Chapter 706 Ultimatum
As the flying ship descends, Sunny is confronted by the colossal Sun Prince, a ninety-meter-tall being entombed within a steel shell, a figure that instills a chilling sense of dread in him, triggering fragmented, nightmarish memories of past suffering and violence. This intimidating presence, despite being a stranger, feels eerily familiar to Sunny, raising immediate tension. He turns to Noctis, questioning their next move, to which the sorcerer, with a strained smile, suggests a “civilized discussion.”
Sunny then directly confronts Noctis, speculating if Sun Prince is aware that Noctis was responsible for his memory loss and the subsequent century of torture, implying Noctis’s betrayal. Noctis reacts with outrage, vehemently denying direct causation and claiming he merely granted a colleague’s request, finding the Ivory Knife by coincidence, and expressing doubt about Sun Prince’s current sentience.
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The ship lands, and despite the palpable danger, with the potential for a clash between Saints that could devastate an entire island, Noctis prepares to disembark. Sunny, glancing at his companions, follows Noctis towards the colossus, the unspoken question hanging heavy in the air: whether Noctis possesses the strength to face this terrifying, mechanized entity and what revelations await them.
Chapter 707 Treachery
Noctis’s betrayal crystallizes as he implicates Sunny, pointing a finger at the shadow-wreathed figure, declaring, “…SHADOW.” Sunny’s blood runs cold, realizing the sorcerer has strategically shifted the Sun Prince’s wrath onto him. The colossal being’s gaze, previously fixed on Noctis, now drills into Sunny, a terrifying weight that feels as if his very soul is being laid bare. This renewed scrutiny from the Sun Prince, who Sunny remembers as being subjected to a century of torture related to the original shadowspawn, sparks a chilling fear. The steel colossus’s deafening voice echoes again, now laced with a vague, distant emotion as it utters, “…SHADOW,” a word that seals Sunny’s fate.
As the Sun Prince begins to reach for Sunny, a primal instinct for survival kicks in, compelling him to calculate escape routes. However, Noctis interjects, his voice dripping with feigned concern, warning the Sun Prince, “Oh, but do be careful! You know how tricky shadows are, my friend. This one in particular is full of treachery, vileness, and unspeakable malice…” He further embellishes Sunny’s supposed villainy, painting him as a treacherous beast who even “slaughtered a temple full of innocent maidens.” The cohort braces for conflict, Cassie’s hand on her blade and Kai ready to summon his bow, but the sheer power of a Saint leaves them uncertain of how to intervene, especially with the knowledge that even a fatal blow would still require the ultimate demise of the Sun Prince’s hidden form.
The chapter ends with Sunny trapped, the weight of the Sun Prince’s impending grasp a tangible threat, his allies poised but ultimately powerless against the towering entity. The true nature of Noctis’s grand scheme remains obscured, with Sunny’s survival hanging precariously in the balance as he faces the wrath of a wronged god-like being, manipulated into becoming the scapegoat for crimes far beyond his direct responsibility. The presence of the three knives, crucial to defeating such a powerful foe, remains a silent, tantalizing promise of a potential, albeit dangerous, path to survival.
Chapter 708 Crimson Beast Of Twilight
The colossal Sun Prince recoils, a gaping wound appearing on its form as its gaze shifts from Sunny to Noctis. Sunny, though initially shaken by Noctis’s apparent betrayal, realizes this is a calculated deception. He understands Noctis, despite his trickery, is not a fool and would not jeopardize his ultimate goal of freeing Hope by surrendering crucial artifacts like the three knives. Sunny deduces he’s merely bait in Noctis’s elaborate trap, a plan that likely explains the island’s ominous name and the Sun Prince’s weakened state.
Upon witnessing the devastation, Sunny confronts Noctis, grumbling, “…You could have warned me, you know?” Noctis, feigning innocence, dismisses this with a wink, stating he needs to maintain his reputation for always being unpredictable. However, his demeanor quickly shifts, his grey eyes radiating a chilling madness as he turns to face the crippled Sun Prince. A palpable wave of fear washes over Sunny; Noctis’s contained presence now expands, evoking the primal terror of being preyed upon by a ravenous predator.
The atmosphere thickens with an imagined scent of blood and a dimming of the sun, accompanied by the phantom howls of beasts. Despite their past alliance and Sunny’s cautious trust in Noctis, the sorcerer’s terrifying transformation instills genuine fear. Sunny realizes he is not the primary target of Noctis’s furious attention, which is instead fixed with deadly intent upon the wounded colossus, hinting at a brewing confrontation of unimaginable power and consequence.
