Chapter 241 Halfway
The dawn breaks after a grueling day, revealing the cohort battered but alive. The stone colossus, seemingly unaffected by its clash with the abyssal leviathan, continues its southward march. Sunny reflects on the giant’s almost lifeless nature, a stark contrast to his own Shadow and the sentient Echoes he knows. He observes the silent Stone Saint, wondering about her perception of the colossus. Exhausted and wounded, the group rests on the stone platform, the grim reality of the Forgotten Shore etched onto their faces, even Kai’s usual bravado diminished. Despite the near-fatal ordeal, they have survived and been transported over a thousand kilometers south, a journey that would have taken months by conventional means.
Sunny feels a surge of renewed strength, his body recovering from the trials. He checks his Shadow Fragments, astonished to find he possesses 494. “This is… this is… what?” he mutters, realizing that the preceding battles, even before the terrifying wall of darkness appeared, had yielded an incredible harvest of over a hundred fragments in a remarkably short time. This rapid accumulation hints at a potential power-up, a glimmer of hope amidst their devastating experiences.
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The cohort’s survival is a testament to their resilience, having endured not only the monstrous leviathan but also the storm and the onslaught of Nightmare Creatures. The colossus’s silent passage south offers a vital reprieve, a stark contrast to the chaos they have faced. Sunny’s focus shifts to the unexpected bounty of Shadow Fragments, a promising development that suggests his own power may soon reach unprecedented levels, even as the lingering effects of their harrowing encounter weigh heavily on them.
Chapter 242 New Toys
Sunny examines a new Memory, “Dark Wing,” a garment that promises durability akin to a dragonfly’s wing and offers the “Glide” enchantment, allowing for slight levitation and soft landings. He finds the description underwhelming, noting its low speed and limited height, deeming it less practical than his current abilities. “This is… this is… what?” he mutters, unimpressed by its combat potential and fearing its fragility. He considers feeding it to the Stone Saint but ultimately decides to keep it, recognizing its value for navigating the treacherous Forgotten Shore.
Upon closer inspection, Sunny discovers that Cassie, the Quiet Dancer, has also acquired the Dark Wing. He observes her delighted reaction as she levitates a few centimeters above the ground, giggling, and realizes the Memory, though weak for him, is a significant boon for the blind girl. The ability to float over uneven terrain offers her a safety and freedom she previously lacked, proving a truly priceless gift.
This acquisition, shared between Sunny and Cassie, highlights the uneven distribution of the spoils from their recent trials. While the Dark Wing’s levitation proves marginal for Sunny’s combat needs, its potential for Cassie underscores the nuanced nature of power and utility in their perilous journey. The group, still reeling from their ordeal, finds solace and a glimmer of progress in these unexpected acquisitions.
Chapter 243 Fangs Of A Dragon
As the ancient colossus bearing the cohort approaches the imposing, dragon-fang mountains that mark the border of the Forgotten Shore, the Labyrinth’s terrain begins to thin, as if reluctant to follow. The colossal statue falters, its immense strength yielding to an unseen force, halting their progress at the foothills. This is their destination, the place where the first lord vanished. With Caster, Effie, and Nephis already descending, Sunny steels himself. “If this doesn’t work, you’re going to catch me, right?” he asks Kai, who replies with a dazzling smile, “Why, of course. It would be my pleasure!”
Sunny summons the Dark Wing, its transparent wings blurring behind him as he steps into the void. Despite a primal surge of fear, the enchantment allows him to glide, losing altitude at a surprisingly smooth pace. His shadow, sent ahead by the Stone Saint, scouts the landing zone, confirming its safety. The sensation of controlled descent is unexpectedly exhilarating, a stark contrast to the oppressive immensity of the peaks that dwarf even their stone carrier.
The cohort must now navigate this treacherous, unmapped territory on foot, leaving the relative security of the colossus behind. The looming mountains, shrouded in mist and snow, represent both the culmination of their journey and a new, unknown danger. The shared reliance on newly acquired, albeit nuanced, abilities like the Dark Wing’s glide hints at the perilous challenges that lie ahead as they venture deeper into the heart of the Forgotten Shore.
Chapter 244 Death Zone
With the dark sea unable to reach them in their high mountain camp, the cohort finds a measure of respite. Sunny, on watch, observes the receding tide of darkness, finally able to believe they’ve escaped the immediate threat of the Forgotten Shore. He wears the Blood Blossom, a reminder to remain vigilant, as he suspects true safety is still a distant prospect. His thoughts are consumed by the unknown dangers that lie beyond this desolate landscape, a sentiment underscored by his inherent pessimism.
