Chapter 586 Cold Steel
Sunny finds himself in a brutal duel against Master Pierce, a foe whose sheer power and skill far exceed anything he has faced from a human opponent. Despite channeling Weaver’s blood and shadow essence for superhuman speed and precision, Sunny is barely surviving Pierce’s relentless assault. He relies on his mind’s ability to process information and predict outcomes, a critical advantage against Pierce’s cold, predatory focus. The clang of their weapons echoes the ongoing fierce battles: Welthe against Mordret, and his Shadows against the eight Echoes, the latter marked by the constant, dreadful ringing of Saint’s shield absorbing their blows.
Sunny’s every deflection and evasion is a testament to his desperate fight for survival, pushing his limits to understand Pierce’s sophisticated battle style. Even landing a strike with the Cruel Sight through a gap in Pierce’s armor yields minimal results, barely drawing blood and prompting a chillingly dismissive grin from the knight. Pierce’s seeming invincibility, his unyielding defense, and his taunting “Is this all you can do? Not enough… not nearly enough, little rat,” only fuels Sunny’s grim determination.
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The master of Valor’s overwhelming strength batters Sunny, leaving him bruised and battered despite the protective Undying Chain. Yet, Sunny’s own skilled and ruthless nature allows him to land glancing blows, even as Pierce shrugs them off like minor annoyances. This desperate struggle highlights Sunny’s incredible resilience and cunning, forcing him to extract every ounce of his combat prowess and strategic thinking to endure the onslaught and perhaps find a sliver of opportunity.
Chapter 587 The Explosion
The devastating explosion of the Patient Avenger obliterates the hall, but Sunny dives into shadow, surviving the blast and its ensuing inferno with the aid of the Memory of Fire and the Undying Chain. The aftermath reveals utter devastation: the hall is a ruin, the bodies of the Lost are vaporized, and Saint is critically wounded, her left arm torn off, a grim testament to augmenting an Ascended Memory. Dismissing his third shadow, Sunny senses the Echoes are likely gone, Welthe is injured but alive, and Mordret is sprawled on the floor. Only Pierce remains, his armor scorched but his demeanor unchanged, his killing intent intensifying, a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
Sunny stealthily attacks Pierce’s heart with the Cruel Sight, but Pierce effortlessly deflects the strike. A swift, blinding blow from Pierce sends Sunny reeling, and their chaotic clash sends them both crashing to the ground. However, in the struggle, Sunny manages to implant the Heavenly Burden, a needle forged from black steel, into a crack in Pierce’s armor. This Memory, designed to levitate living beings, immediately lifts Pierce off his feet, disorienting him.
Pierce’s armored fingers struggle to remove the needle, and Sunny knows the Master likely possesses counter-measures. But Sunny seizes this moment of vulnerability. Deprived of his footing and thus his ability to maneuver, Pierce attempts to deflect Sunny’s Moonlight Shard with his sword, a futile effort that leaves him defenseless for Sunny’s true, unrevealed final assault.
Chapter 588 Trust Lssues
Mordret has claimed Welthe’s body, a chilling development Sunny confirms with a growing sense of unease. He grapples with the implications of the banished prince, already terrifyingly powerful, now inhabiting the form of a Master, noting Welthe’s formidable Aspect abilities. The struggle for dominance was evidently arduous, raising questions about Mordret’s true intentions and Sunny’s own safety. Mordret, now fully integrated, expresses curiosity about Sunny’s nature, prompting Sunny to inquire about his current status as an Ascended. “Are you an Ascended now?” Sunny asks, only to be met with a dismissive smile from Mordret.
With the immediate threat of Pierce momentarily neutralized by the Heavenly Burden, Sunny turns his attention to his precarious alliance with Mordret. He inquires about their escape from the devastated hall before Saint arrives, to which Mordret reveals he has a plan Sunny might not like. “I am not sure that you are going to like it very much, Sunless,” Mordret states, his tone deceptively casual, sparking Sunny’s suspicion of an impending betrayal. Sunny, never one to be outmaneuvered, attempts to de-escalate, suggesting they “go our separate ways. Maybe even work together… uh, for a bit. Let’s be friends?”.
Mordret, however, calls Sunny’s bluff, observing, “if you really want to be my friend… why do you still have your eyes closed?” He urges Sunny to look at him, creating a palpable tension as Sunny’s eyelids protest and he shrinks back, the implied threat hanging heavy in the air. The Master’s body now serves Mordret, but his true motives remain shrouded, leaving Sunny in a precarious position as the shattered remnants of their battleground await Saint’s arrival.
