[Your memory has been destroyed!]
[You have received a memory: Puppeteer's Shroud]
Sunny had spent the entirety of last night adding enhancements to, and upgrading, the Puppeteer's Shroud, as such, it was now a transcendent memory of the sixth tier!
***
Memory Name: Puppeteer's Shroud
Memory Rank: Transcendent.
Memory Tier: VI.
Memory Type: Armor.
Memory Enchantments: [Enhanced Durability], [Doubtless], [Blessing of Spirit], [Blessing of Dusk]
***
In truth, modifying the memory was no trouble at all, learning how to do so while using his metaphysical control over the threads proved to be a challenge.
Sunny was sure if he combined this with his regular weaving technique he would be able to craft even Sacred memories!
Dismissing the runes, Sunny opened a dream gate to the waking world.
He was… conflicted, to say the least.
On one hand, he wanted to be back with the cohort. But there were too many barriers. First, he had no idea how his current existence might affect the creation of Nightmare Gates. For all he knew, every step he took could be accelerating Antarctica's doom.
More importantly, how was he supposed to approach them? He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't exactly tell the truth either.
Last night, he'd run from Nephis. But for how long? He couldn't avoid them forever.
The answer? Simple. He just needed to build trust. And who better to do that than the most honest man in two worlds—himself?
…Eventually. In truth, Sunny was still a bit salty about last night.
The whole idea that he was—in some unfathomable way—Shadow was still hard to wrap his head around. Undeniable, sure. But also absurd.
He pushed those thoughts aside. For now, there were more important things to focus on.
In just four weeks, the Sleepers would enter the Dream Realm. Sunny needed to prepare.
Part of him wanted to clear out all the nightmare creatures ahead of time. Save everyone. But another part knew better. Doing so would only breed weakness—not just in the average Sleepers, but in his cohort, too.
So the answer? Help where he could. Not caring who survived—with a few exceptions—but how they survived.
One of Sunny's shadows slipped away from his feet and headed toward the Nightmare Desert.
There was a certain old pile of bones he needed to consult.
With a sigh, Sunny stepped through the Dream Gate.
He arrived in one of the more secluded corners of the Awakened Academy.
'Well… I can't go out like this, can I?'
Wandering around without a shadow, pretending to be a normal Awakened, wasn't exactly a subtle plan.
Then again, he had managed to pass as a mundane during that spar with Nephis.
"N-No, that was just to, uh… build intrigue. Yeah. That's it."
He donned the Puppeteer's Shroud and glanced at the nearby shadows.
'Are they… fighting each other for a spot at my feet?'
Sunny blinked. He knew they revered him, but this? This was pushing it.
Shaking his head, he shadow-stepped to the hallway outside a certain inconspicuous classroom.
There was still some time before classes started.
Might as well share more of his findings with Professor Julius.
***
Ability Name: Shadow Legion
Ability Description: "You can forge shadows from the fragments of the fallen, creating loyal constructs bound to your will. These shadows are not echoes of death, but its enduring shape—formed whole, summoned freely, and stored within your soul."
Sunny had been staring at the runes for his Domain ability again. Over and over.
'Wait, so…'
In essence, it was simple. The construct that allowed him to create Shadows—and even Divine Shadows—was rooted in his Domain.
The part that didn't make sense was how the process actually worked… or maybe he just hadn't figured it out yet.
He'd spent 100 Fragments to convert the hulking gorilla into a Shadow, and could now summon it freely.
Before, all his shades had only passively granted him essence. But now?
As the shadow tore through a carapace scavenger, a trickle of essence flowed into Sunny's soul. Then, a lonesome shadow drifted toward him, drawn by his finality—which he welcomed.
It was almost the same as when Soul Serpent killed something. That was another point worth considering—
Soul Serpent, though also a Shadow like the gorilla, was far stronger.
'Is it because he's a natural Shadow? Or maybe because he's from the Shadow Realm?'