Chapter 709 Nature Of The Beast
The devastating aftermath of Noctis’s clash with the Sun Prince leaves Sunny contemplating the irreversible start of an immortal war. As they return to their ship, the ravaged landscape of Iron Hand island—broken pillars, a severed giant’s hand, swirling ash—serves as a grim testament to the chaos unleashed. Sunny shivers, sensing this event as the spark for a larger, potentially world-ending war between gods and daemons, a conflict he suspects began with the unchaining of the Demon of Desire. He looks to Noctis, who appears remarkably serene despite the carnage, leading Sunny to question if the sorcerer truly grasps the gravity of his actions or understands them on a far deeper level.
Sunny’s unease deepens as he recalls his previous exploration reports of Iron Hand island, realizing he has now witnessed its destruction firsthand. This repetition of past events, similar to the Temple of the Chalice incident, solidifies his burgeoning theory that fate acts as an unyielding current, guiding events towards an inescapable conclusion. He muses, “But then came desire, and with it came direction…” suggesting Noctis’s intervention, while accelerating the conflict, was perhaps always meant to occur, leading to an inevitable war and the breaking of the Ivory Tower, regardless of his own involvement.
He reflects on how events like the appearance of the cohort and Mordret’s actions accelerated the war and even led to the slaying of a Chain Lord. Sunny questions if the years saved by Noctis’s rebellion were a critical countdown for the Nightmare Seed’s blossoming. He realizes his role as a challenger might not be to resolve conflicts that would otherwise remain unresolved, but perhaps to ensure fate’s cyclical nature, where even his first Nightmare would have reached an end without his intervention. The past, present, and future bleed together, leaving Sunny with a heavy burden of thought as he sits beneath the sacred tree, utterly exhausted.
Chapter 710 Departure
The dawn reveals Sunny in an uncharacteristic calm, the weight of the approaching end of the Nightmare — and perhaps himself — strangely absent. Instead, his focus sharpens on practical concerns: adapting to his new, towering form and dressing in the familiar, though now relegated, Puppeteer’s Shroud. He exits his quarters to find the Sanctuary, once a place of peace, now buzzing with the hurried, fearful movements of its inhabitants. Familiar faces, like the lost old woman and the determined young man with his hand on his sword, are etched with apprehension. Sunny laments that these “little people,” the true victims of this god-and-daemon war, bear the brunt of the conflict ignited by an immortal Transcendent.
His contemplations are interrupted by Effie and Kai, clad for a long journey. Kai, with a sadness Sunny can sense even through his mask, confirms they are leaving, not for long, but to guide the Sanctuary’s people to safety. “The Sanctuary, it was a shelter for those who wanted to find peace in this land of madness,” Effie explains, her voice tinged with weariness. “But now that Noctis started a war and both the Sun Legion and the Warmongers are marching to raze it to the ground, that shelter is no more.” They plan to lead the displaced to a Great Chain, hoping to ferry them beyond the Nightmare’s reach, with Cassie even securing Noctis’s ship for transport.
Sunny, surprised by their selfless mission, asks why he wasn’t invited. Effie playfully dismisses him, reminding him of his own development needs: “You have stuff to do! How are you going to get used to that lanky body of yours while babysitting a bunch of refugees? So, don’t be lazy and get that stone girlfriend of yours to beat you black and blue while we are gone.” The prospect of the coming battle, a week away against two armies, weighs on them, but for now, Effie and Kai embark on their humanitarian rescue, leaving Sunny to ponder the sacrifices made and the destiny that relentlessly unfolds.
Chapter 711 A Simple Task
A familiar, unsettlingly pleasant voice intrudes on Sunny’s heightened senses, instantly dredging up bitter memories of betrayal and the horrifying slaughter orchestrated by the Prince of Nothing. Mordret’s reappearance, even as a mere reflection, ignites a potent fear in Sunny, a primal dread stemming from Mordret’s unfathomable cunning and resilience. Unable to shake the chilling memory of their past dealings, Sunny summons the Extraordinary Rock and cautiously addresses the phantom. “…Oh. It’s you. What are doing inside the lake? Don’t be a stranger, Mordret… come, enter my Soul Sea, and let’s talk face to face.”
Mordret, seemingly unfazed by Sunny’s guarded greeting, expresses amusement at Sunny’s developing abilities, a subtle jab veiled in his ever-present smile. He then casually reveals his conquest of an entire region, dismissing the lives extinguished as mere “not real” and providing a chilling rationale: “What would have been the point of killing them if they were not real?” Sunny recoils at Mordret’s detached cruelty, the uncaring pragmatism a stark contrast to any remorse. Mordret, sensing Sunny’s awareness of his deeds, confirms that his “adventures” were relayed by his oracle, the implication of their shared knowledge hanging heavy in the air.
