For a few minutes, Sunny simply lay on the ground, letting the rain hit his face. From time to time, a bolt of lightning arced through the skies, drowning everything in blinding light. Other than that, it was almost completely dark. If not for his Attribute, he would have had trouble discerning the shapes of his gang, who were resting nearby with Valen completely passed out.
After some time, however, a strange unease crept into his mind. Something was wrong. Sunny scowled, trying to pinpoint the source of the feeling.
His shadow was moving. Not randomly, but with purpose. It was trying to draw his attention to something.
'Please, let me rest. I just want to rest…'
He was too exhausted to care. His body ached, his thoughts were sluggish, and all he wanted was a moment to breathe. But the shadow was relentless. It wouldn't let him be.
With a groan, Sunny rolled onto his stomach and forced himself up. Nearby, Nephis turned to look at him.
"What is it?"
He frowned, rubbing his face.
"I don't know yet. Something's off."
Cassie shivered and moved closer to Nephis. Sunny followed the shadow's warning, scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger.
Even with his enhanced sight, nothing seemed out of place. The cliffs rose high above the raging sea, forming a jagged plateau. Its surface was uneven, marked by protruding ridges and scattered piles of debris. Between them and the nearest ridge stretched an open expanse, littered with tall, irregular boulders and patches of disturbed dirt.
Nephis stood, summoning her sword.
"Do you see anything?"
Sunny hesitated.
"Not really…"
At that moment, another bolt of lightning split the sky, momentarily turning the world stark white.
His breath caught.
The tall boulders weren't boulders at all.
All around them, scavengers lay motionless on the ground.
His body stiffened as a wave of cold dread rolled through him. The hairs on his arms stood on end.
One, two, three… he tried to count them, but his fingers twitched with growing panic. Seven… no, eight.
The monsters hadn't moved. Had they followed them up here? Had they climbed in the chaos of the escape? Or had they already been here, hiding just beyond the light?
A sinking feeling spread through his stomach.
These cliffs were a death trap.
Nephis must have noticed his expression. Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword.
"Sunny?"
His mouth felt dry. Slowly, he whispered:
"Don't speak. Don't move. Just… stay where you are."
Nephis obeyed without question, but her silver eyes darkened with understanding.
Cassie followed suit.
Valen remained still, his slow breathing the only sign of life.
Sunny closed his eyes for a second, steadying himself. There were no hopeless situations. Every problem had a solution. He just had to find it.
The scavengers weren't attacking yet. Maybe they were asleep. Maybe they were waiting out the storm, afraid to draw attention to themselves. Maybe… they simply hadn't noticed the humans yet.
Did they even have good night vision? He wasn't sure.
But there was still a chance.
Sunny opened his eyes again, reassessing the scene with fresh perspective. The darkness, the storm, the distance between the bodies— this was his element.
This was his territory.
Hadn't he dreamed of being a silent killer? This was the perfect proving ground. If he executed every step with precision, he could eliminate them one by one. Move through the shadows, strike unseen, kill with a single blow.
A mistake would mean death, but that was always the case.
Nephis and Echo could intervene if things went wrong, but they'd lose the element of surprise. Better to get it right the first time.
Sunny exhaled slowly, then turned to Changing Star and Cassie.
"I'll handle this."
Before they could react, he disappeared into the shadows.
The darkness swallowed him whole.
Moving between the scattered rocks, Sunny's steps were measured and deliberate. Rain pattered against his cloak, the wind howling over the cliffs, masking all but the faintest sounds.
Ahead, the nearest scavenger loomed—a massive silhouette, its jagged shell slick with moisture.
It was utterly still.
Crouching low, Sunny circled around it, testing for any reaction. Nothing. The monster didn't even twitch.
It wasn't breathing.
Holding his breath, he crept closer, then lunged—his blade flashing in the dark.
One step, two. He leapt onto its shell.
The Azure Blade plunged deep, piercing through the weak point in the carapace. A quiet crack split the air, followed by a dull shudder as the body gave out.
Kill confirmed.
He wrenched the sword free and jumped back, eyes already scanning for the next threat.
Then, he frowned.
The Spell remained silent.
No confirmation. No fragments. No reaction at all.
A cold sensation trickled down his spine.
Something was wrong.
Heart pounding, Sunny turned back to the scavenger, half-expecting it to rise. But it didn't move.
It was already dead.
His pulse quickened.
On closer inspection, he noticed something he had missed before.
And when he did, his face paled.