A wave of profound relief washed over Kane as the massive Carapace Demon finally stilled, its colossal form now just an inert mountain of chitin and flesh. His gaze shifted from the fallen beast to the colossal tree that dominated the landscape. One demon down, one enigmatic tree to figure out. He glanced at Sunny, a subtle grin playing on the younger man's lips. Sunny had delivered the final blow, and in doing so, had clearly gained something significant—a memory, perhaps, or an echo.
"Is it a memory?" Kane asked, his voice low.
Sunny looked at him, his grin widening. "It's a weapon. It goes by Midnight Shard." As he spoke, a ripple of shimmering light materialized in his hand, coalescing into an austere tachi, between seventy and eighty centimeters long. It was forged from the same bright, lustrous metal that had composed the Carapace Demon's armor, gleaming with a deep, almost liquid sheen. The hilt was crafted from polished black wood, stark against the blade's ethereal glow.
Nephis's gaze fixed on the newly manifested weapon. Her face remained impassive, devoid of overt emotion, yet a subtle intensity in her eyes betrayed a sheer, unadulterated curiosity. "Let's collect the meat and go to the tree," Nephis stated, her voice regaining a hint of its usual command. "Cassie is still up there."
The moment the words left her lips, the accumulated fatigue of the battle finally caught up. Nephis, after taking a few steps, sank to the ground, her body slumping in exhaustion. Sunny, too, collapsed, lying down with a weary sigh.
Kane looked at the demon's corpse, a behemoth that had once seemed invincible, now brought low by four dormant sleepers. The irony was not lost on him. Who would have thought that he, a mere sleeper, would one day face and defeat an Awakened demon? A chilling thought ran through his mind: 'Never underestimate anyone in battle. Otherwise, I might share the demon's fate.'
Reunion and Revelations
With their shared exhaustion, the three of them—Kane, Nephis, and Sunny—managed to pack the demon meat, each piece a testament to their hard-won victory. As they moved towards the towering tree, an unsettling sensation prickled at Kane every time he looked at its immense, sprawling form. It felt… wrong.
Suddenly, a voice, loud and clear, sliced through the morning silence. "One demon steak, coming right up!" It was Sunny, his exuberance a stark contrast to the weariness that still clung to them. His shout echoed across the tall hill, covered in ashen sand, beneath the branches of the beautiful, giant tree.
A few minutes later, Kane heard a soft noise from above. Looking up, he saw Cassie standing at the edge of one of the wide branches, her hands gripping the golden rope they had used to climb. Before he could react, the blind girl began her descent. She moved with surprising caution, yet possessed a remarkable nimbleness for someone without sight.
'Is she crazy?' Kane blinked, a surge of worry washing over him. 'That's dangerous!'
But his fears were unfounded. Cassie quickly reached the ground, releasing the rope with a soft thud, perfectly safe and sound. She then summoned her staff, taking a hesitant step, her head tilted, trying to pinpoint the source of Sunny's earlier shout.
Sunny, sensing her slight confusion, made his presence known. "I'm here!" he called out.
The blind girl turned her head in his direction, then carefully walked forward, her staff tapping the ground in front of her, guiding her every step. Kane moved closer to her. "Cas, let me guide you," he offered gently, reaching out and taking her hand.
Cassie nodded, a small, grateful smile gracing her lips. Kane led her towards Sunny, their footsteps soft on the ashen ground. Just as she was about to walk past him, Sunny spoke again. "Hey, Cas."
Cassie stopped, lowering her head with a surprised expression. "Why are you lying on the ground?" she asked, a hint of innocent curiosity in her voice.
Sensing a moment for privacy, Kane discreetly moved away from Sunny and Cassie, leaving them to their reunion. He headed towards the Carapace Demon's corpse, finding Nephis sitting near it, still recovering.
He greeted her with a tired glance. "Good morning."
Out of habit, Nephis, the Changing Star, attempted to force a polite smile, but it was a strained, unconvincing effort.
"Not good, but much better," Kane replied, shaking his head slightly. "Still, don't smile like that."
Nephis's eyebrows subtly furrowed, a flicker of irritation, before her expression returned to its usual composed state. Kane extended a hand, helping her to her feet. Together, they walked over to where Sunny and Cassie were sitting and settled beside them.
