes his own memory is failing him, a phenomenon mirrored by Cassie’s fading awareness. The implication is clear: a powerful amnesiac force is at play, and Sunny’s newfound abilities are their only hope against an encroaching oblivion.
Chapter 85 One Step At A Time
Sunny struggles within the Vile Thieving Bird’s nest, his mind plagued by an encroaching forgetfulness that began upon their arrival at the Ashen Barrow. He recalls Cassie’s desperate plea to remember “five,” realizing now that their memories are actively being obfuscated. The time spent on the island is a blur; what felt like days could have been a month, each passing day eroding their minds further. Sunny fights the pervasive urge to forget, a battle he can only win by first resisting the impulse. He deduces his ability to retain Cassie’s warning, and the existence of a fifth Attribute, stems from the Puppeteer’s Shroud, an enchantment providing resistance to mental attacks. This insight explains why he was the last to succumb to the lure of the Soul Tree fruits and why Cassie entrusted him with the crucial memory, knowing Nephis lacked this protection.
The realization dawns that their mental decay is no mere side effect but a deliberate mind attack. Sunny’s gaze falls upon the colossal Soul Tree, confirming his suspicion: it is a Nightmare Creature of unimaginable power. Its ability to drain life from the Crimson Labyrinth and thrive in this hellish environment explains the island’s eerie peace, as even other monsters fear it. This ancient horror is too immense to be destroyed, making any thought of burning it a futile endeavor. The objective now is to understand the extent of his own corrupted memories and the nature of the hidden fifth Attribute.
Summoning his Attributes, Sunny attempts to read the description of the elusive fifth Attribute once more. Despite knowing it exists, the details remain frustratingly out of reach, a testament to the Soul Tree’s insidious influence. He must take things “one step at a time,” starting with understanding his own compromised state and the true nature of the terrifying force they face.
Chapter 86 Final Clue
Sunny, battling a potent forgetfulness amplified by the Soul Tree’s influence, resorts to self-inflicted pain, biting himself to maintain a semblance of focus. He recognizes the unexpected benefits of his newly acquired Attribute, Blood Weave, noting its enhanced coagulation and improved endurance, a testament to his underestimation of its systemic impact. His primary objective is to leverage Cassie’s unique sight, an Aspect ability unhindered by mental decay, to uncover the truth of the hidden fifth Attribute, believing her connection to revelation and fate might succeed where his own attempts have failed.
Upon reaching the ground, Sunny awakens Cassie and, with a careful approach, requests she examine his Attributes, hinting at a surprising revelation. Cassie, initially confused, agrees, warning him of her potential displeasure if the task proves fruitless. As she begins, she falters, misremembering “Spark of Divinity” as “mark,” and her attention is further derailed by the sudden appearance of Blood Weave, an Attribute she questions the origin of, attributing its presence to an egg.
Despite Cassie’s confusion and a severely diminished attention span, Sunny presses on, noting her brief flicker of surprise at the “egg” comment. Her mental state, clouded by the Soul Tree’s influence, allows her to quickly gloss over this detail, highlighting the pervasive nature of the mind attack. This interaction underscores Sunny’s desperate reliance on Cassie’s uncorrupted perception to unravel the mysteries of his own fragmented memories and the true nature of the powerful force they are up against.
Chapter 87 Plan Of Escape
Sunny, grappling with his own weakening memories, finds Nephis at the island’s edge, a pale shadow of her former self. Her once vibrant silver hair now hangs limply, and her face is gaunt, a stark contrast to her usual confident demeanor. Sunny recognizes the cause of her decline: a desperate, memory-erased pursuit of a personal goal, amplified by the Soul Devourer’s influence. He recounts his discovery of the giant nest, his battle with the Vile Thieving Bird’s Spawn, the strange, unranked Memory, and the revelation of his new Attributes and the true nature of the Soul Devourer, including the forgotten duration of their stay on the island.
Nephis’s reaction is unsettlingly detached. “I see,” she states flatly, her expression unchanging despite the gravity of Sunny’s revelations. Frustrated, Sunny demands a more human response, questioning her lack of emotional reaction. “Wow! How horrible! Good job, Sunny! Say something, at least! Is it so hard to behave like a human?!” he pleads, his voice heavy with desperation. After a strained silence, during which Nephis seemingly activates her Aspect Ability to maintain lucidity through pain, she finally offers a solution, her gaze fixed on the receding dark sea: “We need to build a boat.”
