Sunny took off the training shirt That police station granted him, revealing the intricate tattoo etched across his torso. It was a sinuous black serpent, masterfully detailed and strangely alive. The inked creature slithered across his chest and down his right arm, subtly shifting its position from time to time as if it had a will of its own.
This was no ordinary marking.
The snake was a dormant Shadow, possessing two Traits—both incredibly useful on the Forgotten Shore. first one was [Shadow Guide], a Trait that allowed the serpent to produce a trickle of shadow essence in Sunny's body. It wasn't much… but if he ever acquired the [Mantls of the Underworld], that minor supply could prove vital. The second Trait was [Soul Weapon]—the ability to transform into any weapon Sunny desired.
"Alright, friend. To my arm."
At his command, the serpent slithered down and took the form of a short sword, coalescing in his hand. With the new blade in his grasp, Sunny resumed his training, cycling through different techniques. He wasn't just sharpening his form—he was conditioning his body, pushing his mind and muscle toward greater mastery of the Shadow Dance.
What Sunny truly needed, however, was either a proper sparring partner or enough time. Fortunately, he had both.
In the wilderness survival class, he found Professor Julius hunched over a scrap of paper, muttering to himself like a lunatic. Sunny didn't find that strange in the slightest. After all, he was the living embodiment of madness.
The professor eventually looked up, his eyes full of spirited curiosity.
"What's your name, ? I'm Awakened, Julius. You may call me Professor Julius."
"It's Sunless."
The professor paused for a moment. "Huh. Strange name. Ominous, even… but then again, everything around me is ominous. One more won't hurt."
"Tell me, Sunless… what brings you here? Are you one of those legacy Kids ?"
"Professor Julius, I'm a rat from the outskirts. Master Jet recommended you. And… it seems I got lucky and got effect by the Spell right after the Winter Solstice."
"Souls reaper ? Hah! At least she has some sense. Don't worry, kid. You're already smarter than most your age. Choosing wilderness survival… the others just want to learn how to fight. They forget the real stuff how to start a fire, purify water, make clothing from trees…"
They spoke For a long time , their conversation spanned everything from the basics of Dream Realm history to ancient languages. Sunny showed some knowledge that he had , which made Professor Julius visibly delighted.he was practically floating with joy. It had been a lot of time since he found a student that he could truly share a passion with.
Sunny's weekly schedule became packed: wilderness survival, combat training, a course on the anatomy and classification of Nightmare Creatures—specifically Caborique species—and even a geology class focused on Dream Realm terrain.
And so, his life in the Academy moved forward… until the second Sleeper finally arrived.
It was Cassie. Or rather… Cassia.
In this life, she Got infected by the Spell far earlier than she had in the past. That was no coincidence.
Sunny had planted the Nightmare Seed inside both Cassie and Nephis, timing their awakenings so each would face their Trial at a different moment than in the past.
He wanted Cassie close.
The reason was simple: in his previous life, the blind seer had cloaked herself in weakness and followed Nephis like a loyal dog. But Sunny knew better. He had seen the strings she pulled from behind the veil. She was clever, manipulative, and dangerous.
So he used a basic principle: Keep your friends close… and your enemies closer.
And in Cassie's case… she was both.
He found her in the cafeteria, holding a mug of coffee between her hands. Her eyes—blind though they were—held a strange kind of void as if she had already accepted her death.
Sunny couldn't help but find it tragically funny. The great Song of the fallen manipulator of fates, looked as fragile as a broken doll.
She turned her head as his footsteps echoed through the empty hall. When her face tilted toward him—though it wasn't quite a gaze, given her condition—her lips curled into a small frown.
Sunny immediately understood. It was because of his Trait: [Blessed by the Shadow God].
He walked up to the chair opposite her and took the initiative.
"Hey… do you mind if I sit?"
Cassie's voice was a bit shaky.
"…Go ahead..My name is Cassia. But you can call me Cassie."
"I'm Sunless."
He paused for a moment, then tilted his head.
"Can I ask you something, Cassia?"
"…Yes..you can ."
"Why do you look like a walking corpse who's already given up on life? No offense, I get it—you're blind. And in the Dream Realm, that's a death sentence. But are you going to surrender that easily?"
"I… I can't see."
She spoke the last words with visible effort as if confessing a terrible truth.
"I know, Cassia. And that's exactly why I think your Aspect must be powerful. The Spell is cruel… but it's also fair."
Cassie froze.
She had expected someone to figure it out eventually… but not this soon.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to interrogate you. I'm here to make friends. Someone once told me I need to make as many friends as possible if I want to survive in the Dream Realm."
He offered her a faint smile.
"You've just earned the privilege of being my friend. If we ever meet in the Dream Realm… I'll protect you."
"But..Why Would you do that?"Cassie asked carefully
"You can say it's an Pity and I also know that you will be useful don't underestimate Yourself "
Her lips parted.
Tears welled up in her eyes, shimmering with something raw and fragile.
Hope.
That single sentence was exactly what she had needed to hear—what she hadn't even known she'd been waiting for. It warmed her frozen heart like a distant sun rising over a dead world.
She stood up, feeling for the edge of the table, then walked around and pulled Sunny into a tight embrace. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Thank you… thank you, Sunless."
Sunny felt a strange warmth in his chest.
He still hated the Fallen Song… but this wasn't her.
This was Cassie.
"…Call me Sunny. It's better that way."