Chapter 676 Glass Knife
The dust settles, revealing a silent, devastated hall where enemies once raged. Sunny, Kai, and Effie stand amidst the wreckage, bewildered. Sunny, ever cautious, questions Effie about any lingering threats, but she confirms the absence of slumbering Saints, unimaginable horrors, or ancient curses. This abrupt cessation of hostilities leaves Sunny perplexed, asking, “So, what… we really won? Just like that?” Effie retorts, exasperated, “What the hell do you mean by just like that?! We just wiped out half a hundred vicious Awakened battle zealots, and you yourself killed three Ascended champions!”
Sunny concedes the battle was hard, though surprisingly less costly than anticipated, with only half a horn lost. He acknowledges his victory stemmed from his months in the Red Colosseum, his trials yielding his third Shadow, and a significant dose of luck. The destruction of the supposedly indestructible chalice, achieved through his understanding of true sorcery and the release of its divine flames, was the lynchpin. Effie, her gaze lingering on a fallen War Maiden, urges their departure, warning of lingering divine flames.
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Kai, who has remained uncharacteristically silent, scans the hall with a gaze that seems to pierce beyond the physical realm. His eyes darken, and he murmurs in a low, hoarse voice, his focus shifting from the immediate aftermath to a more profound, perhaps foreboding, realization. The abrupt end to the battle leaves a lingering unease, hinting that this victory might merely be a prelude to greater, unseen challenges.
Chapter 677 Current Of Fate
As dawn breaks in hues of lilac, the battle’s aftermath finds Sunny and Kai near the Temple of the Chalice, the former contemplating salvaged weapons, the latter shrouded in the lingering heat that charred his mask. Effie, though battered and exhausted, engages in a solemn ritual, burying the defeated War Maidens’ enchanted weapons into the rocky soil. Sunny watches her somber determination, wondering if this act of remembrance might have prevented the wraiths he remembers, a curious dissonance with his knowledge of the future, sparking a deep contemplation about the true nature of Nightmares and the Dream Realm.
This uncanny similarity between the past and his foreknowledge—the Temple’s exact destruction—throws Sunny into a spiral of questioning. He grapples with the terrifying possibility that he is not merely reliving the past, but perhaps instrumental in its unfolding, a terrifying echo of his declared war against fate. Could the Seed of Nightmare be a conduit to the actual past, or is this merely his foresight influencing his actions, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy? The sheer scale of the coincidence gnaws at him, hinting at a predetermined conclusion to events, regardless of individual actions.
Driven by a newfound, chilling understanding of fate’s unyielding grip, Sunny joins Effie in her burial ritual, picking up a discarded blade and thrusting it into the earth. “Helping,” he offers, seeing her exhaustion. “You must be hungry, are you not? The sooner we are done with this, the sooner you can eat. Everyone wins, no?” Effie, after a moment’s hesitation, accepts his aid, and soon Kai joins their somber task, a silent testament to their shared ordeal and the unsettling questions that now bind them.
Chapter 678 Wind Of Change
The trio enters the sorcerer Noctis’s residence, finding its once luxurious interior replaced by barren stone and shattered Sailor Dolls. A complex rune circle dominates the main chamber, pulsing with soul essence as Noctis meditates within. He greets Sunny with his usual disarming ease, but his obliviousness to the changed décor and his broken dolls reveals a disconnect from his surroundings. Effie, perched on Sunny’s shoulders, sparks Noctis’s curiosity, leading to a bizarre exchange where Sunny asserts their reality and Effie insists she’s “almost” twelve, prompting Noctis to dismiss their existence as fabricated lies.
Noctis, misunderstanding their presence entirely, inquires about their supposed success in infiltrating the Temple of the Chalice and retrieving the Glass Knife. Sunny falters, admitting they did retrieve Effie and the knife, but “not exactly” as Noctis imagines. This revelation sets the stage for a deeper, perhaps more dangerous, truth about their presence and the nature of their mission, hinting at a complex web of deception and the true purpose of their journey.
The sorcerer’s flawed perception and Sunny’s veiled confession create a tense atmosphere, underscoring the immense disconnect between their perceived reality and the true, possibly altered, events. Sunny’s earnest yet unbelievable explanation of their origins as time-travelers sent by the Nightmare Spell, meant to test them, is met with dismissive disbelief by Noctis. This peculiar interaction leaves the reader questioning the sorcerer’s sanity and the extent of the Spell’s influence, deepening the mystery surrounding Sunny’s journey.
