Chapter 1 Nightmare Begins
Sunny, a young man accustomed to hardship, treats himself to a costly cup of real coffee, lamenting its bitterness and realizing his life is nearing its end. He finds himself out of place amidst the affluent rushing to work, his haggard appearance a stark contrast to their well-fed vibrancy. Despite his initial clumsiness, he diligently retrieves his tossed coffee cup before entering the police station. There, a weary officer initially dismisses him, but Sunny’s declaration, “I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell,” immediately shifts the officer’s demeanor to wary concern, triggering a “CODE BLACK.”
The Nightmare Spell’s arrival decades prior plunged the world into chaos, transforming victims into monsters after they succumbed to an unnaturally deep sleep. It was the Awakened, individuals empowered by surviving their “Nightmares” through the Spell, who ultimately quelled its initial rampage, establishing a new order. For most, being chosen by the Spell is a perilous opportunity, with survival and the acquisition of supernatural abilities dependent on wealth and access to training. However, for Sunny, an impoverished orphan with no familial support or education, this “opportunity” is a death sentence, as he recently began experiencing severe fatigue, a symptom of his infection.
Unlock Global Stories with Noyaku!
Tired of waiting? Instantly translate web novels, manhwa, and manhua from their original sources! Noyaku provides Smart AI and Basic translation engines, plus a custom Glossary for consistent terms.
Minutes later, Sunny finds himself restrained in a specialized chair within a heavily secured basement room, under the watchful eyes of armed officers. The arrival of a grizzled, gray-haired policeman marks the beginning of his interrogation. When asked his name, Sunny replies, “Sunless,” prompting a raised eyebrow from the veteran officer, who remarks, “Sunless? That’s a strange name.”
Chapter 2 Slave Caravan
Restrained and facing a grim interrogation, Sunny, now identifying as “Sunless,” finds himself thrust into a vision after the police initiate a “CODE BLACK” due to his confession of carrying the Nightmare Spell. His dreamscape warps, showing time flowing backward over a desolate mountain. He witnesses the land rewind through centuries, revealing an ancient road and the chilling remnants of human bones. As time rights itself, the scene coalesces into a slave caravan, moving in reverse, a stark and bewildering spectacle that signifies the beginning of his own ordeal within the Nightmare Spell’s twisted reality.
The dream shatters, and Sunny is jolted into a horrifying new existence. He stands, shackled and freezing, on a mountain road, part of a chain gang of hollow-eyed slaves. His bleeding feet and torn tunic speak of immediate hardship. A burly man in front and a desperate-eyed overseer behind him offer grim company, while armed riders in ancient armor patrol menacingly. This is far from the privileged beginnings often associated with the Awakened. “Slave is a useless wretch with no skills or abilities worth a mention. A temple slave is just the same, except much rarer,” reads the description of his Aspect, confirming his dire circumstances.
Disbelief and anger surge through Sunless as he grapples with his shockingly abysmal Aspect. The runes confirming his “Temple Slave” status only deepen his despair. A misstep, a stumble of his shackled feet, draws immediate ire: “Whore’s bastard! Watch where you’re going!” from the overseer, followed by a chillingly resigned observation from the man ahead, “The weakling will be dead by sunrise anyway. The mountain will kill him.” This brutal reality of his predicament weighs heavily as the caravan pushes forward into the unknown.
Chapter 3 The Strings Of Fate
Shackled and suffering, Sunny, now internally embracing his dire “Sunless” persona, finds a strange solace in the crisp mountain air, a stark contrast to the polluted atmosphere of his former life. Despite the agonizing cold, aching feet, and raw wrists, he maintains an oddly positive outlook. The slave caravan trudges onward, a grim procession where the weak are unceremoniously cast into the abyss below. Sunny acknowledges their fate with a fleeting compassion, finding his own surprisingly good spirits stem from a grim acceptance of his imminent demise, a fate he’d already prepared for after visiting his parents’ makeshift grave.