With a directness that betrays no emotion, Mordret states his intent: “To conquer the Nightmare, of course. Don’t you?” His seemingly simple question is laden with the weight of their intertwined fates and the impending conflict, leaving Sunny to grapple with the chilling implications of the Prince of Nothing’s ambitions and the true cost of survival in their fractured world.
Chapter 712 Leaving The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary lies in an eerie silence, its usual vibrancy replaced by the desolate remnants of hasty departures. Sunny, having spent days honing his control over his transformed body, grapples with the profound emptiness of the once-bustling sanctuary. His training, particularly with Shadow Dance, has heightened his awareness of his physicality. During a quiet night, a distant scream jolts Sunny awake, prompting him to investigate the sorcerer Noctis’s residence, where the immortal had vanished days prior.
Upon entering Noctis’s chamber, Sunny finds the sorcerer looking remarkably unwell, his skin pale, his hair dull, and his fine garments disheveled. A fleeting sense of movement beneath Noctis’s skin unnerves Sunny. Noctis weakly greets him, asking how he looks, then clarifies he means a Sailor Doll he has prepared. This doll, impeccably dressed as Noctis, holds a glass of wine, its stillness punctuated by an uncanny semblance of life, hinting at a profound enchantment and a Transcendent soul core burning within its chest.
Noctis explains this elaborate ruse is to mask his departure from the Sanctuary, intended to deceive other Chain Lords before an unexpected assault on the Ivory City. Sunny, initially skeptical, is astonished by the doll’s lifelike appearance and the palpable, suffocating presence emanating from it. He acknowledges its convincing nature, while Noctis rises, the subtle signs of distress beneath his skin returning, suggesting the sorcerer’s own condition is a critical concern.
Chapter 713 War Drums
The sorcerer Noctis guides his ship, a dark vessel escorted by stone fiends, through the treacherous Sky Below, the ocean of flames a stark reminder of their perilous journey toward the Ivory City. Despite his weakened state, evident in his pale complexion and dark circles, Noctis’s grip on the steering oars is firm. On deck, his advanced Sailor Dolls meticulously prepare for an impending conflict, positioning ballistae laden with runic bolts and a formidable siege engine. These formidable constructs, now clad in chainmail and armed with heavy weaponry, are ready to defend the ship from any threat, their purpose underscored by the presence of quivers and water barrels to combat fiery attacks.
Sunny, cloaked in his Mantle of the Underworld, grips a trio of formidable weapons: the Cruel Sight, Midnight Shard, and Morgan’s Warbow. Beside him, Kai dons his Sun Legion armor, meticulously inspecting arrows, while Effie, armed with the Dusk and Starlight Shards, fuels herself with roasted meat, her arsenal of Memories ready. Cassie stands nearby, her hand on the Quiet Dancer, poised to command the ship and its Sailor Dolls during the critical confrontation between Noctis, Solvane, and the Sun Prince. The anticipation of battle hangs heavy in the air as the ship surges forward, a testament to its immense speed.
As the cohort steels themselves, Noctis senses their approaching quarry. A wild smile spreads across his face as he declares, “…Ah. They finally sensed us.” He then maneuvers the ship upward, his voice ringing with exhilaration, “No point in hiding anymore. We are close enough, anyway… oh, what a night to be alive, my friends!” His laughter echoes as the vessel ascends towards the dark side of the Chained Island, signaling the imminent dawn of a devastating conflict. Cassie approaches Sunny, her words a stark warning: “No matter what happens… don’t let him enter the Tower.”
Chapter 714 Dread Naught
The full moon watches as an armada of grey, flame-lit wooden ships surges forward, a river of lights against the night. On their decks, soldiers ready themselves for battle, their faces grim as they prepare to meet Noctis’s lone, larger vessel. This elegant ship, guided by Noctis, stands defiantly against the approaching luminous fleet, its presence drawing a dark resentment from Sunny. Noctis has masterfully chosen this moment, catching the Chain Lords’ armies in disarray during their march to the Ivory City, though a formidable force of elite warriors, including Awakened and Ascended, awaits to intercept them.
Sunny, observing the approaching river of lights and the distant, beautiful Ivory City, is reminded of the city’s cruelty, particularly their attempt to sacrifice Kai. Despite the vast enemy force and the looming threat of two Transcendents, Sunny steels himself, acknowledging the hundreds of ships and the elite warriors they carry. He dismisses his doubts, a cold will to kill replacing them as he recognizes the familiar, chilling chant of “Glory! Glory! Glory!” from the approaching enemy.
