The sun emerged into the sky, and the pitch-black sky ran from the light, receding backward in the heavens, the speckled stars fading away. The black opaque water suddenly surged and seethed, like a living creature desperately trying to avoid the pale light of the incoming light.
Kade watched with relief, approaching the edge of the stone platform.
He looked down to the dried blood of the fallen monster, the trail that led down to the Black Sea, and more of the remnants showing as the tide receded.
The ocean was being evacuated around him, the short peak above the water—reveling in the rest of the spire.
'...That's something good; I was missing that.' With the sea gone, it also meant the leave of the monstrous nightmare creatures that filled its depths. Kade could maybe travel somewhat without meeting creatures more operative for a master than a sleeper.
The sea sunk faster and faster, being punctured here and there by sharp crimson blades. As it dropped down further, the coral spikes coalesced into a forest, each one of them like trees from small to giant, all of the roots shooting in the sky, as if sent to spread to the clouds.
A labyrinth formed by the strange reef as far as Kade could see, broken here and there like protruding cliffs, sudden chasms, and distant natural features.
Kade only had to wait half an hour, and the sea had retreated, leaving only scattered black seaweed hanging on the wet rocks and scarlet pillars.
The brawler sighed a breath of relief; with this in mind, he could avoid the black water for now, as long as he got where he needed to be before it came back to drown the land. He just needed the speed to traverse the great distances laid before him.
Kade smirked and pounded his chest under the warming sun's rays.
"Byakko, I know you're in there. "About time you crawl out of my soul, you lazy tiger!"
He was met with silence, until--
Growl...
Byakko literally leaped out of his soul; the mystical tiger emerged like an ethereal spirit, its claws weightless above the stone, before the light blue mirage coated around it faded. The beast is forming into reality.
The same old cat's orange fur basking under the sun, his piercing blue eyes staring down at Kade with annoyance.
'Huh, he listened.' Kade did not know whether he got on Byakko's good side or the tiger understood the assignment now situated in the dream realm. He was just glad to see that he was being more reliable.
Kade smiled at his oversized pet and commanded.
"Byakko, let me ride upon your back, my divine steed!"
Byakko rolled his eyes with a snort, bowing down and offering his neck to climb upon.
"Finally, I get to do this!" Kade snickered, his soured mood from last night going into the background as he skipped up to Byakko and ascended his neck. The warmth of Byakko's coat brushed against his fingertips as he climbed atop the awakened beast.
He was only about a meter and a half taller where he would have stood, but it was upon Byakko's back that Kade felt more powerful. The complete opposite of the sinking feeling he had felt against the fallen beast.
The world around him seemed far more open, and the feeling of confinement that had weighed over him from the academy fell to the wayside. A deadly hellscape where everything could mean death, he could imagine the hordes of nightmare creatures already.
And he would dive into it, teeth bared and fists ready.
'Goddamn, I really need to satiate [Battle Lust].' It gave him confidence and a desire for violence that trumped the original him by far, like when he had lost control of it last night against the waves.
Sure, it worked out then, helped him survive. Until it wouldn't, where it would make him fight where he should run and seek when he should hide.
Right now, he needed to live in the moment, survey the situation, and not risk his life when it wasn't needed.
Back to the present. saddled upon a mythical tiger
So, he should enjoy the moment—since it was sick as fuck.
Byakko, who had been indifferent, suddenly perked up, alertness deep in his crystal blue irises. Sniffing the air with focus.
"Kade shuffled with a jolt. ' What's up, buddy?"
His spirit beast ignored his concern, its snout now staring into the distance silently. 'What the hell's up with my cat?'.
Byakko shifted lower and then burst forward. Kade felt the wind caress his face, the world speeding up around him, the mythical tiger pounding forward with immense finesse. With immense finesse, its powerful muscles surged beneath a thick coat of fur.
Instantly Kade's ride turned rough; he bounced up and down, holding onto Byakko's fur for dear life.
