Shadow Slave: Foreign shadow

After the first lesson in the Wilderness Survival Class concluded, Sunny, Cassie, and Yuki—who had joined them later—bid farewell to Professor Julius and headed to the cafeteria for dinner. The old man looked like he could hardly wait for the next lesson; one could almost see fireworks exploding behind the thick lenses of his spectacles from sheer excitement.

​When Cassie had explained her Flaw, his pedagogical spirit hadn’t faltered even for a second. Instead, he had immediately offered to source Braille books and even promised to track down a Memory to amplify her other senses.

​But it was Sunny’s confession at the end of the lesson that truly made his day. When he told him he intended to become a researcher after his return from the Dream Realm and requested his tutelage, Julius looked as if he were celebrating New Year’s Eve.

​> the Jiminy Cricket asked, its brow furrowed with suspicious, guarded eyes.

​’Money?’ Sunny didn’t hesitate to launch his defense. ’Who do you take me for? Tsk! Tsk! You offend me, my dear Cricket. I do it for the love of research and the pursuit of knowledge. If the institution in question happens to be so grateful that they gift me a seven-figure sum... well, who am I to refuse?’ He said without a hint of shame.

​The Cricket squinted, eyeing him up and down. > it muttered, clearly unconvinced by his straight face.

​During dinner, Caster attempted once again to invite Sunny and Yuki to the table with the other Legacies. Both refused ”politely,” as he continued to pointedly ignore Cassie.

Nephis, however, was not one to give up. She fixed her gaze on Everlasting Gloom and threw down the gauntlet once more.

​”I’ll be waiting for you at the Combat Class,” she said, her voice firm, determined to cross blades with him.

’Wait all you want! I’m not even enrolled in that course,’ Sunny wanted to snap back.

​Instead, at the last second, he bit his lip, looked at her with an air of profound boredom, and simply nodded. ”Sure.”

​That night... Sunny sat in his dorm room, his desk chair reclined backward and his feet crossed over the tabletop. In his right hand, his communicator hummed incessantly, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up the call.

​After a couple of rings, someone finally answered.

​”Am I speaking with my dear wife?” Sunny hummed the moment the face of a beautiful woman with pale skin, raven-black hair and piercing blue eyes flickered onto his communicator screen.

​Master Jet appeared in the video call with a fleeting smile that vanished the second she heard his greeting. Her brow furrowed, through gritted teeth, she answered. ”I. Am. Not. Your. Wife.” Sunny could almost see a faint shade of pink crept across her pale cheeks at the edges of the screen.

​His smirk widened, his eyes dancing with mischief. ’Gods! If I’d known it’d be like this, I would have reincarnated sooner,’ he couldn’t help but think.

​Watching the fierce Soul Reaper blush like a schoolgirl with her first crush whenever he teased her was a spectacle he never grew tired of. The idea that he was most likely the only man in the world that had come to know this tender side of her warmed his heart—a privilege he wouldn’t trade for anything.

​”You aren’t? I remind you that since you plucked me from that gang of street thugs in the Outskirts three years ago, we’ve lived under the same roof. I’ve cooked for you, and you said you loved my cooking. I love to cook; you love my food. By the laws of transitive and symmetric properties, I love you and you love me. If we had already shared a bed, we would have sealed the deal years ago.”

​As he spoke, Sunny adjusted the collar of his hoodie to hide two sets of teeth marks. After Myriad Shade had witnessed Cassie marking him earlier, she had—out of pure jealousy—left her own mark on the opposite side of his neck. Not wanting to give her any ammunition to return fire, Sunny preferred to keep the evidence hidden.

’No, but... why does everyone want to bite me? Am I really that delicious?’ He wondered.

​Jet sighed in mock defeat, rubbing her face with her hand. ”Well... I’m glad to see you’ve already settled in, little Devil.” Her expression shifted, becoming more grounded. ”So, how was your first day at the Academy?”

​Sunny tilted his head, recalling the events. He clicked his tongue and said: ”Good, I have to say. You were right about Professor Julius; the old man truly knows his stuff. I’ll admit his lesson was really enjoying. In fact... I think his passion for history might be contagious. Perhaps, when I return from the Dream Realm, I might even consider following his example and becoming a researcher.”

