Miguel, still holding Cassie's hand, guided her over to where Sunny was sprawled on the ground.
"You look like you just got hit by a truck full of wisdom. Finally realized why Master Jet always said, 'No one survives alone in the Dream Realm?'"
A smug grin spread across Miguel's face.
"This is what happens when teamwork clicks. Everything suddenly feels easier than it should be."
Sunny grunted, brushing dirt off his clothes as he stood up and made his way over to Nephis. Aside from some minor scrapes on her seaweed outfit, she seemed unharmed.
"Memory?" she asked simply.
Sunny shook his head, and Nephis sighed in disappointment.
She was clearly growing impatient about not having a decent set of armor. If Sunny had been a gentleman, maybe he'd have offered to lend her the Puppeteer's Shroud-but he wasn't. That Memory had cost him blood, sweat, and way too much pain to just give away.
Then Nephis looked at Miguel and narrowed her eyes.
"...Why are you holding Cassie's hand?"
Miguel blinked and tilted his head.
"Wait, is that a real question? You sure your head didn't take a hit? I'm holding her hand because she can't see, obviously. Someone's gotta guide her."
"I know she can't see," Nephis replied with a frown. "I meant-why not use the golden rope?"
Miguel scratched the back of his neck.
"...Oh. Uh. Yeah, forgot about that. So did she, apparently."
He was about to let go, but Cassie held onto his hand a little tighter. Miguel raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and let it slide. No need to turn that into a mental weight to carry later.
[...The demon within you merges with your human self]
[...The demon within you merges with your human self]
[...The demon within you merges with your human self]
Seriously... does this girl have some kind of scent that only attracts Awakened beasts?
Because no joke-every time Sunny and Nephis took out a Carapace Scavenger, another one immediately showed up right where Cassie was hiding. It was becoming oddly consistent... and borderline comedic. Too bad it was also really dangerous.
If Miguel hadn't been nearby, Cassie would be toast by now.
[Soul Fragments: 33/1000]
They were now huddled near the edge of a labyrinth path leading toward the statue of the headless knight. A slow-moving group of scavengers separated them from their destination. The sun was beginning to set-but they still had a bit of time.
Minutes ticked by in silence.
When Nephis finally gave the signal, the group moved. Sunny helped Cassie along while Nephis led the way. They quickly crossed the open field toward the colossal statue.
Now came the hard part-climbing it.
The statue towered over them, two hundred meters tall. Even in perfect conditions, climbing it would've been tough. But now they had to pull Cassie up somehow, too.
Thankfully, they had a cheat.
Miguel.
Turning into a blur of motion, Miguel transformed into a mirage. In one blink, he was gone-reappearing at the top of the statue, golden rope in hand. As Nephis and Sunny climbed, he swiftly pulled Cassie up.
A few minutes later, the four of them were finally on top of the monument.
As night fell, they gathered at the center of the wide circular platform. No fire, no supplies-just a few strips of dried meat and the limitless water bottle being passed around.
Nephis motioned toward Sunny.
He took out four shimmering soul shards and laid them on the stone floor. Without hesitation, Nephis pushed two toward him and took two for herself. She gave one of hers to Cassie.
Sunny sat quietly, then pulled another shard from his pack and slid all three over to Nephis.
She looked surprised.
"...Don't you want to grow stronger?"
Sunny grinned.
"Of course I do. But these won't help me right now. You're the strongest among us-so the stronger you get, the better our chances."
He shrugged.
"It's not a gift, though. It's a trade."
Nephis raised an eyebrow.
"A trade? For what?"
"I'll give you these... and any others I earn until we reach the castle."
He locked eyes with her.
"In return, teach me how to fight."
Miguel leaned over with a grin.
"Look who finally decided to start using his brain."
Sunny gave him a glare but stayed silent. Nephis pondered, then nodded.
"...Okay."
Sunny brightened. "So... when do we start?"
Nephis gave a faint shrug.
"Now."
She gestured toward the others.
"We'll start with words. That's enough for tonight. Cassie, you listen too. Miguel... do whatever you want."
Nephis' voice was calm, firm.
"Combat mastery is split into two parts: the body and the mind."
Sunny and Cassie sat upright, attentive. Miguel leaned back, hands behind his head, smirking but still listening.
"Training the body is simple, but not easy. Repetition is everything. You train a motion so deeply into your muscles that it becomes instinct. In a real fight, you won't have time to think-your body needs to act on its own."
She paused.
"A thousand hours of training aren't as valuable as one real fight. Only those who survive countless battles truly own their technique."
Nephis looked into the fireless darkness.
"But training the mind... that's where the real challenge is. Because once your body is trained, it's your mind that decides victory."
She let the silence hang before asking:
"What is the essence of combat?"
Cassie answered first. "Victory."
Almost at the same time, Sunny said: "Survival."
Miguel thought for a second longer.
"...Power."
Nephis shook her head.
"No."
She looked at each of them, voice growing colder.
"The essence of combat... is murder."
Cassie gasped. Sunny frowned. Miguel scratched his head.
Nephis went on, undeterred.
"At the end of it all, you're trying to kill the other person. They're trying to kill you. One dies. One lives. Everything else? Just noise."
She turned away.
"Style doesn't matter. Weapon doesn't matter. Reason doesn't matter. All that matters is being the one left standing."
Her words echoed through the night, carving themselves into their minds.
Meanwhile, Miguel sat in stillness. Inside his consciousness, he saw it again.
To his right-himself, human. Quiet. Thoughtful.
To his left-his demonic self. Majestic. Terrifying. Gleaming with blue-white energy, armored and regal, wings like blades, masked and silent.
'You're both me... two sides of the same coin.'
The two versions stared at each other but said nothing.
'I get it, Nephis. Murder. That's the heart of battle. That... I can work with.'
Miguel smirked inwardly.
'Be deadly. Be fearless. That's the essence of the Dark Slayer Dance.'
He returned his focus to the world around him. The vast sea stretched below them, dark and eternal. Cassie and the others lay sleeping. But not him.
He never slept well anyway.
"...I'll take first watch," he muttered, standing and facing the endless horizon.
The night passed quietly.
But in the early light of dawn, the stillness was shattered-not by the receding sea...
...but by Cassie's terrified scream.