"Byakko, slow down--PLEASE!" Kade could see the end of the spire coming closer, and despite rivaling an APC in speed. Byakko continued to accelerate despite this.
And pounced off.
Kade's heart leaped out of his chest, the feeling of weightlessness overtaking him. For the duo fell.
"He's got this... surely." Kade prayed Byakko wouldn't be dumb enough to get them both killed as soon as Kade summoned him, but with the sharp, splintered rocks to meet their descent, he couldn't understand.
The splintered destination came closer and closer, the wind roaring in his ear--"BYAKKO!" Kade called, gripping his fur tightly like crash handles.
The mythical tiger only gave a toothy grin, clearly confident in its endeavor. And before they hit the bottom, Kade felt a shift in his soul.
The anxiety, confusion, and collected doubt he was experiencing suddenly swelled. A soothing cold surged up from them.
Kade felt his well of [Unyielding Asura] diminish, and suddenly, a frigid, diamond-like mist emerged from Byakko's shivering coat. His toothy maw opened up—the mist spouting from out the sides of his mouth like trailing fumes.
Bewildered, the puzzle clicked in Kade's mind.
It was Byakko's only combat attribute, [Divine Outburst]. He had called forth the ice from his strong emotions and powered it with his energy.
The coalesced ice erupted forward, crashing from the cliffside to the sharp stone protrusions.
It solidified into a gleaming ramp, stretching across the death below.
Byakko hit the start of the ramp, the force slamming Kade down into his back. The icy path shimmered beneath them, and they rocketed forward, the momentum roaring in Kade's ears.
The ramp dipped steeply before arcing up again like the curve of a wave.
Byakko didn't slow. instead pushing harder, claws scraping against the slick surface as the tiger exploded upward.
Then—
They launched.
Kade's stomach dropped as Byakko sailed through the air, the crystalline ramp crumbling behind them.
With a low growl, Byakko tucked his limbs, unfurled with explosive force, and slammed down onto the wet sand in a perfect landing, but his stride didn't break.
The mythical beast was already dashing forward, paws pounding the earth in pure savage prowess. diving into the crimson coral forest effortlessly.
Kade held on tight, heart pounding, and a wicked smile emerged on his lips.
"That," he choked happily out between jolts, "that was glorious."
Byakko paid no mind, its stride unbroken, rushing through the various obstacles with ease. Kade could have been mad that the tiger had used his fear to save the both of them; if he had trusted the tiger a bit too much, they could have both received a lot of damage.
The orange apex predator was too smart for its own good, not that Kade minded. Despite their different origins, they shared something of a like-minded spirit... somewhat.
"Still, where are you taking us, Byakko?" Kade offered. He didn't expect the tiger to talk back or anything, just to acknowledge him, but he stayed silent, focused on the gallivant to who knows what.
Kade shrugged; clearly Byakko had something in mind. For now, he could focus on the experience of mounting him, watching the passing terrain, and imprinting the experience into his memories.
'I'll see where we're going soon enough.'
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About 10 minutes had passed since he caught a ride on Byakko. And Kade was finally understanding what the tiger was heading to.
He could hear it, in the distance, the struggle and yelling.
People.
Sleepers like him are clearly running for their lives.
How did he even sniff them out... and why would he care? Kade didn't imagine his companion to be the type who cared about the plight of others. He gave off the vibe of a selfish beast with pride, summoned to be Kade's echo.
The most useful thing he had done, other than being his steed, was being a pillow for him, Dawn, and Cassie on movie nights.
Byakko slowed his sprint, the sandy ground giving way to a steep ravine. Down with the shattered crimson coral and black seaweed were four sleepers, all scratched up, memories in hands, face-to-face with an alarming amount of nightmare creatures.
The creatures looked like a grotesque blend of demonic crabs and centaurs, standing three meters tall and towering over the Sleepers. Their sharp pincers clicked menacingly as the scavenger pack closed in.
