Shadow Slave

Chapter 3158 Greatest Fortune

Sunny smiled and remained silent, taking the bottle from Effie.

He had gotten back from the Forgotten Shore only this morning, and in a few hours, he would be gone. Behind them, in the Ivory Tower, Nephis and Cassie were finishing the last of their preparation and addressing the Fire Keepers. His own farewells had already been said.

The three freshly baked Sovereigns, meanwhile, were in the strange interim period where their duties had already been decided, but did not become reality yet. An army of bureaucrats, administrators, and military officers were feverishly rearranging the whole framework of how humanity functioned at the moment. Until the logistical side of the leadership change caught up, Effie, Kai, and Jet had precious little to do.

It was all too sudden and not at all ideal, bound to cause damage across both worlds... but also a part of the process. If Sunny and Nephis wanted to ensure a flawless transition, they would have had to spend years arranging everything properly. That delay, however, would have caused even more harm.

Now that the apocalypse was in full swing, Sunny had to abandon the idea of doing things without suffering losses. Somewhere along the way, everything had become an issue of mitigating the damage, not avoiding it altogether. It was a shift in mentality that he did not want to accept, but also a necessary one.

So, this hasty transition was, in fact, a good trial run of the dire changes to come.

Once pieces of Earth started to fuse with the Dream Realm en masse and the situation worsened even further, with unexpected calamities striking without warning on a regular basis, humanity would have to learn how to function with utmost effectiveness despite the utter chaos. Taking a sip of the wine and appreciating its flavor, Sunny smiled wistfully and looked at the bottle.

This bottle, too, was a symbol of humanity's perseverance and adaptability. The grapes used to brew the wine were a strain developed in Ravenheart from Godgrave vines, then cultivated in the uniquely fertile soil of the Night Garden. The beautiful bottle itself was produced in the Glass Hell and was sturdy enough to be used as a weapon.

In fact, humanity had three superb bread baskets now. Ravenheart with its rich volcanic soil, the Night Garden with its mystical enchantments, and Effie's Domain that had been infused with a fragment of War God's own vitality. Silver Web was exceptionally productive due to Ananke's augmentation, as well. As long as these treasuries were still in human hands, people would not starve, at least.

Sunny looked at his friends and grinned.

“Wow... look at that. All three of my interns have become Supreme! That is, like, a one-hundred-percent satisfaction guarantee. Am I not the greatest mentor in history? Honestly, even I am amazed at myself."

The three of them looked at him wryly. Eventually, Jet chuckled.

“Yeah, way to go, genius. We conquered the Fourth Nightmare, but you still managed to make it sound like your personal achievement, somehow. That's real talent right there."

Effie nodded, while Kai simply smiled.

“But yes... thank you, Sunny. I don't think we would have returned if it wasn't for the experience of those three expeditions. Not all of us, at least.”

Sunny waved a hand. He passed the bottle to Jet, remained silent for a few moments, and then said:

"Azarax, huh?"

He looked into the distance.

"After hearing about your Nightmare... I really want to return to the Nightmare Desert, find the bastard, and put him back on that tree."

After that, Sunny shivered.

“Although I'd better wait until I am Sacred. Or Divine. Let me tell you, that place is called the Nightmare Desert for a reason."

Effie shook her head slowly, a shadow briefly running over her eyes.

"That guy has already received his punishment. Now, the Shadow God's curse swallowed him up... all that remains is a husk. He'll probably become a problem one day in the future, but someone else can deal with him. We don't have a monopoly on dealing with terrible crap, do we?"

She grinned and looked at Sunny with curiosity.

“Our Nightmare is in the past, though. But yours will begin soon. So, how do you feel?"

Sunny remained silent for a bit, then shrugged.

“Alright, I guess. If anything, I feel... unburdened. I basically got rid of all my earthly possessions, so it's all a bit weird."

He smiled faintly.

“Every time I entered a Nightmare before, I was wary of what awaited me in the Seed. But now, strangely enough, I am not that worried about the Nightmare itself. I am only worried about its aftermath — how much time will pass, how the world will fare without me... how much I will change."

Kai sighed.

“It feels strange to us, as well."

He looked at the procession of knights far below, which was now approaching the Mirror Lake. A sea of scarlet banners billowed in the wind, and around it, a vast city was boiling with life.

Kai's expression turned a little wistful. "We entered the Second Nightmare together. We went into the Third one together, as well. So, except for the First, you have never challenged a Nightmare without us... I can't help but worry."

Sunny chuckled.

"Now you know how I felt when you went into the Seed."

Jet took a sip of the wine, glanced at it, and passed the bottle to Kai.

"I haven't been with you three in the Second Nightmare, but I did watch over this guy during his First."

She paused and then smiled.

Of course, that was to kill him in case he failed... but, still. Kind of makes me sentimental to remember. And look at us now. We are literally on top of the world."

Sunny scratched the back of his head.

“Apart from the fact that it's the wrong world, everything seemed to have turned out great. Well, except for the fact that it's the apocalypse. So, there are two facts — we are on top of the wrong world, and that world is ending. Come to think of it, I take it back. Everything seems to have turned out terribly."

He laughed.

Eventually, Sunny's laughter died out. He lingered for a while, then sighed.

“From before I entered the Academy until now, I had suffered both great and terrible luck. Sometimes, it threw me into situations that seemed inescapable, and sometimes, it saved me from perils that felt insurmountable. But, looking back..."

He glanced at Effie, Kai, and Jet.

“It's clear to me now that my greatest fortune has always been somehow meeting the right people. There are so many people without whom I wouldn't have made it that far, and among them... meeting you three was truly my greatest blessing.”

Sunny smiled.

“Usually, after saying something so earnest, I would immediately follow it up with a joke to handle the aftermath. But, uh... you've just returned from your Nightmare, and I am leaving for mine. Who knows when we will get the chance to see each other again? So, I just wanted to say thank you. For tolerating me for all these years and helping me become who I am. For everything."

The three of them studied him for a few moments.

Then, Jet smiled and waved a hand.

"It's me who should be thanking you, Sunny. For coming with me to Antarctica. For surviving. For helping me become a Saint. And simply for being there for me... meeting you has been a great fortune for me, as well."

Effie nodded.

“Mine too. There is a lot I am thankful for... besides everything, you are also the reason I got to meet my husband and become Little Ling's mom. He would have died somewhere in Antarctica without you, along with countless others. So, don't sell yourself short."

She paused, and then added with a mischievous grin:

“Although you are short..."

Sunny threw a scathing glare her way.

Kai, meanwhile, simply nodded.

“I'd probably still be in that well in the Dark City if it wasn't for you. Well, my bones would be."

He fell silent for a moment before speaking with a smile.

“But let us stop here. This... this is starting to sound suspiciously like a goodbye. And I refuse to say goodbye to you, Sunny."

Kai finished the wine and shook his head.

“We will meet each other again. We will have countless years to enjoy each other's company. So, there's no need to rush... go into your Nightmare with an easy mind, Sunny. The world you are leaving behind will be fine. We'll take care of it."

As Sunny watched, Jet and Effie nodded. He sighed, feeling emotions swell in his chest.

This precious moment... was ending. It was already over, and now, he really had to leave.

"Well, then. In that case..."

Rising from the grass, Sunny dusted himself off and smiled.

"I guess it's time to go. Knowing all of you... has been an honor and a privilege. Until we meet again.”

With that, he vanished.

He had left the world behind.