"What do you think?" Sunny muttered, glancing at the Serpent.
The massive snake just stared at him.
"Yeah, what'd I expect—" He was cut off when the Serpent suddenly hissed. Not angrily, but… knowingly?
"Wait. You… understood me?" The towering snake… nodded?
Sunny exhaled, long and slow. "Great. What's next, you gonna start talking?"
From behind, the gorilla grunted and made a vague gesture at his mouth.
"…Are you seriously asking me for food?" Sunny blinked. "What do you want? A banana?"
He stared, dumbfounded. "You're a shadow, for the dead god's sake. Act like one."
The gorilla grunted again and turned away. Was that… disappointment?
Sunny scoffed. "Unbelievable."
Then, he turned into a shadow and continued toward the Dark City, eliminating any fallen abominations that strayed into his path.
Technically, he had near-infinite essence due to the vast Fragment of the Shadow Realm. If he wanted, he could reach the city in less than a second with shadow step.
But instead, he took his time—methodically clearing out nightmare creatures to ensure more Sleepers survived their first descent.
That was, until he reached the crater.
"I'm not traversing this thing on foot… shadow?"
With a shrug, Sunny shadow-stepped across the vast chasm. As the world blurred, the Dark City came into view.
He expanded his shadow senses outward—first into the city, then deeper, past its skeletal streets and crumbling towers, until they breached the Bright Castle itself.
Once, he might have called the castle magnificent. It stood proud in the heart of ruin, regal and unbroken.
But now that he had seen his own Marvelous Mimic in all its glory, the Bright Castle didn't seem quite so grand anymore.
Everything—except a certain cathedral—was exposed beneath his Supreme shadow sense. Every guard. Every hunter. Every pathfinder. Not even the current Bright Lord escaped his notice.
Gunlaug was seated on his throne—with Gemma before him—probably listening to reports on the movement—or lack thereof—of nightmare creatures.
Unsurprisingly, there wasn't much to report. Sunny had taken care of them.
He withdrew into his soul sea, intent on experimentation. Specifically, whether Fragments from higher-ranked creatures affected the quality of Shadows he could create.
He called forth the carapace demon—the massive, crab-like horror with eight segmented legs. It materialized and bowed before him.
[Convert Shade to Shadow? 117 / 100 Shadow Fragments]
Sunny could've gathered more Fragments, but he'd deliberately hunted only Awakened-tier prey for this test.
'Yes.'
He watched as motes of light—Shadow Fragments—flowed from his seven cores, arcing toward the carapace demon.
Curiously, the fragments didn't come from the cores closest to his central Shadow Core, like they usually did for great beasts.
Instead, they emerged from those farther out.
Odd, Sunny thought.
As the cores stopped flowing in, the Shadow rose.
[You have received a Shadow: Carapace Demon]
This shadow was, in some ways, closer to a shade—despite being a demon. Meanwhile, the hulking gorilla, though ranked lower, showed troubling signs of intelligence.
Somewhere in the depths of the Dark City, Effie was hunting an Awakened Beast. Over in the Bright Castle, Kai was… lazing about.
'Truly, the life of an idol.'
Sunny sighed, then slipped through the shadows into a ruined cathedral.
He'd already chosen Godgrave as the seat of the Shadow Clan. Its location was too important—nestled right between the domains of the other two Sovereigns. The idea of him also ruling the Forgotten? Not ideal. Not until he dealt with the other rulers first.
Still, that didn't mean he couldn't play the part of a silent overlord, pulling strings from the dark.
As he descended the cathedral's hidden passage, thoughts spun in his mind.
'How should I approach Neph?'
'Mysterious helper from the shadows?'
'Mercenary trading favors for payment?'
'Maybe another mentor, like with Rain…'
He dismissed the ideas. No answer felt right. And besides, he had arrived.
The tunnel ended in a vast chamber carved from bedrock. The same two torches burned, casting cold light. Their shadows were perfectly still, untouched by the flicker of flame. On the far end stood the heavy door of black steel.
