"Ooooooh! Please don't make me isekahize again."
Sunny rose from the floor. All pain gone. He reached for his communicator and, looking at the time, realized he'd only been unconscious for half an hour. The interview was still a little over ten minutes away.
Looking around, Sunny felt the shadows in the room and all the shadows within the Academy radius more regal toward him. His body was cold and paler, and he could no longer feel his heart beating.
There was no longer a trace of blood in his veins right now. With his shadow sense, he sensed that there were only shadows inside him.
Going to the bathroom, Sunny looked at himself in the mirror. He noticed that his skin was much smoother and emitted a dark sheen. His black eyes completely devoured the light, except for a pure white dot in the center of his pupils. His hair looked like a bundle of starless sky.
'What have I done?' Sunny thought, puzzled.
So he looked at his runes and focused on his attributes.
***
Name: Sunless
True name: Lost from Light
Attributes: [Foreign], [Shadow weave], [essence of divinity], [Shadowspawn], [the Heart], [the Death].
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[Shadowspawn] attribute description: "You have inherited the complete lineage of Shadow God. All the shadows rever you and bow to your authority. As their prince, you possess their traits and loyalty. Imbued with the last drop of Shadow Ichor, the shadows within you adapt, empowered and harden you against all hardships."
[the Death] attribute description: "Death was created to stop the corruption and now it imbued your entire being. You are immune to corruption."
***
'Perfect! I would have bet on something like "the Solace" or "the Shadow" but this one isn't bad either.'
Sunny was satisfied; now he no longer had to fear becoming that wretched thing in the future. He felt practically invincible, but he knew full well that in the face of true power, he was still just an insect.
With that done, Sunny focused on his shadows.
He summoned first the shade of Thene, the Shadow priestess.
From his shadow rose a dark figure of a beautiful woman with long black hair and a black robe that left only her shoulders, back and upper neck uncovered.
The shadow blinked as if alive, then looked around until his gaze fell on the short, pale boy in front of her.
Sunny was pained to see Thene's shade orient itself to its new state.
Trying to draw the priestess's attention back to him, he called out.
"Th..."
But before he could form a word, the shadow wrapped its arms around the boy, one hand gently placed on his head to caress him, the other holding him affectionately.
Surprised, Sunny returned the embrace and raised his head to her.
"Thene... you remember."
The shadow didn't speak, shadows can't speak. But looking at Sunny in the eyes, she nodded in confirmation.
"...I'm sorry, Thene... I-i should have helped you, i should have done something. I'm sorry for being a coward."
Shadows can't speak, yet Sunny could sense their emotions and intentions.
And if she could speak in that moment, one would have heard her say the words: It doesn't matter, i'm happy that you are still alive.
***
Shadow Name: [Shadow priestess]
Shadow Rank: Ascendant
Shadow Class: Beast
Shadow Attributes: [Priestess of death], [Flame of divinity], [Dance master], [Armament keeper].
Shadow Abilities: [shadow support], [shadow walker], [shadow shaper].
Shadow description: [The great priestess of Shadow, to keep her promise, she freed herself from the embrace of death to be reunited with her beloved.]
***
After a while, the two finally separated.
Thene's runes were the same, so Sunny decided to summon Serpent now.
A tattoo of a serpent with scales as black as night appeared on Sunny's torso.
Kneeling with his right leg on the ground and placing the back of his hand on the floor, Sunny released Serpent.
Immediately, the tattoo moved forward and a two meter long serpent with jet-black scales and bottomless black eyes slithered across the floor from Sunny's hand.
The creature seemed to be made of living shadows. Serpent circled before bringing its head back toward him, raising it until it looked into his eyes and bowing as if to acknowledge its master.
Sunny smiled and putted Serpent's head with his other hand.
The priestess also bowed her head to greet her new companion.
"Good Serpent, such a good snake you are."
Serpent seemed to enjoy the cuddles.
Meanwhile, Sunny looked at its runes.
***
Shadow Name: Soul Serpent
Shadow Rank: Awakened
Shadow Class: Beast
Shadow attributes: [Shadow guide], [Soul weapon], [Soul beast], [Shadow blade], [vitality].
Shadow abilities: [serpent steel], [soul reaver].
Shadow description: [When the end came, Shadow was the last of the gods to be destroyed. Many have resented him for creating death, but in the end, death embraced all.]
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[Shadow guide] attribute description: "Soul Serpent guides shadow essence as it flows through your body."
[Soul weapon] attribute description: "Soul Serpent can assume the form of a weapon."
[Soul beast] attribute description: "Soul Serpent can assume the form of a beast."
[Shadow blade] attribute description: "Soul Serpent can directly damage the shadows and severing them from thier caster."
[Vitality] attribute description: "Soul Serpent can absorb the life energy of those around and use it to regenerate itself or its master."
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[Serpent steel] ability description: "Shadow Serpent's soul weapon form can assume the shape of any weapon."
[Soul reaver] ability description: "a portion of the soul essence of those slain by the Shadow Serpent in its soul weapon or soul beast form is absorbed and transferred to its master."
***
'Shadow blade and Vitality, eh! These two should be due to the Shadow lineage and the Heart lineage.'
KNOCK! KNOCK!
A few knock at the door distracted Sunny from the runes, while Serpent and the Priestess simultaneously turned toward it.