​Sunny could feel the Jiminy Cricket judging him, standing on the desk before him with its tiny cane and hat. To block it out, he simply slid his foot in front of the imaginary creature.

​”Mh!” Jet nodded, looking pleased. ”I’m glad you took my advice seriously. Though, it’s a shame—I fear Kurt will have to find a new busboy for his place.”

​The mention of the café brought back memories of the life Jet had helped him build. In this timeline, Shadow Blade Kurt hadn’t lost his mind and became a ruthless murderer; instead, he had opened a local bar on the Outskirts of the NQSC metropolitan area. At Jet’s request, he had hired him as a waiter to give him a job. Over time, Sunny had adapted to that life, finding the company of the regulars and his job surprisingly pleasant.

​”Speaking of which... how did the guys take the news? About... you know?” Sunny asked, a hint of bitterness and shame in his voice. He had never told them about his situation when he first faced his First Nightmare.

​The others had likely realized he’d fallen victim to the Nightmare Spell in the past days. Even though he’d tried to hide his status as a carrier of the Spell to keep them from worrying, they were probably aware and had kept their mouths shut, respecting his choices, knowing there was nothing they could do to help anyway.

​”If you want, you can ask him yourself. I’m at the café right now.” ​With that, Master Jet moved the communicator away from her face, turning the camera to show Sunny the familiar bar of Kurt’s luxurious Café.

There, standing behind the counter with shelves of glass bottles glinting behind him, Sunny saw him: a man wearing a wide, mischievous grin in his bartender’s outfit.

​”Hey there, Squirt! How’s it going? Still alive and kicking, I see,” Kurt said, leaning his weight on the counter as he grinned at the camera.

​Sunny returned the smile with the practiced, mocking air of an old fox. ”Obviously. Why? Did you really think it would be that easy to get rid of me?” Sunny shook his head slowly, closing his eyes in mock disappointment. ”Sorry to let you down. How could I ever have the heart to leave a woman like Master Jet all alone on this world?”

​On the other end, Sunny saw the screen tremble slightly—a sure sign that Jet, who was holding the communicator, had reacted to his jab.

​Kurt chuckled. ”Yeah, yeah. Save it for when you two are alone.” His expression then shifted, becoming unexpectedly curious. ”Listen, Squirt... Jet just told me your Aspect has an affinity for shadows, similar to mine. She also mentioned your shadow is... unusually lively. Out of curiosity, can I see?”

​Sunny blinked. He had no issue with Kurt knowing the peculiarities of his Aspect ability; over the last few years, the two of them had forged a bond closer to brotherhood than a typical boss-employee relationship.

Still, it was the first time Kurt had shown this much interest in him. And then... why did Jet tell him about his Aspect?

’Maybe she just wanted him to give me some pointers, since we both have an affinity for shadows,’ Sunny concluded to himself.

Jet truly cares about him, she would never do anything to hurt him, he’s sure of that. And even though Kurt isn’t exactly the best example of a stepbrother, he trusts him, too... in a way.

’Just wait until they finds out about my Divine Aspect,’ Sunny thought, stifling a laugh.

​Without a second thought, Sunny shrugged. ”Sure. Why not?”

​Straightening his back and sliding his feet off the desk, he reached out with his right hand to flick on the desk lamp, bathing the spot where his empathetic shadow was lurking.

​The light hit Gloomy, who reacted like a maiden caught naked in the shower, screaming silently and frantically trying to cover its dark silhouette with both hands.

​Kurt visibly recoiled, his eyes wide as he stared at the screen.

Recovering quickly, he cleared his throat and rubbed his neck. ”Ah... well! I have to say, that’s a... rather unique ability you’ve got there, Squirt.”

​Sunny raised his left hand, arching both eyebrows with utter modesty. ”And you haven’t even seen the half of it,” he bragged.

​After a few more brief exchanges and jokes, Jet turned the communicator back toward herself, bringing the focus of the call back to their conversation.

