Chapter 331 Siege of the Crimson Spire (17)
The terrifying dark sea and its monstrous inhabitants vanish with the activation of the Oath Keys, leaving the Labyrinth bathed in pure, blinding sunlight. Sunny, momentarily stunned by his success, allows himself a brief respite, a disbelieving laugh escaping his lips. However, the reprieve is short-lived. The horde of Nightmare Creatures remains, and the Crimson Terror within the Spire is yet to be defeated. He ascends the towering coral, checking on his Shadow, Saint, whose existence is secured despite heavy damage. A pang of dread hits him as he notices his Shadow Fragments are one short of a full thousand, contemplating the unknown consequences of saturating his Shadow Core, especially with the vulnerability he suddenly feels, culminating in a nosebleed.
Across a now-empty moat, the remnants of the Dreamer Army find themselves on the cusp of victory. Moments ago, they were submerged in the storm-lashed, monster-filled darkness. The sudden, inexplicable cessation of the cataclysmic storm and the retreating dark waters have shifted the battle’s momentum dramatically. This abrupt environmental shift, born from Sunny’s desperate gamble, provides the beleaguered forces a crucial advantage.
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The world reborn in sunlight presents a stark new battlefield. As Sunny climbs, he grapples with the lingering weakness and the implications of his near-complete Shadow Fragments. Meanwhile, the Dreamer Army, buoyed by the sudden calm and the absence of the suffocating dark sea, prepares to press their newfound advantage against the remaining Nightmare Creatures. The Crimson Spire looms, still holding its greatest threat, and Sunny knows the hardest push is yet to come.
Chapter 332 siege of the Crimson Spire (18)
Sunny’s Shadow, Saint, clutches its chest in apparent agony, an unspoken plea driving Sunny to investigate his Soul Core. He plunges into the normally tranquil Soul Sea only to find it in violent turmoil. The spheres of his Memories flicker precariously, and his Shadow Core itself shows hairline fractures. Saint’s gesture, Sunny realizes with dawning horror, points not to Saint’s heart, but to his own Soul Core, which is under a devastating, continuous soul attack. The source, he discovers, is the sun itself, its amplified brilliance now an existential threat, eroding souls wherever its light touches.
The blinding sunlight, a consequence of Sunny’s desperate gamble, now bathes the battlefield in a perilous radiance. While the Nightmare Creatures are collapsing, their souls annihilated, the Dreamer Army, bewildered by their sudden advantage, remains exposed. Sunny understands that the only sanctuary from this soul-devouring light is the encroaching darkness within the Crimson Spire. He scans the moat, his gaze landing on the distant figures of the Dreamer Army, including Nephis, who he believes has grasped the immediate threat but remains unaware of the Spire’s open gates and the salvation they offer.
Amidst this unfolding catastrophe, Sunny makes a critical decision. He raises his hand, and the clear, ringing tone of a silver bell pierces the air, a signal intended to warn his allies of the peril they face and guide them towards the Spire’s protective embrace. The devastating efficiency of the sunlight, which has already decimated a portion of the enemy, poses an imminent danger to everyone caught in its unforgiving glare, creating a desperate race for survival.
Chapter 333 ln the Belly of the Beast
The deafening silence that follows the devastating celestial onslaught leaves Sunny surveying a scene of utter ruin. He finds a mere hundred Sleepers, the shattered remnants of over a thousand brave souls, huddled together, their bodies broken, their spirits visibly dimmed. Among the survivors, he recognizes Nephis, Kai, and a heavily injured Effie, her white chiton stained crimson. Caster, remarkably cleaner than the others, is present, as is a gravely wounded Seishan, surrounded by her few remaining Handmaidens. Sunny notes Aiko’s quiet grief, aware that many familiar faces—the welcoming hunter, Park, the talkative watchmen, Stev, and even the dauntless Gemma—are irrevocably lost, their absence a heavy shroud upon the survivors.
These hundred, the luckiest and bravest, now find themselves within the very heart of the threat, the Crimson Spire. Their survival, though a testament to their resilience, marks only the beginning of a new, more perilous phase. The amplified light, the very weapon that decimated the enemy, continues to be a silent threat, the only true sanctuary being the encroaching darkness of their current location. Sunny’s earlier bell signal, meant to guide them, now feels like a desperate plea in the face of overwhelming odds.