The next morning, as the cohort prepares for their search, Nephis halts their progress. Her gaze fixed on the mist-shrouded peaks, a dark expression settles upon her. After crushing a rock to dust, she reveals a chilling realization: “I know where we are.” This cryptic statement is met with confusion, with Effie questioning her, “We all know where we are, princess. The southern edge of the Forgotten Shore, about two thousand kilometers away from the Dark City. No?”
Nephis then clarifies, her voice grave, “I mean I know where we are in the Dream Realm.” The cohort is stunned by this revelation, the implications of their location within the Dream Realm hitting them with the force of a physical blow. Her pointing towards the draconian peaks solidifies her pronouncement, leaving the entire group grappling with this terrifying new understanding of their predicament.
Chapter 245 Theatre of Giants
The cohort ventures into the foothills, acutely aware of the dangers the beautiful but ominous mountains present. Sticking together, they navigate the starkly different landscape, a stark contrast to the familiar crimson coral of their previous encounters. The absence of any movement or sound is deeply unsettling for Sunny, who notes, “where are all the monsters?” This eerie silence amplifies their unease as they press onward, their sole objective to locate the vast pit described in Cassie’s vision, hoping to find the First Lord and his companions along the same path.
As they climb higher, the terrain shifts from gentle slopes to steep, rocky inclines. Sunny looks back, seeing the labyrinth far below and a strange sense of connection to humanity washes over him, a feeling he thought long lost. Though they remain stranded, the knowledge of their location relative to the rest of the Awakened brings a measure of solace. This fragile peace is shattered when they finally discover the pit, situated in a valley where foothills meet proper mountains, a discovery made more unnerving by the complete and utter lack of any living creature encountered throughout their arduous journey.
Chapter 246 lrrefutable Proof
Descending into the vast quarry, the cohort remains on high alert despite the unnerving absence of any Nightmare Creatures since leaving the foothills. Sunny, recalling his encounter with the Rolling Stone, calls forth the Stone Saint, concerned about ambushes from below. Effie notes deep fractures in the quarry floor, suggesting the giant stone demon burrowed from beneath. After a tense half-hour descent, they cautiously approach the immense, shattered remains of the creature.
Nephis, leading the way, confirms the demon is truly dead, its stone body pierced and melted, leaving the cohort to speculate on the power of its vanquisher. Sunny, still recovering from their previous ordeal and declining Nephis’s offer of healing, turns his attention to the creature’s severely damaged abdomen. Driven by his expertise in “greed and avarice,” Sunny reluctantly climbs atop the colossal corpse and ventures inside, seeking answers within the wreckage.
Chapter 247 The Mist
The cohort discovers a solitary cairn, a grave marking a Dreamer of the first expedition. The somber discovery, starkly reminding them of their shared humanity and isolation against the tide of Nightmares, deepens their resolve. Sunny deciphers the inscription, “Her nightmare is over,” a poignant epitaph that resonates with their own struggle. Kai muses on the significance of the find, questioning their next step. Nephis confirms this path aligns with the first cohort’s journey, suggesting an old mine entrance nearby. However, an unsettling feeling grips Sunny as he observes Cassie, who has remained unusually quiet.
Cassie, her face pale, reveals a chilling premonition: “The mist… we must get underground before the mist comes. If not, all of us will die!” This urgent warning, coupled with her palpable terror, signals a new, immediate threat. The white mist flowing down the mountainside now appears ominous, a harbinger of danger.
The cohort must now heed Cassie’s dire prophecy, urgently seeking shelter underground before the encroaching mist overwhelms them. Their quest for answers within the shattered behemoth is interrupted by this immediate peril, forcing a desperate shift in their priorities.
Chapter 248 Those Who Survived
Heeding Cassie’s desperate warning about the encroaching mist, the cohort plunges into a surprisingly well-preserved mine shaft, the darkness swallowing them whole. Sunny, ever the pragmatist, acknowledges the grim necessity of their quest: to find the remains of a previous, ill-fated expedition. As they descend, the chilling silence of the deep earth is broken only by the soft glow of summoned Memories, illuminating a path that leads further into the treacherous heart of the Hollow Mountains. This descent triggers a somber reflection in Sunny, comparing his own cohort to the legendary first expedition led by the “First Lord.”
