Shadow Slave: Eternal Madness

In a conference room, the strongest warriors in Central Antarctica gathered to discuss the defense of Falcon Scott.

The First Army had already abandoned hope of reclaiming Central Antarctica. Their only option now was to retreat and evacuate the civilians.

Their mission was clear—hold Falcon Scott for three weeks. It wouldn't be easy.

The First Army had already detected two Titans marching north towards Falcon Scott. Thanks to reports from Sunny and Raphael, they also knew that the Heart of Darkness which had vanished from radar, and the Terror of LO49 was heading their way.

The first threat to arrive, however, was the Devouring Cloud.

Raphael glanced at Saint Tyris as she gave the order to end the meeting.

Suddenly, the lights flickered.

From the pool of darkness at the center of the room, a figure emerged—a man in his 40s with black hair, red eyes, and a black robe with red accents.

The two Saints reacted instantly, summoning their memories and striking at him.

The man's expression didn't change. He simply raised his hands, halting their blades mid-air.

"I bear no harm, humans. In fact, I'm here to help you."

The Saints retreated, weapons still aimed at him.

The man sighed, pulled out a sheet of paper, and held it up.

"Master Jet, please take this and verify its authenticity."

Jet glanced at Saint Tyris, who gave a small nod.

Stepping forward, Jet took the paper and examined it.

Her brow furrowed.

It was a contract between Saint Cor and the Emperor of the Underworld.

Though she wanted to dismiss it as a forgery, the signature and official seal were unmistakably genuine.

Jet silently passed the paper to Saint Tyris.

Tyris glanced at it, then back at Jet.

"Is it real?"

"Yes."

Tyris's frown deepened as she looked at the man.

"Why did your Emperor make this?"

"That, I cannot say."

"Then why are you here?"

"As I said, I'm here to help."

The man gestured to the screen at the front of the room.

"Not only do I have more information about these five threats, but I also bring a message from the Emperor."

He stepped closer to the screen, pointing at the Devouring Cloud.

"Let's start with this one. The Devouring Cloud didn't birth just one Fallen Tyrant—but two. That makes it far more dangerous."

The room buzzed with murmurs until one of the Masters spoke up.

"How can we trust you?"

"Trust me or not—that's your decision."

The man moved on, pointing at the Terror of LO49.

"Unfortunately, we know little about this one. What we do know is that everything it kills becomes part of its army. The longer it lives, the stronger it grows. I recommend killing it quickly."

He shifted to the Heart of Darkness.

"You may have noticed its disappearance. Don't worry—we know where it is. I'll reveal that in a moment. However, you need not concern yourselves with it. When it appears, His Majesty will handle it. Your task is to buy enough time."

His hand moved to Goliath, eyes locking on Sunny with a faint smile.

Sunny's expression hardened.

"Goliath… that thing is already half-dead."

Sunny narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"When His Majesty learned of the fall of Erebus Field and the death of millions, his anger was immense. He descended personally and fought the beast. By sheer luck, it escaped by diving into the sea. But it lost all its arms, and its chest and face were destroyed. Any Ascended strong enough can finish it."

Mohg's gaze lingered on Sunny.

"You were lucky, Ascended Sunless. If not for His Majesty, you'd already be dead."

Sunny sneered.

"Send him my thanks."

"It will be done."

The man turned back to the screen.

"Now… about the Heart of Darkness. I said I'd tell you where it is."

His finger drifted back to Goliath.

Sunny's eyes narrowed.

"Are you saying it's inside Goliath?"

"Yes. As you know, Ascended Sunless, the Heart of Darkness dwells in caves—like the tunnel you explored. What better cave than Goliath itself—a walking mountain?"

Mohg sighed.

"And finally… the Winter Beast. I regret to inform you, but you stand no chance against it."

Saint Tyris clenched her fists at his words.

"That's why His Majesty sent me to deliver this message."

He unraveled a scroll and began to read aloud.

