The air was thick with tension as the two Sleepers faced each other atop the ancient stone battlements casting long shadows over the abandoned balcony.
Sunless, clad in shadow-blackened armor that seemed to absorb the fading light, wielded a slender odachi gleaming faintly like a shard of night itself.
Opposite him stood Nephis, her armor shimmering with a silvery sheen, her longsword held steady with practiced ease.
The anticipation grew heavy as they circled, each wary and ready.
"Has it really come to this". Sunny said his voice fading into the aether.
Looking forward his gaze met Nephis.
"Yes it's has. It's not like we didn't know though…" Nephis replied.
Stepping forward she continued.
"This….this is fate. What Cassia saw is now unraveling in front of our eyes Sunny". Nephis eyes lingered.
"Yes I guess you're right". Sunny spoke.
'Fate'. The word itself was a shackle.
"I guess our talk is over". Sunless spoke.
Suddenly, Sunless lunged forward with a swift thrust, his blade slicing through the air toward Nephis' defenses.
She responded instinctively, parrying with a sharp clang that echoed across the stones.
The clash was brief but fierce; Sunless pressed his advantage, aiming for openings in her guard.
Nephis sidestepped gracefully, now on the offensive, slashing upward with a calculated arc.
But Sunless twisted aside, narrowly evading the strike, and countered with a rapid series of jabs—each one testing her resolve.
Nephis accelerated her pace, her sword weaving a deadly pattern of strikes and parries.
Sunless matched her tempo, their blades singing a deadly duet.
Sparks flew as steel met steel, each combatant pushing beyond their limits.
One a Monster the other almost a Devil.
Sunless unleashed a sudden feint, pretending to go low before launching a swift overhead slash.
Nephis anticipated it and rolled back, her sword flashing in a counterattack.
Their blades locked momentarily, each fighting for dominance.
A sudden burst of energy surged through Sunless, and he pushed forward, his sword sliding past Nephis' guard to nick her side.
She grimaced but remained composed, retaliating with a powerful thrust aimed at his chest.
Sunless barely dodged, the tip grazing his armor.
Both fighters paused a moment, recognizing each other's skill and resilience.
Without hesitation, Sunless pressed the attack once more, launching a flurry of precise strikes designed to overwhelm her.
Nephis endured, her blade blocking and redirecting, looking for an opening.
Then, with a deft move, she sidestepped and struck out at Sunless' wrist, forcing him to retreat slightly.
The battle was a blur—a dance of agility, strength, and strategy.
As the fight reached its zenith, Sunless feinted a blow and spun around, his blade aiming for Nephis' exposed back.
She turned just in time, parrying and sending a counterattack that grazed his shoulder.
Both were breathing heavily now, sweat slicking their brows, eyes locked with mutual respect.
Recognizing the stalemate, Sunless gradually lowered his weapon, a silent signal of acknowledgment.
Nephis nodded firmly, her sword lowering as well.
As silence settled over the battlements, they both knew that this duel was only a beginning, a test of strength that would forge an unbreakable bond of warriors.
And then they lunged ounce more.
Walking up the stairs Isaac's gaze was hollow.
He could not leave the Dream Realm through the Gateway.
Whether it was because his lack of connection to the Spell or the new nature of his soul he couldn't tell.
All he knew was that he was now stuck.
There was only one way now of getting out the dream realm alive.
'I need to become a Master'. The thought flickered through Isaac's mind.
The goal wasn't as hard as it sounded.
At least someone in Isaac's situation would find it much easier to complete such a goal.
He was already an Awakened.
He was also a Monster.
His path of ascension was also able to advance in a more fluid way than compared to humans.
Simply by absorbing the soul shards of higher Ranked creatures, his soul essence with slowly elevate until it reaches the next Rank.
And due to his unique circumstance, his Class would also advance.
He was brought out of his mind as the sound of clashing swords echoed.
Looking beyond the outline of a broken door, he saw dark short figure and a tall silver figure fighting.
Sparks flew from their blades, their swordsmanship superb.
The raw strength that emanated from both of them surpassed any Sleeper.
If one were to call them the strongest Sleepers not many if none at all could inject.
And yet even with the terrifying power both of them weld the silver figure began to slowly overpower the black one.
Nephis was beating Sunny.
Nephis was almost the Devil.
It had actually surprised that she hadn't become a Devil yet.
The yard gone hunting almost every single day without stop, and yet it seemed as if she hadn't made much progress than she had in the original story.
Fate…
Looking at the scene before him unravel something that he had only read in the novel slowly and methodically be revealed to him in real time.
"Go Lost from Light".
The word snapped Isaac from his reverie.
The battle had ended and Sunny was being forced to go to the Gateway.
As the light that made up Sunny's body disintegrated into small particles, only two people were left.
"It seems even after my interception fate still got what it wanted". Isaac spoke aloud.
Nephis head snapped towards him, a look of surprise flickering in her grey eyes.
Slowly walking towards the weak-end Nephis he looked at her.
"It's time for you to go".
Nephis opened her mouth, wanting to say something.
But Isaac didn't listen he simply kept walking towards her.
"I am simply returning the favor".
She had saved him once so he would save her as well.
"You should have more followers than before".
Isaac kept rambling.
"Even if they find you Cassia will probably have contingency plans already. She is a seer after all.".
Disregarding the look of confusion on Nephis face he lunged.
Nephis tried to react, but he was already too close.
He was a Rank above her as well.
Even if she was a Devil, she could never be able to block this attack.
Isaac's fist collided with her abdomen knocking the wind out of her body.
Her eyes rolled back as her body slumped onto Isaac's shoulder.
Picking up her now, light body and carrying it towards the gateway, he slowly put her on the ground.
Nephis body slowly began to turn into particles of light, extending outward to an unknown location, vanishing out of existence.
She was returning to the waking world.
Watching the last stream of light vanish, Isaac could only sigh.
There was no light.
And yet the world was grey.
Looking at the now gray world, Isaac could only chuckle.
"It seems like sacrificing those two was a good thing".
[I sacrifice the physical boons bestowed upon me by my Monster core for one year in exchange for an night vision]
[I sacrifice the ability to enhance myself with soul essence for one year in exchange for an equal affinity with shadows]
"It's time for my voyage".
__________________________________
The forgotten shore arc is now done.
I will be doing a time skip so we won't really see what he does in the dream realm.
Until next time.