​”Okay, okay... enough chirping, you two,” Jet said as she turned the screen. ”Now, I hope you’ve been following the other advice I gave you. Especially the part about not harassing girls with that long tongue of yours, hm?” She added the last bit with a sharp, warning look.

​Sunny, leaning his head on his left hand with his elbow on the desk, arched an eyebrow. ”Why? Jealous? You have nothing to fear, Jet. I’m a faithful man.”

​On his desk, Sunny could practically feel the Jiminy Cricket’s judging gaze boring into his soul.

​”Jokes aside,” he continued, ”I’ve made a couple of friends already. It wasn’t that hard.” Anticipating their reaction to what he was about to say, he nearly choked on a laugh. Smothering his amusement, he said: ”In fact, the moment my True Name flashed on the ranking display, my popularity skyrocketed.”

​Jet’s eyes snapped wide. She went completely still, stunned by the revelation. Even Kurt leaned in from behind her, trying to see if he had misheard.

​”You what?!” they both barked at once, competing for space in front of the camera.

​Sunny’s pride radiated from every pore. ”You heard me.” He placed his left hand over his heart, striking the pose of a royal dignitary. ”Ladies and gentlemen, you have the honor of speaking with the one and only Everlasting Gloom.”

​Both Jet and Kurt blinked, staring at him through the screen as if trying to decipher whether he was playing a prank on them.

​”For real?” Kurt asked, his brow furrowed in disbelief.

​Jet’s forehead creased. A hint of professional jealousy colored her voice—after all, even she didn’t possess a True Name yet. ”You certainly never fail to amaze us, do you?” When she saw Sunny waggling his eyebrows at her, she rolled her eyes. ”What’s next? Are you going to tell me you’ve already unlocked your Aspect Legacy too?”

​Sunny chuckled softly. ”Well... actually...”

​After a few more shocking and incredible revelations that left both veterans reeling, the conversation settled into a more familiar rhythm. Jet shared details of her day, and Sunny told her about his first experiences at the Academy, especially his new friends: Yuki and Cassie. Her suspicions grew when she realized his new circle of friends consisted entirely of girls, but Sunny brushed it off, teasing her again.

​Finally, he remembered a small favor he wanted to ask of her.

​”By the way,” Sunny said, slapping his forehead as if he’d just found a forgotten sticky note attached to it. ”I almost forgot... my darling!” he added, his voice dripping with sugary, pleading charm.

​Jet, recognizing the tone immediately, rolled her eyes. ”As usual. What do you need this time, little Devil?”

​Sunny clasped his hands together, rubbing them humbly in front of the communicator that was currently resting screen up on the desk. ”I knew I could count on you, my darling.” Smirking, he cleared his throat. ”I need your help sourcing a couple of Memories, if you can.”

​A corner of Soul Reaper’s mouth twitched upward; she had likely expected a request like this. She nodded. ”Mh. And tell me, how exactly do you plan to pay for them?” she asked, arching an eyebrow in anticipation.

​Sunny’s mouth fell open as his mind scrambled for an answer. ”Uhhhh...”

​Actually, how could he pay?

Even the most cheep Dormant-rank item was worth more than a week’s salary of an average worker.

​The logical move would be to sell one of his own, but which one?

​Selling the [Silver Bell] or [Hero’s Solace] was out of the question. The first held too much sentimental value, and the second was essentially his life insurance.

[Puppeteer’s Shroud] and the [Deplorable Dagger] were pratically his only armor and weapon, soo... nope!

​That left the [Crimson Cloak].

The problem was... that for him, that scarlet mantle wasn’t just a trophy taken from a fallen enemy; it had become a symbol.

​Even though the Champion of War had been nothing more than a bloodthirsty madman, eager to unsheathe his greatsword at the slightest provocation—and even though he had made Sunny’s blood run cold during his First Nightmare—Goliath had inadvertently become an example.

​Goliath was a lunatic, a narcissist, and a traitor to his own people—the Children of Heart. Yet, until his very last breath, he remained unyieldingly true to himself. In a world that demands you shed your skin and abandon your soul to survive, remaining true to one’s nature is the greatest of all feats. It is a feat that few have ever accomplished—and one that Sunny felt he was the first to fail.