"To the brave warriors of humanity, I ask you to stand and fight for your people. Hold the line and buy us time—we will come and slay the beast."

Finishing the message, Mohg rolled the scroll closed.

A Master raised his hand.

"Why do you care about us?"

Mohg smiled faintly.

"Why assume we don't? In the end, we fight the same enemy."

With that, Mohg stepped back into the pool of darkness.

"I hope we meet again… to celebrate our victory."

Raphael stared at the spot where Mohg had vanished, a small smile tugging at his lips.

He had done everything he could to ensure their survival.

————————————————————

One day had passed since the meeting ended. Standing atop the wall, Raphael watched as the Devouring Cloud marched toward Falcon Scott.

Master Jet studied the approaching brood swarm, her icy blue eyes cold and calculating. She sighed.

"The Devouring Cloud is behaving differently."

Minutes later, the Devouring Cloud entered the firing range of the rail guns. The thunderous roar of tungsten rounds tearing through the sky made the wall tremble. Raphael knew the bombardment had killed countless creatures, yet the endless haze seemed to swallow them whole. Not even a ripple disturbed the veil of horrors.

The Devouring Cloud kept advancing, undeterred.

By now, the swarm should have slowed. It had reached the killing field between the city wall and the mountains—where heaps of Nightmare Creature corpses lay scattered. The brood beasts were expected to feast before continuing their assault.

But they didn't.

Contrary to every prediction, the swarm ignored the rotting flesh and surged forward at an even greater speed.

…That was when Winter finally acted.

She took a deep breath, raised her bow, and summoned a single fiery arrow. Her black eyes darkened further, the blood-red pupils glowing faintly.

The bowstring hummed, and the arrow streaked into the night, leaving a trail of flames.

When it struck, the polar darkness vanished.

A brilliant flash blinded them all. A sphere of fire erupted in the center of the swarm, expanding like a tidal wave of destruction.

Then, it collapsed—only to explode again.

Flames swept through the abominations. Some disintegrated, others fell like burning stars. The rest burned as they darted frantically, their flesh melting away.

Yet they did not die alone.

Each burning creature collided with another, spreading the fire.

The sky blazed orange and white, driving out the night.

The Army resumed firing.

Raphael didn't hesitate. Blood flowed from his hand as he summoned hundreds of crimson spears, launching them at the swarm.

[You have slain…] [You have slain…] [You have slain…] [You have received…]

Despite the devastation, the brood swarm pressed on. Half of the killing field lay beneath its shadow. Winged horrors reached the wall, talons scraping against the alloy.

The battle raged—until a massive shadow tore through the clouds, lightning crackling across the sky. A net of destruction enveloped the Devouring Cloud, reducing thousands to ash.

A giant bird with gleaming white feathers descended, thunder dancing along its wings. Its talons, sharp as steel, slashed through the abominations. A hurricane followed, scattering the brood.

Saint Tyris had returned from her battle with the Winter Beast.

The soldiers cheered, believing victory was at hand.

But Raphael knew better.

The wall trembled beneath his feet.

Raphael's eyes narrowed.

"…The Call."

The Call of the Nightmare grew louder, filling his mind with screaming whispers.

In the next instant, the world twisted apart. The sound of tearing alloy ripped through the air as the battlement beneath him crumbled. A shockwave hurled him backward.

A Nightmare Gate had opened—directly below where he and Jet stood—destroying a large section of the wall.

Gritting his teeth, Raphael glimpsed Saint battling the gate below.

More gates erupted inside and near the city. But the Army responded swiftly, containing them.

The Devouring Cloud finally retreated.

The battle was over—at least for now.

Raphael merged his spears into one and hurled it at the retreating swarm, slaying thousands more.

He exhaled heavily, eyes lingering on the broken wall.

"This is going to be a headache…"

————————————————————

Raphael looked down at the healer of the cohort.

...Quentin had lost consciousness near an active Gate, which meant that his soul was stolen away by the Call.

