After finishing breakfast, it was time to move.
"We need to cover as much distance as possible today," Sunny said. "Once their food runs out and the Carapace Monsters start roaming the labyrinth, things will get out of hand fast."
Nephis nodded and turned toward Cassie.
"Cassie, wake up," she said, shaking the blind girl gently. "We're leaving."
No response.
Nephis frowned and shook her again. Then tapped her shoulder. Then jolted her slightly.
Nothing.
Her expression darkened.
"What's wrong?" Sunny called from a short distance away, already prepared to leave.
"She isn't waking up."
Sunny's body tensed. Without hesitation, he rushed over and crouched beside them, pressing his fingers to Cassie's forehead. Her skin was warm, slightly damp with sweat—but otherwise, she showed no signs of distress.
Still, she wouldn't wake up.
Confused, he exchanged a glance with Nephis.
"She said she would force herself to see a vision," Nephis muttered, worry creeping into her tone. "Do you think she's still in one?"
Sunny hesitated, his mind racing.
Was that even possible?
From what he understood, Cassie had no control over her visions. She couldn't decide when they happened or what she saw in them. But that was the Cassie he knew in his previous life. Was it possible that this version of her had somehow found a way to force herself into a vision?
…No. That didn't seem likely.
He had barely changed anything in the timeline so far. His existence as a mere Sleeper shouldn't have created ripples drastic enough to alter the course of fate to such a degree—at least, not yet.
Unless…
No. Let's not think about that possibility right now.
Assuming it was just a coincidence—assuming Cassie naturally fell into a vision the moment she tried to force one—then the real question was: what happened to her body while she was seeing it?
Did she remain in slumber until the vision ran its course? Or could it be broken by force?
Sunny clicked his tongue.
He had no idea.
But if it was the former, there was nothing to worry about—Cassie would wake up naturally once the vision ended. If it was the latter, however… what happens if someone is torn from a vision before it completes?
"Let's hope she is just seeing a vision," Sunny finally said, glancing at the sky. "We'll wait a little longer. If we avoid every scavenger along the way, we can spare a couple of hours before we have to leave."
Nephis exhaled sharply but nodded.
With nothing else to do, she turned and resumed her sword training.
Sunny lingered beside Cassie a while longer, watching for any signs of distress—anything that might hint at what was happening inside her mind. But all he noticed were a few beads of sweat lining her face.
With a deep breath, he let the sleeping girl be.
Hopefully… she'll wake up like normal.
Hopefully… my worst fears haven't come true.
Hopefully…
Shaking off his unease, Sunny sent Gloomy down the headless statue to scout.
Far in the distance, the Carapace Centurions had taken control of the giant abomination's corpse, their towering forms decimating its remaining half with terrifying speed. Many of the weaker scavengers had been pushed back, forced to retreat.
That meant one thing.
They would have to fight today.
Sunny grimaced and turned his gaze back to the island.
On the other side of the platform, Nephis was furiously swinging her sword through the air, her movements sharp, precise—like she was locked in battle with an invisible enemy.
He watched her for a long moment, admiring her form. Then, without a word, he stepped forward and summoned a Memory.
Azure Blade materialized in his hand, its serene blue steel catching the dim light.
Nephis halted mid-swing, raising an eyebrow at him. Then, seeing the challenge in his eyes, she smiled.
Sunny pointed his sword at her.
"Let's spar," he said—and then lunged at her with murderous intent.
Nephis bent backward, narrowly avoiding the razor edge of his sword. The blade sliced through the air where her head had been a moment before.
Sunny staggered back, parrying a strike aimed at his stomach.
Slash. Slash. Slash.
The sharp clang of steel clashing against steel echoed beneath the silent sky. Sparks danced in the air as their weapons clashed in rapid succession.
With each passing second, the duel grew fiercer. Their movements became sharper, more precise. And yet, despite the deadly pace, both of them were smiling.
It was, without a doubt, beneficial for them both.
Especially for Nephis.
Her sword skills were exceptional compared to other Sleepers. But compared to him? She still looked like a child swinging a wooden stick, struggling to keep up. She had a long way to go before she could truly stand against him, and these duels played a crucial role in closing that gap.
But today, he wasn't fighting her just for the sake of practice. Or fun.
He had a more important goal in mind.
Nephis clicked her tongue as she barely avoided having her chin sliced open by his blade. But before she could recover, Sunny was already upon her—his sword cutting through the air with lethal precision, aiming to slice through the hilt of her weapon… along with the fingers gripping it.
She had made one mistake. One single opening.
That was all it took. The momentary lapse was enough for him to shift the entire momentum of the duel.