Chapter 589 Dark Mirror
Sunny’s trust in Cassie wavers as he considers the knowledge of his Flaw, but a more chilling realization dawns: Mordret’s enhanced understanding of his Aspect likely stems from the Mirror Beast, an entity intrinsically linked to the Prince of Nothing. This revelation fuels Sunny’s suspicion that Mordret’s current knowledge is incomplete, offering a potential opening he might exploit. He directly questions Mordret, asking, “So… now that you know that I have nothing to do with Asterion, whoever that might be, are you going to rethink your previous plans and leave me be?” Mordret’s dismissive, “…What do you think?” confirms Sunny’s fears, leading to a tense exchange where Mordret states, “A mirror can only reflect what is in front of it, Sunless. Is it my fault that the things in front of me are cruel, vile, and deceitful?”
As Mordret’s eyes ignite with a hypnotic scarlet light, Sunny feels his strength draining, a debilitating effect from the Master’s Aspect. He feigns weakness, asking one last question before launching a surprise attack. The Prince of Nothing, amused by the ruse, meets Sunny’s blade, only for his laughter to abruptly cease, hinting at Sunny’s calculated deception. Sunny, never one for fair fights, admits to himself, “when had Sunny ever fought fairly?”
He reveals his strategy: every step back was a deliberate maneuver to position them perfectly, and the angle of his Cruel Sight was meticulously controlled to hide crucial aspects of his abilities from Mordret. Sunny’s masterful manipulation has been underway from the moment Mordret assumed Welthe’s form, setting the stage for a battle far more intricate than it initially appears, leveraging Mordret’s limited knowledge to his advantage.
Chapter 590 The Host
Sunny’s gambit unfolds as Mordret, armed with incomplete knowledge gleaned from the Mirror Beast’s reflection, attempts to enslave him using his True Name. Sunny, having anticipated this, feigns compliance before unleashing his Cruel Sight, piercing Mordret’s body with a grievous wound. Mordret, despite the fatal damage, reacts with surprising resilience. Instead of succumbing to the bleeding, he surges forward, grabbing Sunny by the throat, a move that defies logic.
In a shocking twist, Mordret’s body miraculously heals, while Sunny is impaled by a blinding agony, his chest pierced as if by an unseen blade. He realizes Welthe’s third Aspect Ability might be at play, transferring her wounds onto him. Though severely injured, Sunny’s innate immunities to blood loss and broken bones offer a glimmer of hope as Mordret turns his attention to Cassie, who bravely defends herself with the Quiet Dancer, pushing back the Prince of Nothing from the crucial mirror trap.
With the mirror trap’s enchantment broken, Mordret sighs in exasperation, the fleeting victory slipping through his grasp. Sunny, though suffering immense pain and grappling with the nature of his newfound injury, vows to survive. He prepares to confront Mordret again, understanding that this desperate struggle is far from over, with the fate of the mirror trap and potentially much more hanging precariously in the balance.
Chapter 591 Sea Of Soul
Despite a seemingly fatal blow, Mordret’s impossible resilience is confirmed as his wounds miraculously seal, while Sunny is afflicted by an agonizing, unnatural injury, suspecting Welthe’s third Aspect Ability is transferring her damage to him. Cassie’s valiant defense with the Quiet Dancer breaks Mordret’s hold on the mirror trap, forcing the Prince of Nothing to retreat with a sigh of exasperation as his fleeting victory evaporates. Sunny, though in immense pain and disoriented, clings to survival, preparing to face Mordret once more, acutely aware of the precarious balance of their ongoing struggle and the fate of the mirror trap.
Sunny finds himself unexpectedly transported to the silent, dark expanse of his Soul Sea, a disorienting experience as he’s severed from the real world. The usual dual awareness is gone, leaving him wholly immersed in his inner realm. It is here, in this unnerving solitude, that he hears a familiar voice. Mordret stands before him, his true form revealed: tall, slender, with raven hair and striking silver eyes, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Morgan of Valor. Mordret, clad in a simple tunic and radiating immense pressure, expresses curiosity about Sunny’s “strange soul” and his unexpected invitation into his inner sanctum.
Mordret observes Sunny’s soul cores with fascination, commenting, “I have never seen anything like it. How kind it was of you to invite me inside, Sunless!” He questions Sunny’s presumed ally’s intentions, suggesting she believes Sunny can resist him. Sunny, somber, dismisses the oracle’s motives as unknowable. Mordret chuckles, agreeing on the folly of understanding an oracle, before Sunny, with a gloomy tone, questions Mordret’s desire to possess him rather than the already acquired Welthe, asking, “Why would you even want to possess my body, anyway? Didn’t you get Welthe already?”
