The world of Shadows, Red Sun's transformation, and Moraine's call for help

This world had become the realm of shadows.

Dark, dense clouds were hammering sinister bolts of lightning at the land. The wind had gained an ominous aura, howling like a hungry wolf upon seeing the prey. Among the :dying screams of half-dead Contestants, one could hear the pelting of rain; silent but heavy.

And thousands of Shadow Creatures prowled the land, killing, ripping, and tearing off the very flesh of the living.

This was the true appearance of an Inheritance Land of C+ Difficulty.

Kai could feel himself cut off from the world outside the dome's dark boundaries. This world had no place for him. So what if he had Glitch? So what if he had mastered the art of Selfless Breathing? So what if he possessed a Will like none other before him?

This world… could show disdain to these all.

Yet Kai still came, his eyes bloodshot but brimming with a defying glint. He would not and could not lose his Power. Not again.

Come hell or high water!

Golduck-Kai lunged out of the water, wielding Afro's Tachi and Murasame. He lifted his head and eyed the entire island of Port Royal.

It was like he had arrived in some strange land, having its own hideous environment within the dome's boundaries.

Kai saw a gigantic shadow, over 100 ft tall, surrounded by 3 humongous beast-like Shadow Creatures. The beasts were further backed by more Shadow Creatures. Kai recognized the shadow copies of the Protectors.

But only one of the two Supreme-Protector's copies was among them, unlike the scene he had seen on the screen on Interceptor. The other one was missing.

'Dead, perhaps,' Kai hoped.

This group of insanely powerful creatures was fighting with a cyborg dinosaur, with a giant revolver for a left arm. Even from afar, Kai could sense its ferocity as it roared and pummeled at the heads of the Shadow Creatures using the revolver's barrel. Yet, he could also see the dimming of energy surrounding its mechanical wings that were letting it fly so high.

A clear sign of Mana running out.

'A Digimon!' Kai recalled the name. 'It's on its last breath…'

Bang-Bang!

Suddenly, two successive bangs rang out, and a Shadow Digimon's head exploded.

Kai snapped his head away from the real Digimon and looked over it.

Who else could it be, but Robin, the 9th-floor Contestant, code-named Red Sun? However, this Robin didn't look like Robin from before. Not at all.

The same Contestant, who had given an impression of an overgrown child with a loose white t-shirt and blue shorts, was now clad in a long, crimson trenchcoat with a high collar, assorted straps, and black buttons. Underneath his coat, he was wearing form-fitting dark pants and knee-high combat boots. [GIF 1]

And Kai could even see the distinct glint of light amber-colored glasses in front of his eyes. Even Robin's red hair had lengthened, becoming blond, and looked like needles standing on their ends.

The most striking was the origin of those cannon-like bangs.

In Robin's right hand, there was a long, silver revolver, its barrel as long as half a hand. A loud boom rang in the atmosphere every time Red Sun fired it, exploding the head of a Shadow Creature. [Image 1]

'Such marksmanship!' Kai was impressed. 'To which world do his powers belong? Item-M had mentioned no such getup and revolver.'

Suddenly, both Robin and his Digimon moved out of sight, forced by the Shadow Creatures, letting Kai see what lay beyond them.

It was then his eyes stirred.

It was then his mind went blank.

High in the sky, surrounded by Shadow Creatures, was Shadow Lord. His long, white beard was swaying in the wind like a banner, and there was a large cloak of shadows over him that rippled like it was the black wind itself.

But it wasn't the sight of Shadow Lord that had constricted Kai's pupils. Shadow Lord's large hand was resting on a head, almost gripping it like a ball.

This head belonged to none other than the Book's Character, Cersei Lannister.

Kai couldn't see it clearly, but what he felt made his breathing quicken. A layer of blackness was crawling up Cersei's body from her toes, reaching up to her neck. And it was still going up.

Kai didn't know why, but he had a feeling that once Cersei fully became a Shadow Creature, he would lose his ownership of the Book as well. It was almost like him giving the Philosopher's Stone to Jack Sparrow, transforming their status from Artifacts to objects of the Timeline.

A low growl came out of his throat like that of a beast, his breath gaining a touch of bloody mist.

Kai didn't see Selene anywhere, but he had sensed her. She was alive, and she could handle herself, he knew. It was time to call her back.

The moment Kai's eyes landed on Cersei, her blurry green eyes also saw the Blue-skinned demon. Two teardrops fell from the corner of her eyes, making her shut her eyes tight.

It was also when Shadow Lord opened his dark eyes and looked at Kai. "Kill him."

Two words, and he gave no more attention to the puny creature.

All the Shadow Creatures, other than that were attacking Red Sun, howled and rushed toward the docks where Kai was.

However, it wasn't them who neared Kai first.

Kai snapped his head back and looked at the red and silver dot flying toward him.

Moraine the Elegant landed behind him on the dock, and her helmet folded back, letting her long blue hair fall like a serene waterfall. Her face, though, was full of tiredness and bleakness.

Yet, Kai saw a burning glint in her blue eyes; a resolve like never before.

The moment Moraine's feet landed on the docks with a mechanical clink, she staggered and fell. Her eyes never left the sight of Golduck-Kai, the shock apparent on her face. "Are you… the Five-Crowned Prince?" she asked, gulping, her look expectant.

Kai said nothing, his eyes still remembering the blackness covering Cersei.

"I know you are…" Moraine mumbled, drawing large breaths. "I… want to believe you are him, Blood Demon. Help me. Only… you can help me."