​But Goliath... Sunny could safely bet that even if the Champion had been fully aware of the gruesome end awaiting him, and even if his death had been a million times more harrowing and atrocious, he would have never wavered. He would have marched down that same path, flashing that insane, sincere smile of the Champion of War at the world until the very end.

​For this reason, Sunny intended to keep the [Crimson Cloak]. It wasn’t just a Memory anymore; it was a reminder of a Master who possessed the courage to be exactly what everyone else was too afraid to be.

Himself.

​That said... how could he possibly repay Jet, then?

​After a few seconds of staring blankly at the ceiling while humming, Sunny squinted and offered a nervous grin. ”Uhm... can I pay you back in ’favors of a personal nature’?”

​Jet’s eyebrows flattened into a sharp, heavy line. ”I’m warning you, don’t think you’re safe just because there’s a screen between us. It wouldn’t take much for me to hop on a PTV, reach you, and flick your forehead into the Dream Realm.”

​Sighing, she lowered her head.

”Fine... let’s just say you’ll line my pockets once you return. But you owe me a favor, understood, little Devil?” She pointed her index finger at the screen, pinning him with a stern look. ”So don’t you dare die out there in the Dream Realm and think you can leave this world without paying your debt!”

Her voice carried a faint tremor of genuine concern—a silent plea disguised as a demand.

​Seeing this, Sunny’s heart warmed and his face softened. ”Of course... I promise,” he said, his black eyes filled with sheer determination. Neither mockering nor teasing. Just the warm, bright smile a shadow offered to a corpse who genuinely cares for him and the cold realization that she could no longer protect him.

Jet smiled back, her long-still, cold heart reassured.

​After telling her the Memories he needed and various pleasantries to follow, Sunny bid farewell to Jet and Kurt and ended the call. Turning now his attention toward his own shadow, Gloomy, he decided it was time to study his Aspect.

***

In the labyrinthine backstreets of the NQSC Outskirts, beneath the flickering neon hum of a tavern usually more lively by day than by night...

​Separated by the long bar top where patrons were served, Soul Reaper Jet sat with her arms and legs crossed, leaning back on a backless stool and balancing precariously. She watched Shadow Blade Kurt with a gaze full of unspoken questions.

​For his part, Kurt stared down at the counter, rubbing his temples vigorously as if trying to digest the absurdities his ears had just heard.

​”Well... you can certainly say there’s never a dull day with Squirt. A True Name, an Aspect Legacy and a Divine Aspect in his First Nightmare? Who would’ve thought?” he said with a heavy huff.

​Jet adjusted her posture, trying to stretch her back without losing her balance. ”So... what do you think?” Hidden beneath her usual icy tone was a cocktail of genuine concern and apprehension.

​Looking back up at her, Kurt tugged at his bartender’s collar with two fingers and cleared his throat. ”Even without counting the epic feats Sunless just described, you know as well as I do that the kid is not normal.” He scratched his chin, carefully weighing his next words. ”I don’t think this is the same case we dealt with five years ago when you first found him, Jet.”

​He shook his head, his expression clouded with uncertainty. ”No... I don’t think so at all.”

​After a brief, tense silence, he laced his fingers together in front of his chin. ”To be certain... I’d need to take a look at your boyfriend’s shadow in person.”

​At his words, a vein throbbed violently on Jet’s temple. ’He is not my...’ She wanted to snap back, but the gravity of the conversation took priority.

​Gritting her teeth and squinting nervously, Jet simply nodded. ”Fine. When I deliver the Memories he asked for, you can come along.”

​”Does the bastard know?” Kurt asked, knowing she would understand exactly who he was referring to.

​Without hesitation, Jet nodded. ”He was the first one I told,” she replied curtly.

​Kurt nodded in understanding. He let out a slow breath before asking: ”So... I suppose we can say the boy has already met his guardian?”

Jet raised him an eyebrow. ”Obviously.” She said, her cold, blue gaze unreadable. ”After all, I’m the one who introduced him to him.”