Chapter 1889 Heart of Stone

True darkness was Sunny's natural enemy.

However, to Saint, it was a weapon.

Because she had been born in the Underworld, where darkness reigned.

[Heart of Darkness] Attribute Description: "A vestige of an ancient darkness dwells in this Shadow's heart, granting her tenebrous powers."

[Mantle of Darkness] Ability Description: "Darkness embraces this Shadow. When surrounded by darkness, and true darkness more so, her swiftness and might will increase. Her wounds will be healed, and her heart will grow fuller." [Blade of Darkness] Ability Description: "The true darkness dwelling in this Shadow's heart can be summoned in the form of a fearsome weapon, as long as the Shadow has mastered the use of that weapon. The Blade of Darkness can slay those of flesh and those of spirit; it never dulls, never falters, and never breaks. Alternatively, the darkness can be summoned to augment a mundane weapon." ...When Revel summoned the tide of elemental darkness, Sunny's powers were suppressed. Fiend and Serpent were weakened, as well.

But Saint only grew stronger.

There were not one, but three sources of true darkness around the graceful stone knight — the Lightslayer and two Reflections who had mirrored her Aspect. Therefore, Saint's heart was overflowing with power. Her body was nourished by the darkness, growing stronger, faster, and more enduring.

Most importantly of all, she wasn't blinded by the darkness — instead, her perception had only become sharper.

That was why Sunny had abandoned his usual ways. In most battles, he himself played the role of the main blade of the Shadow Cohort — while the Shadows supported him, it was his task to deliver the fatal blow.

But in the sea of elemental darkness, Saint was the best and only option. The rest of them were not only an inferior choice, but also a liability... so, Sunny had chosen to remove himself from the battle, betting everything on Saint.

The taciturn knight was already empowered by the darkness. Now, three of his shadows had bestowed their blessings upon her.

And, lastly, Sunny did something that he had never done before — turning into a shadow, be wrapped himself around her stonelike body, hoping to add the fourth blessing to the other three.

Surprisingly, it worked.

Sunny felt himself... fusing with Saint, like his shadows had done in the past. It was a strange and indescribable feeling — not unpleasant, though. Rather, it felt natural and even a little euphoric, as if he was doing something that he had always been meant to do.

Not that he could have, before becoming a Saint. Even now, Sunny did not know if something like that would have been possible if he attempted the fusion with his original body instead of a shadow incarnation.

Her calmness, her cold confidence, her pride. A hint of recognition she felt while facing Revel... because Revel was a Beast‘s spawn, and Saint had battled others of her kin in the great war of old.

'How strange.‘

Sunny could not read Saint's thoughts, but he did understand something about her. It was that the memories of her past life were not entirely gone. However, they weren't entirely there, either... not quite erased, by dim and faint, like a distant dream. A dream that someone else had dreamt, perhaps.

Before she was a Shadow.

It was a mercy, no doubt, considering that most of those memories were tainted by the madness of Corruption.

As a Shadow...

Saint gripped the hilt of the Soul Serpent. The black odachi rippled and shifted its form, turning into a heavy straight sword. Then, a stream of darkness flowed from

under her gauntlet, enveloping the sharp blade and fusing with the stygian steel.

She turned her head and faced her two enemies — Princess Revel of the Great

Clan Song and the abominable creature that mirrored her existence.

Then, Saint stared them down with cold indifference, calmly raised her sword, and

struck it twice against the rim of her shield.

Sharing her senses, Sunny trembled with excitement.

'...I think I understand why she does it now.'

Honestly, it felt rather cool.