He then delves into his newly revealed Attributes, discovering the core of his misfortune lies in the [Fated] Attribute, which amplifies unlikely events around him, explaining his possession of the incredibly rare and seemingly useless “Temple Slave” Aspect. This Aspect also grants him a [Mark of Divinity], currently useless without sacred sites, and the enigmatic [Child of Shadows], which proves its worth when darkness falls, allowing him perfect night vision. The caravan halts for the night, soldiers creating a defensive camp and herding the slaves together for warmth, while one young soldier gazes towards the mountain with an unnerving expression.
Chapter 4 Mountain King
As the slave caravan camps for the night, the fragile order shatters when the sky unleashes a barrage of ice and rock. Sunny, his [Child of Shadows] Attribute granting him an advantage, narrowly evades a massive, ice-shard-exploding projectile. The veteran soldier attempts to rally the terrified slaves towards the mountain’s meager protection, but their efforts are cut short by a colossal creature crashing down. This horrific, four-meter-tall entity, covered in ragged fur and possessing multiple milky eyes and bone-claws, attacks indiscriminately. Sunny, demonstrating his agility, uses a fellow slave as a shield, narrowly escaping a fatal blow.
Despite surviving the initial onslaught, Sunny finds himself pinned beneath the corpse of the slave he used for cover, only to discover the chilling truth that something is wriggling beneath the dead man’s skin. As the corpse begins a grotesque metamorphosis, its body twisting and sprouting bone growths, Sunny recognizes this as a violation of the established hierarchy of Nightmare Creatures. His Attribute-enhanced senses pick up the unnatural nature of this event, realizing that this monstrous presence is far beyond the typical denizens of a First Nightmare.
The scene escalates into pure chaos as the monstrous “Mountain King” tears through the caravan. Sunny’s quick thinking and the [Child of Shadows] attribute keep him alive, but the horrifying transformation of his former fellow slave suggests a far more sinister underlying reality at play within this desolate mountain landscape. The chapter leaves Sunny grappling with the unnatural progression of events and the terrifying implications of this unknown power.
Chapter 5 Broken Chains
The grueling fight against the Mountain King’s Larva leaves Sunny utterly spent but exhilarated by his victory, even without a Memory drop. He finds himself still chained to the corpse, while Shifty and Scholar frantically work to free them. Outside their immediate struggle, the caravan is a ruin, with many slaves dead and others foolishly fleeing into the deeper nightmare. Worse, more of the grotesque larvae begin to rise from the corpses of the slain, their unnatural emergence a disturbing echo of the first’s metamorphosis. As one lunges, Sunny, armed only with a chain wrapped around his knuckles, prepares to fight.
Suddenly, a handsome young soldier, the one who had offered Sunny water, intervenes with astonishing skill, beheading the creature with a single, clean strike. The soldier, seemingly unaffected by the carnage, offers Sunny a crucial item – a key – with a simple, “Save yourself!” before charging the remaining larvae. Sunny, understanding the significance of the key, quickly frees himself from his shackles, a sense of grim determination hardening his resolve as the fierce battle rages on.
With newfound freedom, Sunny’s focus shifts from mere survival to a deeper understanding of the unfolding horror. The young soldier’s bravery and the key’s liberation hint at a larger struggle, suggesting that escape may be possible, but only by confronting the true nature of this fractured nightmare and the monstrous power orchestrating the chaos.
Chapter 6 Confronting The Tyrant
Sunny faces an insurmountable challenge: a Category Five Nightmare Creature, the Mountain King. Against all odds, and with little more than grim determination, he plans to defeat this seemingly invincible tyrant, whose brutal strength is demonstrated as it effortlessly tears a slave in half and crushes a soldier’s skull. Shifty, horrified, questions Sunny’s unnerving calmness, but Sunny remains focused, his mind racing to find a solution.
A glimmer of hope appears as the handsome soldier who aided Sunny earlier distracts the Mountain King with a fiery projectile, shouting, “Face me, devil!” This diversion is exactly what Sunny needs. He rallies Shifty and Scholar, urging them to follow him toward a heavy wagon teetering precariously on the cliff’s edge.
