Shadow Slave

Moments later, Sunny emerged from the darkness onto a towering pyre of burning debris. The garden temple had indeed fallen, devoured by a raging inferno. The mound of rubble still blazed, and the intense heat would have reduced an ordinary human to ash instantly.

Even a Saint could have been incinerated or suffocated by the thick, black smoke. However, thanks to the Onyx Mantle, Sunny was largely unharmed—it wasn’t comfortable, but he could navigate the burning ruins freely.

He quickly located Saint. She stood out distinctly—amid the fiery wreckage, there was an area shrouded in impenetrable darkness, silent and serene.

His Shadow was within. While he couldn’t see her, he sensed her presence and that of his shadows.

Sunny paused at the edge of the sphere of true darkness for a few moments. “…That’s new.”

Saint had always carried a bit of elemental darkness within her, true. But she had never been able to summon it in this way—only to use it to manifest a weapon or cloak a Memory.

It seemed that defeating the Reflection had filled the Heart of Darkness to capacity, allowing her powers to evolve. From what he could tell, Saint had gained an ability similar to Revel’s—she could now blanket an entire area with her darkness. The range wasn’t as extensive as Revel’s, but it was still significant.

Additionally, subtle changes in the darkness hinted at the presence of ancient protective wards, possibly remnants of the Citadel’s original defenses that could now be harnessed for their own use.

Sunny smiled.

What was important was the synergy between this new power and Saint's [Mantle of Darkness] Ability.

“When surrounded by darkness, especially true darkness, her speed and strength will increase. Her wounds will heal...”

Now that Saint could freely unleash elemental darkness, she could remain enveloped by it at all times. This meant she could almost always benefit fully from the [Mantle of Darkness].

There was more to it as well.

Although Sunny wasn’t sure how to assist Saint in evolving, he felt that this new power could be her first step toward becoming a Tyrant. After all, Tyrants were beings who exerted their influence over the world—similar to the Sovereigns, but in their own unique way.

Most Tyrants controlled either a territory or an army of minions, often both. The ability to engulf an area in elemental darkness was akin to gaining control over it.

“Isn’t that right?”

Sunny moved forward, simultaneously taking control of one of the incarnations wrapped around Saint’s body—otherwise, he would have been blinded by his own Shadow’s power, which would have been quite embarrassing.

Without the immediate pressure of battle, Sunny was amazed by the strange and miraculous sensation of merging with another being once more. A faint, harmonious resonance echoed between them, suggesting a deeper connection forming.

He was momentarily dazed, absorbing the complex, otherworldly feeling of being one with Saint's body. He also felt a sense of relief, noticing that her severe wounds were healing—she had spent all that time nestled within her own summoned darkness, nourished and sustained by it.

Then, a loud noise diverted his attention.

It was the sound of a battered onyx breastplate clattering to the ground. Sunny blinked a few times.

Then, he blinked again.

“No, wait. What?!”

Saint seemed to be removing her armor.

There was no doubt. He was seeing the world through her eyes after all—the elegant stone knight stood in the darkness, methodically stripping off her shattered armor. She was nearly free of it, with only a few pieces remaining.

Sunny had seen glimpses of Saint's face and skin before, but never outside the intricate, formidable suit of armor. It was quite a shock.

Beneath the onyx plates, Saint wore simple garments, much like any knight would. Her figure was flawlessly alluring, complementing her inhumanly beautiful face. Her skin matched the color of the onyx armor, giving the illusion that she was made of stone... yet she was not.

Although Saint’s body appeared stone-like and possessed many stone properties, it was merely stonelike. Now that Sunny could sense it, he realized more clearly than ever that she was a being of flesh and blood... or at least of flesh and dust.

Seeing her like this reminded Sunny of the beautiful statue of the Storm God he had once seen in the shrine of the Ebony Tower.

It was evident who Nether had drawn inspiration from when creating the Stone Saints, at least in appearance.

Saint, meanwhile, gave him an indifferent look and continued removing her armor. However, as she did so, faint glowing runes appeared on her skin, pulsating with a soft light that hinted at a hidden power awakening within her.

Her greaves and vambraces fell to the ground, leaving her completely unprotected. Sunny recalled that she hadn’t come here just to gaze around.

“But why is she taking off the armor instead of repairing it?”

His answer came moments later.

Saint knelt beside the broken armor, gazing at it for a while. As she did, the runes on her skin began to glow brighter, reacting to the presence of the shattered onyx pieces.

It seemed... as if a hint of an unknown, somber emotion flickered in her ruby eyes. Behind this, a subtle tear of molten darkness traced down her cheek—a rare display of vulnerability.

Then, she raised her hand and brought her fist down.

The adamantine onyx shattered like glass...

And was absorbed into her body, just as the Memories she had consumed were before. However, this time, the absorption seemed more deliberate, channeling the runes on her skin into her very essence.

Suddenly, the crimson flames burning in her eyes deepened, and Saint appeared stronger. A faint aura of protection enveloped her, suggesting she had unlocked a new defensive capability.

Standing with a proud expression, she straightened her posture.

Moments later, her beautiful form was enveloped by flowing darkness, and that darkness...

Solidified, encasing the body of the silent Shadow in an impenetrable shell of intricate onyx armor. Pristine and new, yet this armor shimmered with the ancient runes that now adorned her skin, indicating a fusion of old and new powers.

Sunny remained still.

“…I can’t believe it.”

Saint had just manifested her own Onyx Mantle, it seemed. This new form not only provided enhanced protection but also seemed to harmonize with the ancient symbols discovered in the Citadel, potentially unlocking new pathways for their quest.