Two more days had passed since recruitment for the Shadow Clan had begun.
Surprisingly, Sunny had accepted only two dozen new members, even after rigorous screening. Most were hunters from the outer settlement, with a few promising souls from the Bright Castle.
"There is nothing you can say that will convince me otherwise."
Seishan was sharp—brilliant, even—and no less cunning. But even she had limits.
Sunny was hell-bent on tearing down Song and Anvil. Song, because she had killed Nephis. Anvil, because he had played a role in that… and partly just out of spite.
"Why do you wish to overthrow the current rulers of humanity in the Dream Realm?" she asked.
Sunny, seated lazily on his throne, looked down at her with mild amusement.
"Are you serious? I made that clear yesterday. They're unfit to rule humanity. Not only are they stagnant in their own growth, they suppress the growth of others."
"Bu—"
"Enough." His tone turned sharp, a razor's edge of authority.
"Leave."
Seishan faltered, then bowed her head and departed.
Sunny sighed, slumping into the throne like a king bored with power.
For now, the Bright Castle was under Shadow Clan rule. Resources were being redistributed, fairly for once. Food quality had risen significantly—it was a small thing, but it mattered.
Soon, he would open a Dream Gate back to the waking world.
That, too, was new.
Before, he had been bound—restricted from opening Dream Gates back to the waking world. But after his regression… after the evolution of his Aspect… that limitation had vanished. As far as he knew, only Nephis and possibly Asterion shared this ability, likely due to their [Dreamspawn] attribute.
He didn't know why exactly this had happened.
But he had a suspicion.
It was likely the combined weight of his [Divine Right] and [Chain Breaker] Attributes—his will, sharpened into something greater—that allowed him to bypass that law. To force Dream Gates open in both directions.
With an exhale, Sunny closed his eyes and sank into his Soul Sea.
Today… was the day.
The day he would receive his first Divine Shadow.
He summoned his runes:
Shadow Fragments: 101,109
Then, he called upon the Soul Serpent. It appeared, coiling in the gloom, and its runes shimmered into being.
---
Shadow: [Soul Serpent]
Shadow Rank: Transcendent
Shadow Class: Titan
Shadow Description:
"When the end came, Shadow was the last of the gods to fall. Many cursed him for creating death, but in the end, death claimed all. The Soul Serpent is precisely that—death given form, life, and memory."
Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon], [Soul Beast], [Death Incarnate]
Shadow Abilities: [Serpentine Steel], [Soul Reaver], [Grace of Shadows]
---
And there, at the bottom, was the line he had been waiting for.
[Convert Shadow to Divine Shadow? 100,000 / 100,000 Shadow Fragments]
'Things have been going well so far… what's the worst that could happen?'
Sunny prepared to speak the spell. To give the command.
But then—
He stopped.
Why?
Why would a god need the Spell permission to ascend his own Shadow to a Divine one?
No.
He wouldn't ask.
He would will it.
With that thought, Sunny reached inward—toward his cores—and commanded a connection to form between the Soul Serpent and himself, starting from his central core and stretching outward in both directions.
Motes of darkness flowed like rivers of ink, responding to his will. He felt his soul cores dim, each one flickering lower as they were drained.
He didn't flinch.
He knew it was worth it.
He was the Heir of Shadow. The Scion of Shadows.
How could he claim to be the God of Shadows without a single Divine Shadow of his own?
The flow of fragments accelerated. The outer cores were the first to go dry, their connections breaking off as they emptied.
He left just enough in them to maintain stability—but the lion's share came from the core of his being.
The Soul Serpent began to change.
It shed its form like old skin, its aura deepening. A divine resonance bloomed within it—dark, vast, and vastening still.
Sunny felt it—the growing harmony between himself and the Serpent. Each fragment refined it further, carving it closer to his essence.
It began to grow.
He had once seen the bones of an ancient Soul Serpent in the Shadow Realm—massive beyond reason. He'd used its fangs as ammunition to kill a god.
This… was greater.
All of his incarnations were operating on instinct now, driven by inherited routine. His true focus remained locked on the transformation before him.
At last, only one connection remained: the one between the central core and the Serpent.
Unbroken.
He had assumed each Divine Shadow would need to bind to a different core…
Then, the Spell spoke.
In anticipation, Sunny summoned his runes once again:
Echoes: —
Shadows: [Slayer], [Marvelous Mimic], [Gralk: Gorilla], [Fenrir: Wolf], [Stone Saint]
Divine Shadows: [Soul Serpent]
His lips curled upward as he summoned the runes for his Soul Serpent.
