A week had passed since the calamitous clash on the hill.
The group had journeyed further west, delving deeper into the crimson labyrinth. Although the sights remained the same, the enemies they faced began to differ.
The four sleepers came to find out that the labyrinth did not belong to the carapace legion alone.
This hellish place was also occupied by bloodsucking flowers, weird centipede creatures that could secrete a corrosive oil and eerie transparent tentacles that slithered out of small crevices in the coral.
As if that wasn't enough, a Carapace Centurion had been trailing them for the past few days.
Aided by the wish to fly and Cassie being mounted atop the Echo's back, their travelling speed was extraordinary. It wouldn't be difficult for them to simply leave the centurion behind and sneak past every adversary up ahead.
But Nephis, and surprisingly Sunny, were against doing so. After the battle on the hill, their eyes had been opened and they seemed to understand how woefully outmatched they were.
Obviously, this was a given. They were a couple of Sleepers - albeit abnormal ones - facing nightmare creatures they had no right to be going up against.
But their closest brush with death yet, seemed to have a strange effect on them. So they began to actively hunt the carapace beasts, taking out any creatures that were either completely isolated or moving in groups of no more than three.
Initially, they were simply planning to lure the carapace centurion into a narrow passage, to turn its size against the monster. However, things quickly took a turn.
Attracted by the noise of the battle, both the scavengers and the weird centipede creatures that were waging war against the carapace legion in this part of the labyrinth showed up to join the fight. In the ensuing mayhem, Sunny and Nephis used the animosity between the two tribes of monsters to their advantage and ended up as the only victors.
That was how they felled the monster.
With this hunting strategy, Nephis consumed souls shards at an astonishing rate, quickly closing the gap between mundane and superhuman, whilst Sunny's rigourus training with the sword, combined with his experience of countless fatal battles forced him to evolve, advancing with leaps and bounds.
Yoru who had forgone the use of the marauders love, had been steadily getting stronger as well.
Specifically, his spearman ship and swordplay.
He tended to leave the fighting to Sunny and Nephis seeing as he didn't gain any fragments from slaying creatures, but the experience he was to gain was more than enough incentive to do so… sometimes.
He would also try and increase his wish arsenal here and there, like gaining access to virtually unlimited amounts of the Centipedes oil, via a wish and copying all of the Dormant Memories in everyone's possession.
So with this, the group had not only been able to move in relative peace, but even faster than they did in the canon.
Now the five of them, including Scavy, steadily approached their next landmark: The Bone Ridge.
The ridge, as the name suggested, was made of bone. The skeletal remains of a colossal sea monster lay on an enormous mound of chaotically growing coral, with its arching spine protruding especially high above the ground. It was impossible to say what the terrifying creature had looked like while it was still alive, but one thing was certain - it was gargantuan even by the standards of the dark sea.
This wasn't the first giant skeleton they saw during their journey. In fact, the labyrinth was littered with remains of dead leviathans, their massive bones forming natural arches and palaces throughout it. They were easy to spot because the coral formations were especially tall and dense in their vicinity, as though trying to bury any sign of whiteness in the sea of crimson.
'This just isn't something I can get used to.' Yoru mentally sighed to himself, wistfully gazing at the horrific sights.
He often found himself daydreaming about skyscrapers, regular modern cars and trees standing upon beds of lush grass. But despite seeking some normalcy in his imaginations, he couldn't help but feel strangely awed by the colossal magnitude of the leviathan remains.
'Ah, my thoughts are so strange nowadays. How did I become such a weirdo...'
But that was based on the presumption that he wasn't a weirdo to begin with.
…How bold of him.
'Damn! Even my own thoughts are insulting me. I really am a weirdo!'
In an attempt to escape the confines of his own mind, Yoru spoke outwardly to no one in particular.
"I'm thinking about starting a legacy clan when we get out of this place."
Two voices responded almost immediately.
"With what legacy?"
"Ha! With who?"
Despite the questions being expected, that didn't stop Yoru from feeling offended.
First, he called out to Sunny and replied:
"None of your damn business that's who! And besides, plenty of women will fawn over me when we return and I'm famous. Though they already do that anyways."
He turned around and looked upwards at Cassie who was mounted on top of Scavy.
"And my legacy will come around eventually. It's only a matter of time."
