SHADOW SLAVE: A FINAL HOPE

Sunny enjoyed the hot shower after Master Jet told him to clean up, noting he "reeked of Nightmare." The Spell's unnatural slumber had slowed his metabolism, and despite receiving medical help, he had slept for three days. The lingering smell of blood and despair was difficult to wash away.

'Ah, I'm in heaven,' he thought, trying to ignore the looming disaster of the Flaw.

Alone in the police station's showers, Sunny reluctantly turned off the water and dried off. Looking in the mirror, he noticed subtle changes in his appearance: healthier skin, more defined muscles, and a slight shine to his dark hair and eyes. Still, he felt small and far from conventionally attractive.

'Flower boy, huh?' he thought bitterly.

He closed his eyes, exploring his inner self for the first time since waking. He felt his heartbeat, the rise of his chest, and the chill of the room. Then, he sensed something new at the edge of his awareness—a new consciousness.

Focusing, he perceived large forms around him, shadows that communicated their shapes and space through pressure. Among them, one shadow felt like a part of his soul. Once he grasped it, he could sense it as clearly as his limbs, though it was made of darkness.

Sunny opened his eyes and willed the shadow to move. It obeyed, raising an arm, sitting, standing, and changing shapes fluidly. However, when he asked it to hit the towel rack, it merely passed through without any effect.

"Is that all you can do?" he wondered, feeling let down.

The shadow seemed offended and stopped moving. Sunny sighed and took a towel.

"I'll explore this later."

Dressed in a clean police tracksuit, he headed to the cafeteria where Master Jet awaited with trays of steaming food.

"Help yourself."

Sunny looked at the cheap gruel, reminiscent of his past meals in the outskirts. He sat down and devoured it hungrily, his thoughts drifting to Jet. The Spell had urged him to find a master, and here she was, but he couldn't imagine being subservient to her.

'Knowing your luck, this would be the perfect moment for her to ask…'

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Sunny choked on his food, trying to remain silent. The pressure in his mind intensified into pain. Finally, he replied, "I was thinking it would be a perfect moment for you to ask what I'm thinking."

Jet looked at him strangely. "Alright. Are you almost finished?"

He nodded.

"Then I'll begin. You are entitled to free psychological counseling. Your mind is as important as your body. Interested?"

Sunny shook his head. Jet shrugged.

"As you wish. You can talk to me. Was it hard?"

"It was worse than I expected and exactly as bad as I expected."

She nodded. "Good attitude. Us outskirts rats are tougher than people think."

Sunny was surprised. "You grew up in the outskirts?"

Jet grinned. "What? Can't tell because of my exquisite manners?"

"I couldn't tell at all."

"Are there many like us among the Awakened?"

Jet's smile faded. "No. Only a few, actually. I was surprised to see two from the outskirts pass the trial."

The odds were against them, making Jet's achievements even more impressive.

'One day, I'll be a Master too.'

"So, what happens now?"

Jet leaned back. "That's it. There are some additional steps related to family, but that doesn't apply to you. You need to decide how to prepare for your first journey into the Dream Realm."

She grimaced at her communicator. "Your luck is bad. You have little time. You can choose to prepare or not. Party if you want."

Sunny wasn't interested in partying.

"I advise against it. As a Sleeper, you can enroll in the Awakened Academy. You'll get food, lodging, and classes. You won't learn much this late, but it's better than nothing."

She paused. "More importantly, you'll meet others entering the Dream Realm with you. Some could become lifelong companions."

'And some might try to end that life,' Sunny thought.

"So, do you want to go to the Academy?"

Sunny considered it, feeling his Flaw silent, not pressuring him to decide.

Finally, looking at his empty tray, he made up his mind.

"Yeah. I want to go to the Academy."

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The PTV cruised smoothly through the city, its sleek engine purring as they neared the end point. Sunny had barely spoken since they left the outskirts—partly because of the divine-looking figure beside him. He would be lying if he said he didn't want to curse the spell for its injustice in granting such a perfect appearance to someone.

********FLASHBACK************

''well wait we have to pick him up from here" master jet said her voice somehow had an excitement subtle it.

As the vehicle slowed to a stop, Sunny glanced out the window and saw what he could only describe as jaw-dropping standing by the curb.

The moment Fang Yuan stepped inside, Sunny's breath caught. The man was... striking. Tall, with long black hair cascading down in his ponytail, and eyes that gleamed like molten gold. There was something almost ethereal about him, a presence that felt like it belonged to a different realm entirely.

His height was immediately noticeable—easily 6'3", making Sunny feel like a dwarf in comparison. He moved with quiet grace, as if the world itself bent around him.

Master Jet turned to greet him with a warm, almost teasing smile. "Fang Yuan," she said, her voice light. "Took you long enough."

Fang Yuan gave her a slight, almost imperceptible smile in return, but didn't speak immediately. His golden eyes flickered briefly toward her, then settled on the window, distant, calm, as though he was deep in thought.

"You see I don't rush," he said softly, his voice smooth and deliberate.

Jet chuckled, clearly unbothered by his lack of urgency. "Of course, you don't." She glanced at him, her smile playful but subtle. "You have to make an entrance after all, don't you?"

Fang Yuan's smile widened just a fraction, his eyes twinkling briefly, though he didn't elaborate. The air between them was light, easy—comfortable, even. But Sunny could sense something underneath it all, something that made him feel... a little uneasy.

