Chapter 991 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (9)
Sunny secures the Corrupted Devil’s needle, a formidable tool for his intricate work, by boarding the slumbering Rhino APC. Finally alone, he sheds the facade of the confident commander, admitting, “Ah… that damned thing is so heavy!” After a refreshing shower and a moment of quiet respite with a delicious sandwich, the weight of impending duty calls him back to the command suite. There, a pile of Memories awaits, accumulated not only from his watch on the wall but also through a vigorous exchange of contribution points with Awakened soldiers and hired Sleepers for faster acquisition. He finds himself working with a grimace, realizing the quantity of Memories isn’t yet enough for his ambitious goals.
With the tachi, Midnight Shard, and Morgan’s Warbow summoned before him, Sunny prepares for a monumental task: recreating an Ascended enchantment, deconstructing and modifying an existing one, and creating a functional Memory from scratch. The latter proves unexpectedly troublesome, as not all materials can sustain powerful enchantments. He studies the ethereal strings, weaving his own essence threads, knowing that the Corrupted Devil’s needle is his best, albeit uncertain, chance to forge a refined material capable of holding Transcendent soul shards.
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Sunny’s focus intensifies as he grapples with the complex weave of ethereal strings, a process that already induces a headache. He’s attempting feats never before achieved, pushing the boundaries of his abilities in his desperate pursuit of power. The need for refined materials for his complex Memory creation highlights the stark realities of survival, where even the most powerful relics might prove insufficient against the encroaching darkness.
Chapter 992 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (10)
The quiet pursuit of power is shattered as an urgent directive pulls Sunny from his intricate work. Assigned to the fiercest sector of the defense, directly above the main gates, he realizes the Irregulars are finally being deployed into the heart of the conflict. As he pilots the lumbering Rhino APC, Sunny reviews his cohort, assessing their unique Flaws and anticipating how they will function in the upcoming battle. He confirms his team, including the promise-bound Quentin, the unassuming Kim, the slow-regenerating Samara, the impulsively challenged Belle, and the openly apparent Luster, are ready, their individual quirks unlikely to be a detriment to the immediate fight.
With his cohort assembled, Sunny orders the Rhino forward, his driving skills more functional than elegant, towards the front lines. He rallies his soldiers, reminding them of the pre-established strategies designed in anticipation of facing the Devouring Cloud. Before heading into the fray, he jokes with Luster about his “lucky charm,” a sentiment met with amused skepticism from his comrades given their history with deadly Nightmare Creatures. The casual banter belies the gravity of their deployment, as the Irregulars are thrust into the most dangerous engagement yet.
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Despite the looming existential threat of the Devouring Cloud, Sunny feels a strange confidence, perhaps due to the formidable presence of the other Ascended Irregulars, alongside the city’s vast defenses and two Saints. Bloodwave is confirmed to be present, anchoring ships and ready to intervene. Master Jet, however, senses something amiss, noting the Devouring Cloud is behaving differently, less erratic and more driven. Sunny observes this deviation, the swarm’s speed exceeding his expectations. Dale speculates they sense the millions of souls behind the city, prompting Winter to declare, “Well, then… let’s show them some hospitality.”
Winter removes her sunglasses, revealing eyes that are entirely black with blood-drop pupils, a sight that unnerves Sunny. She gives the command, and several Awakened, including Luster, step forward to support Winter, who is positioned as the spearhead of their offensive. Memories begin to manifest around her, augmenting her Aspect. As one Awakened draws a complex circle, another channels power into the Memories, and Luster places a hand on Winter’s shoulder, sharing a satisfied glance with Sunny, whom he internally dismisses as “That fool.”
The chapter hints at the escalating danger and the unusual nature of the approaching threat. The coordinated preparation for Winter’s offensive, drawing on a combination of individual Abilities and augmented Memories, sets the stage for a critical confrontation. The subtle unease surrounding Winter’s true power and the Devouring Cloud’s altered behavior promise a battle that will push the Irregulars to their limits, leaving readers eager to discover how this unique strategy will fare against the encroaching darkness.
Chapter 994 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (12)
Winter’s initial arrow unleashes a blinding flash, followed by a vast sphere of fire that engulfs a portion of the Devouring Cloud. Abominations are incinerated or sent crashing down, consumed by the wildfire which spreads from beast to beast. Sunny is shocked, feeling scorching heat despite the Antarctic winter. He acknowledges that their preparations are not in vain, yet the Devouring Cloud, though diminished, continues its advance. Drawing Morgan’s Warbow, Sunny grins, craving more kills: “More, more… I need to kill more…”
The Irregulars and Awakened defenders unleash their combined might. Soul Reaper sends a deadly rain of throwing stars, and Samara’s rifle causes explosions in the nightmare horde. The soldiers of the First Army, remembering their duty to two hundred million people, hold their ground despite the terror. Meanwhile, Winter continues her relentless barrage, empowered by Awakened elites and powerful Memories, solidifying her reputation as a ‘walking artillery unit.’