Chapter 88 Boat Builders
Despite the dire circumstances and the creatures lurking beneath the waves, Nephis confirms their desperate plan to build a boat. “We are damned either way, Sunny,” she states, the pale flames of her Aspect flickering in her eyes, suggesting the immense strain of maintaining her lucidity. She reveals Cassie’s armor, a tier six awakened Memory, will be their meager protection, its trait making them less noticeable to predators. As Nephis’s mind begins to fray, her questions about Sunny’s past experiences and their forgotten duration on the island are met with a chilling urgency.
Racing against Nephis’s fading consciousness, Sunny probes for vital information. When he asks if she knows how to build a boat, she simply nods, her mind already succumbing to the Soul Devourer’s influence. His crucial question about convincing her to leave once her memory is gone elicits a haunting response: “Aster… Song… Vale. Say those words to me, and I will listen.” Before completely losing herself, Nephis instructs Sunny to flee with Cassie if anything happens, her words trailing off as her gaze drifts westward, once again blank.
Left alone with the unresponsive Nephis, Sunny waits, then gently re-engages her. “Hey, Neph,” he says, a subtle shift in his tone. Her confusion is evident as she asks, “Sunny? Oh… when did you get here?” He reassures her and, with a seemingly carefree air, asks the same question again: “Hey, can I ask you something? Do you know how to build a boat?” Nephis, surprised but weakened, agrees to help Sunny build the vessel, his evasiveness about his true motivations proving effective against her fragile state.
Chapter 89 Demon’s Bones
Sunny battles his own crumbling sanity, the constant struggle to remember his purpose a searing pain that necessitates self-inflicted wounds. He must focus, lest the Soul Devourer’s insidious influence consume him entirely. His primary concern shifts to Cassie, whose condition appears far worse than either his or Nephis’s. He speculates whether her lack of a True Name makes her more vulnerable to the Spell’s erosion, a critical thought as he guides her towards the colossal carcass of a Carapace Demon. Nephis, already diligently stripping armor plates from the beast with her sword, casts a questioning glance at Sunny, her frustration evident.
Nephis chides Sunny for his idleness, asking, “Aren’t you going to help? This was your idea, after all.” Sunny deflects, feigning amusement and suggesting they’re engaged in a “fun little project.” While Nephis works on the demon’s hide, Sunny’s attention is drawn to the stark white fat layers exposed on the creature’s flesh. He reveals his true intention to Nephis, declaring, “I want to make a candle.” This declaration prompts Nephis to question Cassie, “Hey, Cas. Has Sunny lost his mind?” Cassie, though uncertain, attributes his behavior to boredom.
Undeterred by their confusion, Sunny focuses on his task, expertly cutting and separating the demon’s fat from its hardened muscle tissue. He dismisses the thought of harming himself with his blade, his resolve firm. With a substantial piece of fat in hand, Sunny leaps from the carcass, eager to gather the remaining materials—fire, water, and seaweed fibers—needed to craft his rudimentary candle. The sun is already high, signaling the urgency of his clandestine project as he departs from Nephis and Cassie, leaving them to their own work on the demon’s remains.
Chapter 90 Nightfall
Sunny, his finger broken from a self-inflicted wound meant to fuel his obscure project, attempts to mask his pain and paranoia from Nephis and Cassie. He urges Nephis to help him drag the formidable demon carcass towards the island’s edge, deflecting her concern with a forced smile and a plea to trust him. While Nephis complies, exhibiting a grudging worry for his well-being, Sunny’s internal monologue reveals his desperate focus on completing his task before nightfall. He leaves Cassie waiting, promising to return soon, his resolve to protect her evident in his pained determination.
The arduous task of dragging the demon’s hull across the ashen terrain tests Sunny’s limits, the spikes on the vessel a constant hindrance. He reflects on the light, star-shard alloy of the demon’s carapace, a material forged from a fallen star. As the sun dips towards the horizon, signaling the imminent arrival of nightfall and the awakening of the dark sea, Sunny and Nephis finally reach the island’s edge. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Sunny implores Nephis to wait for Cassie’s arrival before he explains his actions, his rasping voice conveying the urgency of his situation.
Returning to Cassie, who patiently waits and expresses hunger, Sunny finds himself unable to fulfill her request for fruit. The chapter closes with Sunny’s exhaustion and the looming mystery of his candle-making endeavor, leaving the reader to question his true motives and the implications of his increasingly erratic behavior, all under the encroaching darkness.
