Their soul seas became one, not completely though.
Only half of their seas became one, the other half still intact. But they got access to each other's soul seas, and their soul seas became almost one.
But yeah, now they share a single soul sea.
Sunny and Nephis looked around with wonder. Before their eyes, their soul seas were twisting into each other.
They both were on opposite sides, which were still intact, not mixing in the center.
Two black suns floating over the dark side.
Two bright suns floating over the light side.
Nephis averted her eyes from the center and turned her head toward Sunny's soul sea's side.
Sunny had already told her about how his soul sea looked. Still, hearing about it and looking at it herself was different.
Countless, motionless nightmare creatures were standing in a line. Skin fully dark, lifeless eyes.
Carapace Scavengers, Carapace Centurion, Corpse Eater, Iron Spider, and all the creatures he had killed and was going to kill, were here and would be here.
A shiver ran down her spine.
'His soul sea is... also cooler than mine!' While she found it disturbing, she also found it cool.
'...Now that I think about it... his true name is also better than mine!..Though only in Spell's translation. If we translate it ourselves, then it comes close, but still! Why does Spell translate his true name better than mine!? What did I do!?.... Well... I want to destroy it... and Sunny is the heir of the one that created it.'
While she was ranting in her mind, Sunny was already walking toward her. He had seen her soul sea before, so he was not as surprised as her.
When he approached the center, he felt...
Nothing.
Of course, warm and cold breezes both touched his face somehow and fluttered his silky black hair in the air.
But other than that, nothing.
He finally stepped onto the other side and felt...warmth.
It didn't feel unnatural or strange. Rather, it felt...comfortable. As if he had entered his own soul sea, but with a light theme instead of dark.
He then walked toward Nephis.
Nephis, who had already gotten out of her ranting, stood there waiting for him.
He finally came to her and opened his mouth.
"..Seem like our soul seas became....soul sea."
Nephis replied with indifference.
"It seems so."
She then gave a playful smile.
"It also seems like we're gonna be... inside each other's... bodies from now on."
Sunny sighed and shook his head.
"...Aaahh, since when did you become like this? What happened to my innocent Neph?"
She tilted her head.
Which, he found cute.
She then asked innocently.
"Did you not like current me?"
Hearing this, Sunny smirked and leaned closer. He put his hands on her cheeks and looked into her eyes.
"I like you."
He paused for a bit, then continued with a soft and affectionate tone.
"I like every version of you. The one you were, the one you currently are,...and I know I'll like the one you'll become."
Pink shades started to appeared on her ears. Sunny leaned even closer, just a few centimeters distance between their lips.
"...Though I like and love your present self, a little more than your past self."
Then he closed that little distance and softly kissed her.
She responded and kissed him back.
But their minds were thinking of something.
'..How did he become such a..smooth talker in six years? And this is not even the first time! After we started dating, he always talked smoothly like this, but after regaining my memories now, it's...weird! Like how did that shy boy change so much!?' But she liked it though.
On the other hand, Sunny...
'....I actually said that line?.. Finally! I had prepared this line for so long! By seeing her reaction... I didn't mess up. Though it feels a bit embarrassing, it was still worth it!' He had seen this on a cultivation show in Mirage City.
Of course, he changed it a little bit. The original line was too cringe. Plus, he didn't just wanted to copy it.
They finally broke their kiss and left their soul sea while holding hands.
A thought popped up in their heads, at the same time.
'We just kissed in our soul sea, does that mean... we can do anything in this area?'
...
They decided to wait a little longer before fighting the demon because, in the meantime, Sunny could unlock the 3rd step of Shadow Dance.
They were on the same day when they had fought the demon, but after that, they had stayed here under the Soul Devouring Tree for a month, in their past life.
And this time they planned to leave as soon as they killed it.
So Sunny tried to master Shadow Dance's 3rd step for a month, and it was easier than the 2nd. He already had experience with shadowing nightmare creatures too much in his past life.
He also knew some creatures who could fight with arms and swords, plus with help from Nephis and his shadows, it became much easier.
So he tried to unlock Shadow Dance's 3rd step for a month and also successfully approached a breakthrough.
They also told Cassie that his Aspect Legacy had something that would help them beat the demon, but it would take some time.
In response, Cassie turned her head toward them and gave a blank stare before nodding.
<..Gosh, just by hearing that you had something to beat an awakened demon has this much impact on her. It's good that we didn't tell her that you're gonna get an ascended monster. I don't know... what would happen to her then.>
<..Yeah, you're right. We shouldn't tell her more secrets for now. Because of her own safety, of course.>
They communicated with telepathy.
Then for the next few days Sunny practiced and tried to shadow all nightmare creatures he could.