The survivors, though spared the direct onslaught of the soul-annihilating light, are far from safe. Their exhaustion is palpable, their strength depleted, yet the grim reality of their situation presses down. They have entered “the very belly of the beast,” a phrase that hints at the unknown horrors lurking within the Spire, a place that promises a grim continuation of their fight for survival.
Chapter 334 Silver Sword
Navigating the oppressive silence within the Crimson Spire, Sunny discovers thousands of coral golems, hollow replicas of ordinary people, that fill the lower levels. These manifestations of the Crimson Terror’s fractured psyche, far from posing an immediate threat, simply wander aimlessly, their emptiness a stark contrast to the living, yet broken, survivors. Sunny shares his observation with Nephis, who acknowledges the danger, and together they realize their objective, the Gateway, lies further within the Spire, necessitating an ascent up the immense coral pillars.
Their progress is violently interrupted as a devastating beam of amplified, soul-destroying light sweeps through the Spire, far more potent than the celestial onslaught outside. Nephis’s sharp warning, “Everyone, back!”, comes just in time, allowing most to scramble for cover behind the coral formations. The few caught in the beam perish instantly and silently, their lives extinguished in an instant. As the blinding light recedes, more beams begin to fall, heralding a new, more direct assault.
This renewed onslaught galvanizes the previously dormant coral golems. Their aimless wandering transforms into a malevolent surge, guided by the falling light, as they advance on the hidden Sleepers. Facing this dual threat—the relentless beams from above and the animated golems from below—Sunny turns to Nephis, the Midnight Shard in hand, and asks the critical question: “What now?” The path forward, fraught with amplified danger, remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Chapter 335 Ascent
Forced into a reluctant leadership role, Sunny guides a hundred desperate Sleepers, his unique ability to see in the dark making him the only viable guide. He uses his shadow to scout ahead for the Gateway, projecting an unshakeable confidence despite his unease. Taking Cassie’s hand, Sunny leads them onto a spiraling coral root, the Dreamer Army following his lead. As the coral golems begin their ascent, the Sleepers defend themselves against the first wave, destroying them to buy precious time before scrambling onto the root themselves.
The coral path soon becomes a near-vertical climb, forcing Sunny to leap across a narrow gap to another root with Cassie. The Sleepers follow suit, unaware that the golems can also climb. As they press onward and upward, a chilling realization dawns: another mass of golems awaits them on a gallery above, surging towards their position. The sheer number of them, appearing from the chaotic crimson coral and desperately seeking a path to reach them, paints a grim picture of the challenges ahead.
“Those at the back! Ready your weapons!” Sunny’s command echoes as they ascend, the Sleepers complying, preparing for the onslaught. The coral golems, once aimless wanderers, now move with unified purpose, driven by the falling light. This dual threat—the celestial beams and the animated golems—forces Sunny to confront his newfound responsibilities. The path to the Gateway is perilous, each step fraught with amplified danger and the chilling certainty that they are far from safe.
Chapter 336 The Gateway
The dreamscape’s terrifying spiral continues as Sunny and his desperate band of Sleepers ascend, facing relentless waves of coral golems. The perilous climb leads them to a vast balcony within the Spire, where a circular dais with an iron ring, etched with familiar runes and remarkably devoid of the invasive crimson coral, signifies their ultimate goal: the Gateway. The Spire itself groans and shakes, a colossal piece of debris shattering their previous path, underscoring the urgency of their situation. Sunny, driven by a newfound resolve, urges them forward, his leadership a beacon amidst the chaos.
As they reach the balcony, a blinding surge of light from above indicates Nephis has confronted the Crimson Terror, intensifying the stakes for Sunny and his survivors. The Sleepers, awestruck by the sight of the Gateway, a tangible promise of salvation from their long torment on the Forgotten Shore, freeze in disbelief and hope. This tangible manifestation of freedom, a concept they had almost forgotten, overwhelms many.
Sunny, breaking the spell of awe, rallies the group, cutting through the remaining golems and escaping the debris. The Gateway, shimmering with the light of Spell communication runes, represents not just a path out, but the culmination of their arduous journey. The sheer impossibility of escape now made manifest forces a moment of stunned silence before the desperate scramble for freedom truly begins.