Shadow: [Soul Serpent]
Shadow Rank: Transcendent
Shadow Class: Titan
No major changes there.
Below, however, the description had shifted:
Shadow Description: [Death has many faces. This one bore fangs. Forged in divine silence, the Soul Serpent was not meant to grieve, but to return. It slithered through ruin not to sleep, but to serve once more.]
Sunny stared for a few moments.
What did it mean?
Had Shadow prepared the Serpent, knowing it would eventually become a Divine Shadow? Had the '—unknown— that #####' played a part?
More questions.
With a sigh, Sunny moved on.
Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon], [Soul Beast], [Death Incarnate]
Nothing new on the surface, but [Shadow Guide] and [Soul Beast] had clearly changed.
[Shadow Guide] Attribute Description: "Soul Serpent guides and enhances shadow essence as it flows through your body."
[Soul Beast] Attribute Description: "Soul Serpent can assume the form of a beast while simultaneously shadowing the will of its master."
'Huh… neat.'
His grin widened.
He wasn't sure how the essence would be enhanced, but he'd find out soon enough after summoning Serpent.
As for [Soul Beast]… it wasn't what he expected. He'd always considered the beast form suboptimal because of [Death Incarnate]. That still held true, but maybe there were cases where the beast would shine.
He kept reading.
Shadow Abilities: [Serpentine Steel], [Soul Reaver], [Covenant of Shadows], [Shadow Vanguard]
First—[Soul Reaver].
[Soul Reaver] Ability Description: "The soul essence of those slain by the Shadow Serpent in its Soul Weapon or Soul Beast form is absorbed and transferred to its master."
The change was minor—more essence per kill. Nice, but with his massive reserves, Nightmare Creatures wouldn't move the needle much. Cursed ones, maybe.
What caught him off guard was [Covenant of Shadows], which had replaced [Grace of Shadows], and the entirely new [Shadow Vanguard].
He read on:
[Covenant of Shadows] Ability Description: "The master of the Soul Serpent may bestow its grace upon another, forging a sacred bond of shadow and soul. So long as loyalty remains, they wield a fragment of your nature as the Scion of Shadows. But should they falter, the covenant turns to curse—the Serpent shall feast, and their soul shall unravel. The Serpent does not forget, and it does not forgive."
That was… a lot.
What even counted as disloyalty? Cassie wouldn't have had a great time with this one. He'd need to test it on some fresh recruits.
And finally—
[Shadow Vanguard] Ability Description: "The Soul Serpent commands the slain foes stored deep within its master's soul, calling forth any shade to fight alongside it. These summoned shades manifest, shadowing power and will—each a ghostly weapon in the serpent's endless arsenal."
It made sense. His old [Shadow Legion] did something similar. Now that Serpent was Divine… like master, like shadow.
With a breath, Sunny exited his soul sea.
Outside, the artificial sun had started to dip. He had been down there too long.
'First…'
Dismissing the upper part of his shroud, he summoned the Soul Serpent.
The onyx creature coiled around his arms and torso just like before… but something was different.
Previously, it just circulated essence more efficiently. Now? That same essence moved faster—sharper, stronger.
'How about this…'
He willed the Serpent into its Beast form. Within his soul sea, it was gargantuan. On his actual body?
Largely the same.
Still, not exactly small.
"What happened to your size?"
He wasn't expecting a response. Yet, the Serpent tilted its head… as if recognizing the question.
Then—
Its scales rippled. Its body elongated. Fangs grew. It began to expand.
"STOP! STOP!"
Sunny hastily dismissed it. The Serpent shrank without resistance, slithering back into tattoo-form.
He exhaled in relief and slumped into his seat.
A moment later, Nephis walked in.
"Have yo—" She stopped mid-sentence.
Sunny tilted his head. "What?"
A bright shade of red spread across her cheeks as she struggled to let out the words,
"Umm, the cohort… we— we wanted to know when you'd open the Dream Gate."
He glanced at a stained window. Night had nearly fallen.
The Dark Sea was swelling.
"Soon," he said, smiling.
She nodded quickly and left the throne room.
Sunny blinked.
'Why was she—'
Ah.
Realization dawned.
His Supreme body—bare-chested, with the onyx Serpent tattoo curling over it—was still on full display.
---
Some time later, all the inhabitants had gathered at a large clearing in the outer settlement. Well… most of them. A few defiant ones remained, but Sunny would handle them.
The cohort stood behind him like silent shadows.
He stepped forward and manifested a raised stage of darkness in the center of the clearing. A black line of shadow cleaved the area in two beneath him.
