27 Chapter 26

Sunny and Nephis immediately got to work by tying themselves up with the golden rope memory. Holding each other and equaling their body weight to slide of the statue's stone body horizontally.

Sunny himself was robotically tightening his grip on the rope from time to time, preventing Nephis from falling to her death accidentally. And Nephis did the same for him in the exact manner as him.

Just like this, they went back and forth between these roles until they eventually landed on the ground with a thump. Before freezing in their places due to the sight of massacre in front of them.

'What kind of damned monster is he!?'

Sunny stared at the cold corpses of the scavengers with a newfound sense of incredulity, unwilling to believe what he was seeing.

'I knew there was a ton of nightmare creatures here, I knew! But something to this extent….. Wha- What kind of monster is he? He's way more dangerous than I ever thought him to be.'

Sunny forced himself and his beating heart to calm down by taking in a deep breath. Letting out all the frustration that had been built up. His eyes took on a wary, suspicious hue.

'Maybe he also has a divine aspect. Although I hoped I was the only one to have it, I'm not naive enough to not consider someone beside me having it. Or maybe it's just that his aspect is more powerful and versatile than what he's letting on. He did say that master Jet sent him, so it's no wonder he hasn't revealed his aspect's true rank.'

Sunny once again glanced at the battlefield with a grim expression on his face that said the opposite of what he was thinking.

'Yeah there's no chance his aspect is lower than Supreme rank. I shouldn't naturally believe him just because he's from the outskirts. It doesn't mean we're buddies for life if he has grown up in the same environment that I did. And who knows? Maybe he's hiding a side of himself. After all l've had my fair share of two-faced bastards backstabbing me for a meal. I'm no exception either, I have lost count the number of times I had double-crossed someone else.'

Sunny started his work by cutting a deep circular hole in the chest of one of the many dead bodies laying limply on the labyrinth's rough terrain. His face serious and thoughtful.

'I have to be careful around him. He….. he's very dangerous. We're also in the dream realm, where anything could happen in a snap of fingers. I have to survive, I won't ever let myself be tied down by anyone or anything ever again, even if it costs me my life. I will die knowing no one had control over me.'

Sunny inhaled deeply. Throwing out the useless thoughts out of his head after sensing the countless illusory soul shards embedded in the dead carcasses, igniting a greedy flame of desire in his heart as he set his absolute focus on his work.

...

From the moment she met Ariel, Nephis knew there was something different about him. His way of handling situations, or conversations. His experience in combat arts, his ferociousness, his calmness when dealing with an unknown enemy or an unfair situation, though he was a bit of an amateur with the sword at first. That quickly began changing the more time she spent teaching him.

However the most noticeable and important difference in him compared to other people that Nephis wholeheartedly felt genuine gratitude for, was the casual, careless attitude he had around people. Even if they were heirs of noble legacies. It amazed and amused her to no end when she saw how he dealt with a couple of high-born brats on his second day in the academy.

She wanted to be free like that, she wanted the freedom burning in his eyes so strongly that she eventually sought him out after he unhesitatingly beat her into unconsciousness. Surprising her once again by feeling his strength. His fists made her stomach tumble around in pain for a few days, the pain was like a scar reminding her of how she got humiliated in front of a dozen or so students.

Nephis herself knew she wasn't that good at interacting with new faces. So mustering the courage and energy to request something of him just felt unnecessary to her.

And after planning about what she would say, what action should she take once she faced him, how to express her emotions without turning the situation into an unbearable awkwardness for three days. For three damn days!

That fateful morning came, and all that Nephis was feeling was…..

Nervousness.

She couldn't even sleep the night before. Imagining various scenarios where he just told her off with a laugh like he did to several other sleepers, using uncouth words that she hadn't even heard of in her entire life. Bringing her second-hand embarrassment in response to the words he spoke out loud.

However she did it, it was simpler than what she had thought. It also went way different than what she had in mind. And remembering how she acted, made her nearly bang her head against the wall becuase of the uncomfortable way she talked to him.

She was basically a quivering, fidgeting, quiet mess. When she actually felt his gaze on her after she had approached him in a sudden burst of confidence. She forgot every single line she had cooked up in the past three days, immediately following her unresponsive method. She heard him chuckle in amusement before he said in a clear voice.

"You want to fight me right? Then I want something back in return for my services."

Nephis's head shot up from its lowered position. Gazing in wonder at him, which probably made him feel uncomfortable.

"Yes! I would like that! What do you want in return?"

He smiled confidently before answering "I want to know everything about the sword and how to use one in the most effective way. Can you do that for me?"

At such an opportunity, she presented her willingness with a quick, silent nod. Creating a smile on his face that dazed her for a second before she was brought out of it by seeing his teasing smile.

Her pupils rolled around in her eyes in a fit of panic, her face was slowly smearing with sweat and a blazing, red blush as she tried to think of a way to bid him farewell effectively.

"I…uhh…um, I-I have to go eat my lunch. Y-Y'know it's good for your body if you never miss a meal. R-Right?"

The last thing she saw as she ran off from the conversation was two raised brows and a laughing face. Giving her even more shame just remembering it.

The one thing that caused her to almost pull her hair out in frustration. Was the most painful mistake she could ever make in such a difficult situation. It was actually knowing the difference between day and night! In the first place, her whole clown fiesta happened in the evening. So the fact that she said she wanted to have lunch almost killed her self-esteem.

However the next day went without a hitch. With the both of us starting our first training session after our combat class finished for the day. He didn't even say a single word nor did he tease her about it. So the only reasonable excuse in her mind was that...

He didn't notice.

Thank god, he didn't notice me saying such misleading words.

I'm sure of it.

Surely, right?

But what if he did and just choosed to be silent about it?

No! That would kill me!

Please, let it not be the latter thought.

Anyway. After that….. Embarrassing episode, I got more and more comfortable talking with him at the end of our training sessions. At first when he asked me some questions, I seized up in my place for the rest of the discussion. Answering his questions flatly, trying my best to not give in under the pressure.

As the last day of our time as sleepers came onto us, we had one final, short spar where we silently battled against each other using the best of our abilities. Sprouting even more respect from me, impressed at how much he had grown in such a short period of time.

When the spar ended, we wished good luck for each of us, before parting in silence. Thinking we will probably never meet again in the future.

But who would've guessed that the second person I found in the dream realm was a familiar face. Causing me to fist bump the air with excitement as I set my eyes on him.

Like I said before, I admired his casual attitude towards everyone. But I also respect one more thing about him…..

Him surprising me more and more as time passed.

Every time I assumed that he didn't have any more surprises, I was mistaken. Every damn time. Which is something that I very much appreciate having in my boring, mundane life.

Although I suspected him at first. Thinking that he was sent to assassinate me under the order of one of my father's betrayer's, by time. His personality had grown on me, which chipped away at my distrust and suspicion bit by bit, eventually it bloomed into an unknown emotion that I was honestly a bit scared of.

So seeing the sight before me was as much a surprise as admiration for me. Prompting me to let a small smile creep up my face. The same unknown emotion spreading through my heart, making it beat excitedly. Giving me a sense of giddiness.

"You crazy bastard."

A/N: yo! I wanted this ch to be a bit different than those before, so let me know if you enjoyed it. And let me explain that Nephis social skills are comparable to that of a toddler. Sure she is a genius in battle and murder, but that's because she was trained the moment she could walk on her legs. Making her experience a childhood filled with only training and loneliness so it isn't a surprise for her to be that awkward. As for those who read the original novel know of this. As this is part of the original character's development. Also send power stones.