Chapter 679 Messenger From The North
Noctis, visibly shaken, leads Sunny, Effie, and Kai out to meet an unexpected visitor. Beyond the ancient menhirs and into a grassy field, they find a strikingly beautiful young woman, tall and slender with raven hair and pale skin, dressed in austere black. Her beauty is marred by a stark black blindfold, a tantalizing and ominous detail. Sunny, however, fixates on the hilt of a familiar blade at her waist – the weapon belonging to “Cassie,” whom he recognizes with overwhelming relief. The reunion is short-lived as Sunny remembers the precariousness of their situation and Noctis’s troubled state.
The newcomer, identified as an “eyeless of the Night Temple,” is questioned coldly by Noctis about her presence and purpose. She introduces herself as Cassie and delivers a grave message from “my mistress, the One in the North.” The sorcerer reacts with grim resignation, asking what the “dreadful woman” wants. Cassie’s subsequent revelation is a stunning blow: “She doesn’t want anything, Lord Noctis… My mistress, Lady of the North, blessed of the Black Skies… is dead.”
Noctis reels from the news, his face draining of color as he clutches his neck. He demands to know the exact message, to which Cassie, still looking down, replies evenly, “Just these three words. I am dead.” The sorcerer’s disbelief and the weight of this pronouncement hang heavy in the air, leaving Sunny and the others to ponder the profound implications of this sudden, devastating announcement and the true nature of the events unfolding around them.
Chapter 680 Lost And Found
The devastating news of the Lady of the North’s death throws the small group into a stunned silence. Sunny’s mind races, contemplating the sheer scale of the presumed slaughter, the implication that Mordret, the Prince of Nothing, could orchestrate such a hecatomb, and the chilling question of his motives. “Everyone… was dead?” Sunny wonders, grappling with the enormity of the event and Mordret’s increasingly erratic behavior. The sheer impracticality of such a vast massacre for any known goal leaves Sunny uneasy, caught between the strategic advantage of a fallen Chain Lord and a deep-seated unease about Mordret’s ultimate plan.
Noctis, after a moment of introspection, dismisses the massacre with a weary sigh, reflecting on a time when such events were disturbingly common. He expresses surprise that this hadn’t occurred sooner, a grim pronouncement on the state of their kingdom’s champions. Turning back to Cassie, he offers her sanctuary within his home, a place for the lost and lonely. “I am very sorry. For what it is worth, you are welcomed to stay here, in my Sanctuary,” he states, his interest seemingly waning.
Yet, Cassie reveals she has a specific need. Placing a hand on her rapier, her voice deep and pleasant, she asks, “I am looking for my friends. I wonder if you would be able to help me find them, Lord Noctis.” Noctis exchanges a look with Sunny, Kai, and Effie, his expression a mix of surprise and caution, before the chapter ends on this new, unexpected quest.
Chapter 681 The Incredible Adventures And Astonishing Deeds Of Heroic Dreamer Sunless In The Lonesome Land Of Nightmares, Abridged (Volume III)
The survivors gather in Sunny’s room, a stark contrast to the grim realities they face. Effie voices the shared exhaustion, wishing for respite, but Sunny reminds them of Noctis’s potential impatience. The conversation then shifts to the overwhelming conflict: Noctis’s plan to rebel against the gods, kill immortals, and break Hope’s chains. Sunny reveals the intricate details: each immortal embodies one of Hope’s shackles, and only the Sun God’s knives can destroy them. With him holding two of the four remaining knives, Noctis aware of a third, and Solvane seeking a worthy death for the last, the path is fraught with war against ancient Saints. They must decide whether to join this “craziness” or find a way to prevent Hope’s escape, a seemingly impossible task.
Cassie insists they must first share their individual experiences from the Nightmare. Sunny begins, recounting his transformation into a shadow demon and his westward arrival among the followers of War, immediately encountering Solvane, the Transcendent priestess. He describes his brutal two months in the Red Colosseum, a temple of slaughter where he and his companion, Elyas, a captive from Ivory City, were forced to fight for survival. Elyas’s healing Aspect kept Sunny alive, while Sunny protected Elyas in the arena.