Luster continuously feeds Winter soul essence, allowing her to unleash more destruction. Thanks to her Aspect, no arrows miss, causing the Devouring Cloud to visibly melt before Sunny’s eyes. The combined power of the defenders creates a wall of destruction that may prove instrumental in slowing the advance of the cloud.
Chapter 995 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (13)
The battle rages as the Devouring Cloud pierces the wall of flames. A tentacle-like mass of brood beasts forms, initially aiming for Dale and Winter at the city wall’s energy dome. Sunny feels a chill as the swarm shifts, now targeting him instead. Alarmed by the swarm’s purposeful tactics, Sunny questions Jet, “Are we sure that we want to do this?” Soul Reaper, unflinching, smiles and replies, “What do our wishes have to do with anything?”
The defenders unleash a barrage of railgun rounds, bullets, and Memory-enhanced attacks, yet the swarm relentlessly rebuilds itself, showing no sign of slowing. Sunny prepares to face the onslaught. The Sin of Solace attempts to unsettle Sunny by reminding him of Jet’s vulnerability: “Have you not stopped to think about Jet, though? Where would she escape? Are you ready to watch her die?”
Ignoring the insidious voice, Sunny observes Jet, her face calm despite the imminent danger. He muses that the Sin of Solace’s taunts are ineffective now that he understands its game. Sunny, confident in his “shiny shell,” steels himself, ready to confront the approaching nightmare.
Chapter 996 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (14)
The Devouring Cloud’s swarm descends, turning the battlement into a maelstrom of flesh and steel. Sunny and Master Jet fight back-to-back, their movements a blur of inhuman speed and devastating skill. Jet’s jade jian dances with practiced ruthlessness, dissecting abominations while Sunny’s fluid, evasive style, aided by the Sin of Solace, cuts a path through the grotesque tide. He summons a wall of shadow, momentarily funneling the relentless attackers and providing a brief respite.
The creatures continue to surge, however, obscuring the distant glow of Winter’s flames. “Get ready!” Jet warns, but Sunny already knows the onslaught is intensifying. Despite their desperate efforts, the sheer numbers overwhelm them. A leathery body slams into Sunny, forcing him to brace himself with increased mass, only to be wounded by another beast tearing into his forearm.
The Puppeteer’s Shroud offers some protection, but the savage onslaught is relentless, leaving Sunny to acknowledge the pain of the received blows. The desperate defense continues, with the Dying Wish holding the main body of the swarm back from the city, but the situation grows dire as the enemies press closer, their numbers seemingly inexhaustible.
Chapter 997 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (15)
Black smoke billows skyward, a suffocating veil obscuring the stars as a fiery inferno rages below. Sunny and Master Jet, battered and bloodied, fight back-to-back against the Devouring Cloud’s relentless swarm on the alloy battlement, their exhaustion palpable. Sunny summons a trembling dome of shadows for a brief respite, but dares not sustain it, fearing the swarm will turn its attention to the city. Jet, her voice calm despite her battered state, asks, “You can’t fight anymore?” Sunny admits, “No, not that. The charm… I don’t have enough essence left to keep it active for long.” Jet’s resigned reply, “Do what you can. After that, let’s see what fate has in store,” chills him.
Considering the potential of Nightmare, Sunny ultimately decides against summoning his steed, recognizing that their immediate need is to sustain the Dying Wish, not to flee. “Back to the slaughter, then,” he mutters, looking at Jet. “Ready?” “Always,” she replies with a smile in the darkness. The shadow dome collapses, and the brood beasts descend once more, pinning the two Ascended. Jet’s glaive unleashes a burst of frost, momentarily clearing space amidst the carnage, as Sunny desperately feeds essence into the Dying Wish, hoping to buy Winter more time.
However, the Devouring Cloud inexplicably begins to resist Solvane’s charm. The swarm shifts, bypassing the enchanted protection and lunging towards Dale’s weakening barrier, leaving Sunny in bewildered disbelief.
Chapter 998 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (16)
The Devouring Cloud’s relentless assault is abruptly interrupted by a catastrophic event: the appearance of a Nightmare Gate directly beneath Sunny and Master Jet. The battlement shatters, sending them plummeting amidst a maelstrom of debris. Sunny narrowly avoids being sucked into the terrifying rift, a one-way portal to the Dream Realm, experiencing blinding pain as he brushes its edge. The Call of the Nightmare intensifies, assaulting his mind with screams.