Kai looked down at her and contemplated if he should kill her. He couldn't afford another variable in this fight. Not when the chances of getting the Book back were already almost…

"I don't keep friends," Kai told her. And she wasn't worthy of becoming his slave. This, he left unsaid.

No Blessing of the Old Ones could come close to the monstrous transformation that Blessings of Deep Ones bestowed upon Contestants. Item-S had the potential to surpass the level of Supreme-Protectors with her Hell-Spawn Blessing.

What right did Moraine the Elegant with Wings of Grim Butterfly have to garner Blood Demon's attention?

"My armor…" Moraine said as if she knew she would be rejected. "… you need it, Blood Demon. You do. I will give it to you."

Kai's heart stirred. The Shadow Creatures were coming at him from all around, like a tide of beasts, howling and roaring. He did need armor, letting him rush past them. Moreover, killing Moraine would send her armor back to her Inventory, and as she was of Chaos, he couldn't attempt Looting her Items as well.

Kai's grip on his swords tightened. "State your terms."

Moraine pushed herself to her feet, gasping for breath. She had used what little Mana she had left for coming here. Now, her mind was going dizzy, losing the sense of time and place. But her words were ready.

"Promise me one instance of help, and this armor is yours," Moraine said, looking into Kai's hazel pupils, her eyes moving from his face to the mind jewel on his forehead. "Promise it on Chaos."

"This armor is already gone…"

Moraine's chuckle cut into Kai's words. Even now, in her half-dead state, the Protector looked as stunningly elegant as she had to Kai the first time they had met. "Yes, you are right," she sneered. "But you need it more than I do."

'What a cunt!' Kai cursed, his chest heaving up and down. "Very well." He nodded. "But I will not bet my life over your nonsense."

"Good enough for me." Moraine nodded back.

The moment Kai and Moraine swore oaths on Chaos, the half-broken armor folded unto itself and fell on the dock as a metallic suitcase. Moraine kicked the Item toward him as hard as she could, sending it toward Kai.

Kai let his swords hover by his side and his vision burned with the sense of power he was feeling from the Iron Man armor. He put his feet into the suitcase and pulled it up. [GIF 2]

Metallic clicking rang around him as the armor covered his entire body, except for the part below his left elbow and around his waist. This missing waist part also let his long, powerful tail out, giving it ample space to move.

The moment the helmet covered his face, a dense burst of power exploded within Kai, forcing him to draw a sharp breath.

Kai clenched his fingers and looked at the Item's Stats.

[

Item: Iron Man Mark V Suit

Grade: Uncommon

Specification: The Mark V, also known by its names as the "Football" and Suitcase Armor, is an Emergency Suit, and was the fifth Iron Man Armor designed and created by Tony Stark. It is the first armor to feature a new portable system that can fold itself into a briefcase and be deployed for use in civilian areas

Requirement:

1. Intelligence: 20

2. Stamina: 15

3. An Ability

Attributes:

1. Armor Class: Basic Iron Man Suit

2. Armor Type: Emergency Suit

3. Armor Color: Red & Silver

4. Armor Height: 6 ft

Item Effect:

1. Strength +3

2. Agility +3

3. Perception +3

4. Defense +5

Skill: Repulsors

Skill Requirement: Not applicable

Skill Effect:

1. Consume 0.1 MP/second to fire a continuous charge of energy through the repulsors at the palms and soles of the armor

2. Consume 10 MP to fire short bursts of energy through hand-mounted repulsors

3. Consume 50 MP to fire a Unibeam through a chest-mounted repulsor.

Warning: The consumption of MP doubles with every 100 meters of altitude. The suit's Effect and Skill are subjected to fluctuations underwater.

Quality: 43%

]

A mid-level Uncommon-grade Item!

Kai felt power coursing through his veins, and his eyes behind the helmet's slit lit up. There was no AI interface in this Item, but with the Contestants' Perception, there was not much need for it, either.

"Add me to your Party," Moraine demanded, Claymore appearing in her hands. "My Code Name is… Blue Wind."

Kai still had 2 empty slots in his Party, the other 2 belonging to Item-M and Item-S. As much as he disliked allotting one of them to Moraine, he did do it, anyway.

Kai gave Moraine one last look, and then turned, metal clinking all over him. He lifted his left hand and grabbed Afro's Tachi. Murasame kept hovering around him, thrumming with pleasure.

Grr! Aooo! Rarrr!

Seeing the murderous tide coming at him, Kai threw another HP capsule in his mouth but got only 50% of its value because of the 3-hour limitation.

Then he closed his eyes.

Everything vanished for him. Moraine's gaze at his tall back, all worries and random thoughts, Red Sun's powerful image, and the Shadow Beasts. Everything but one.

His obsession. Power.

Who in this world could take away his Power? Who could hold what belonged to him and not turn to ashes? Who?

Hisss!

Dense blood flames whistled out of Kai's mouth, engulfing his armored figure like fire over a metallic-wooden log. Kai had felt such strength before. A strength resulting from Little War Horn and Titan's Buff, when he had fought with Akaza.

But… was it enough?

The repulsors at his right palm, his soles, and his chest shone blue as he poured Mana into them.

From the soles of his feet, and hidden by the flashes, a white-silver mist entered Kai, burning with anger.

And then his eyes snapped open, bloodshot and merciless.

"Explode…" Kai hissed, his voice mechanical, shooting himself toward the incoming shadowy army. "… my Instincts!"