Chapter 337 Nobody
Sunny plunges from the balcony, using his daggers and a supernatural agility to ascend the violently collapsing Crimson Spire. The ancient structure groans under the strain of Nephis’s battle, with massive coral roots shattering and raining down, forcing Sunny into a desperate, acrobatic climb. He utilizes every surface and his Shadow abilities to evade the deadly downpour, a constant struggle for survival against the Spire’s implacable self-destruction. His objective is clear: intercept Caster, the Legacy who is also traversing the perilous heights.
As Sunny ascends, he observes the upper levels of the Spire are marginally more stable, allowing him to anticipate Caster’s path. Concealed by the Weaver’s Mask, a precautionary measure against potential retaliatory Aspect Abilities or Memory retrieval from Caster’s clan, Sunny prepares for their inevitable confrontation. This encounter is more than a simple duel; for Sunny, it’s a battle against the world itself, a desperate fight for survival and a culmination of his arduous journey.
Emerging from a cloud of debris, Sunny lands strategically, ready to face Caster. The Legacy is swift, but bound by the Spire’s destructive nature, a disadvantage Sunny intends to exploit. He muses on their impending clash, “Let’s see which one of us is better… let’s see which one of us deserves it more…” The stakes are impossibly high, with one of them guaranteed to perish within the Spire’s crumbling embrace.
Chapter 338 Rest of the Mongrels
Caster, facing Sunny amid the Crimson Spire’s collapse, issues a blunt ultimatum: “Out of my way, Sunny.” He expresses disdain for Sunny’s persistent defiance, viewing it as an affront to his perceived superiority. Caster believes Sunny belongs with the “mongrels,” out of sight of those “better than you.” Sunny, unfazed, accepts the insult with a surprisingly light tone, but before their inevitable clash, he poses a critical question to Caster about his intense desire to kill Nephis.
Caster, driven by an ideology Sunny struggles to grasp, reveals his motivations. He dismisses Sunny’s understanding, asserting that “Survival is all you creatures care about.” For Caster, concepts like “Duty. Loyalty. Honor” are alien to those like Sunny. He explains, with chilling conviction, that “The Immortal Flame must be destroyed,” revealing this as “the will of the Sovereigns.”
This profound declaration leaves Sunny utterly perplexed. His genuine confusion, asking “Uh… who?” utterly stuns Caster. The Legacy stares in disbelief, questioning if Nephis had truly told Sunny “anything” about their shared fate. This unexpected gap in Sunny’s knowledge adds a new layer of mystery to the unfolding conflict, leaving both characters—and the reader—wondering what crucial information has been kept from Sunny.
Chapter 339 Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Caster’s Aspect Ability is astonishingly powerful, far exceeding anything Sunny has previously encountered, save for perhaps Nephis and his own abilities. Facing Caster’s overwhelming speed and swordsmanship, Sunny realizes direct physical confrontation is suicide. He deflects Caster’s initial blur of attacks, sustaining a shallow cut on his shoulder, but Caster is also wounded. “Not bad,” Caster remarks with a dark expression. “This is going to be entertaining, at least.” Sunny, though lying about enjoying himself, recalls Nephis’s strategy against Caster—anticipation, not reaction. He channels this knowledge, entering a state of heightened perception and instinct, hoping to bridge the vast speed disparity.
The fight intensifies, Caster’s jian a blur of ghostly green. Sunny, through sheer anticipation and mastery of combat, manages to block and deflect blow after blow. Still, he’s unable to fully evade, receiving a cut on his shoulder that his armor barely withstands, followed by another shallow gash on his neck. Infuriated, Sunny is forced into a purely defensive posture, a barrage of dozens of strikes raining down. The clang of steel echoes through the Crimson Spire as more cuts appear on Sunny’s body, each one a testament to Caster’s brutal efficiency.
Despite the overwhelming odds and his mounting injuries, Sunny’s mind races, meticulously analyzing Caster’s every movement. He’s not just defending; he’s learning, adapting, and searching for the weakness within Caster’s formidable power. The promise of Caster’s disdainful assessment that “This is going to be entertaining” hangs heavy in the air, a grim foreshadowing of the relentless battle to come, pushing Sunny to his absolute limits as he fights for survival and against an unknown directive from distant Sovereigns.