It was an interesting thought. Yoru had no idea how to unlock his legacy or what it could be, but if it was a battle style like Sunny's then he would be very pleased. Of course, it wasn't easy to unlock one's legacy.
According to his own knowledge, the only legacies shown in the novel were Sunny's, Nephis' and Jet's.
Sunny and Nephis unlocked theirs's through understanding and knowledge, whilst jet unlocked her own by fulfilling the morbid requirement of killing herself.
Yoru too, was a holder of a divine aspect however, so it would make sense for his legacy conditions to be an understanding of some sort.
But at that moment, Nephis spoke up, cutting his thoughts short.
"Stay focused. We'll all die if we grow complacent."
Nephis paused for a moment before adding:
"Also… you shouldn't start a clan Yoru."
He looked at her.
"Why not?"
"Well, If I were to be led by you… I'd likely rebel."
Sunny laughed as Nephis continued forwards without another word, leaving Yoru stunned.
"Wha- ! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
***
By the time they got to safety, the sun was already setting. The dark sea was returning, filling the inside of the sea monster's spine with the echoing sound of rushing water. Sunny took the saddlebags off the Echo and dismissed it, making their camp instantly feel much roomier.
Once they reached the top of the colossal spine, it was clear to all of them that they were in desperate need of a bath.
Yoru and Sunny left the girls alone to give them an opportunity to wash themselves.
In this time, Yoru briefly glanced at his counter and clicked his tongue.
Wishes Granted: [38.5/1000]
'This is too slow.'
His progression was completely separate from that of ordinary and even unordinary awakened. Instead of consuming soul fragments, he needed to grant wishes.
There were definitely benefits to such a thing but as of right now, Yoru could only focus on the costs. That being… how painfully slow his progression was.
Still, he had done quite well so far so he couldn't be too upset.
That was when Sunny leaned forwards and spoke.
"Has… Cassie said anything strange to you lately?"
"Nothing I consider out of the ordinary. Why?"
Sunny lowered his voice.
"Back on that hill, she told me she had more visions. More than the ones she shared with us."
'Why does this feel familiar' ,Yoru thought to himself idly.
"Perhaps keeping her visions to herself is for the best. No good comes out of knowing something you shouldn't."
For some reason, Sunny turned away from him, almost as if he was in guilt.
"Uhhh yeah, anyways she also asked me if I could look after Nephis no matter what."
'Huh!'
Well there was the cause for the familiar feeling! That moment was so pivotal Yoru was stunned he didn't catch onto it sooner. The reason for this was because that question essentially dictated the entirety of the story.
Cassie asks Sunny this question and he replies with "No," leading the blind oracle to the decision of betraying him and telling Nephis his True Name.
It was arguably the greatest tradgedy in the novel.
Yoru's heart jolted at this and he allowed only the briefest moment of surprise to flicker on his face.
"So… what did you say?"
Sunny sighed.
"I said I'd try my best."
Yoru's eyes widened.
'Hah… did I just change everything?'
This was the exact kind of outcome he had hoped for, but to see such a change actually come to reality was an almost staggering feeling.
Noticing his reaction, Sunny asked:
"What's wrong?"
Yoru shook his head and gently smiled.
"I'm just surprised. You're not a very selfless man Sunny."
"I'm glad you know that. But like MasterJet said, "You don't survive alone in the dream realm." I think I've come to understand the importance of those words these last few weeks…"
He then quickly added:
"Also, who are you to label me as selfish? I saved your life after all."
Yoru laughed.
"Pffft, my life wasn't in any danger. Any beast or even the dark sea would've probably spat me back out."
Sunny raised a brow and scoffed.
"Really? Then the next time your life is in my hands, remind me to do nothing."
Yoru shivered, suddenly getting premonitions of a terrible and deadly future.
"O-okay I'm only kidding, let's not be rash."
The two of them kept chatting away until eventually the girls returned, looking refreshed and glowing.
Soon enough, it was Yoru's turn to clean himself of the blood and grime, he had accumulated over the past weeks.
Once he was done, they all sat down and ate roasted centurion meat. When they were finished the only thing left to do was sleep.
And that was the evening.
***
The next day, Sunny and Nephis had left to go and scout for the next vantage point west, leaving Yoru and Scavy to guard Cassie.
