A shiver ran down Sunny's spine as he sat around a wooden table under a canopy within Fyxestroll Garden, not engaging in whatever banter Guinaifen, Sushang, and Huohuo were having.
'Are we being watched?'
Sunny believed that Nightmare Creatures and humans infected by the Nightmare Spell eventually developed the instinct to sense the gaze of others as they grew more powerful. Right now, he had the vague premonition that he was being observed from a distance, but he couldn't tell from where.
His shadow sense didn't expand infinitely, and even if it did, it would take a while to figure out who specifically was staring right at him.
'Wait, that doesn't even make sense...'
Fyxestroll Garden was not large enough to avoid being entirely encapsulated by his shadow sense, which meant whoever was watching wasn't here. Moreover, the clouds below prevented anyone who wasn't atop the mountain from seeing anything.
So, there were three possibilities.
The first possibility was that the stalker could fly. However, as Sunny discretely glanced around, he couldn't see anyone from a distance. Maybe they had a Memory of some kind for scouting, but who really knew?
Then, there was invisibility. Troublesome, but certainly possible. It would explain why he couldn't sense their shadow, since the more potent kinds of invisibility directly interact with light.
The last and most likely case, however, was that there was a Heliobus present.
Observing Huohuo out of the corner of his eye, he briefly wondered if she was able to more accurately sense the Heliobus.
Crackle.
Sunny blinked. The hair on his head was starting to stand.
'Huh... SHIT!'
He immediately dove into the shadows, simultaneously manifesting a dozen hands that tried to grab his fellow ghostbuster...
They were too slow. A blinding light charged with condensed electric sparks raged at them like an arrow thrown by the Gods, threatening to skewer them with the force of a railgun on steroids.
Before their inevitable deaths could come to pass, however, a blur of pink entered the scene.
Fu Xuan dropped in from who knows where, standing directly in front of the missile of static death with a calm gaze. Holding out her hand, she grabbed the tip...
And was immediately blown back.
She skidded on the cobblestone floor, gripping the hyperspeed lightning javelin with both hands, singing them both as she struggled to dig her feet into the earth. Somehow, she managed to redirect the lethal attack, avoiding slamming into anyone while somehow mitigating the shockwaves.
In exchange, it seemed like she only grew more wounded.
Black hands rose from the dark, coiling around the projectile in an attempt to disperse the force. They stretched and tore apart, but with each pair of hands destroyed and dispersed back into the shadows, another dozen took their place.
Fu Xuan's finally stopped — not because she managed to disperse all the force, but because there was something stopping her. Saint took a stalwart stance as she grabbed the Master Diviner by the waist, her body immovable as if she were a mountain.
The elegant Transcendent sent a glance back at the Shadow, before releasing herself from the taller woman's grip. The lightning javelin was slowly simmering away, revealing glimpses of a steel spear at its base. Fu Xuan stepped forward before all its strength faded away, spun around on her heel—
And threw it with all her calamitous might.
Mach 300.
If her throw was measured, that was the speed it reached.
The sound barrier was torn many times over like a peace of paper, the mere friction the javelin had against the surrounding air was so great that it superheated to intense levels, more than capable of incinerating an Awakened and singing a Master by merely being in its vicinity. The winds forgot to react until the weapon was long gone, having disappeared into the clouds — which parted like a rift into hell.
Sunny was vaguely aware that she had been aiming at something. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, before turning over to a dome of shadow. He released his manifestation, allowing them to dissolve back into their natural state. Hidden beneath the veil, three girls were revealed.
Naturally, Huohuo was the first to panic.
"What was that sound?! My ears hurt..."
...Well, that just seemed more like a genuine complaint. Guinaifen smacked her ear with a groan.
"I think I just went deaf... wait, do you guys hear me?"
Sushang seemed frozen in shock.
Not that Sunny was paying them any attention, instead, he appeared right beside Fu Xuan, brow furrowed as he gazed at her arms. Her right palm had a gaping whole in it, and both of her arms were singed up to the elbow, a molten mess of charred flesh and eviscerated skin.
Unusable. He had no idea how she even managed to throw the spear at the end, with how extreme the damages were.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Fu Xuan grimaced as she stared down at her palms with closed eyes. She began summoning a Memory out of white sparks.
"Good evening, Sunless. It seems you've been well?"
Her tone oozed with sarcasm. A small flask appeared in her hands. She uncorked the lid and began pouring it over wounds. Flesh rejuvenated and stitched back together, destroyed bone crystallized, and new skin bloomed over it all. Then, the Memory abruptly shattered.
A single-use Memory.
Fu Xuan sighed, turning towards the other members of the Ghost-Hunting Squad from afar.
"Master Huohuo, you'll come with me. As for you two, run. Unless you fancy yourselves Saint killers, of course."
She didn't bother listening to any protests or frightened exclamations — courtesy of Huohuo — that may exist. Instead, she turned towards Sunny.
"Although I appreciate the assistance, you should leave. With how the situation is escalating, the Marshal might actually descend upon the Luofu."
He stared at the petite lady for a long moment, before wearing an expression of incomprehension.