Sunny’s harrowing escape involved tricking an Ascended jailer into decapitating him, freeing him from his collar, and then having Elyas reattach his head, a confession that shocks Kai. The shared experiences lay the groundwork for their decision, each member bearing invisible scars from their time apart, their unity forged in the crucible of the Nightmare, and the looming question of how to proceed with Noctis’s audacious plan hanging heavy in the air.
Chapter 682 The Red Sect
Sunny finishes recounting his harrowing escape from the Red Colosseum, detailing his time with the Warmongers and his observations of Solvane. Effie, unimpressed by his tales of near-death and clever deception, interrupts his explanation with a playful, yet menacing, “Wanna die?” After a moment of collective contemplation of Sunny’s shared intel, Effie breaks the somber mood with a hearty chew of pie. She then offers her own, far less adventurous, experiences in the Temple of the Chalice, a cruel and perverse sect.
Effie reveals her ordeal as an orphan girl indoctrinated into the Red Sect, their teachings warped by centuries of corrupted ideology. She connects Solvane’s past with the sect, noting the priestess’s escape while she herself was recaptured after a failed attempt to reach Iron Hand island. The punishment for her escape wasn’t inflicted upon her, but on others, a grim lesson that ensured her future compliance, until their deaths.
Her time was filled with relentless training designed to forge her into a “perfect, merciless, lethal vessel of War,” a process that involved extreme torture to teach resilience. Effie concludes her account with a chilling admission of her own endurance: “In the end, everyone turned out to be weak. Except for me.” The weight of their individual nightmares settles over the survivors, leaving them to ponder their next move in Noctis’s world-altering plan.
Chapter 683 To Kill A Dragon
Kai, still processing the horrors he faced, recounts his time embedded within the Sun Legion of the Ivory City. He paints a vivid picture of the city’s apparent beauty and peace, a stark contrast to the Warmongers he encountered, leading him to believe the Legion was fighting a righteous war against true evil. He readily embraced his role, embracing the city’s ideals and the belief that their mission was to protect this paradise.
His perspective, however, shifts dramatically as he confesses his naivete. The cult of Glory, whom he initially saw as merciless raiders, were presented as the forces of evil, their actions framed as salvation. Blinded by this initial perception, Kai became a celebrated hero within the Legion, a fact he shares with a bleak, almost self-deprecating tone, admitting his own limited combat prowess.
The weight of their shared experiences hangs heavy as Kai’s tale of betrayal and misjudgment unfolds. He confesses that he remained with the Sun Legion, expecting the others to join him, a sentiment now tinged with the bitter realization of how profoundly he was misled. His transformation into a renowned warrior was born not from innate skill, but from being an unwitting pawn in a larger, more deceptive game.
Chapter 684 You Must Become A Dragon
Victorious, Kai’s centuria returns to the Ivory City, greeted by a jubilant populace showering them with praise. He initially revels in the city’s apparent prosperity and the harmonious way of life, attributing it to the benevolent protection of the mighty dragon, Sevirax, a descendant of the Sun God. This idyllic facade, however, soon begins to fray. Kai starts noticing a subtle, disturbing wrongness beneath the citizens’ kindness and happiness, a feeling that gnaws at him until a horrifying suspicion takes root: madness lurks within their lustrous eyes, a madness echoing the Warmongers, though a different shade.
His growing unease solidifies into a harrowing certainty as he investigates the source of the city’s perfection. The dragon Sevirax, indeed, provides for the Ivory City, but his protection comes at a steep price: human flesh. Seven sacrifices are demanded monthly, and the citizens, far from being unwilling victims, are ecstatic to provide. This “sacred honor” is bestowed upon the “best and brightest,” and as the month’s end arrives, Kai and six of his most loyal soldiers are chosen.
The true horror unfolds as Kai witnesses parents gleefully surrender their children, husbands send wives to their deaths with wild joy, and friends sing as they lead loved ones to be devoured. Children who cry are punished for their repugnant behavior. The city’s supposed paradise is built on a foundation of ghoulish delight in sacrifice, a truth that sickens Kai. Chained to a white cliff on an island bordering the Ivory Tower, Kai and his men await the dragon, a majestic, fearsome beast whose radiant golden eyes hold an inhuman intelligence, the grim reward for their service.