Chapter 340 Honor
Caster’s shock quickly morphs into fury, his hateful gaze fixed on Sunny. “You scum…” he trembles, but his rage is short-lived as he unleashes a devastating blow that sends Sunny reeling. Sunny, despite deflecting the sword’s tip, is slammed by Caster’s weapon, the enchanted jian piercing his Puppeteer’s Shroud once again and slicing his forearm. The ease with which Caster’s weapon bypasses Sunny’s powerful defenses hints at its superior tier, likely a Legacy clan’s potent Memory. Sunny, forced into a desperate defensive struggle, uses coral dust to momentarily escape, only for Caster to re-emerge, his weapon aimed at Sunny’s heart.
A subtle but significant change has occurred in Caster. The mysterious charm Memory’s purpose seems fulfilled, accelerating his aging. What was a slight age discrepancy at the Academy has now become apparent, with Caster appearing to be in his late twenties or early thirties, his youthful features now tinged with the beginnings of age. Sunny, straining, parries and dodges, the relentless barrage of strikes continuing. Caster’s furious roar, “Get back here, you rat! Why are you running like a coward?!” spurs Sunny onward.
The aging effect intensifies as Caster’s form shifts again, now resembling a man in his prime, his physique even more imposing and his temples showing streaks of grey. Sunny groans, another laceration appearing on his body as he’s pushed back, his own blade a frantic blur. The deafening clamor of steel underscores Sunny’s desperate retreat, his lungs burning as he fights for survival against an opponent whose youth is rapidly being consumed, accelerating his power and presenting a truly nightmarish challenge.
Chapter 341 One Thousand
Standing over Caster’s fallen form, Sunny feels a somber, almost bitter victory, a quiet vindication settling in his soul. Despite numerous painful cuts, his Blood Weave holds, allowing him to begin healing, the most serious wound on his side already starting to mend. He then turns his attention inward, a burning sensation in his chest signaling a profound, spiritual transformation. “Your shadow is overflowing with power,” the Spell declares, “Your shadow is taking shape.”
The intensity escalates as Sunny’s soul is violently ripped apart by an unseen force, leaving him in unimaginable pain. “Your shadow is complete,” the Spell whispers, its pronouncement echoing as the Crimson Spire itself begins to violently shudder and crumble. All light vanishes, plunging Sunny into absolute darkness as the Spell abruptly falls silent, its final revelation left unfinished.
Disoriented and confused by the sudden darkness and silence, Sunny senses something has changed with his shadow’s completion. The excruciating pain is gone, but the process feels interrupted, leaving him to wonder what is happening as he looks up into the encroaching void.
Chapter 342 Crimson Terror
The mysterious acquisition of the [Soul Conduit] Attribute leaves Sunny disoriented. Without any explanation from the Spell, the Attribute’s presence feels like an external suppression of his Shadow Core, not a natural progression. Sunny suspects this new power, forced upon him, is the cause of the interrupted spiritual transformation. Despite the unsettling nature of the Conduit, his control over his body, mind, memories, and shadow remains intact. He decides the answers lie at the summit of the crumbling Crimson Spire and begins his ascent through the stark, black-and-white landscape.
Reaching the shattered pinnacle of the Crimson Spire, Sunny enters a vast, ruined hall where sunlight streams through a gaping chasm in the roof. This is the lair of the Terror of the Forgotten Shore. The once-beautiful chamber, now scarred by battle and overgrown coral, is eerily quiet. Sunny’s immediate focus is drawn to Nephis, who sits amidst the devastation, her current state far from recovered from her harrowing encounter.
The chamber’s damaged state reflects the cataclysmic events that transpired here. Sunlight pierces the fractured ceiling, illuminating the destruction. Amidst this desolation, Sunny confronts the reality of his interrupted ascension, realizing the truth is hidden within this corrupted sanctum. He must now navigate this perilous environment, understand the nature of the [Soul Conduit], and face whatever remains within the Terror’s desolate lair, with Nephis as his sole, albeit fragile, companion.