"Right," he said, clearing his throat. "The members of the Shadow Clan to the right. Everyone else, stay left."
The Sleepers moved hesitantly, then steadily split into two camps.
After a few seconds, it was done.
Two dozen Sleepers stood to one side—his force to command. The rest waited, uncertain.
'This is it…'
Today, the world would hear whispers of Sovereigns. Today, the Shadow Clan would rise. Today, Sunny would begin his revenge—on Song, on Anvil, on everything that had broken him.
"I will open a gate to the waking world. Here. Now." He paused, choosing his words. "The members of the Shadow Clan will stay. The rest will leave."
Then, with a slow breath, he reached into his soul and willed a gate into existence.
A black rift tore open in the fabric of the Dream Realm. It bled darkness—pure, impenetrable.
The crowd recoiled, frozen.
Unsurprisingly, it was Seishan who moved first. Without hesitation, she stepped into the Dream Gate and vanished.
One by one, the rest followed.
Minutes passed.
All that remained were the Shadow Clan and his cohort. The stragglers had been caught and forcibly ejected back to the waking world.
With an unreadable expression, Sunny turned to Cassie. She was leaning casually against Fenrir, her face unreadable.
He stepped forward.
"Hey, Cass," he said gently.
"What's up, Sunny?" she replied with a faint smile.
He hesitated. Then: "Hold out your arm. I've got something for you."
She tilted her head in curiosity, but complied. Her arm extended, waiting.
"You don't mind tattoos, right?" he asked, his tone oddly cheerful—like he already knew the answer.
"No…" she replied, wary but trusting.
With that, Sunny summoned Serpent and activated [Covenant of Shadows]. A dark brand of an smaller onyx serpent etched itself into her skin, coiling like smoke, fading onto her like ink.
She twitched slightly, flinching from the unfamiliar sensation.
"Sunny?" she asked, uncertain.
"Huh? Oh, right. I gave you a cool new tattoo. Comes with powers. Try focusing your senses."
Cassie closed her eyes. Focused. The world stilled.
Then—
"Cassie?" Sunny's voice had a touch of concern.
No answer.
"Try to expand your sense. Feel out your surroundings—their shape, form, and color."
And then…
"Huh… Sunny, this—" Her voice trembled slightly. Her hand reached for his, fingers brushing against smooth, unblemished skin.
"This…" he said, smiling softly, "is my gift to you, Cassie."
"It's not perfect. Not like vision. But it'll help."
She stood there, studying his hand, tracing lines across it. Then, realizing herself, she withdrew and turned back toward the cohort—carefully, this time. Her steps were measured, precise.
Her control over Shadow Sense was still crude… but it would grow.
Sunny turned to the others.
"Anyone else want one?"
Effie jumped forward instantly. Kai followed, grinning. And Nephis… she stepped forward last, quiet and composed.
One day, she would become one of humanity's Sovereigns.
But that was fine.
The Covenant of Shadows wouldn't restrict her.
It would strengthen her.
"Sunny," Kai asked with a raised brow. "What exactly does this do?"
He grinned. "Oh, nothing much. Just gives you a tiny slice of my power and helps with the flow and potency of your essence."
Then, he turned to the recruits.
"Now," he mused aloud, "who wants a cool new tattoo?"
Soon, all of them bore the mark. Each tethered to a fragment of Sunny's shadow and his senses. Each branded by his will.
He looked to his cohort.
"Go. I'll meet you at the Awakened Academy café."
Then he turned to the recruits.
"Go now. This is the salvation I promised, and I will deliver. In turn… when I call, you will answer."
A voice rose from the group—Jubei.
"How will we know where to go?"
To that, Sunny just smiled.
"I will find you."
---
In the Nameless Temple, a crazy Divine Heir sat.
Six hands—two human, four shadowed—carved delicate patterns into air.
He was weaving memories.
With a long breath and a tangle of unkempt hair, the man stirred.
Behind him, a talking skull clicked its teeth, amused.
"My, oh my… looks like it's finally time."
The Heir paid no heed.
He rose.
One step.
Then another.
And then—
He vanished.
Now he stood atop the Temple's roof,
Bathed in quiet light, eyes tracing distant horizons.
He inhaled deeply.
'This is it…'
And then—
He released his hold.
The amalgamated fragment of Shadow's realm trembled.
Then it roared.
Rippling. Shifting.
Surging outward—
Into Bastion.
Into Ravenheart.
Contending with the Sovereigns domain.
Overpowering it.
Precise. Focused. Unyielding.
A new player had entered the game.
The Shadow Clan had arrived.