Falling from a fatal height, Sunny instinctively summons the shadows of the falling debris, creating a dark mantle to slow his descent. He hits the ground with brutal force, the shadow cloak tearing. Disoriented and in agony, he scrambles for cover under a loader robot, narrowly evading a crushing piece of fallen structure. All his strength leaves him, leaving only pain as he collapses.
Master Jet, witnessing the terrifying breach, her grim realization mirrored by Sunny’s own dawning horror, finds herself separated from him in the chaos. The Nightmare Gate, a tear in reality, now looms, a chilling testament to the encroaching horrors and the dire new threat facing the city.
Chapter 999 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (17)
Sunny’s vision clears, and he finds Saint has finished her evolution into a Devil. “Saint!” he exclaims internally, relieved by her impeccable timing. As Nightmare Creatures begin emerging from the Gate, Sunny abandons attempts to crawl away and calls upon his Shadow. An intricate black, stone-like sabaton steps onto the ground beside him. Saint, now towering over Sunny at more than two meters, is clad in onyx armor. The ruby jewels of her eyes burn with ominous crimson flames.
Saint studies the Nightmare Gate, then glances at Sunny, seemingly full of questions. “Yeah… stuff happened. I’m glad to see you, too,” he says weakly, pointing at the emerging creatures. “Go… go deal with them, if you don’t mind. I’ll stay here for a bit.” Saint silently turns to the flood of monsters and strides forward, her steps calm. Relieved to have her back, Sunny sends the Broken Oath to Saint and commands his shadows to embrace her.
Her tall figure shines with dark radiance as shadows swell around the demonic knight, becoming a tenebrous mantle. Unexpectedly, Sunny senses a hint of true, elemental darkness in her glow, making him shiver. A few dozen meters away, a flood of Nightmare Creatures bursts from the Gate, rushing towards the retreating soldiers.
Chapter 1000 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (18)
Sunny, still reeling from the chaos, finds himself focused on the shimmering runes detailing Saint’s new form. She’s now “Onyx Saint,” an Ascended Devil with attributes like “Battle Master” and, intriguingly, “Heart of Darkness.” This newfound “vestige of an ancient darkness” seems to fuel her immense power. He witnesses Saint, a towering figure in onyx armor, effortlessly cleaving through Nightmare Creatures, even deflecting a blow with her shield while simultaneously striking with her sword. The co-existence of divinity and true darkness within her, marked by the shift from “Spark of Divinity” to “Ember of Divinity,” hints at a profound transformation Sunny can only begin to grasp.
He then pores over her updated abilities, noting the addition of “Weapon Sage” and the potent “Mantle of Darkness.” This latter ability explains Saint’s current formidable state, allowing her swiftness, might, and healing when enveloped by the pervasive darkness of Antarctica. The “heart will grow fuller” aspect suggests an increased replenishment rate for whatever Saint uses in lieu of essence, making her an even more invaluable ally. These abilities mirror those of the Black Knight, though with a significant distinction Sunny can’t quite articulate in his weakened condition.
The clamor of battle draws closer, a stark reminder of the imminent threat of the Gate Guardian. Despite his precarious situation, Sunny is drawn to the runes, seeking to understand the extent of Saint’s evolution. The emergence of the “Heart of Darkness” and the amplification of her powers through the “Mantle of Darkness” paint a picture of a Devil forged not just through evolution, but through the assimilation of profound, ancient power, leaving Sunny to ponder the true nature of what she has become.
Chapter 1001 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (19)
Sunny, realizing his physical limitations, shifts his focus to supporting Saint. He dismisses the Sin of Solace and the Dying Wish to summon the Shadow Lantern, launching it towards the towering Gate Guardian. The artifact unleashes a swarm of shadows, bolstering the darkness already shrouding the battlefield as Sunny and Nightmare charge into the fray. The ensuing chaos is a blur of violence. Sunny, clinging to Nightmare, eventually succumbs to the saddle and fights with the Moonlight Shard, finishing off weakened abominations with its venom-laced blade.
As soldiers and Awakened pour into the battle, they struggle to stem the tide of Nightmare Creatures pouring from the Gate. A white sky flashes with lightning in the background while Sunny hears the System spell; “[You have slain a Corrupted Devil, Silkway Archon.] [Your shadow grows stronger.]”. He glances over to see the Gate Guardian’s cleaved body sprawled on the ground. Saint stands victorious, her onyx armor battered but already healing, her black blade dripping with dark blood. “Lord Mongrel!” is shouted by a soldier when Saint emerged from the darkness, bathed in the blood of her enemies and lit by demonic crimson. The battle is won, but the war is far from over.