Chapter 592 Soul Slayer
Transported into his Soul Sea, Sunny finds himself facing Mordret in his true form, a striking figure bearing a resemblance to Morgan. Mordret expresses his fascination with Sunny’s unique soul, commenting, “I have never seen anything like it. How kind it was of you to invite me inside, Sunless!” He probes Sunny’s trust in the oracle, while Sunny deflects, admitting, “The oracle’s motives are unknowable.” Sunny questions Mordret’s desire to possess him, asking, “Why would you even want to possess my body, anyway? Didn’t you get Welthe already?”
This internal confrontation escalates violently. Sunny, feeling a surge of strength within his own soul, attempts to fight back, even utilizing his shadows. However, Mordret reveals his own mastery over shadows, stating, “…You didn’t think that it would be that easy, did you?” He unleashes a brutal assault, overwhelming Sunny with sheer power and speed, mirroring Sunny’s abilities and anticipating his every move. Despite Sunny’s desperate attempts to escape and fight, Mordret’s attacks are relentless, tearing at Sunny’s very soul.
Mordret’s overwhelming power leaves Sunny battered and disoriented, questioning how to resist such force. Sunny’s attempts to employ his shadow abilities are met with immediate counterattacks, each blow inflicting agonizing pain that threatens to shatter his spirit. He realizes Mordret can mirror all his powers, making any strategy seem futile. Yet, even as he’s beaten down, Sunny refuses to yield, driven by an instinctual will to survive and fight.
Chapter 593 One Step Forward
Disoriented and battered, Sunny returns to the ravaged Night Temple, the lingering agony in his chest a stark reminder of his Soul Sea confrontation with Mordret. Though he survived the brutal psychic assault, a disquieting sense of forgetting gnaws at him. Cassie rushes to his side, her concern palpable, but Sunny’s attention is immediately drawn to Welthe’s still form. “Where did Mordret disappear to?” he wonders aloud, his eyes widening in realization as he points at Welthe and shouts, “Kill her!”
The Quiet Dancer obeys instantly, but Welthe, now imbued with Mordret’s consciousness, intercepts the attack with chilling ease, catching Cassie’s rapier by the blade. “No, Mordret wasn’t dead,” Sunny whispers, the implication dawning on him. Mordret, acknowledging defeat in their internal battle, has retreated to his previous vessel, Welthe, a chilling revelation that leaves Cassie aghast. The cracks appearing on her Echo’s blade signify Mordret’s potent grip on Welthe’s form.
Now, with Mordret’s failed attempt to possess Sunny, his objective shifts. The Ascended knight’s hollow eyes flicker with renewed, malevolent intelligence. Sunny understands the grim reality: Mordret intends to extract the Weaver’s Mask and then eliminate him. The battle is far from over; it has merely shifted to a new, more desperate stage.
Chapter 594 Two Steps Back
As Sunny and Cassie retreat into the shadows of the cathedral gallery, Mordret’s presence is undeniable, announced by a dozen hovering orbs of light. The fragmented mirror shards scattered below act as the Ascended knight’s eyes, their brilliance reflecting the dim stone, turning the nave into a constellation of perceived threats. Mordret senses their evasion, his query, “Where are they hiding? I wonder…” preceding a whirlwind of white sparks as he summons his own defenses. Sunny, prioritizing escape, pulls Cassie into another corridor, leaving the nave behind and entering the labyrinthine Citadel. Their immediate goal is the outward ring, the area they know best, a risky gambit as Mordret will anticipate this move.
Hours later, the oppressive atmosphere of fear and tension persists as Sunny and Cassie navigate the Citadel’s main structure, inching closer to the outward ring. Exhausted and injured, Sunny takes a moment to assess his wounds, the lingering damage from Mordret’s attack leaving him severely weakened. “Curses…” he mutters, the healing process proving agonizingly slow. After consuming a nutrient paste to replenish their strength, Cassie offers him something vital, a silent gesture of support as they prepare to press onward, their path toward the sealed gates of the Night Temple fraught with peril.
Chapter 595 The Saints Are Coming
The heavy gates of the Night Temple, once sealed, now stand ajar, signaling the unexpected return of Saint Cormac. Sunny feels a surge of hope for escape, yet his pragmatism warns of a new danger; the Saint, upon discovering the Citadel’s gruesome state, might view any survivor as either a threat or an accomplice to the banished prince. Thus, Sunny and Cassie retreat into the shadows, observing the unfolding chaos. A rush of wind and a distant impact suggest the Saint has already located Mordret, igniting a furious battle. “Hurry! To the gate!” Sunny urges, pulling Cassie toward their chance at freedom.