He practiced under the shadows; because of [Prince of Shadows], he became much stronger, faster, and his eyes became sharper in shadows.
Nephis also didn't just sit around, she practiced her sword style and tried to mix that with Shadow Dance.
Though it was still too difficult for her to effectively even use Shadow Dance, let alone mixing her style with it. But slowly, slowly she was getting used to it.
Even then, she was still at the same level as sleeper Sunny.
And they, of course, tried to use their soul sea, for that thing.
And it....
Failed.
Their spiritual bodies in the soul sea didn't have flesh, so they didn't even have their thingy and didn't feel anything.
All their sensitive spots, are not sensitive anymore in soul sea
To their disappointment, the maximum they could do was kiss in there.
...
Sunny finally mastered the 3rd step of Shadow Dance. But they only had two days before they had left on the boat for escape in the original timeline.
Sunny looked at serpent runes.
Shadow: [Soul Serpent]
Shadow Rank: Ascended
Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon], [Soul Beast], [Borrowed Will], [Support of Light].
Abilities: [Serpentine Steel], [Grace of Shadows].
A dark smile formed on his face.
'...An ascended monster, two times stronger than normal ones. Plus getting empowered four times by me and Neph, and also able to use a little of my Death Will... isn't that a bit of overkill for the demon?'
He turned his head toward Nephis, who was looking at the sky, also seeing serpent's runes.
A small smile also appeared on her face. Seemed like she thought the same thing.
"Are you ready, Neph?"
She moved her head down and nodded.
He summoned serpent. It appeared, bigger than before. It now even towered over the Carapace Demon. They made their way toward the tree.
Though Cassie was a bit confused. She was riding on the Carapace Scavenger echo, which she called Scavy for some reason.
She was confused because she felt another creature's presence near them. She, who was still scared because they were going to fight an awakened demon, asked Nephis anxiously what it was.
Nephis didn't say much, she just said that it was related to Sunny's Aspect Legacy. Which made her more confused. But she didn't say anything, completely trusting them.
When they finally reached a safe distance, Sunny let Happy go to the demon.
...
Carapace Demon was resting under tree shades. Lying down like a dog. Whatever a dog is.
Suddenly it saw a shadow running toward him with high speed. The demon moved and almost instantly closed the distance.
Trying to protect the tree from this unknown shadow.
It pierced the shadow with its right scythe. But when it moved its scythe away, it saw... nothing.
Because the shadow was under it. Before it realized anything, the serpent rose from the shadow.
It made the demon lose its balance. Spikes on the demon's armor did nothing to serpent.
Happy attached itself to serpent.
Serpent wrapped around the demon's body and started crushing it by pressing its body tightly.
Carapace Demon tried to resist, so it attacked serpent's body with its scythes and pincers.
But it didn't even leave a scratch on serpent's body. Serpent moved its head toward the demon's neck and activated its master's Death Will.
Carapace Demon paused, for a second it dropped all its resistance.
And a second was all the time serpent need.
It sink his fangs on demon's throat and shook it head, ripping off it throat.
Demon body struggle for a bit before turning motionless,
Serpent did this without even using Gloomy and Nephis's flames to augment itself.
...…
Sunny climbed through the tree, jumping from branch to branch, crossing countless branches.
He finally stopped at a branch.
In front of him, covered in scarlet leaves, lay a nest.
The size of the entrance into the nest was large enough for a small truck to pass through. The nest itself was several times bigger.
And in the middle of the nest lay an egg. A giant, ancient egg that was shorter than he was, grey and seemingly lifeless, as though turned to stone by the passage of time.
Offspring of vile thieving bird.
Sunny sighed.
He stepped into the nest and approached the egg while summoning [Midnight Shard].
'If my plan failed and [Blood Weave] gets destroyed, then...everything is over.'
Yes. Weaver lineage is a game changer. Seeing weaves, creating weaves, mind capacity getting increase, plus it's impossible to count how many times it saved his life.
He slammed down his sword on the egg and killed it this time with a single hit.
In the ensuing silence, Sunny heard the Spell's bewitching voice:
[You have slain a Great Devil, Vile Thieving Bird's Spawn.]
[Your shadow grows stronger.]
[You have received a Memory…]
He took a deep breath.
Then summoned the runes and looked at his Memories.
Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Drop of Ichor].
Hurriedly, he concentrated on the new one.
Memory: [Drop of Ichor].
The Spell spoke again. Its voice sounded a bit strange. It was almost… excited... too freaking excited.
''..pufff.. you again acting strange.'
[You have acquired a drop of ichor. Do you wish to consume it?]
'Do or die.'
"Yes."
Spell took a moment, before answering.
[As you wish... my pookie little shadow.]
'What the fuc-' The last thing Sunny thought before pain consumed him.