Shadow Slave: Divergence of Hereos

Chapter 25: Post spar

(Sunless' Perspective)

I stood in the shadows, blending into the edges of the training hall as Klaus and Nephis stepped forward for the sparring match. 

He walked with a lazy sort of confidence, like he didn't have a care in the world. He was smiling, as usual, but I could feel it—something lurking just beneath the surface. 

It was subtle, but it was there, like a storm gathering on the horizon. Klaus wasn't calm. 

Nephis drew her sword, her expression cold and focused.

"Extend Ruyi Jingu!" Klaus's voice cut through the air, commanding and sharp. The staff shot out, expanding with an almost audible force. 

The reaction from the crowd was immediate—whispers, gasps, all of them watching as Nephis was forced to adjust to the sudden change. But what struck me wasn't the weapon. It was the smile on Klaus's face.

It wasn't a friendly smile. It wasn't even a cocky one. No, this smile was something else. Something darker.

 Like he was enjoying himself, savouring the moment. 

Nephis, to her credit, didn't flinch. She met his challenge head-on, her sword gleaming with power as she adjusted her stance. But I could tell. Klaus was enjoying this. 

His grip on the staff was firm, but his movements were loose, almost playful. He wasn't taking her seriously. Not yet.

When Klaus retracted the staff with a snap, closing the distance between them in an instant, I felt it again. That shift. Like a predator pouncing on its prey. 

The way his body moved—fluid, efficient, but undercut with something wild—wasn't just the result of training. 

It was instinct. 

Nephis barely managed to deflect his strikes, her sword flashing as she blocked each one, but Klaus wasn't giving her any room to breathe.

And that smile—gods, that smile—never left his face.

Nephis, ever composed, managed to meet his gaze, her voice steady but laced with grudging respect. "You're quite skilled."

Before I even knew it, the fight had ended and Nephis was the loser of this spar.

Klaus just nodded, his mask of casual indifference slipping back into place as easily as he had summoned the staff. 

But I knew better. I saw what the others didn't. Beneath that easygoing facade was something dangerous, something that craved battle in a way most people couldn't understand.

And I wasn't sure if Klaus was controlling it—or if it was controlling him.

Damnation. Of course there is another monster.

With my luck, why was I even remotely surprised?

As I recalled my shadow, I couldn't help but feel…a set of eyes on it. As if someone had sensed the presence of Gloomy.

As the shadow quickly came back to my side and reattached itself, it began to shiver slightly.

"You're scared?!" I couldn't help but question my shadow, to which it just shrugged in response.

"What do you mean I am scared too? I said no such thing!"

As the shadow just stared back at me, I couldn't help but think of what had just happened during the spar.

"Damnation!"

…

(Klaus POV)

As the spar ended with me defeating Nephis, I decided it was time for me to go and meet the resident blind oracle. 

As far as I knew from the Novel, she would be minding her own business all the way until the solstice, not really talking to anyone else.

I approached the dormitories in which she had stayed with ease, since I was relatively nice to the staff here and mentioned that I wanted to meet a 'friend' of mine.

It seems like even the staff here promote interaction with Cassie. Afterall, it is hard to survive in the dream realm alone, and since she is a prophet, they would rather her be alive.

As I reached right outside of her room and wanted to knock, I heard something from inside of the room.

Due to the enhanced senses from my aspect, I was able to easily hear through walls, and what I heard shocked me to my core.

"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era. 

The Mysterious Ruler above the grey fog.

The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."

I could feel my heartbeat start to speed up, each thud echoing in my ears like the drums of war.

"I pray for your attention 

I pray for your gaze.

I pray for your protection.

I pray for your guidance."

Right as she was about to finish her prayer, I decided to run away from where I was standing. I couldn't remember the specific details anymore but I was unsure if 'Klein' would be able to view the surroundings of Cassie.

If he could, he would be able to see me loitering around as she had begun praying for him and 'He' would become aware of my presence…

Klein Moretti…or should I call him Zhou Mingrui?

Wow…I was definitely in a bit of a bind here.

Scratch that, depending on how far into the sequences Klein is, I am basically screwed.

If he is anywhere near approaching the strength of the Angels, I don't even think sovereigns would be able to stop him.

And if he was a sequence 0, or even 'Above' the sequences, this entire world was screwed.

But that fact that he has Cassie praying to him and her being a Sleeper night hint to his current level of power.

What if I wasn't the only one? What if other transmigrators had arrived before me? I had thought I was special, one of the few to come from the outside, but this revelation made me question everything.

What would happen if I encountered Klein? Would he recognize me as a fellow traveller, or would I be nothing more than an obstacle in his path?

A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered Klein's cunning, his ability to manipulate events to his advantage. He was the architect of fate, the puppeteer pulling the strings from above the grey fog. 

Yet, there was a spark of defiance in my chest. If I could navigate this complex web of power and destiny, maybe I could carve out my own place in this world. Maybe I could stand alongside him instead of beneath him.

I took a deep breath and steadied my nerves. No matter how daunting the situation felt, I couldn't let fear dictate my actions. I needed information. I needed allies.

...

Authors note:

Unfortunately this isn't a continuation of the fanfic. I simply had a couple of spare chapters I wanted to upload.

I am currently trying a new project, which is basically my own novel but I will be uploading it as a fanfic since honestly I write mainly for interaction with people.

I write to share ideas and run through scenarios with people, so I hope you will try my new project out.

It is called "Eternal Heir."

Do not subscribe to patreon for this fanfic anymore thanks.