Kane then recounted the entire saga of the demon's demise, detailing the intricate dance of their plan and its execution. He noted that Cassie didn't seem surprised by the mention of Nephis's Flame ability. Perhaps Nephis had confided in her, or Cassie had glimpsed it in one of her visions. Regardless, Kane decided not to press the issue.
"The demon was already severely wounded from its fight with the… the thing from the sea," Kane explained, his voice low. "So, it was enough to finish him off. A few seconds later, he was dead."
Cassie shook her head in astonishment. "That is… incredible. Three Sleepers killing an Awakened demon! I thought stuff like that only happens in webtoons."
Nephis corrected her, her voice firm. "Four Sleepers. Without your vision and advice, we wouldn't have been able to do anything."
The blind girl lowered her face, a little embarrassed. "Still. Three or four, it doesn't really change a lot, does it?"
Sunny looked from one to another, then finally turned to Cassie. "You're right, it's not something one would expect to happen. But, anyway… I promised to cook demon meat for you after this is over, didn't I? Are you ready to witness my incredible culinary talent?" He smiled, already savoring the imagined taste of the juicy, tender meat.
However, Cassie suddenly frowned, a hesitant expression clouding her face. "I… I don't know about that."
Sunny raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What? Why?"
She hesitated before answering. "Well, it just seems weird to eat the meat of an intelligent creature. Even if it was evil. I didn't think about it before, but now… uh. It just doesn't seem right, I guess."
"But that's what we have right now," Kane interjected, pragmatic as ever. "So we better savor it and move on."
Sunny shook his head. "No, she might be right. I understand… sort of. It's just that we didn't bring any supplies with us, so we won't be able to eat anything unless we go hunting."
The blind girl sighed. Then, her face brightened with a sudden idea. "What about the great tree's fruits? I bet they're delicious!"
Kane stared at her in amazement. "Are you serious?"
Cassie was visibly confused by his question. "Uh… yes? Why?"
He blinked a couple of times before answering, his voice laced with urgency. "That tree is humongous, but it's also very strange and suspicious. Remember what I told you, did you forget? Why is it able to grow here when nothing else can? I'm pretty sure that it's the reason why all the coral around the Ashen Barrow is dead. Have you seen anything else capable of damaging the labyrinth itself?" Kane tried to convey the gravity of his warning, and Sunny seemed to finally grasp his concern.
Sunny looked at Kane, then at Nephis, and spoke. "In any case, it's too creepy. I don't think that we should eat these fruits. Who knows what they'll do to us?"
The blind girl smiled, a touch of stubbornness in her expression. "You're being a little paranoid, don't you think? A tree is a tree. Actually, I think it's a wonderful example of how life can prevail against all odds, even in this terrible place. I'm willing to bet that its fruits are perfectly fine."
Kane stared at her, utterly at a loss for words. How could Cassie be so dismissive of his completely valid concerns? That wasn't like her at all. Unpleasantly surprised, Kane turned to Nephis, hoping that she would support him.
Changing Star considered the situation for a moment before speaking. Then, she said in a measured voice, "Kane and Sunny are right. There are too many strange things about that tree. Eating its fruits would be too risky."
As Cassie sighed with disappointment, Changing Star turned to Sunny and asked, "The Echo was destroyed?"
Sunny's face darkened, a shadow of pain crossing his features. Kane saw that he was still pained by the loss of his loyal scavenger. "Yeah. The demon acted faster than I had expected. He killed it before I could do anything."
Nephis frowned. "Too bad. Our speed will be severely reduced."
'I wonder which is colder,' Kane thought, 'ice or her?'
After some further discussion, Kane and the others decided to rest under the protective canopy of the great tree. They needed to recover before venturing further into the ashen land. They had observed a few sightings of strange winged creatures that fed on the corpses of centurions , and choosing this spot offered them some concealment and a temporary refuge from becoming their next meal. Their arduous journey was far from over.
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Hey there,Due to personal work and issues,I took a break and there I will upload as much as I can.Meanwhile,I think so I need to explain about Kane innate ability.
Some speculate it is opposite of Sunny,Actually it is not exactly right.Sunny ability revolve around Master and Slave,But revolves around Emperor and follower,Follower doesnt need to listen to emperor's Command but they can have benefits,Monitoring from it,But An emperor can't order Powerfull person than him,Thus experiencing excruciating Pain to the king instead of usual Benefits.I think I clear this one.