The calm between them hung thick in the air, and Sunny, unable to ignore the growing feeling of discomfort, shifted in his seat.

Jet noticed him for the first time, her playful smile turning slightly more serious. "Sunless," she said, glancing at him, "meet Fang Yuan. You'll both be joining the Academy this year."

Fang Yuan finally turned his gaze fully toward Sunny, his golden eyes studying him with quiet intensity, but there was no malice—just curiosity. He nodded politely.

"A pleasure," he said in his soft, calm voice.

Sunny blinked, unsure of how to respond. He nodded stiffly in return, though he couldn't shake the sense of being... overshadowed. It wasn't just Fang Yuan's height—it was the way he carried himself, the calm certainty that seemed to radiate from him.

Jet, sensing the tension in the air, let out a small sigh and turned her focus back to the road. She cleared her throat, her voice taking on a more serious tone now.

"Alright, enough small talk," she said, her eyes narrowing as the PTV began to approach the Academy gates. "We've got a long road ahead. I'll give you both some advice before you get there."

Fang Yuan's expression softened, and his gaze flickered back to Jet. "I'm listening."

Sunny, too, shifted slightly, eager to hear what Jet had to say. Despite everything, he couldn't shake the feeling that the Academy—especially with Fang Yuan around—was going to be a lot more difficult than he'd imagined.

Jet didn't seem to mind the silence that followed; she was used to letting her words sink in.

"First," she began, her tone turning grave, "once you're registered, they'll offer you psychological counseling again. You'll also be encouraged to share your experiences in the Nightmare and the details of your Appraisal. You'll be able to receive a soul shard—or maybe even several."

Sunny frowned, his mind racing. "You want me to refuse?" he asked, feeling a little incredulous. "Isn't that what they're there for?"

Jet nodded firmly. "Yes. The last thing you want is for people to know too much about your Aspect. You're too green to understand it yet, but out there in the Dream Realm, Nightmare Creatures aren't the only danger. Humans will become just as dangerous the more powerful you get. The less they know about your weaknesses, the better."

Fang Yuan turned his gaze toward her, his golden eyes focused intently as he processed her words. "You think they would use that information against us?"

Jet's gaze flicked to him, her expression softening for a moment. "Not necessarily. But once two people know a secret, it's no longer a secret. And there are a lot of people working for the government, people who would use that information if it served them."

Sunny swallowed hard, understanding the gravity of her words. It made perfect sense—sharing too much about your Aspect was an invitation for danger, not just from Nightmare Creatures but from other Awakened who would want to use your weakness against you.

Jet turned her attention back to Sunny. "Second: there will be a lot of courses to choose from at the Academy. Combat training, artifact study, sorcery basics, the works. But none of that matters."

Sunny blinked, surprised by her bluntness.

"The only course you need to focus on is Wilderness Survival," Jet continued, her tone serious. "You've been living in the city, but you don't know what it's like out there. Do you know how to make a fire? How to find food and shelter? How to survive in a world that wants you dead?"

Sunny's heart skipped a beat as he thought back to the Nightmare. The monsters were terrifying, yes, but the real danger had been the cold—the cold that nearly killed him after his fight with the tyrant.

He nodded, biting his lip in frustration. How could I have missed something so obvious?

Jet's eyes softened, but her voice remained steady. "Fighting monsters is important, but it's useless if you die of hunger or exposure to the elements. I learned that the hard way."

Fang Yuan's eyes flickered with a trace of something—perhaps understanding or agreement—but he remained silent, taking in the advice with a calm, unwavering expression.

Jet then looked out the window, her voice softening slightly. "Third: never forget—no one survives in the Dream Realm alone. That's not an opinion. It's a fact. No matter how strong you get, no matter how skilled, you'll need allies. So sunny and Fang yuan get along with your peers, even if they don't treat you well. It might save your life one day."

Sunny felt a knot form in his stomach. He wasn't good at trusting people—not after everything he'd been through. The thought of relying on others didn't sit well with him.

But Jet's gaze hardened slightly, her voice sharpening. "Trust me. The Dream Realm is a far more dangerous place than you realize. People will betray you, yes, but they'll also be your lifeline. Remember that."

Fang Yuan, still silent, nodded thoughtfully. Sunny could sense that he, too, was processing her words—though his expression remained calm and unreadable.

Jet turned to them both now, her usual sharpness returning. "That's all I have for you. You've done well to make it this far, both of you. But the real test starts now."

She didn't wait for a response, just opened the door of the PTV and stepped out. Sunny followed her, his thoughts swirling.

As he stepped outside, the massive gates of the Awakened Academy loomed in front of him, a symbol of both his potential and the danger that awaited him inside.

Fang Yuan followed behind, his tall figure casting a shadow that seemed to stretch longer than it should. The two of them stood there, side by side, as the gates slowly creaked open.

And in that moment, Sunny felt the weight of Jet's words pressing down on him. Survive... The Dream Realm was waiting.

*******

AUTHORS NOTE:- sorry for posting a sunny pov chapter ik yall are cursing me under your breath rn [ those who reading] but I'm extremely busy rn till Dec end I have my assignments and projects to finish and quite frankly until Jan I might be irregular sorry in advance if the updates go bizarre not my fault yk:)

 btw do tell me how you like me giving Fang Yuan A divine appearance I mean I had him have weavers lineage except shadow weave which will be explained in later parts quite frankly if the plot goes as I have planned no less than the 3 nightmare.

and leave some comments~~~~~~~~~~~~