He wasn't even using Saint's Stalwart Style, or the Immortal Flame Clan's adaptable style, or any of the other high-caliber techniques he knew. He was simply employing one of the basic styles he had copied during the Dreamscape Tournament.
And yet, it was more than enough.
Ever since he had mastered the first step of Shadow Dance, fighting Nephis had become effortless. He could read her every move—anticipate her thoughts before she even finished forming them.
It was so easy, it was almost... Laughable. After all, he knew her far better than she knew herself.
With a final twist of his wrist, he knocked her sword aside and pressed the tip of Azure Blade to her throat.
Nephis, breathing heavily, collapsed onto the cold stone.
"You…" she exhaled between ragged breaths. "Just how many sword styles do you know?"
Sunny chuckled, dismissing his memory. "Too many to count."
Nephis frowned but said nothing, still trying to catch her breath.
"It's one of the utilities of my Aspect Legacy," he added.
The moment the words left his mouth, Nephis froze. Her wide, silver eyes locked onto his, utterly stunned.
"Your… Aspect Legacy?" she repeated slowly, as if he had just dropped a bomb on her.
Sunny tilted his head, amused. Nephis was getting better at showing emotions.
Then, with a quiet sigh, his amusement faded.
Revealing his Aspect Legacy... Shadow Dance... It wasn't something he had wanted to do so soon. But after seeing Cassie's strange slumber, he realized that things were changing too fast. Too unpredictably.
He couldn't afford to hold back any longer. He needed to get stronger—faster. And for that, he needed Nephis's help.
"I unlocked it a while ago," he said casually, as if it wasn't a big deal. "It lets me mimic and learn different battle styles easily. The people I've observed, analyzed, and fought over the years... I know the techniques of almost all of them."
Nephis stared at him in disbelief. Her face was an open book—shock, wonder, and something else. If Sunny wasn't pressed for time, he would have savored this moment a little longer. Her surprised expressions were adorable.
But he didn't have time to relish in it.
He sighed.
The battle styles he had mastered in his past life were still present in his mind—engraved into his very soul. But his body?
It wasn't capable enough to wield them flawlessly. Not yet. It lacked the muscle memory, the instinctive execution that had once had.
He needed practice. A lot of practice.
He had to drill each individual style into his bones until they became second nature again. And for that, he needed a good opponent.
There was no better opponent than Nephis.
With her exceptional talent and inhuman healing abilities, she was the only one who could withstand the full onslaught of his unleashed battle styles—continuously, for hours on end. And he needed that.
Re-mastering them was a necessary step in unlocking the second stage of Shadow Dance. And if he had her help, he was sure he could do it before they reached Ashen Barrow.
The only issue was... He had to convince her first. And do it in a way that didn't make him sound like a plotting assassin.
Sunny exhaled and raised his sword.
"…All these battle styles, they're in my mind. But my body isn't capable enough to emulate them with perfection yet." He met her gaze, his dark eyes gleaming with quiet intensity. "I need your help to master them. In return, I'll teach you how to refine your own battle style at a much faster rate. And I promise, by the time we're done, you'll be far stronger than you are now."
Nephis sighed, taking a slow, measured breath. She was still digesting everything.
How could she not?
A Sleeper unlocking their Aspect Legacy was unheard of. Let alone within days of conquering their First Nightmare. And now Sunny was already talking about progressing it even further.
She took another deep breath, staring at her sword.
Then she looked up at him—at his dark, determined eyes. At the hunger in them. The desire to grow. The sheer, undeniable will to become stronger.
Such a person couldn't be an assassin sent by the Sovereigns. If anything, ever since stepping into this accursed land, he had done nothing but help her grow stronger. And even now, despite asking for her help to grow stronger, he was still doing the same.
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
She steeled her resolve, squared her shoulders, and raised her blade.
"...Alright." Her silver eyes gleamed. "Do your best."
Sunny didn't waste another breath. He lashed out at her with everything he had.
For the next hour and a half... It was hell on earth.
...
Both of them lay sprawled on the jagged, stony ground, utterly drained. Neither could stand.
Nephis had burned through her Aspect relentlessly, healing herself and Sunny over and over again to keep their sparring going for as long as humanly possible. And the results were immediate.
She was stronger now—far stronger than she had been before the duel began. Her understanding of combat, of her own fighting style, had evolved dramatically. Sunny had cut no corners in teaching her, forcing her to confront every weakness and refine every strength.
If she fought the Nephis from yesterday, she would win without much difficulty.
A gleeful smile tugged at her bloodied lips. If she had the strength to stand, the first thing she would have done was thank Sunny for her growth.
Instead, she barely managed to shift her head, glancing at the collapsed figure beside her.