Before they left, He had granted them the wish to fly so they would be able to scout and return quickly.
Currently, Yoru was was wielding the Bloody Requiem and practicing his aerial combat, familiarising himself with the sensation of flying and swinging a spear.
Which was a very odd and uncomfortable experience.
He had just started to get the hang of flying whilst they traveled through the labyrinth, but implementing the ability into his spear play was an entirely different subject.
In the air, his thrusts couldn't utilise his body weight and transfer energy from the ground through his core, resulting in a lower impact. Another issue was that he lacked stability and control whilst suspended in air, so his accuracy would also be hindered.
But that didn't mean learning to fight in the air was a useless endeavour. Flying allowed for a wide array of options both in the air and on the ground.
In the air he would just have to rely on spins to fuel his momentum and deliver wide arcs of slashes. On the ground he could breifly activate his flight and become as a light as a feather, allowing him to do an array of movements which would've been difficult if not impossible to do before.
So despite the discomfort brought by the airtime he was feeling, Yoru couldn't stop grinning, envisioning the future of his boundless capabilities.
'Who needs shadow dance when you're as great as a fighter as me?'
In the moment, his egotism had gotten the better of him so he didn't really know what he was thinking.
Shadow dance, without a doubt, was the most broken ability he had seen.
Some time later, Changing Star and the noble roach had returned.
They both landed softly on the ground and Nephis wore a slightly disgruntled look.
Yoru came down from the skies as well and looked at his two allies.
"So what have my adorable scouts found for me."
Nephis opened her mouth to speak but before she could, Sunny stepped forwards.
"How?"
Yoru frowned.
"How what?"
Sunny studied him carefully and after a few moments replied:
"How did you know about the tree?"
'Oh.'
So it seemed they had finally made it to the Ashen Barrow.
Yoru didn't know whether to feel happy or dreadful. On one side, this meant that the bright castle was just one stretch away and he'd soon be able to read enchantments. On the other, it meant the next threats the cohort faced were the Carapace Demon and the Soul Devouring Tree.
But somehow, there was an even more pressing issue. That being Sunny's suspicion.
He had only told Sunny about the soul devouring tree so he would also gain the ability to read enchantments, once Sunny received blood weave. But that seemed to have been a reckless decision.
Yoru sighed.
"Things just wouldn't be right, if you or Nephis could go longer than a week without thinking I want to kill you in some way…"
Sunny continued to look at him warily.
"That doesn't answer my question."
Yoru grit his teeth and considered his options in the little time he was given.
All things considered, telling them about his transmigration wouldn't be the worst decision. After all, every awakened in the world was a transmigratior technically.
The only difference being that where Yoru was from, this world was nothing but a story.
And in telling them that, he would probably shatter their perceptions and give them an existential crisis. Something he wasn't willing to do.
But if he was to keep the part about their world being a novel to himself, then explaining how he knew the future would be a tricky situation to manoeuvre.
In the end, Yoru stuck to what he knew best.
"I…I have a Divine Aspect."
"…"
Silence hung in the air for a while until eventually, Sunny let out a dry humourless chuckle.
"Of course your runes are the perfect excuse to every outrageous thing you do! How could I have expected any other answer from you?"
Cassie, who had long walked over, looked towards Yoru with an astonished gaze.
"A divine aspect… that's, unheard of..."
Whatever thoughts and reservations Nephis had, she kept them to herself, instead choosing to wordlessly stare at Yoru.
He exhaled.
"I also have a true name, Wish Upon a Star."
In that moment, Yoru heard both Sunny and Cassie's voices resound within his head.
They whispered:
"To be with my sister."
"To have my sight returned."
And:
"To spite the world."
There were more, but these were much louder than the rest, forcing Yoru to grit his teeth in an attempt to suppress them.
Sunny's eyes widened and he trembled slightly. He tried his best to hide it, but Yoru could tell that the divine shadow was uncomfortable.
This was exactly what Yoru had wanted. A conversation that involved True Names was probably Sunny's most feared. This was the perfect deterrent for any suspicion he held.
"I knew Nephis was remarkable but you as well Yoru?" Cassie said, her surpise coming off more as statement rather than a question.
Despite the pain brought by the desires, Yoru mainted his poker face and grinned.
"I'm not one to brag but yes, I have a true name."