Noctis, sensing the shift in Sunny, grins and whispers, “Now… witness us, gods…” The massive siege engine on his ship unleashes a runic bolt, a streak of ancient power that obliterates the foremost enemy vessel in a blinding explosion of pale light. As the meticulously crafted Sailor Dolls rush to reload, Noctis expertly maneuvers the ship, presenting its loaded ballistae to the charging enemy fleet. The battle, poised to alter history, has irrevocably begun.
Chapter 715 Boarding Party
As the battle ignites, a sudden celestial anomaly—a devouring eclipse of the moon—plunges the world into deeper shadow. This foreboding event bolsters Sunny, yet unnerves Noctis, who realizes their adversary, Sevras, has harnessed a fragment of Shadow’s domain. Under immense pressure as the Ivory City fleet closes in, Sunny demands answers from Noctis about his weakening state and their strategy.
Noctis, revealing a dramatic shift in his original plan to deal with Solvane and the Sun Prince, instructs Sunny to engage the Prince while he confronts Solvane. With a chilling, “I, uh… will try to deal with Solvane. Best of luck to you, my friends! And to me, as well…”, Noctis vanishes into the encroaching darkness, leaving Sunny to face a Transcendent.
Stunned by Noctis’s abrupt departure, Sunny is jolted back to reality by Cassie’s urgent cry regarding the rapidly approaching enemy. While the blind girl skillfully maneuvers their vessel, Sunny, despite the shock, steel himself, uttering, “We follow the plan. Nothing really changed…” His resolve hardens as they prepare to meet the full might of the Ivory City’s forces.
Chapter 716 Head Of The Snake
The void of the eclipse is filled by the terrifying arrival of new allies. A knight clad in onyx armor, astride a crimson-eyed, black steed with adamantine horns, lands on a flying ship and with her scarlet odachi, swiftly beheads a Sun Legion warrior. On another vessel, a monstrous creature resembling a gaunt lion with a raven’s head and six taloned arms, the Soul Serpent, crashes onto the deck, its needle-like fangs tearing through soldiers. Meanwhile, a towering devilish figure, cloaked in black armor, materializes to unleash a bolt of lightning from his bow, chaining arcs of fury that decimate the defenders preparing a ballista.
Sunny, now wielding the Cruel Sight and his austere tachi with four hands, fights on one of the ships. He knows his time is limited against the Ivory City’s Awakened defenders. After disabling a soldier, he faces the ship’s captain, a grey-haired man. The captain attempts to block Sunny’s downward slash with his sword, but Sunny feints, instead piercing him through the chest with the Cruel Sight, infused with divine flame. The captain, smiling in his final moments, falls.
With the captain dead, Sunny acknowledges the dozen remaining Awakened warriors on deck, recalling their skill from the Red Colosseum. He strategically positions his shadows: Saint, Serpent, and Nightmare fight alongside allies, while the fourth watches his back. “We follow the plan. Nothing really changed…” Sunny mutters, steeling himself to face the overwhelming numbers, prioritizing awareness over brute force unless absolutely necessary.
Chapter 717 Slick With Blood
As the preceding ship crumbles and falls into the abyss, Sunny seamlessly transitions to the next vessel, his four arms a blur of motion as he ruthlessly dispatches Sun Legion soldiers. He momentarily observes Effie and Kai’s successful destruction of another ship and the silent devastation wrought by Saint and Nightmare on a third, before recognizing the inherent fragility of their current advantage. The fleet, still reeling from the initial shock, remains vulnerable, but Sunny acknowledges their dwindling essence reserves and the inevitable moment when surprise gives way to coordinated resistance.
The Soul Serpent’s fluid transformation into a knightly figure, wielding an anthracite steel greatsword with deadly efficiency, mirrors Sunny’s own relentless assault. He recognizes the prowess of the opposing captain, an Ascended, who repels his strike and forces a desperate engagement amidst the remaining defenders. The weight of their limited resources and the approaching counter-offensive presses on Sunny, fueling his determination to inflict as much damage as possible before their element of surprise completely vanishes.
“Not bad…” Sunny mutters, a grim acknowledgment of his allies’ successes and the escalating conflict. He understands that their current momentum is a fleeting illusion, dependent on the enemy’s disarray. The true challenge lies not in the immediate slaughter, but in their ability to sustain the offensive against an increasingly aware and formidable foe, forcing Sunny to rely on his own desperate ingenuity to create the miracle they so desperately need.