Chapter 1002 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (20)
Saint’s victory secures the Gate, but Sunny must locate the injured Master Jet. The Crow leads him through the devastated staging area, revealing Jet trapped within the wreckage, impaled by alloy beams. Despite her predicament, Jet remains remarkably calm, quipping, “Care to help me get down? I can do it myself, of course, but… I would prefer for my insides to remain on the inside for a little bit longer.” Sunny carefully extracts her, and though wounded, Jet dismisses his concern, assuring him, “Don’t worry about it. I am a very sturdy girl… woman. Whatever.”
As they navigate the ruins, Jet praises Sunny’s handling of the Gate, noting the emergence of new Gates and the Devouring Cloud’s strategic retreat. They deduce that a new Tyrant has likely risen within the swarm, explaining the leeches’ coordinated attacks. The pair discusses the looming threat of multiple priority targets converging on the city. When Sunny asks, “So what do we do now?” Jet simply shrugs, saying, “Go find our people. Rest, recover. Prepare to repeat the whole thing tomorrow.”
Their immediate need to secure a working elevator in order to return to their allies. They eventually return to the Irregulars’ position, finding Winter weary and with cracked sunglasses. The ever looming battle has exhausted them.
Chapter 1003 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (21)
The second week of the siege finds Sunny battling a swarm of Nightmare Creatures mere meters from the city’s barricades. Leaping from a collapsing roof, he engages the abominations, his Sin of Solace a blur of emerald light. Despite the lingering effects of the Nightmare Gate slowing his healing, Sunny erects a wall of shadows, buying time for the MWPs to unleash streams of fire. Utilizing his Underworld Armament, Sunny enhances his resistance to the flames while Belle and Dorn flank the swarm, their coordinated assault decimating the monsters. Sunny slays the last Scaled Prowler with a palm strike that shatters its skull and triggers the Spell’s notification: “You have slain an Awakened Monster, Scaled Prowler… You have received a Memory.” His eyes glint, excited at this windfall, another memory.
The victory is bittersweet, as the pressure on Falcon Scott intensifies following the Devouring Cloud’s attack. The defensive barrier has been breached in multiple locations, forcing a retreat and the establishment of a secondary defensive ring. The human forces now defend the wall as separated fortresses, with detachments tasked with holding the breaches below. These ground crews suffer high casualties, constantly facing invading swarms. Sunny, having just dealt with his fourth swarm of the day, recognizes the ominous implications of this increase in activity. He doubles over, racked with coughing as a sickening weakness returns, leaving him with only gnawing chest pain.
Chapter 1004 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (22)
Sunny navigates Falcon Scott, the weakness plaguing him a constant irritation. He overhears soldiers discussing Mongrel, their wild theories ranging from a Legacy warrior to a mysterious woman involved with him; amusing as the conversation is, Sunny is only preoccupied with his own concerns. The discussion reminds him to check his Shadow Fragments for Saint, finding himself close to the 200 needed to transcend. “So close,” he thinks, contemplating sacrificing personal memories to speed up the process. But the Midnight Shard, a stubborn obstacle in his spellweaving plans, still proves “Too risky.”
He witnesses the evacuation’s success, eighty million people safely transported, a sign that “Army Command’s plan was working.” This provides a small comfort to him amid the ongoing war. As Sunny makes his way to the ration distribution point, he spots Beth handing out supplies. “You better not be cutting the line, ba…” she begins without looking up, before realizing it’s him, she is momentarily surprised, switching places with another volunteer to meet him.
Chapter 1005
Awakened by persistent banging, Sunny finds Master Jet summoning him for a meeting, his Shadow’s negligence earning him a silent glare. He arrives at the First Army Command headquarters with Jet, encountering Winter and Dale, equally weary. Dale recounts their recent recapture of Breach C, downplaying the struggle but admitting, “Things would have been much worse if they were better climbers, though.” They enter a fortified compound, finding Master Roan and Saint Tyris, the latter battered and bruised but resolute.
Roan, uncharacteristically subdued, reveals grim news: “Our scouts have confirmed that the Devouring Cloud has produced a new Tyrant.” A holographic projection reveals the monster, a grotesque Fallen creature controlling the swarm, leading Winter to curse in frustration. Roan explains the dire situation, declaring, “It is our priority to eliminate the Tyrant.”
Falcon Scott faces imminent attack. The Ascended will form a team of Ascended, tasked with assassinating the monstrous puppeteer hidden within the Devouring Cloud.