Sunny ponders the capabilities of his companions, particularly Nephis, whom he believes rivals the First Lord’s prowess, at least in potential. He muses on the stark difference between the First Lord’s time and his own, recalling a past where humanity was more hopeful, before the Immortal Flame clan fell and before his own father, Broken Sword, achieved Saint rank. The weight of history presses upon him as he considers how individuals, rather than events, shape destiny. He questions the potential impact the First Lord might have had on humanity’s current plight had he survived his own doomed venture into these accursed mountains.
The contemplation sharpens Sunny’s awareness of their own precarious situation. He privately assesses the formidable strength of each member of his current cohort: Effie, the seasoned huntress whose lighthearted facade hides a deadly skill honed by years of survival in the Dark City, and Caster, a formidable Sleeper whose inherited Memories and sharp intellect make him a lethal force. As they press onward, the unspoken question hangs heavy in the air: “How many of us will survive?”
Chapter 249 Curse of Darkness
As the cohort delves deeper into the mine, Sunny discovers a series of ancient engravings depicting the catastrophic origin of the curse plaguing the Hollow Mountains. He witnesses the transformation of a once-beautiful land, the Forgotten Shore, into a desolate hell after a star falls, leaving behind a radiant, three-eyed figure at the crater’s center. This celestial being, eerily reminiscent of a terrifying entity Sunny has encountered, is initially revered by the land’s inhabitants before being fatally pierced by a spear. What flows from its wound is not blood, but an endless surge of pure darkness that ultimately consumes the world.
The engravings reveal how this encroaching darkness extinguished the stars, plunging the world into an eternal night. Driven by the cold and the horrors that emerge from the abyss, humanity’s most valiant fight to defend their cities. However, their desperate struggle takes a grim turn when humans themselves begin to mutate into abominable horrors. Sunny grasps the terrifying reality: “The curse of all-consuming darkness.” The chapter ends with this chilling revelation, leaving the cohort to ponder the true nature of this ancient evil and their chances of survival against it.
Chapter 250 Defiant Oath
The engravings in the mine offer Sunny a more complete picture of the world’s destruction. He confirms his suspicions that a celestial being, a radiant, three-eyed entity, fell from the sky, its arrival marking the beginning of the land’s descent into darkness. While initially revered, the ancient inhabitants pierced this being with a spear, unleashing a torrent of pure darkness that consumed the world. This revelation clarifies the origins of the curse and the subsequent eternal night.
Sunny learns that humanity did not succumb immediately, but rather fought for generations against the encroaching horrors. The founders of the Starlight Legion, born into this darkness, pushed back the monsters and built an impregnable fortress—the future Dark City. Their most incredible feat was constructing the Spire, which, against all odds, they used to create an artificial star. “Yes, the sun shining above the Forgotten Shore was not real. It was, in fact, a human creation,” Sunny realizes, marveling at their “defiant oath” to restore light.
Despite this apparent victory and the engravings depicting a celebration of renewed light, Sunny notes the stark contrast between that hopeful ending and the current state of the Forgotten Shore. The obliteration of the ancient civilization, the corruption of the Spire, and the emergence of the Crimson Labyrinth remain unexplained mysteries. Sunny contemplates these unanswered questions, recognizing that the full truth of this cursed land is yet to be uncovered.
Chapter 251 Boundary of the Underworld
Descending into the abyss of the mine, Sunny, cloaked by the Prowling Thorn, initiates the perilous descent, his Dark Wing a desperate backup. The cohort follows, Nephis, Effie, and Caster rappelling down a golden rope, while Kai provides aerial support with Cassie, whose Quiet Dancer aids her blind navigation. As Sunny glides ahead, securing himself against the well’s walls, the group reaches the bottom, the oppressive silence an unsettling calm. Upon landing, Sunny’s foot crunches on bone, revealing the colossal, serpentine remains of a Nightmare Creature, a bone worm, its immensity suggesting it once filled the entire mine shaft.
The arrival of the others, illuminated by lantern Memories, confirms the creature’s demise. Nephis, ever pragmatic, immediately checks on Sunny, asking, “Sunny?” He reassures her, “It’s dead. Nothing is moving out here.” The sheer scale of the slain beast prompts a collective awe and gratitude for the forgotten expedition’s strength. Having cleared this formidable guardian, a new, unsettling question arises in Sunny’s mind: if this ancient party could conquer such monstrous threats, what other impossible feats did they achieve, and what further horrors await them in the depths?