The open gates beckon, a gateway to the Sky Below, and after a month of terror within the cursed cathedral, the dark abyss feels like salvation. As they sprint across a swaying bridge and ascend treacherous stairs, the tremors of the ongoing clash between Saint Cormac and the Prince of Nothing reverberate through the crumbling structures. Sunny, driven by urgency, summons the Heavenly Burden, beckoning Cassie to climb on his back as he prepares to navigate the perilous ascent towards the surface before the monumental confrontation concludes.
With the Saint and Mordret locked in a furious, Citadel-shaking battle, Sunny and Cassie race against time. Their escape hinges on traversing the perilous terrain of the Northern island, crossing the celestial chain, and reaching safety before the epic duel between the Ascended knight and the Prince of Nothing reaches its inevitable, world-altering conclusion. The raw, exhilarating dash for survival intensifies with every step, leaving the reader to wonder if they can outrun the consequences of such a cataclysmic confrontation.
Chapter 596 And We Wwere Gone
As Sunny and Cassie make their desperate bid for freedom, the heavens themselves unleash their fury. Saint Tyris of the White Feather clan unexpectedly intervenes, placing herself between Cormac and the fleeing survivors, declaring, “This is my land. These Awakened are of my Citadel. Anything that happens here, and to them, is my business.” Cormac, fueled by his mission from Valor, dismisses her concern, threatening her with the wrath of the governing powers. Tyris, however, stands firm, her resolve hardening as she reveals her past complicity in Cormac’s schemes and her regret, warning him, “Do not test the limits of my hospitality!”
The standoff escalates, the air crackling with a palpable tension. Cormac, contemptuous of Tyris’s defiance, dismisses her warnings and prepares to forcibly remove her, declaring, “You will stand down, or I will put you down. Either way, the result will be the same.” Tyris, accepting their inevitable confrontation, urges Sunny and Cassie to flee, “Run! You won’t survive the fury of this battle!” As they escape, a cataclysmic clash erupts behind them, tearing the very fabric of the island.
Behind Sunny and Cassie, the island groans under the weight of two titanic entities. A magnificent avian form, wreathed in lightning, clashes with a terrifying, fire-breathing wyvern. The raw power unleashed by these Transcendent beings sends shockwaves rippling through the land, leaving Sunny and Cassie to navigate a landscape transformed by their battle, their survival now a desperate race against the fallout of this divine-level conflict.
Chapter 597 Welcome Aboard
Kai, the swift archer, pilots Sunny and Cassie through the dark abyss, a beacon of hope against the chaos. As they hurtle forward, Sunny learns Kai orchestrated Saint Tyris’s intervention, having sought help from the White Feather clan when Sunny and Cassie failed to return. Kai reveals their arduous journey, including a daring foray into the sealed Citadel, to reach them, their timely arrival a testament to their unwavering loyalty. Sunny marvels at Kai’s explanations, particularly questioning how they traversed the Chained Isles so quickly.
The answer arrives in the form of a resplendent, repaired wooden ship, a majestic vessel moving towards them through the Sky Below. It is the ancient ship of the Fire Keepers, restored to its former glory, its sails pristine white and a young tree flourishing on its deck. Despite visible repairs, the ship emanates an aura of power and resilience, a stark contrast to the wreck Sunny remembered. They land on its deck, and the weary Sunny, overwhelmed by the day’s events, promptly loses consciousness.
Upon waking, Sunny finds himself cared for by the Fire Keepers, specifically the healer Shim. Resting under the young tree on the moving ship, he assesses his condition, the physical wounds mending. He notes Cassie sleeping peacefully nearby as the ship descends deeper into the abyss. The chapter leaves Sunny on this restored vessel, a fragile peace achieved after a terrifying ordeal, with the mystery of their rapid journey and the fate of Tyris and Cormac lingering in the darkness.
Chapter 598 Broken Balance
Saint Tyris, unmoved by the severed wyvern head before her, concludes her meal, leaving Sunny and Cassie to grapple with the aftermath. Sunny, burdened by the hundred Lost and two Masters who perished, one by his own hand, and the escape of Prince Mordret, feels the weight of causing a Saint’s demise. Tyris questions them, and Sunny recounts the disastrous foray into the Night Temple: a mirror shard from Reckoning Island led to the escape of an imprisoned individual, the sealing of the temple by Masters, and subsequent slaughter of the Lost by the escapee who also possessed a Master’s body and a stolen knife. Their desperate struggle culminated in Saint Cormac’s arrival, though ultimately, only the three of them survived.