"Huh. Didn't you say that she wouldn't bother with things as long as they don't extend outside the Luofu? She didn't seem to care about a Lord Ravager hanging around. A Supreme Titan, at that."
She coughed.
"Admittedly, there were politics involved. I don't believe I need to explain. Besides, it was all under control, so there wasn't much of a concern. Phantylia is a sadist. It's in her Heliobus nature. She could demolish everything if she wanted to, but she wouldn't."
Fu Xuan pinched the ridge of her nose in exasperation.
"Listen, a Heliobus, a Transcendent Tyrant, is possessing the Luofu's populace like a plague. They already took over the General, and would have possessed me if it weren't for the fact that I saw the future in the nick of time. Right now, the Heliobus is severing parts of itself and expanding their dominion. All because they simply want to wage war on the Marshal."
She cocked her head.
"What do you think that Heliobus will do when they inevitably take over the Luofu?"
Sunny scratched the back of his head.
"Wage war, I guess..."
Then, the Marshal will have no choice but to get involved. Elsewise, the entire Xianzhou Alliance might collapse.
If the Luofu fell, they could simply make another one using the resources from the other Xianzhou ships. But if everything was obliterated... then there would be no more second chances.
Sunny crossed his arms, glancing at his shadows. They all seemed to want the same thing.
"So, that's it? You plan to just hold the Heliobus back until the Marshal gets here?"
Fu Xuan nodded.
"Indeed. Your help isn't needed, so go ahead and leave—"
"I refuse!"
She raised a delicate brow in perplexion.
"...What?"
He mockingly wagged a finger, as if scolding her.
"I don't think you'd be able to get it. It isn't like you have four voices in your head telling you to eviscerate every last atom of that Heliobus scum! I won't let that useless, lazy, probably ugly Marshal get in the way of vengeance! If she has a problem with that, then she can call me, just to be left on voicemail like every other scammer in this shitty modern age!"
Sunny's voice seemed to get more heated with each passing second.
In exchange, he only received a closed-eye stare of utter disbelief from Fu Xuan. She looked at him — or didn't look at him? — as if he once hit his head as a baby.
Which did happen, actually.
Noticing her judging gaze, Sunny averted his eyes.
"So, uh... I call dibs on killing the Heliobus?"
Fu Xuan mentally blinked.
"Dibs?"
Unable to hold it in any longer, Fu Xuan covered her mouth, stifling her laughs. She hunched over, clutching her stomach as Sunny pouted in indignation.
"What's so funny?!"
"Nothing! No, nothing at all, ha!"
Three pairs of eyes awkwardly shuffled between the two. Four pairs if Tail counted. Huohuo timidly asked:
"Am I missing something...?"
Fu Xuan paused, froze, stood in horror, than collected her composure together as if nothing happened, all in an instant.
She turned towards Guinaifen and Sushang, expression uncaring and professional.
"What are you two still here for? Do you two choose enslavement?"
Guinaifen shook her head with a self-satisfied smirk.
"I just realized this ghostbusting adventure really lacked some action."
Fu Xuan scowled, probably wondering who Guinaifen thought she was. Seemingly deciding that it didn't matter if the redhead lived or died, she turned towards Sushang.
"And you? Want a taste of this 'action,' as well?"
Sushang had an embarrassed look on her face.
"W—Well, I am a Cloud Knight, so it is my job to risk my life..."
"Oh, I almost forgot I was the acting General. You're fired. Still willing to risk your life?"
Sushang paled.
"Uh... it's the duty of the strong to help the weak?"
"I sure hope you aren't referring to yourself."
Ignoring the two Awakened, she aimed her scowl towards Huohuo, who flinched.
"As for you..."
"Um, actually, I think I'm good on all this. Yeah, maybe It's best that I go home..."
"Don't be ridiculous. Get your pet to deal with the enemy."
Huohuo looked like she was about to cry, especially when she glanced up at the towering form of Saint. Tail floated up and sent a murderous glare Fu Xuan's way.
"I am nobody's pet, shrimp."
Fu Xuan's brow twitched at the comment on her height.
Tail's expression twisted into a wolfish grin.
"Oh, but it had been a while since Cirrus and I last tussled. I've been waiting to show her who she really messed with..."
Fu Xuan sighed, before stepping in Sunny's direction.
"You and I are going to fight Jing Yuan. Use that pony of yours to try to lull the Heliobus to sleep."
Sunny choked on air.
"Oh, uh... actually, maybe you were right. I should totally mind my own business..."
Her lips curled up in amusement.
"Ah, but I was just so moved by your speech, really. You wouldn't toy with a maiden's heart like that, would you?"
"I probably would, actually."
"...I'm not giving you a choice. You dug your own grave. From here on out, you're stuck with me, got it? Even if it kills you. Bark if you understand."
If her eyes were open, she'd probably be wearing a stern glare.
With that image in his head, Sunny had no choice but to lock in like the good little slave he was.
"Woof!"
Fu Xuan smirked.
"There you go. I can get used to that..."
With multiple strange and unimpressed glances being sent his way, Sunny faltered a little.
'I'm so cooked...'