Chapter 252 Unseen
With the colossal remains of the bone worm a testament to the previous expedition’s might, the cohort faces their next daunting trial. Cassie’s fragmented visions reveal a chilling imperative: cross the dark river with eyes sealed, for no living thing that beholds what lies beyond can remain whole. This cryptic warning instills a palpable dread, even in Cassie, who has witnessed countless horrors. It falls to Sunny, his Shadow Sense a substitute for sight, to guide them.
Nephis, ever the pragmatic leader, prepares the group, melting wax to seal each member’s eyes shut, a ritual both unsettling and intimate. Sunny, now rendered blind and reliant on his spatial perception, reflects on Cassie’s constant darkness, a stark comparison to his own temporary state. He recalls his past successes navigating by Shadow Sense, a skill honed against formidable foes, and steers the group towards a waiting boat.
As they push off into the chilling mist, a palpable sense of transition washes over them. The air grows heavy with an ancient, terrifying aura, as if they are shedding one reality for another. The silence is broken only by the gentle lapping of water and the creak of Sunny’s oar, a precarious calm before the true unknown. “This is not too bad,” Sunny muses, a flicker of defiance against the encroaching dread.
Chapter 253 without a Master
The cohort’s shrouded journey continues, their progress now stalled by an inexplicable apparition. Sunny, relying on his Shadow Sense, detects a human shadow, strangely inert and seemingly detached. The uncanny stillness and an overwhelming sense of wrongness, a profound mournfulness and emptiness, emanate from it. Sunny realizes this shadow isn’t cast by any living person; its master has been utterly erased, leaving the shadow adrift and purposeless in the mist.
Hesitantly, Sunny approaches the disembodied shadow. It reacts to his presence, tentatively drawing near, a flicker of hope quickly extinguished by the realization that he is not its lost master. The profound sorrow radiating from the shadow touches Sunny, a shared loneliness that compels him. “Here… take my hand. You don’t have to be alone anymore,” he silently offers, extending his own shadow’s hand.
The shadow trembles at Sunny’s empathetic gesture. After a moment of uncertainty, it raises its own hand and tentatively clasps Sunny’s shadow’s, a silent communion of the lost and the lonely. This fragile connection offers a beacon of hope in the oppressive darkness, hinting at a new path forward, or perhaps a deeper descent into the mysteries of this spectral realm.
Chapter 254 The First Lord
The cohort, guided by Sunny’s Shadow Sense, continues their perilous journey, their path now marked by an ethereal river crossed not by the familiar spectral boat, but by a solid, stone bridge. This new landmark offers a stark contrast to the maddening, unseen maze they have just navigated, a place that tested Sunny’s sanity and nearly broke his resolve after months of leading the group. The oppressive silence of the mist finally lifts as they step onto the bridge, a collective sigh of relief rippling through the cohort as the suffocating fog dissipates, leaving them in a vast, echoing cave.
Emerging from the suffocating darkness, Sunny, voice hoarse, asks, “Are we through?” Cassie, in response, tentatively offers, “I… I think so?” Upon removing his blindfold, Sunny finds them on a stone shore within a colossal cave, the underground river flowing before them, leading to a wide tunnel. While the others express relief, Sunny’s attention is immediately captured by Nephis, whose calm grey eyes are fixed on something beyond him, hinting at a new, perhaps even more formidable, revelation awaiting them.
Chapter 255 Dawn Shard
The cohort stands in the cavern’s silence, a solemn tribute offered to the fallen First Lord. Kai, the archer, voices their collective gratitude and a promise to continue his legacy, but the question of how to honor his remains hangs heavy. Sunny, weary and pragmatic, instructs them to leave the First Lord untouched, a poignant reminder that the absence of his shadow means he cannot reunite with his lost companions. Sunny’s focus, however, shifts to the extraordinary Memory Nephis now possesses—a “Shard Memory” unlike any he’s encountered, existing beyond the confines of a soul, and he questions its purpose.
Sunny probes Nephis about the artifact, guessing its name: “Dawn Shard? Dusk Shard?” Nephis, ever enigmatic, retorts, “Weren’t you the one who made it clear that you don’t want to be a true member of this cohort? … Why should I share my secrets with you?” Sunny acknowledges her point, but his curiosity remains, pressing her on how this new power will aid them against Gunlaug. Nephis offers a cryptic invitation: “You can change your mind, you know. If you do, I’ll naturally tell you everything.”
With Nephis’s subtle challenge hanging in the air, she reveals the artifact, a headband with a gleaming gemstone, which then weaves itself onto her forehead. As it activates, Sunny experiences a profound shift in his perception of the world around them, hinting at the immense, uncharted potential of this newfound power and the even greater challenges that lie ahead.