Sunny instructs his companions, “When I tell you, remove both of them. Then push. Understand?” Their confusion is evident, but their focus remains on the ongoing, desperate battle, where the valiant soldier fights against the tide of death. With the other soldiers fallen, Sunny’s plan hinges on the hero’s survival and the effectiveness of his desperate gambit involving gravity and the precarious wagon.
Chapter 7 Three Slaves And A Hero
Sunny pushes the heavy wagon, aided by three exhausted slaves, inching it toward the cliff’s edge as the Mountain King struggles to manipulate the chain around its neck. The monster’s immense size becomes a hindrance as it fumbles with the primitive restraint. With a final surge, the wagon’s rear wheels slip, leaving it precariously balanced. Sunny, the sole one standing, shoves the wagon with all his might. It plunges over the cliff, dragging the Mountain King with it, a victory that leaves Sunny breathless and in pain.
The brutal encounter concludes, but Sunny’s ordeal is far from over. Waves of pain from his injuries surge as he collapses, awaiting a promised reward that never comes. Instead, Hero, the handsome soldier, appears, his armor scuffed but his demeanor calm. “Stand up,” he commands, offering a hand. “You’ll freeze to death.”
Sunny, ignoring the offered aid, rises to his feet amidst the carnage. The caravan is decimated, save for the slaves and Hero. Shifty and Scholar watch their savior with wary eyes, the stark power dynamic between slave and master evident. Hero addresses them, “Come closer to the fire, all of you. We need to warm ourselves and discuss what to do next.”
Chapter 8 Nothing At All
The chilling revelation that the Mountain King is not dead shatters the fragile victory. Sunny, using his sharp observation skills, points out the creature’s impossible survival from its fall, a detail missed by the others. This sparks renewed fear and a desperate need to escape, with Hero swiftly planning their next move. They must ascend the mountain pass before dawn, leaving no time for rest. The immediate priority is survival: gathering supplies from the fallen caravan. Hero, ever the decisive leader, tasks each survivor, including Sunny, with crucial scavenging duties, emphasizing the urgency of their situation.
Hero carves meat from oxen carcasses, Scholar searches for firewood, and Shifty seeks warm clothing, all while eyeing the darkness with unease. Sunny, weighed down by flagons, searches for water amidst the carnage. He stumbles upon a dying veteran, the same one who previously punished him. The old soldier, riddled with wounds, weakly reaches for something. Sunny, finding a shattered sword nearby, picks it up, questioning the veteran’s desire to hold a weapon in his final moments.
The dying soldier’s gaze remains fixed on Sunny, an unsettling intensity in his eyes that Sunny cannot decipher. The veteran’s unspoken request and the ambiguity of his emotions leave Sunny bewildered, adding another layer of mystery to the unfolding crisis as they prepare to face the unknown dangers ahead, with the specter of the uncannily resilient Mountain King looming.
Chapter 9 Wishful Thinking
The survivors face a devastating setback as their escape route, the road to the mountain pass, is revealed to be obliterated by a massive rockfall. Trapped and desperate, Shifty immediately targets Sunny, accusing him of being weak and cursed. “The boy is too weak. He is slowing us down!” Shifty complains to Hero, even suggesting Sunny is cursed by the Shadow God, a notion Sunny internally refutes as a misinterpretation of his arrival. Scholar, while seemingly indecisive, offers a glimmer of hope by recalling an ancient pilgrim’s path that might lead them to an intact section of the road above.
The daunting prospect of climbing a steep, treacherous slope looms, with Shifty voicing his disbelief, “Climb that? Are you insane?” Hero, however, remains resolute, declaring, “We’re not going to leave anyone behind.” Scholar suggests the overgrown remnants of the original path, a difficult but potentially viable alternative. The group, including Sunny, must now confront this perilous climb, a desperate gamble against the encroaching darkness and the ever-present threat of the Mountain King.