He had been thrown into an unexplored, dire region of the Dream Realm, surrounded by numerous Nightmare Creatures and abominations so vile that words could not describe them. His only chance of survival was to fight his way to a Seed, challenge it, and conquer the Second Nightmare alone.

'…I should have protected him.'

Even though Quentin had survived in the novel, Raphael knew this wasn't fiction.

This was reality. And Quentin's fate was uncertain.

Raphael lifted his gaze to the dark sky, his jaw clenched. Anger burned in his chest.

If the Sovereigns had listened to his warnings—if they had stood alongside the First Army—none of this would have happened.

Raphael's blood boiled at the thought.

A part of him yearned to tear open a Gate to the Underworld, summon his legions, and drown every abomination in Antarctica in rivers of blood.

But he couldn't.

The Underworld faced its own war—a relentless siege by the Unholy Titan's army.

If Raphael called his forces here, who would defend his kingdom?

The Nether Array barely held the Unholy Titan at bay. Without it, the Underworld would have already been reduced to ash.

That was why Raphael made a silent vow.

When this was over—when Falcon Scott endured—he would show those clans what true fear was.

Raphael exhaled slowly, burying his rage deep inside.

He stepped forward, climbed into the Rhino, and closed the hatch behind him.

————————————————————

It was already the second week of the Siege.

Raphael walked alongside the other Irregulars.

Minutes ago, they had been summoned to a meeting by Saint Tyris.

Together, they entered the compound and were led to a spacious room on one of the underground levels. There, two people were waiting for them.

Master Roan was standing in front of a false window, studying the projected image of the night sky. Master Roan was standing in front of a false window, studying the projected image of the night sky. 

Raphael had not seen Sky Tide in a while — at least in her human form. She looked… battered. 

Her elegant armor was bent and broken, white steel marred by dried blood. Her hair, which had once fallen down like a cascade of pale gold, now looked lifeless and bleak. Her dazzlingly beautiful face was pale, blackened by ugly bruises. 

It seemed that holding the Winter Beast back was taking a toll on the Transcendent of the White Feather clan.

Master Roan turned at the sound of the steps.

"Ah. Ascended Jet, Ascended Winter, Ascended Dale, Ascended Gehrman, Sunless… welcome. Sorry for the sudden invitation."

The meeting discussed the emergence of a new Fallen Tyrant in the Devouring Cloud.

Raphael raised his hand and said,

"If there really is a new Fallen Tyrant, then that man might be telling the truth. There's a chance there are two Tyrants, not one."

Saint Tyris nodded, her gaze steady as she replied,

"Yes, we've considered that possibility. And just as he said… Goliath has truly lost all of his arms."

She then glanced at the Irregulars, studied them for a few moments, and added: 

"Ascended Winter will contain the swarm. Roan will bring the Tyrant down. The three of you will make sure that the creature never takes flight again. That is the battle plan." 

Sunny smiled darkly. 

"What if Winter fails to hold back the swarm? What if Roan fails to isolate the Tyrant? What if the three of us fail to kill it in time?" 

Saint Tyris gazed at him for a while, her amber eyes both beautiful and cold. Then, she uttered simply: 

"Don't fail." 

Master Jet laughed. Shaking her head, she patted Sunny on the shoulder and walked toward the projection of the Fallen Tyrant. 

"Alright. I like that plan. Let's discuss the details…"

————————————————————

Raphael looked up at the sky. In the distance, he saw the Devouring Cloud heading toward Falcon Scott, with members of the White Feather Clan moving ahead of it.

As if on cue, there was the sound of light steps, and Master Jet approached from further along the wall. The members of her cohort — now fewer than before — followed. 

She looked around briefly, then said: 

"I've just received the word. Roan and his people are approaching. The Devouring Cloud is in a frenzy… do not know what they did, but it worked. Prepare yourself."

A young woman from the White Feather Clan descended from the sky, informing them that there were two Tyrants.

Just as Mohg had warned.