Tyris acknowledges the prince’s continued existence, puzzled by his escape and current whereabouts. Sunny, unsure if Mordret’s soul is trapped in a mirror shard amidst the falling temple debris, admits their ignorance. Tyris commends their survival, assuring them she will handle the fallout and advising them to disappear to the Seed of Nightmare. She explains that with the Hollow Mountains anchor destroyed, the Chained Isles will shift, causing a migration of Nightmare Creatures and potentially Corrupted abominations, thus occupying her hands for the foreseeable future and signaling a long separation.
As Tyris gazes into the abyss, the implications of the shifting landscape and the absence of the Hollow Mountains anchor loom large. The Chained Isles are in flux, heralding a mass migration of various monstrous threats, which will demand her full attention. Sunny, left with the chilling pronouncements of the Saint and the stark reality of their predicament, faces an uncertain future, the path ahead fraught with danger and the lingering mystery of Prince Mordret’s true fate.
Chapter 599 The Flying Ship
The flying ship navigates the oppressive nothingness of the Sky Below, a stark contrast to Sunny’s solitary fall into its depths. This time, he is not alone, but aboard a surprisingly spacious, albeit crudely outfitted, vessel with Cassie and a cohort of Fire Keepers. While the ship’s interior remains barebones, the functional galley and ample supplies offer a welcome respite after the horrors of the Night Temple. Sunny spends a week recuperating, his physical wounds healing, and his mind tirelessly dissecting the disastrous events involving Prince Mordret. He grapples with the manipulation, the loss of the Lost, and the unsettling new information about his own Aspect, the silent shadows in his Soul Sea, which stubbornly refuse to reveal their purpose despite his attempts to understand them.
Their descent is smooth, powered by both the ship’s sacred tree sapling and the tentative sorcery of the Fire Keepers. The gentle sway of the vessel offers a calming rhythm, a stark departure from the constant turbulence Sunny has endured. He acknowledges the vastness of the ship’s interior, noting the living quarters, mess decks, and war room, all awaiting restoration. The recent repairs have ensured structural integrity, but the luxury of its past is long gone. Still, with enough provisions for months and a secure cabin for himself, the ship represents a temporary sanctuary, allowing him to process the week’s events and prepare for the looming trials of the Second Nightmare.
Sunny’s thoughts remain occupied by Mordret’s cunning escape and the unresolved mystery of his fate, the memory of being so thoroughly deceived a bitter pill to swallow. The revelations regarding higher-ranked Awakened, the Anvil of Valor, and the intricate tensions between the great clans weigh heavily on him. He acknowledges the proof of his shadows’ purpose, yet their continued silence leaves him with more questions than answers, a lingering enigma in the face of the imminent dangers that await him in the depths below.
Chapter 600 The Departure
The passage into winter solstice brings a somber mood to the flying ship, a stark reminder of their recent harrowing escape. Despite the collective melancholy, Effie and Kai orchestrate a small celebration, sharing a surprisingly lavish dinner with Sunny and Cassie. They reminisce about the past year, their laughter a fragile defense against the uncertainty of their future. The next day, the crew bravely navigates the increasingly hot void, working the sails to propel their vessel towards the dreaded Tear. Sunny, guided by the lingering memory of the golden string of fate, skillfully maneuvers the ship towards a barely perceptible rift in the sea of divine flames, a perilous passage essential for their journey.
Their descent through the rift is a tense affair, the ship buffeted by intense heat. Sunny, alone at the helm, augments the ship’s defenses with his shadows and powerful artifacts, his focus absolute. The sacred tree rustles, ancient runes appearing on the hull as the heat momentarily recedes. Carefully guiding the vessel through the swirling vortex, they emerge back into the darkness, the skies above a terrifying inferno. They successfully reach the desolate Obsidian Island, a familiar, haunting landscape dominated by a towering black pagoda.
Upon disembarking, Effie expresses disbelief at Sunny’s solo survival, to which he simply replies, “Barely. And with a bit of luck.” The Fire Keepers prepare to establish a temporary base on the island, their mission to support the survivors and eventually return with supplies for the ship’s ongoing repairs. Sunny, Effie, Kai, and Cassie bid them a bittersweet farewell, the emotional parting underscoring the isolation of their upcoming trial. They enter the dark tower, the unsettling presence of the past palpable as they ascend, each level presenting new challenges, particularly for Cassie, whose heightened senses make the halls of runes a harrowing ordeal. Reaching the final level, they pool their strength to activate the Cruel Sight, entering a serene white gazebo, the portal behind them vanishing as they embrace the unknown.