Immediately, Sunny ordered the Priestess to hide in her shadow with [Shadow Walker] and Serpent to revert to his Tattoo form and hide under his shirt.
After settling in, Sunny opened the door. A girl with black hair, ice-blue eyes, and a black shirt and light blue skirt stood before him.
"What's up Yuki?" Sunny asked, trying not to arouse suspicion.
"The interviews are about to start." She replied with her usual expressionless face.
"Ah! Crap. Thanks for letting me know, I'll be right over."
Running out of time, Sunny quickly left his room and followed by Yuki went with the others sleepers for the interview.
After a while.
The interview didn't last long. Sunny, to get around his flaw, was able to say that his ability was only to sense shadows because he hadn't used it yet.
Even without Shadowbound, he still chose not to reveal his true name.
However, he chose to talk about his first nightmare to avoid giving the impression that he was trying to hide something.
As for the courses, obviously he choses only Wilderness Survival.
After that, Sunny headed to the cafeteria.
Once there, Sunny filled his plate with food and approached the table where Cassie was sitting alone.
"Hi Cassie."
"Hi Sunny."
Cassie turned to him with a wide smile.
Sitting down next to her, he began to eat.
At one point, Sunny turned to the girl, noticing that her gaze was absent, fixed on her plate.
"Something wrong, Cassie?"
The girl turned to him.
"Sunny, did you really mean what you said before?"
"That you're the prettiest girl in the academy, of course!"
The more he watched her, the more certain Sunny was of his statement.
Cassie's fingers twitched on her robes as she let out a slight laugh.
"Not that scoundrel." She said, unable to contain her smile. "I mean that 'Badass Lady' thing."
"Yes. I didn't say that in vain, if i did, it's because i know it for a fact. Before you said to me that your aspect is about fate, right? Who says you can just look at it? In the future, you might be able to change the tapestry of fate at your will."
"Okay, then i'll do my best."
A confident smile appeared on Cassie's face. But Sunny wasn't finished yet.
"Oh! I feel sorry for you, but i can already do that."
At that point Cassie started laughing.
Another girl sit at the table with the two of them.
Sunny saw that Yuki had sat across the table opposite to them.
Sunny raised an eyebrow in question, but she simply greet them and began to eat.
'Why did you keep stalking me? Not that i mind being followed by such a pretty girl, but still... it's getting a little awkward.'
Cassie turned toward their new mate, then to him.
"Something wrong Sunny?" Asked to him Cassie.
"No, nothing. This is Yuki, by the way. She was with me after i finished my first nightmare. Yuki, this is Cassie."
Yuki greeted to Cassie, and Cassie did the same to her.
Their conversation was interrupted by the murmur of the other sleepers who saw the interview rankings.
"How... how can this be?!"
"I'm not seeing things, right?"
"What kind of a monster is she?!"
The rankings on the screen read:
-----
1⁰ Nephis-True name: Changing star
2⁰ Yuki
3⁰ Han li Caster
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Sunless
Cassia
-----
Sunny blinked, then looked at Yuki, who was sitting across from him.
The clueless girl tilted her head slightly to the left, trying to understand.
'What do you mean "what"? You're in the second damned place!!! How am i supposed to keep a low profile if you keep stalking me?'
At that moment Sunny missed Caster's frustrated look at his third place, losing to the princess of the declining Immortal flame Clan and another unknown girl.
Sunny's attention was drawn back to Cassie tugging at his sleeve, she was worried because he wasn't paying attention to her.
"Sunny, is there something wrong? Why don't you answer me?"
"Oh! Yes, sorry. I was distracted by the rankings. Did you know that the girl in first place got a real name? Changing Star."
"A real name? Is that even possible?"
Cassie was surprised, then sighed and asked: "I'm in last place, aren't i?"
"Yeah, these idiots! They should know how the Spell works. Don't worry, though, i'm right above you, and i have enough power to beat a normal ascendant."
Sunny looked at his shadow where the Priestess was hiding and at Serpent, which was in the form of a tattoo under his shirt.
Cassie, hearing this, blushed and smiled smugly.
Yuki, however, seems very surprised by his affirmation. Like she knows he wasn't lying.
"Such a bad liar you are Sunny." Said Cassie shaking her head.
"Liar, why? I let you know that i am the most honest person in the world. Two worlds even!"
Meanwhile, Caster was approaching Nephis, who was alone to her table listening music, to asker how she get her true name.
But the legacy was interrupted by an announcement from the speakers.
"ATTENTION!! SLEEPER NEPHIS IS REQUESTED TO GO TO THE SEGRETARIAT FOR CHECKS."
The announcement was repeated three times before stopping.
'By the dead Gods, WHAT NOW!?' Sunny thought completely surprised by the announcement.
Everyone turned curiously towards Nephis, as she stood up to go where asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nephis entered the secretary's office.
Facing her only a desk and two chairs placed opposite each other.
On one of the chairs, opposite the door, sat a young man on his twenty or thirty years, taller than her by a few millimeters, with long, curly silver hair and metallic red eyes. His clothes were elegant and befitting of a nobleman. Many girls would surely fall at his feet if they saw him.
He was a Master.
A serious smile appeared on his face.
Nephis and the stranger stood in silence for a moment, staring at each other. The atmosphere around them was tense and filled with hostility.
The silence lasted until the man said:
"Hello, sister."