Sunny decided. He would challenge the Death Game once more, then heavily deviate from the original timeline.
Getting up from his spot, Sunny stretched. "Now for the fun part."
***
Sometime later, Sunny found himself back in the jungle of Godgrave. Behind him, a small army of Asuras chased after.
Keeping pace and shadow-stepping when they would get too close, Sunny led them further. In the distance, he could make out something else.
A beast tide. Hundreds of Corrupted creatures were chasing after a figure in a dark mantle. Another version of Sunny.
Right before they converged, Sunny and the avatar both Shadow Stepped away, allowing the two forces to meet. With a smile, Sunny watched them.
The goal was very simple. He wanted the two small forces to obliterate each other. There were some Corrupted Terrors and Great Beasts on the other side to ensure the Asuras wouldn't get a clean victory.
Sunny found this small army from an orange panther. It was a Great Devil, most likely assembling an army to eventually become a Tyrant. The creatures seemed like their offspring.
Watching the great battle, Sunny summoned [Shadow Lantern] from his soul sea. There was quite a simple reason why he hadn't killed them himself. It was because if he did, they would all end up in his soul sea.
Sending one incarnation into the [Shadow Lantern], he waited.
In the Shadow Realm, Sunny was met with its beautiful sight. In the distance, he could see the Shadows of the creatures just slain from the Dream Realm. Instantly, their shadows started to lose essence, although their rate was much faster than Sunny's, they would still last a while.
Sunny was on the dune, lying in wait. He was incredibly far, using mostly his Shadow Sense to monitor the battle. It was for a very simple reason. He was waiting for Slayer. She had been active near Godgrave when he had first defeated her. Now he had to beat her again.
Thinking about it. This area must be the natural hunting grounds for any creature in the Shadow Realm. Godgrave's jungle gave birth to an unnuremable amount of creatures. It was like a monster creating factory.
Waiting for Slayer, Sunny wondered if those wolves would show up as well, but before he could even entertain the thought, his body shuddered.
Looking down at the arrow piercing his chest. "What a way to say hello." Feeling his insides in chaos and a bit of the same old hatred, Sunny looked at where the arrow came from. He couldn't find Slayer until another arrow came at incredible speeds from the opposite direction.
Sunny dodged this one. Removing the arrow from his chest, he felt the splintered bones of his rib cage start to mend themselves slowly. The wound was bad, but the Will was worse.
It invaded his body like a deadly poison. His lineage wouldn't be of help here since he didn't even acquire Spirit Weave. So he had to concentrate and use his own Will for that part.
Slayer finally showed herself. She was running. In the direction of the creatures that appeared in the Shadow Realm, it was already a good distance from Sunny.
Sighing, Sunny knew something like that could happen. That was why he only sent one incarnation to begin with.
In the past, he defeated Slayer as Transcendent Terror. Only in that battle did he become a Transcendent Titan, but now?
He was a Supreme Titan. Slayer was incredibly smart. She ambushed him and then went towards the prey. Which was why Sunny sighed. He knew at this point. Slayer didn't consider him prey.
It was most likely instincts honed over a long time, she saw him lying in wait. Most creatures, when they arrived in the Shadow Realm, were mindless. So she instantly understood something was wrong. However, there was a silver lining. She didn't know that she was getting hunted.
The Shadow Realm was large. Slayer most likely knew almost all the inhabitants who survived over the centuries. She considered Sunny a newcomer. Someone who has just arrived. Why would he be hunting her?
Behind Sunny, six more perfect copies appeared. They all shadow stepped to form a loose perimeter. Then charged towards Slayer.
Slayer looked around. Finding herself in a precarious situation, she quickly pulled out her dagger and attempted to flee. She charged at the Incarnation she had wounded already. That was when she heard it.
"Kneel!" "Fall!" " "Yield!" "Stop!" "Die!" "Perish!" "Don't Think!" "Standstill!"
Each incarnation yelled out a command. This was the reason Sunny summoned each incarnation. At the end of the day, Slayer was still a Shadow. This was Sunny's biggest trump card over her. Caught unaware by the Divine Shadow, her body and mind didn't listen for less than a fourth of a second, yet that was all it took.
Two incarnations grabbed her arms while the third slid a sword into her chest. Unbelievably, this was how a hunter that had survived for centuries in the Shadow Realm died.
Not taking any chances this time, Sunny instantly went into his Soul Sea. Last time Slayer woke up after a few seconds. He wouldn't let her damage his soul. Throwing her into one of the cells in the replica of the Namless Temple, Sunny sighed.
That was step one. Now, Sunny had to bring a bit of her sanity back so that she would be useful.
Taking a look at her, Sunny said, "You know if you weren't a murderous psychopath, I would've offered you a deal before throwing you in here."
The words fell on deaf ears. She instantly attacked the bars. The replica of the Nameless Temple didn't shake.
Sunny then created a goblet made of shadows. Then he sliced his forearm and willed his blood to flow into the goblet. After it was full, Sunny looked at the Shadow tenatively.
He knew his blood affected her. It was probably one of the things that helped her regain some of her sanity that was lost for eons.
Slayer had tasted his blood in the past by chance, and that was how he and Slayer both knew it caused changes to her. This version, however....
Sending a command, a sinister presence made itself known inside the cell. Serpent was waiting. Quickly coiling around Slayer and caught by surprise, Sunny entered the cell.
"Sorry, you'll know by time that this is helpful," Sunny said.
The goblet was quickly emptied. The unwilling Slayer didn't move after drinking the blood, but her eyes were wide. Something had changed within Shadow. Sunny didn't know what it was. He sent a command to Serpent, and they both left the cell.
In the past, it took coaxing for weeks on end, and they made a loose deal of blood and a match to be summoned. He hoped that after a few more sessions over the next few days, a deal could be struck.
Sunny found himself back in the Shadow Realm. He wondered when his Soul Sea would ever look as beautiful as the Shadow Realm. Maybe that was what it meant to be Divine. To be able to bring Soul Sea to reality.
A voice brought him out of his thoughts.
"My oh my. A Divine Shadow that's not being cast, how preposterous, how treasonous, how inconceivable!"
Sunny wasn't shocked by this voice this time and looked around until his gaze found Eury's skull.
"Telling other people their incoceveivable as a talking skeleton is quite funny," Sunny said with a grin.
"Haha, my apologies, I didn't mean to come off like that friend. It has been a awhile since my last conversation." Eurys said.
"Very humble," Sunny said with a side eye.
"Say, Shadow friend, I was wondering if you could do me a favor and kill me. You know I'm having a bit of trouble here." Eurys lamented.
"Say, didn't you hate the gods? Why ask for my help, a Divine Shadow, Eurys?'' Sunny replied.
The skeleton was quiet for a moment. Then spoke.
"Oh wow, to think you would know about someone as insignificant as me! This humble slave is delighted, but don't get it wrong, Shadow. My enemies have long passed away."
It seemed like Eurys wasn't going to tell him this time around about the fact that Slayer would come to life in his Soul Sea. This told Sunny many things.