"Move," Sunny commanded, eyes on the frozen shadows.
Nothing.
"I am your god," he said, voice colder, firmer. "I command you to move."
The shadows trembled.
Trapped between absolute law and obedience, they hesitated—then broke.
They shattered trying to obey him, to reach him, even when the law forbade it. They chose annihilation over disobedience.
The sight left a bitter taste in his mouth.
So Sunny welcomed them.
The shattered remnants, freed from their bindings in death, drifted into his soul.
Content, at last.
Sunny shadow-stepped through the door. No force stopped him—not that it could.
Inside was the same grim sight: a corpse, bound in chains, draped in a dark mantle, the Weaver's mask still resting where he'd left it. Runes etched into the stone glowed faintly nearby.
'Hail Weaver, Demon of Fate, Firstborn of the -unknown-.'
This time, though, the runes did nothing. They read like any ordinary runes in the Dream Realm.
Sunny wasn't sure if it was due to his Divinity, or his growing Sovereignty.
He shelved the thought and stepped forward, picking up the mask without ceremony.
The Spell's voice thundered louder than ever. Sunny didn't flinch.
[You have received a Memory.]
He summoned the runes, just to make sure nothing had changed since his regression.
***
Memory: [Weaver's Mask]
Rank: Divine
Tier: VII
Type: Tool
Description: [Weaver…mask.]
Enchantments: [Mantle of Lies], [Where is My Eye?], [Simple Trick]
***
Sunny grinned.
'Truly, being able to lie is a blessing.'
Then he paused.
'Wait…'
Curious, he summoned the mask again and peered into the intricate lattice of diamond threads forming its core.
'I wonder if…'
Slowly, methodically, he reached for an isolated strand and touched it.
Something deep shifted.
A slick, iridescent blackness bled into the thread. Darkness began to consume it—until, suddenly, the corruption was halted. The shadows recoiled, smothered by an unseen force. The strand reasserted itself, whole and radiant.
Sunny frowned.
The diamond weave resisted his corruption. But he had a feeling… stronger, deeper shadows could turn even these threads to darkness.
Not yet, though.
He'd need to be Sacred—maybe even Divine—for that.
***
Meanwhile, at the academy cafeteria, a shadow silently approached a lonesome blind girl.
[Hey Cassie.]
A voice echoed inside her head. She flinched.
[Don't panic. It's me—Sunny. I'm using a mental link, one of my Memories. Just think your reply.]
Cassie took a moment to compose herself, then responded:
[SUNNY! YOU'RE REAL?!]
[No need to scream. Of course I'm real. Why wouldn't I be?]
There was amusement in his tone.
[I asked around… no one had ever heard of you.]
She hesitated, then added:
[And I couldn't read your runes. It's part of my ability. I thought you were just… something I made up.]
Her voice was soft. Hesitant.
[Well, surprise—I exist. As for the runes, no clue. And you were asking the wrong people.]
[Then who should I have asked?]
[Lady Nephis of the Immortal Flame Clan. She'd be more than happy to tell you how incredible I am.]
A pause.
[By the way, Cassie.]
[Yeah?]
[Sign up for the Wilderness Survival class. Trust me.]
[Okay.]
[Just like that? No questions?]
[You're the only one who's spoken to me here. Everyone else just avoids me for being blind. I don't think you'd ever mean me harm.]
Sunny was silent.
Cassie always seemed sharp, calculated. But this version of her… hadn't yet faced the nightmare of the Dream Realm.
[Thanks for trusting me, Cassie. Not many people do.]
[Why not?]
[Probably because all my stories sound ridiculous. Like how one god called in a favor from another just for me.]
Cassie blinked, then broke into laughter.
[Sunny, if you keep telling wild lies like that, no one's ever going to believe you.]
[But it's true!]
[Mhm. Sure. Totally.]