He looked at Sunny.
"So is it that unfounded for me to know things I shouldn't?"
Sunny regained some of his composure and scoffed.
"You knowing things isn't what bothers me. It's how you're lying about knowing these things."
He paused then added:
"Usually, I wouldn't really care what you have to hide. I make a goal of not prying into other people's business unless it concerns me."
He then pointed West, towards where the ashen barrow lay.
"But you told me to climb a tree in the damn dream realm of all places. And Lo' and behold, there's a tree ahead of us. So I have every right to be concerned."
Yoru wracked his brain for another answer but unfortunately, he found himself coming up short.
However, in the next moment, Nephis who had remained quiet all this time, made a move and began to pack up their camp.
Sunny and Yoru both turned to her and frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Nephis slung one of their seaweed fashioned rucksacks over her shoulder and turned to face them.
"Going west," She said matter of factly.
"You're right to be wary, Sunny. Yoru's behaviour is strange… But he's fought alongside us with his life on the line, time and time again, so I'm willing to ignore his actions."
She took a moment and then said:
"Besides, suspicion doesn't change our current circumstance. Either we go west or we die. So does it matter?"
Sunny was silent for a long while wearing a conflicted expression. After some time, due to the pain from his flaw, he was forced to answer through gritted teeth.
"I guess… I guess not."
Nephis nodded.
"Then let's move."
***
Strangely enough, Nephis had come to Yoru's rescue, reducing Sunny's skepticisms to nothing but pointless noise.
Yoru was grateful for that but he'd rather not face suspicion at all. All the wariness surrounding him and Sunny's once in a while accusations were starting to get annoying.
But it didn't matter now.
Much more important and perhaps fatal matters were at hand.
The group had abandoned the remains of the dead leviathan and had begun their trip into the ashen wastelands.
The difference between the sea of ash and the crimson labyrinth was stark. Where the coral walls of the maze offered an oppressive feeling - like how one felt whilst being captive, It also provided cover from the many abominations, granting a strange sense of security.
The wasteland however did the polar opposite.
The openness of the vast land felt alien yet somehow equally as terrifying as the labyrinth. Perhaps after spending such a long time surrounded by blood-red walls, Yoru had unknowingly developed agoraphobic tendencies. The sea of ash made him feel so vulnerable and unprotected, that for a moment, he forgot he donned ascended armour!
And that was when, for the first time, Yoru had laid eyes upon that insidious tree.
The tree rose into the sky like a tower, its branches wide enough to cover the whole island in their shade. The bark of the giant tree was as black as the water of the dark sea, while its leaves were red as blood. Contrasted against the grey sky, the crimson crown of the majestic tree looked incredibly vibrant and magnificent.
But even that all paled in comparison to the fear he felt when a centurion appeared, emerging from the labyrinth which they had exited just moments ago.
The monster carried a glimmering item in its scythe hands and walked towards the Soul Devouring Tree.
Currently, the four of them were tightly pressed together, hiding from the monster by taking cover behind a knoll that rose from the ground. Eventually the creature passed by them, heading straight for the Barrow, unbeknownst to the presence of the four humans not too far away from it.
Time seemed to slow down to a crawl in those moments. Moments which he dutifully savoured, being trapped between both Cassie and Nephis.
Sunny, who had been tailing the creature with his shadow, informed them of what the Centurion was doing and everything he was seeing.
Despite the morbid situation, it was a bit funny to see Sunny's expressions range from fear and mild curiosity to extreme horror, all in the span of a few seconds.
'I guess he's seen the Carapace Demon.'
Yoru remembered the creature being described as the size of a house. Just that image alone sent shivers down his spine.
"What happened?"
Nephis looked at Sunny and raised an eyebrow.
For once, her expression of indifference did not look very convincing.
Sunny glanced at the not-so-distant Ashen Barrow and shivered.
"There's danger ahead. We need to return to the Bone Ridge. I'll explain everything once we're safe and sound, back at the camp."
Nephis opened her mouth to say something, but then thought better of it and remained silent, simply giving him a nod.
Sunny summoned the Echo, tied the golden rope around its torso, placed Cassie's makeshift saddle back on its carapace and helped the blind girl climb to her seat.
Picking up the saddlebags, he fixed them back onto the scavenger and took a step away.
They were ready to go.