Chapter 685 Temple Of The Night
Kai, now seemingly healed and enhanced by Noctis, possesses new limbs far more sensitive to soul essence, bolstering his strength and battle prowess. He reveals his unsettling encounter with the Sun Prince, a colossal metal automaton believed to be Sevirax’s brother, whose true nature remains ambiguous. Kai notes its immense power, suggesting it’s nearly invincible, yet acknowledges its corpse is a grim fixture tangled in chains near Shipwreck Island, a testament to an unknown, overwhelming force. This discovery deepens the mystery surrounding the fate of Sevirax and his kin.
The conversation shifts to broader, unanswered questions about the unfolding “future” they are witnessing. Sunny probes for details on the Chain Lords’ fates, the fall of the Ivory City, the Tower’s escape, and the fate of Noctis and the “One in the North.” The group acknowledges their collective confusion, admitting that their very arrival seems to be accelerating the events they are trying to piece together. The weight of the unknown hangs heavy, with the past events of the Ivory City and its opulent yet horrifying sacrifices remaining largely shrouded.
Cassie’s presence shifts the focus entirely. With Kai’s story told and Sunny’s questions hanging in the air, all eyes turn to her. Her narrative is framed as the last and most significant, particularly concerning Mordret’s unexpected infiltration into their journey via the Seed. Cassie’s heavy sigh and averted gaze confirm Mordret’s involvement, hinting at further complications and betrayals as the group grapples with the unfolding prophecy and their precarious position within it.
Chapter 686 Creature Of The Fog
The oppressive gloom of the stone room deepens as Cassie, her brow furrowed, finally breaks her silence. She recounts how unsettling rumors of a “pleasant voice that came from the fog” began circulating shortly after her entry into the Nightmare. Initially dismissed as mere folklore, these whispers grew increasingly sinister, detailing individuals who heeded the fog’s call and vanished without a trace. This escalating dread prompted the Eyeless to dispatch a priestess, accompanied by Awakened soldiers, to investigate the anomaly bordering the mist-shrouded Hollow Mountains.
Tragically, the investigation proved fruitless; the divination yielded no results, and the priestess, along with her escort, disappeared as if they had never existed. The growing threat spurred a massive mobilization of forces – mundane soldiers, Awakened warriors, Ascended champions, and the Eyeless alike – all determined to capture the elusive entity. Yet, their efforts to apprehend the fog proved futile, as disappearances continued, escalating from isolated incidents to the chilling discovery of an entire village emptied of its inhabitants.
“How could we catch the fog?” Cassie’s voice is laced with despair. The situation worsened when even hunting parties, including an Ascended, began vanishing, their movements seemingly unpatterned and omnipresent. Faced with this intangible foe, a desperate plan was hatched to lure the creature, with Cassie volunteering to become bait. It was then that she encountered Mordret again, realizing with dawning horror that their trap was, in fact, a snare set by the Prince of War himself.
Chapter 687 Oracle Of The Night
Effie and Kai listen intently, the weight of Cassie’s words hanging heavy in the air. Though they possess some understanding of Mordret from Sunny and Cassie’s previous encounters, Mordret’s escalating power within the Nightmare proves a shocking revelation, even to Sunny. Cassie elaborates on the futility of attacking Mordret’s physical form, as he simply assumes new bodies, like that of the initial priestess. She grapples with the moral ambiguity of their situation, questioning whether they, as allies, should be fighting against one of the Awakened, even as Mordret’s actions—the massacre of an entire village—cement his status as a clear antagonist. The discovery of the ravaged town disabuses Cassie of any lingering notion of shared purpose with Mordret, realizing the horrifying truth: “After feasting on the souls of the town’s inhabitants, the Reflections became much more powerful.”
Mordret’s subsequent attacks escalate, his victims mounting as his power grows with each soul he consumes. He strategically targets those who could oppose him, particularly the Eyeless and others immune to his possession. As the remaining inhabitants flee to the Night Temple for sanctuary, the desperate forces of the Night Temple petition the formidable “One in the North,” a Transcendent oracle. Despite her usual indifference, she agrees to confront Mordret, sparking a wave of relief and celebration among the populace. Cassie, however, is summoned in secret by her lady, tasked with delivering a cryptic message of three words to Lord Noctis: “I am dead.”