Chapter 10 First Man Down
The arduous ascent of the treacherous mountain slope pushes the survivors to their breaking point. Sunny, despite being branded the weakest, endures surprisingly well, while Shifty collapses from exhaustion and feverish illness. Hero, showing concern, urges Shifty to conserve water, but the slave ignores him, draining his flagon. Scholar also struggles, his older body battered by the climb. Hero’s pragmatism surfaces when he cautions Scholar about melting snow for water, hinting at the need for stealth to avoid attracting unwanted attention. They find refuge in a hidden alcove, a welcome respite for a silent meal before sleep claims Shifty and Scholar.
Hero takes the first watch, his vigilance a stark contrast to Sunny’s immediate descent into a dream-filled slumber. Gently woken by Hero, Sunny is tasked with tending the fire, a crucial duty while their companions recover. Alone in the oppressive darkness, with only the faint light of a sliver moon, Sunny gazes down the mountain. He sees the distant road and the gruesome scene of the tyrant feasting on fallen slaves. A chilling discovery is made when Sunny, accidentally dislodging rocks, realizes the monstrous Mountain King is blind, its attention drawn by the noise but ultimately unable to locate him.
This revelation brings a sliver of hope in the suffocating darkness. As Sunny watches the titan, “It’s blind,” he realizes. The monster continues its gruesome meal, unaware of the living observers above. The precarious climb continues, with the group’s survival now hinging on their ability to navigate the hostile terrain and evade the unseen threats that lurk in the shadows. The true extent of the Mountain King’s vulnerability remains to be seen, but the knowledge of its blindness offers a fragile advantage.
Chapter 11 Crossroads
The grim discovery of Shifty’s broken body casts a pall over the remaining survivors, a stark reminder of their perilous journey. Scholar, feigning sorrow, acknowledges the pragmatism of taking Shifty’s supplies, a sentiment Sunny inwardly dismisses, wary of the older slave’s feigned kindness. Hero, ever stoic, urges them onward, his suppressed emotions evident. Sunny grapples with unexpected guilt over Shifty’s fate, a feeling he can’t rationalize, before turning to follow Hero and Scholar, leaving the deceased behind.
The ascent intensifies, the thinning air and biting wind sapping their strength and bringing on dizziness and nausea. Each step becomes a desperate gamble against the unforgiving mountain, a place seemingly hostile to human life. Just as despair begins to set in, they stumble upon the promised hidden path, a narrow, weathered track cut into the black rock. Scholar, utterly spent but triumphant, collapses in relief, only for Hero to insist they press on.
Sunny, however, interrupts Hero’s command, pointing out the unnerving absence of Shifty’s body. This unsettling revelation, coupled with the earlier discovery of the Mountain King’s blindness, hints at a deeper mystery unfolding on this brutal climb, leaving the reader to question what other horrors and revelations await them on the path ahead.
Chapter 12 The Smell Of Blood
The chilling silence left by Shifty’s absence is shattered by a confrontation between Hero and Scholar. Hero, his hand resting on his sword, demands to know Scholar’s reasoning for deeming Sunny a sacrifice. Scholar, ever calculating, cites Sunny’s “smell of blood” from past events, a justification that appalls Sunny internally. Scholar’s seemingly irrefutable logic, however, masks a deeper intent, and Hero’s darkening expression reveals a growing suspicion.
Just as Scholar believes he has Mastered the situation, Hero’s demeanor shifts entirely. Unsheathing his sword, Hero reveals he knows Scholar’s true identity and the extent of his crimes. “It’s that I know who you are, Your Grace,” Hero states, his killing intent palpable. He declares Scholar the true sacrifice, not Sunny, before swiftly incapacitating Scholar with brutal precision, shattering both his legs.
Hero then drags the broken Scholar away, leaving Sunny alone and trembling at the sheer ruthlessness of the act. The sounds of Scholar’s agonizing screams echo on the wind, a stark testament to Hero’s terrifying efficiency. Hero returns moments later, his composure disturbingly intact, leaving Sunny deeply unsettled by the profound shift in his protector.