Chapter 343 Soul Conduit
Nephis reveals that she killed the Crimson Terror, attributing her victory to luck, but Sunny, ever observant, suspects a deeper strategy. He presses her, and Nephis admits she attacked when the Terror was at its weakest, in the throes of its evolution into a titan. This confession prompts Sunny to reconsider the artificial sun, realizing its destructive nature is linked to the Terror’s power and the ancient curse. He pieces together that the sun, corrupted by the darkness, was held in check, and its liberation, coupled with the banishment of the curse, allowed it to unleash its full, annihilating radiance.
Nephis then explains the horrific truth: the artificial sun illuminated the entire Forgotten Shore, causing widespread death. The souls of countless creatures were funneled by the Labyrinth to fuel the Terror’s evolution. Sunny understands that Nephis’s timing was no mere coincidence, her prior contemplation before ordering the Dreamer Army’s advance now making chilling sense. The region is now desolate, a consequence of the Terror’s parasitic existence. The artificial sun’s light dims, indicating its dependence on the now-dead Terror.
As the Spire continues to crumble, Nephis asks about the others, and Sunny reveals they escaped. He then informs her that Caster is dead, a statement met with Nephis’s quiet, broken whisper: “…So that’s why…”. She collapses, overwhelmed by a profound, dark emotion, her hands covering her face as her muffled voice conveys a deep, unexpressed despair.
Chapter 344 sorrow,Pain, and Rage
Sunny, his gaze sharp with a chilling finality, confronts Nephis. Their exchange is steeped in a grim understanding; both acknowledge a foregone conclusion, a destiny they’ve long dreaded. “Well… it’s not like we didn’t know for a long time that this would be how things end. Did we?” he asks, his voice devoid of emotion. Nephis, her bitterness a palpable force, can only agree, “…We did.” This moment crystallies the unspoken truth: Sunny has always foreseen the possibility of having to destroy Nephis, a secret burden that drove his solitary quest in the Dark City, pushing him closer to the monsters he hunts.
The weight of prophecy hangs heavy between them, drawing back to Cassie’s fractured visions. Sunny recalls her chilling premonitions: the breaking seals of a boundless darkness, a burning castle under a lone star, and a dying angel consumed by shadows. He now understands these were not mere metaphors but a roadmap of their intertwined fates. The lonely star was Nephis, the architect of ruin, and the consuming shadow was himself, destined to be the instrument of her end, just as Cassie had foreseen, feeling “so much sorrow, pain and rage.”
The desolate landscape serves as a silent testament to the catastrophic events, a stark reminder of the Terror’s parasitic reign fueled by the artificial sun’s destructive radiance. As the Spire crumbles and Nephis reels from the loss of Caster, Sunny’s cold pronouncement seals their intertwined, tragic destiny. The chapter concludes with the chilling recognition that their actions are not merely the result of circumstance, but the inescapable fulfillment of an ancient, devastating prophecy, leaving the reader to ponder the true cost of survival and the nature of their unbreakable bond.
Chapter 345 Shadows and Light
The air crackles as Sunny and Nephis lock gazes, a silent acknowledgment of their fated confrontation. Nephis’s wounds flare with a burst of white flame, momentarily healing before its power recedes, leaving her visibly strained. Simultaneously, shadow power surges through Sunny, invigorating him. He steels himself, pushing away intrusive thoughts of how this will end, recognizing Nephis as his most formidable foe yet. Clarity and an unyielding will to prevail are his only weapons against the overwhelming odds.
With white flames igniting in her eyes, Nephis lunges, her silver longsword a blur. Sunny raises the Midnight Shard, meeting her ferocious assault. The impact sends a tremor through him; her strength feels like colliding with a mountain. Nephis’s relentless strikes, impossibly fast and powerful, force Sunny into a desperate defensive sequence. He questions her unnatural might, her speed and flawless technique that far surpass his own augmented abilities, making her seem more like a Nightmare Creature than a human.
“How… how is she that strong…” Sunny mutters, barely deflecting another devastating blow. He tries to exploit a perceived opening, only to find it a cruel ruse that nearly costs him his hand. A chilling suspicion forms: either Nephis’s white flame augmentation is vastly superior to his shadow, or a hidden factor grants her this overwhelming advantage. The seemingly weakened radiance from her skin should not provide such a decisive edge, prompting him to realize something is profoundly wrong.