He was sprawled, clutching at the stone like a drowning man clinging to a raft in the middle of a storm. His chest rose and fell with ragged breaths. And yet…
He was smiling. No, more than that. He was grinning. Like a child who had just stumbled upon an endless trove of toys.
The sight was almost amusing.
Nephis watched him for a long moment, her expression shifting, softening into something unfamiliar.
Hope. Curiosity.
Is it… really okay to rely on him?
She had spent so long walking this path alone. Could he truly be someone who stood by her side in this harrowing journey?
No. She already knew the answer. He could.
Sunny was stronger than her—much stronger. And she was certain he hadn't shown her everything yet.
He had already crushed her in pure combat skill. As much as she hated to admit it, it hadn't even been a challenge for him. If they ever fought for real, the only thing keeping her in the battle would be the healing aspect of her ability.
But... would that really matter if she was completely overwhelmed in everything else?
And that wasn't even considering the strange Echo he had, the one that allowed him to manipulate essence despite being a Sleeper.
And yet, even now, she knew he had other secrets, too—things he hadn't revealed. Not yet.
A shadow passed over her face.
Did he not trust her enough?
The irony of the thought almost made her laugh.
How could she blame him? Until just recently, she had suspected him of being an assassin. Even now, a small, stubborn part of her refused to let go of that suspicion.
And yet, she expected him to trust her?
The hypocrisy almost made her to slap herself.
No. She wouldn't blame him for keeping things from her. And she wouldn't ask. She, too, carried secrets she had no intention of sharing.
So the real question wasn't if he could stand beside her—he had already more than proven his strength.
The question was… would he?
She knew he had a desperate goal of his own, something he was chasing with unrelenting resolve. Would he really spend time and energy helping someone else achieve theirs?
She wished she could ask him. Because finding a shoulder to lean on in this cruel, lonely world...
It was a dream she had long since given up on.
Before she could dwell on her thoughts any further, a voice jolted her out of her trance.
"Check on Cassie," Sunny said, gazing at the sun. "It's been two hours. We need to leave now, or we won't reach the next high point before sundown."
Nephis exhaled, then forced herself to her feet. She had recovered enough to walk, but Sunny still seemed unsteady. He hadn't even tried to get up until now.
After a brief pause, she nodded silently and turned away.
"Cassie, wake up."
She gave the blind girl a gentle shake. No response.
A frown crept onto her face. She tried again—shaking harder, tapping her cheek, even jolting her—but Cassie remained still.
Then, she lowered her ear to her chest and listened.
Her breathing was calm. Her heartbeat was steady. There were no visible signs of distress, no indication that anything was wrong.
And yet, no matter what she did, Cassie wouldn't open her eyes.
Sunny finally managed to stand and staggered over, his expression darkening. He crouched down, attempting to rouse Cassie himself—gripping her shoulder, murmuring her name, even giving her a light slap.
No reaction.
"This is bad," he muttered.
The two exchanged glances, then collapsed onto the cold stone beside Cassie.
Silence stretched between them as they stared toward the horizon. In the distance, the horde of Scavengers and Centurions was still feasting, their grotesque forms tearing into the colossal carcass.
With each passing second, more and more flesh was devoured—a stark reminder of how little time they had left.
No matter how strong they had become, a direct encounter with a pack of Carapace Centurions in the middle of the labyrinth would be suicide.
And yet...
Once that carcass was gone, the centurions would spread throughout the labyrinth, hunting for more.
They had to move before that inevitability arrived.
After a long, heavy moment, Nephis finally spoke.
"Let's carry her."
Summoning her golden rope, she continued, "We'll avoid as many Scavengers as possible. If we're forced to fight, we prioritize severing their limbs and running. If we move fast enough, we'll make it in time."
Sunny sighed, then gave a small nod. It was the only option they had.
"Alright. Tie her to me." He braced himself and started to stand.
Nephis turned to him, watching as he wobbled on his feet, still drained from their training. Her expression darkened.
"No," she said firmly. "You still haven't recovered enough. I will carry her."
"But—"
"No buts."
Without hesitation, she hoisted Cassie onto her back. "You're better at combat than I am. You're the one who should be fighting the Scavengers we can't avoid. Now hurry—we don't have time to waste."
Sunny opened his mouth to protest but found no words.
In the end, he simply exhaled, tied the rope around her and Cassie, and turned toward the descent.
And so, with great difficulty, they left the headless statue behind and set off toward the next safe point.
The journey was smoother than expected.
Moody scouted ahead, and with most of the labyrinth's denizens still preoccupied with the various corpses strewn across the landscape, they encountered fewer threats than expected.
They reached their destination without much trouble.
But deep down, they both knew. This was merely the calm before the storm.
AN: Do share your thoughts in the comments.