Chapter 13 Moment Of Truth
Hero, his composure shattered, confesses to Sunny his intent to kill him to prevent him from attracting the “beast.” Sunny, disbelieving Hero’s rationale, challenges him, demanding honesty and questioning why he must die. Hero maintains his duty compels him, claiming Sunny’s “scent of blood” will draw a monstrous threat, and that his own death is a more merciful fate than the creature’s maw. Sunny retorts, revealing his newfound will to survive, not for remembrance, but “to spite you all.”
The conflict escalates, with Hero confident he can kill Sunny. However, his arrogance is met with a violent backlash of blood and pain, leaving him on his knees. Sunny’s calm confession of poisoning Hero and the others by lacing the water supply with “Bloodbane” juice reveals the true extent of his desperation and cunning. Hero, stunned, realizes this is why Shifty and Scholar were so incapacitated.
Hero, now understanding Sunny’s actions, faces the grim reality of his poisoned state. Sunny, his own survival assured, explains his motives and the slow-acting nature of the poison. The revelation leaves Hero in a precarious position, his earlier ruthlessness overshadowed by Sunny’s surprising and effective counter-attack, setting the stage for the next brutal exchange.
Chapter 14 Child Of Shadows
Sunny, his Bloodbane a near-failure against Hero’s unnatural senses, resorts to a desperate gamble: the silver bell, its chime capable of reaching miles. He needs to draw the “beast,” the terrifying Mountain King, to gain an advantage. Hero, bewildered by Sunny’s silence and apparent defiance, grows enraged, demanding answers. Just as Hero begins to realize Sunny’s gambit, the colossal, bone-clawed figure of the Mountain King appears, a shadow descending upon the oblivious Hero. With a crushing grip, the creature tears into Hero, whose desperate, futile struggle is silenced by a “hungry roar.” Sunny, witnessing the brutal end, flees, the chilling cry of his former tormentor echoing behind him.
Staggering, wounded, and freezing, Sunny pushes himself to the peak of a desolate mountain. He seeks a ruined temple, a place of dark magnificence now fractured and broken. Despite his agonizing injuries, the cold seeping into his very bones, Sunny presses on, his thoughts a jumble of pain and bitter triumph. He reaches the temple, murmuring, “Found you.”
He reflects on Hero’s ruthlessness, contrasting it with his own survival, a grim victory born of enduring cruelty. “I’ve made it,” he thinks, his broken ribs grinding with each breath. “You were strong and ruthless, and I was weak and timid. Yet now you are a corpse, and I am still alive.” He acknowledges Hero’s final blow, a testament to the lingering violence, but asserts his own understanding of true viciousness, forged in a world where cruelty is an art.
Chapter 15 Shadow Slave
Staggering from the brutal confrontation, Sunny finds refuge in a ruined temple atop a desolate peak. The chilling memory of Hero’s demise fuels his grim triumph; he acknowledges the lingering pain from Hero’s final blow but asserts his own hard-won understanding of true viciousness, forged in a world that prizes cruelty as an art. He whispers, “Found you,” as he collapses within the ancient structure, the cold seeping into his very bones, a stark testament to his agonizing survival.
Within the temple, Sunny enters a surreal, star-dusted void, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Nightmare Spell. He receives a potent Memory: “Puppeteer’s Shroud,” a treasure belonging to the Mountain King and of Awakened rank, a stroke of incredible luck that will prove invaluable in the Dream Realm. The Spell’s appraisal begins, acknowledging his descent upon the Black Mountain, the fall of both heroes and monsters, and specifically lists his victories against the Mountain King’s Larva, three nameless humans, Auro of the Nine, and finally, the awakened tyrant, the Mountain King.
The Spell declares his trial over, his treachery boundless, and bestows upon him the impossible: the Shadow God’s blessing and a True Name, “Lost from Light.” Sunny is awestruck, an elite now, having achieved what even Saints cannot boast. His Aspect is ready to evolve, a momentous occasion as the rewards continue to pour in, hinting at a future of immense potential and power.