Luckily, all sixteen of the monsters seemed injured, limping. slowed just enough for the Sleepers to stay ahead. But something had gone wrong. Now they were cornered at the bottom of the ravine.
Escape was futile.
Kade didn't recognize anyone there; it seemed just like the average cohort of peers he had. The same people who switched up on him as soon as he beat Caster.
"Guess I've got to save their asses now," Kade muttered. [Battle Lust] stirred from the depths, calling him to tear into the crowd atop his vicious mount, to lay waste to the foolish lobsters dumb enough to cross his path.
Byakko eyed the crustaceans with glee, lazily licking his oversized canines in anticipation. The beast looked ready to leap into the ravine at any moment.
'...That's the reason, huh?' Kade mused. He was baffled… but also not surprised.
The divine tiger wanted fresh crab meat on the menu; it had never thought of or cared for the sleepers once.
"Let's head down there then!"
If he halted any longer, the sleepers could be dead before he arrived.
Byakko didn't hesitate and leapt down the ravine with haste and let out a deep, rattling roar—a low-frequency rumble that echoed powerfully through the ravine, the divine tiger letting the world know of its hunger.
The Sleepers and scavengers jolted their heads up at the outburst. Only to see a mythical tiger plummet from up above like a comet and crater into the soft sand before the scavengers.
The loose sand exploded around the two, shielding them briefly before falling to the wayside.
Revealing the intruders.
Kade stood tall atop Byakko's back, teeth bared in a crooked grin, wind tousling his hair. His presence struck like thunder.
Much to the surprise of the bewildered Sleepers, he called eagerly--
"Mind if I tag in?"
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[Author's Note—]
Hello, dear readers, it's me, londonbinknife! I've had great fun writing this story and will continue to do so daily as usual. I just had to say that before someone assumed I was dropping from this notice, lmao.
I don't have any exams coming up; I'm out of school and just completed my certification anyway. Won't have to worry about that.
But fr fr, I've been thinking about a change to the story, and I've put this here instead of the actual author's note so I can get the most eyes on it.
And that is that I feel like I should buff Sunny...
Why?
I want our dear Sunless to be a prevalent force in the story, rather than to be thrown to the wayside. You see, I've already changed the plot slightly with the assassination side bit for our Sunny. Whether he will ever follow up with you, think if he will.
But it draws him to be an active player in the story with his decisions rather than just another side character to be bedazzled by the main character's perfection!!!!
Yet, I want more out of it.
Since even though he is a divine aspect holder, he doesn't hold up against Nephis and Kade in the first arc, only at the very end when he is skilled enough and has access to Stone Saint. (Of course he could have ways to beat them one on one, but I'm talking about in general, not just against them.)
I want him to match Kade and Nephis in strength so that he can have a bigger role in it all.
I've thought of about three things to buff him. You can comment whether you don't want it at all or prefer one of the options or suggest your own!
This goes out to everyone reading, not just the people who I've interacted with so far.
Least
Sunny receives kill credit for Auro when he led the tyrant to him, a bit of a stretch, but it could allow him to receive a memory, like a charm that boosts his general strength a little bit.
Unique
Sunny's aspect does allow him to actually control shadows, a little tiny imitation of what he could do as a master.
Monster Sunless.
Say that he received shadow fragments from the blessing of the shadow god and received his second core and turned into a dormant monster. This is the most powerful one so far, a good strength buff with the added control of two shadows. Makes them a real menace, though.
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Of course, I'll manage what the forgotten shore has to offer to not make the added benefit off Kade, Dawn, buffed Sunny, and the unknown sleeper shown in the chapter before. Like, for example, Caster deciding not to join the cohort on the journey out of the Dark City. And other such options that I might show later.
Either way, I'll promise to cook. That's what I've promised myself to do.
Also, 200+ collections YIPEEEE!!!!
I sadly don't have the time to write an extra chapter for it lol.
Thanks for reading; your support means the world.