Sunny blinked.
Then blinked again.
'Ha... Ha there's no way...'
He stared at the spectacle before him watching from the shadows. He couldn't help but feel a sense of Deja vu.
Actually, it was more akin to some warped reflection of Deja vu.
It was just three days ago that he had watched Yoru get his arm ripped from his body and consequently pass out, laying unconscious at his feet next to the body of the Carapace Scavenger Sunny had just slain.
Now, it was Yoru who stood atop a dead Awakened beast.
Azure blood dripped from his spear, pattering softly against the coral floor. His chest rose and fell heavily, and there was something unsettling in his eyes.
Sunny had been ready to strike the moment Yoru blinded the creature, but he had said something which gave Sunny pause.
"… you'll have to pay for your relatives transgressions."
As embarrassing as that was to be heard said aloud, it oddly warmed Sunny's heart to hear such spite - from one outskirts rat to another.
So Sunny stayed his hand.
Besides, Yoru didn't look like he needed help.
The way he fought was... strange.
Most of his movements seemed unintentional and improvised. Some were outright lucky!
Even the scavenger seemed to falter and stagger at times when it shouldn't have. But that didn't take away from Yoru's grit. When the Scavenger had tore at his side, he brushed it off as if it was a mere graze. Such tenacity was commendable.
But what truly unsettled him was that Yoru had slain an Awakened beast with nothing but a mundane spear. Of course, Sunny had done the same, but that was when he let Yoru act as bait, exploiting an opening he had created.
What Yoru had done was face it head on and kill it mercilessly.
It... was a miracul- No!
An impressive feat.
Sunny shivered, suddenly very grateful that Yoru could hear wishes and not thoughts.
There was no more time to dwell on it though, as the clash of steel and chitin rang out again.
Nephis was still fending off two scavengers simultaneously.
Just as he thought this, Yoru dashed towards Nephis' fight, taking off.
***
The Azure Blade shimmered into existence in his grip and was immediately swallowed by his shadow. A breath later, the dark blade hit precisely into the discoloured cavity in the scavenger's armour. With a crack, the chitin broke, allowing the tip of the sword to sink deep into the scavenger's body.
The monster shuddered, and then heavily fell to the ground.
Sunny was thrown from its carapace, landing in the mud with a roll.
[You have slain an awakened beast, Carapace Scavenger.]
[...Your shadow grows stronger.]
'Finally... it's over.'
The remains of three Carapace Scavengers lay scattered across the clearing.
The first had been slain by Yoru alone. Nephis had dismembered the limbs of the second and pierced its spine, demobilising it and allowing Yoru the chance to easily finish it off.
The final scavenger had required both Nephis and Sunny working in tandem. Nephis had drawn it across the clearing, forcing it to expose its back to the shadow where Sunny waited.
Just like that…
Three Sleepers had killed three Awakened Beasts.
All things considered, Sunny hadn't done much.
Nephis and Yoru had done most of the fighting. He had merely delivered a final blow.
But who cared?
They all made it out with their lives and that was all that mattered.
'No seriously, it doesn't bother me in the slightest.'
"Yoru, bring Cassie," Nephis said tiredly.
Based on her haggard state, it was clear she had used her aspect.
"Sunny, help me retrieve the soul shards. We need to be quick."
Sunny had no intention of refusing.
She was right about them needing to be quick. That battle had been loud, terribly so. Any nearby Scavengers must've been converging on the clearing already. If they lingered and the other occupants of the labyrinth arrived…
Well. That would be that.
With a sigh, Sunny quickly stood up and began carving into the scavenger next to him.
Then he remembered something.
"Oh. Nephis - Yoru needs healing."
"What? No i don't," Yoru replied flatly.
"Yes you do. I saw the scavenger tear into your left side. Look - your clothes are ripped."
Yoru glanced down and inspected himself. There was indeed a tear in his clothes and even blood surrounding the tear but... There was no wound.
He let out a quiet, incredulous chuckle.
"...Huh. That's weird"
Sunny frowned and looked to Nephis.
She had no reaction. At least, none he could read.
So he assumed she was just as confused.
With that, Yoru turned and walked out of the clearing to retrieve Cassie.
By the time he returned, Sunny and Nephis had collected all three soul shards and placed them into Sunny's makeshift rucksack.
Sunny couldn't help but wonder why Nephis hadn't absorbed them herself.
Apparently, she intended to divide the spoils amongst them.
Sunny of course, had no need for them, but it was a charitable thought.
'How noble.'
***
They continued their journey toward the statue, managing to slay five more Carapace Scavengers along the way. Those skirmishes were far less harrowing than their first battle, largely because they never faced more than one beast at a time.
The process was simple. As discussed, Nephis would act as bait and restrain the beast whilst Sunny would finish it.
It was an oddly beautiful thing to watch.
Yoru wanted to get involved more than once but he held himself back. He wasn't going to become overconfident just because he had defeated one of those beasts in battle before.
But for some reason, it was unexplainably difficult to do so.
He didn't know why.
After slaying the fifth scavenger of the day Nephis finally managed to receive an armour memory, it turned out to be none other than the [Starlight Legion Armour].
It was a pristine white plate armour over a black bodysuit. The armour looked light and elegant. The breastplate was engraved with seven shining stars that appeared to protect the torso, short enough to pose no hindrance to mobility. It even had a helmet with a white plume.
It was only after Nephis had donned the armour that Yoru realised two things.
First, it was that he would miss the sight of Changing Stars alluring physique and that he could only cherish the memory of having once seen it.
Second, it was that he could have simply given her some clothes had she wished for them.
'Best not to bring that up though, it's in the past now.'
Asides from the fact they had faced eight Carapaces Scavengers in one day, It seemed the groups luck when it came to memories was much better, seeing as Yoru had also received a memory, the [Savage Lie].
It was a short sword, roughly the length of an average man's forearm. The blade was narrow and slightly curved, forged from slate-gray metal that darkened to near-black when it caught the light. Though clearly steel, it somehow resembled stone. The cross guard was minimal and asymmetrical, more like a fang than an ornament, and the grip was wrapped in pale leather that felt unnervingly warm to the touch. When Yoru held it, the sword sat perfectly in his hand.
The memory description itself was a little dull and uninspiring, mentioning something about a, "Blood Rain."
But even asides from the memory, Yoru had gained a lot in that fight.
Such as battle experience.
However, in the current moment, he couldn't care less about that.
Instead, he took only one thing away from that fight.
'How can I be this awesome?!'