Suddenly, two radiant spheres of light suddenly appeared in the distance, tearing through the darkness. One deep within the swarm, across the killing field. The other, unexpectedly, was even further away, but in a different direction — to the west of the city, near the ocean. The Devouring Cloud had barely reached there.

The Irregulars didn't hesitate — they quickly split up.

Raphael and Jet would handle the southern threat. Sunny and Dale would deal with the one in the west.

Raphael summoned his wings and glanced at Jet.

"What?" Jet raised an eyebrow.

"Come. We'll get there faster if we fly."

"Are you trying to flirt with me in the middle of a war?"

Raphael remained silent, his expression unchanging.

Jet sighed.

"Tsk. You're not as fun as your captain."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Jet jumped into Raphael's arms, and without delay, he flew toward the Tyrant.

"This is the first time I've flown like this, you know!" Jet called out.

Raphael ignored her and flew at full speed.

As they neared the Devouring Cloud, he dove toward the horde, shielding Jet from harm.

His armor materialized, and with a surge of power, he activated his [Berserker] enchantment. His blood flowed faster, doubling his strength and speed.

Reaching the Tyrant, Raphael released Jet and summoned his greatsword.

The Tyrant was monstrous — leathery wings, a lean body with six segmented legs, a tail ending in a jagged stinger, and three long necks with circular maws. It was a grotesque mix of wyvern, worm, and scorpion.

Raphael and Jet descended together. With the force of his flight and enhanced strength, Raphael slashed downward, severing one of its necks completely.

But he didn't stop. The momentum carried his blade through a second neck as well.

Jet landed atop the Tyrant, driving her glaive deep into its soul.

Raphael hit the ground hard. His bones shattered, piercing his organs — but his body healed almost instantly.

The Tyrant shrieked in pain, thrashing as it lost two of its heads and felt its soul being torn apart.

Knowing time wasn't on their side, Raphael dashed forward, aiming for the last head.

The Tyrant lashed out with its stinger.

Raphael dodged, narrowly avoiding the strike.

Jet leapt from the Tyrant's back, slicing through one of its wings to prevent it from taking flight.

Furious, the Tyrant turned its attention to Jet — a fatal mistake.

Raphael dashed left, hurling his greatsword at the final head.

The Tyrant jerked, dodging the blade… but Raphael was already beneath it. With two blood-forged swords in hand, he leaped and severed the last head in a single stroke.

As the Tyrant collapsed, Raphael grabbed Jet and flew away from the horde.

Now that the Tyrant was dead, it was Winter's job to eradicate the remaining creatures. Without their leader, they stood no chance.

Raphael landed on the city wall, exhaling deeply. Behind him, the Devouring Cloud's brood was being annihilated.

He glanced at Jet, still in his arms, and set her down.

"Colonel Jet! Colonel Jet!"

A man in his 30s came running toward them.

Jet frowned.

"What now?"

"Ah… the Terror of LO49 has been found! Saint Bloodwave is fighting it now!"

Jet gritted her teeth.

"This just keeps getting worse!"

Raphael sighed and took to the skies.

Jet called after him.

"Where are you going?!"

"To check on the captain. He was near the water."

Flying toward the ocean, Raphael saw saw the Awakened killing other humans.

Because of Raphael's interference, the Terror of LO49 didn't have the massive army it did in the novel. That made things easier.

Beneath the water, Raphael spotted Sunny donning Weaver's mask.

The Terror of LO49 suddenly froze, as if it had ceased functioning.

Sunny approached the Corrupted Terror, lingering only for a moment before driving his sword into its heart.

The white cloth wrapped around Sunny exploded with movement, then stilled.

Raphael exhaled in relief.

In a single day, they had killed both the Devouring Cloud and the Terror of LO49.

———————————————————

If every thing went right, the volume should end in 4 or 5 chapters, pray that nothing will go wrong because I've cooked for you guys a top tier of Volume.

Don't forget to leave a review on this chapter and the Fanfic!

Anyway see you tomorrow👋

The chapter stopped at the chapter 1020 in the original novel.