Chapter 718 Heavenly Carnage
Sunny narrowly avoids a volley of enchanted arrows from Awakened archers, the sheer density of projectiles a stark reminder of the escalating danger. He ducks beneath the devastating impact of javelins from bolt throwers, melting into the shadows to evade their lethal trajectory. A direct assault on another enemy vessel remains his priority, a calculated risk fueled by the knowledge that their advantage is fleeting. The fleet’s true target, Cassie’s sorcerer ship, bravely battles the entire enemy formation, its rune-etched ballistae inflicting heavy damage but at a perilous cost. Despite enduring considerable damage and the constant threat of destruction, Cassie’s ship, guided by her precognitive Aspect, valiantly maneuvers through the chaos.
Cassie, facing overwhelming odds, makes a desperate maneuver, leading the enemy fleet into a perilous dive towards the surface. This tactic, intended to utilize flying islands as cover and limit direct enemy fire, carries its own grave risks, including collisions with islands or heavenly chains. The immense pressure on her isolated vessel weighs heavily on Sunny, reinforcing his resolve to completely neutralize the ship he currently occupies. He reasons that even a damaged vessel could be used by a suicidal enemy to ram Cassie’s struggling fleet, a catastrophic outcome he cannot permit.
With precious seconds to spare before the enemy archers retake aim, Sunny emerges from the shadows at the stern. He wedges his Prowling Thorn into a steering oar, securing it with an invisible string attached to a heavy kunai, forcing the ship into a downward dive. Just as he completes his task, a powerful arrow strikes him in the back, the jolt of pain a testament to the continuing brutal engagement. “Not bad…” he mutters, a grim acknowledgment of their precarious situation and the desperate fight for survival.
Chapter 719 Dark Side Of The Moon
The immense steel colossus, though wounded, continues to loom outside the Ivory City, its missing arm a stark testament to Noctis’s power. As Sunny witnesses the Sun Prince preparing another devastating javelin throw, his own efforts shift to the pursuing enemy vessels. Unable to confront the colossus directly, Sunny dives into the wreckage of a destroyed ship, emerging to board one of the attacking vessels. His objective remains clear: to eliminate as many enemy ships as possible, thus easing the pressure on Cassie’s beleaguered sorcerer ship. “Not bad…” he mutters, accepting the brutal reality of their desperate fight for survival as he prepares to unleash his own carnage.
Sunny unleashes a devastating assault, his Soul-bound weapons infused with divine and mundane flames, cleaving through enemy armor. The [Underworld Armament] enchantment of his armor spreads its corrosive influence, weakening foes even as it inflicts pain upon himself, a sacrifice he endures for the greater cause. While he engages a battle formation of Awakened soldiers, similar scenes of slaughter unfold across the fleet. Effie rampages on another ship’s deck, protected by unseen arrows, while Kai eliminates enemy archers with deadly precision.
As reinforcements attempt to aid the embattled ship, additional allies arrive: a black steed lands on one vessel, and a raven-headed abomination on another. This sudden influx of supernatural threats throws the enemy’s defensive formations into chaos, forcing more ships to abandon their pursuit of Cassie’s vessel and divert their attention to these new threats. Sunny’s calculated destruction, combined with the timely arrival of these powerful allies, begins to shift the tide of the brutal naval engagement.
Chapter 720 Crimson Sky
The struggle against the Ivory City intensifies as Sunny, fighting within the confines of an enemy vessel, finds himself critically injured by his own power. He witnesses the Sun Prince preparing another devastating attack, this time seemingly aimed at the crucial figure of Noctis. The potential death of Noctis spells doom for Sunny and his allies, forcing Cassie to make a desperate gambit. She launches her ship directly at the colossal figure, firing a powerful bolt that momentarily distracts the Sun Prince. Though the Sun Prince shrugs off the attack, Cassie’s vessel is left vulnerable, harpooned and crippled by four pursuing ships, with the Sun Prince already preparing his next devastating strike.
Despite the dire situation, Cassie’s diversion allows Sunny a brief respite. He observes the Sun Prince’s minor reaction to her attack, a small victory against overwhelming odds, but knows this reprieve is temporary. Cassie herself is wounded, her Sailor Dolls and shields failing against a hail of arrows. As two ships move to ram or board her crippled vessel, the threat of the Sun Prince’s reloaded javelin looms large, a chilling reminder of their precarious position.
Sunny, still recovering and aware of his own internal damage from the Broken Oath, is forced to confront the brutal reality of their fight. The tide of enemies he faces on his ship does not recede, pushing him to commit to further destruction. He braces himself and unleashes a powerful explosion from his kite shield, a desperate act to continue fighting. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger, with Cassie’s ship critically damaged and the Sun Prince poised to unleash another world-ending attack, leaving the fate of Noctis and the entire fleet hanging precariously in the balance.