Chapter 688 Big Decision
Effie grapples with the daunting choice before them, weighing the risks of confronting three immortal Saints against the uncertain consequences of failing to contain “Hope,” a terrifying entity whose influence unravels the very fabric of this blighted land. Sunny reveals that Hope is no demon, but a “daemon,” a self-created lesser deity whose imprisonment precedes a cosmic war between gods and daemons. The sheer scale of Hope’s power, capable of driving an entire region to madness, makes even defeating immortal Saints seem a less daunting task, highlighting the catastrophic potential of her freedom.
Kai, ever the moral compass, argues that the decision isn’t merely about what *can* be done, but what *should* be done. He points to the widespread madness and perversions of humanity across Hope’s former kingdom, insisting that prolonging the Nightmare is not a solution. “What I saw here was deeply, deeply wrong,” Kai declares, underscoring their responsibility for actions and consequences, even within the Spell’s undefined boundaries. He believes they must choose the righteous path, despite the inherent dangers.
Sunny, however, remains cynical, expressing a deep-seated hatred for the region and indifference to its inhabitants’ fate, even suggesting they “deserve it” if Hope unleashes her full power. He turns to Cassie for her opinion, but she offers only quiet deference, stating, “I am… willing to do whatever you decide. I’ll trust your judgment, Sunny.” This passive acceptance leaves Sunny with a troubled expression, unsure of how to proceed with such divided counsel.
Chapter 689 Trust
Sunny, compelled by a newfound willingness to trust, reveals the full truth of his identity and vulnerabilities to Effie and Kai. He confesses his inability to speak a lie aloud and his compulsion to answer questions truthfully, a revelation that leaves Effie and Kai stunned into a heavy silence, their previous suspicions about his True Name now confirmed by his confession. This act of radical honesty stems from Sunny’s painful realization that his past deceptions, even when meant for self-preservation, had irrevocably damaged his relationships, leaving him isolated and untrusting. He acknowledges that his cohort knows his weaknesses, but he has hidden his own, a one-sided dynamic he now fears will fracture their nascent friendship.
Effie, recovering from the shock, articulates their prior inklings about Sunny’s “Flaw,” though the absolute nature of his inability to lie clearly astounds her. She then confirms that she and Kai had already deduced his True Name, sensing his reluctance to share it and choosing not to press. This shared knowledge, born from their time together, sets the stage for a deeper level of vulnerability, as Sunny admits the inherent discomfort and “loathsome sensation” of being so open, a feeling that clashes with his deeply ingrained instincts.
This chapter marks a pivotal moment for Sunny, as he consciously chooses to dismantle his walls of secrecy and extend genuine trust to his companions. He recognizes the danger inherent in his vulnerability but understands that the alternative—continued isolation and distrust—is a far greater threat to their bond. With the fundamental truths of his identity now shared, the narrative hinges on how Effie and Kai will respond to this profound act of self-disclosure and whether this leap of faith will solidify their alliance or expose new, unforeseen dangers.
Chapter 690 One Question
Sunny seeks solitude in the Sanctuary garden after revealing his deepest secrets to Effie and Kai, wrestling with the vulnerability of his newfound honesty and questioning if external influences played a part. He had previously elaborated on his Divine Aspect and its origins, a conversation that solidified his cohort’s understanding of his powers and that of Nephis and Mordret, preparing them for potential conflict. While he still held some truths back, Effie and Kai respected his unspoken boundaries, a testament to their growing trust.
Upon re-entering Noctis’s lair, Sunny is confronted by a disturbing scene: the sorcerer, Noctis, stands amidst a pool of his own blood, a deep cut on his wrist, as the stone floor appears to absorb the crimson liquid. Sunny’s immediate concern, “Are you trying to kill yourself?” is met with Noctis’s characteristically cheerful denial and deflection, claiming he’s “too beautiful to die!” Despite Sunny’s lingering suspicion that the floor trembled, Noctis dismisses the unsettling imagery, eager to move to the Altar Island.
As they depart, Noctis inquires about the cohort’s decision, prompting Sunny’s solemn declaration: “We did. We… will help you free Hope.” This agreement, forged in the crucible of shared vulnerability and looming threats, sets a perilous new course, hinting at the immense challenges and sacrifices that lie ahead in their alliance with the enigmatic sorcerer.
