novelraw Chapter 533: Moment Of Silence
Chapter 533: Moment Of Silence
Sunny did not immediately change direction after reaching that quiet conclusion, though the weight of it lingered in the back of his mind like an unanswered question that refused to fade.
Instead, he continued walking through the streets of the Center with a measured pace, his posture relaxed enough to avoid drawing suspicion while his thoughts moved with far greater intensity beneath the surface. The information he had just gathered was not something that could be neatly categorized or dismissed, and yet he did not allow it to stall him. There was still a destination he needed to reach, and until he had at least established a foothold in something familiar, everything else would remain secondary.
Eventually, he found what he had been looking for.
The subway entrance was easy enough to locate once he shifted his focus toward infrastructure rather than landmarks. It stood partially recessed into the ground, its design blending seamlessly into the surrounding architecture in a way that emphasized efficiency over flair. Streams of people moved in and out of it without hesitation, their movements practiced and routine, suggesting a system that had long since been integrated into daily life.
Sunny paused at the top of the stairs for a brief moment, observing the flow of traffic before descending.
The transition from the open air of the city into the enclosed environment of the subway was immediate. The soundscape changed first, the distant hum of urban life giving way to the more contained noise of movement, conversation, and machinery. The air felt different as well, less open, carrying the faint scent of metal and electricity that clung to underground systems.
He blended in without difficulty.
Despite his appearance, no one stopped him, no one questioned him. At most, a few people glanced in his direction, their curiosity piqued by his attire, but none of them reacted with anything approaching recognition. That alone confirmed something he had already suspected.
Earth was isolated.
Not just geographically, but informationally.
The name ’Stellaron Hunter’ meant nothing here.
The implications of that were... interesting.
Sunny used his Aspect to sneak onto the train without incident, taking a seat near one of the windows as the doors closed with a soft, controlled hiss. The interior was clean, almost excessively so, with polished surfaces and evenly spaced seating that reflected the same sense of controlled order he had observed above ground.
As the train began to move, he leaned back slightly, his gaze drifting toward the window.
The city blurred past in streaks of muted color and artificial light, the motion steady and uninterrupted as the train accelerated along its route — reaching speeds comparable to a Master running at full sprint. For a time, he simply watched, his thoughts settling into a quieter rhythm as the constant movement provided a kind of background distraction.
It was... peaceful.
In a way.
Not because the environment itself was particularly calming, but because it was so normal. There was no immediate danger, no looming threat pressing down on him from all sides. Just people going about their lives, unaware of everything that existed beyond their limited perspective.
That kind of ignorance had its advantages.
It also had its costs.
Sunny exhaled quietly, his gaze softening just slightly as he continued to watch the passing scenery.
He might have remained like that for the entire ride if not for the sudden, distinct sensation of being watched.
The feeling was subtle, but unmistakable.
His eyes shifted slightly, scanning the reflection in the window before moving toward the source directly.
Across from him, a small figure sat quietly.
A little girl.
She was staring at him.
Not with fear. Not with suspicion. But with something far more disarming.
Awe.
Sunny blinked once, caught off guard by the sheer sincerity of the expression directed at him. The child’s eyes were wide, her attention fixed entirely on him as though he were the most interesting thing she had ever seen. Beside her, her mother was completely absorbed in a conversation on her phone, her attention directed elsewhere entirely.
For a brief moment, Sunny did not react.
He simply stared back.
Then, awkwardly, he raised a hand and gave a small wave.
The reaction was immediate.
The girl’s face lit up, her expression brightening in a way that was almost... excessive.
Sunny’s gaze lingered on her for a second longer than necessary, something strange and unfamiliar settling in his chest as he tried to process the interaction.
’What a weird creature...’
The thought came easily, his internal tone laced with habitual cynicism.
’What’s got her so happy?’
He frowned slightly, his expression hidden beneath the mask.
’Gross little thing... making me want to puke. Probably smells bad too.’
There was a brief pause as he considered that.
’Maybe I should fix that.’
The decision, once made, was immediate.
Without drawing attention, a thin tendril of shadow slipped away from his form, moving silently along the floor before rising just enough to reach the girl’s shoulder. It tapped her gently, the contact light but deliberate.
She turned, curiosity replacing her previous focus.
What she saw caused her eyes to widen even further.
A hand made entirely of shadow extended toward her, holding a small flower crafted from the same substance. Despite its unnatural composition, the flower carried a faint, sweet scent, subtle but noticeable.
For a moment, she hesitated.
Then, slowly, she reached out and accepted it.
Her expression shifted into something curious as she examined the strange gift in her hands. When she looked back up—
Sunny was gone.
The seat across from her was empty.
Far from the subway, several blocks away, Sunny reappeared on a quiet street, his form solidifying as he stepped out of the shadows with practiced ease.
He exhaled lightly, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve as though he had just completed something particularly exhausting.
’There.’
A faint, self-satisfied smirk tugged at his lips.
’Now that kid won’t bother anyone with her smell!’
The logic was flawed. The child had not smelled bad. Even if she did, a flower wouldn’t be able to cover anything up.
And yet, Sunny accepted his reasoning without question, already moving on as though the matter had been resolved in a perfectly rational manner.
’Hm... maybe making seven Legacy Clans isn’t so bad. That way, I could mass produce an army of those little rodents, killing all my enemies with nothing but pure fumes!’
Of course, his plans for spreading his bloodline to create an army of child soldiers was very unrealistic. Probably because he had no idea where Sparkle was with no way to contact her, Seele hated him, and Veliona was dead.
...Actually, it was probably for the best that Serpent didn’t catch wind of his thoughts.
As he walked, he idly noted the intricacies of Shadow Manipulation The properties of his manifested shadowss extending beyond shape and texture was... interesting. Not particularly useful in most scenarios, as he didn’t know why he would need to change the taste or smell of his manifested shadows, but it had potential applications if explored further.
For now, there were more immediate concerns.
With another seamless use of Shadow Step, Sunny disappeared once more, his form slipping through the darkness before reappearing in a narrow alleyway several districts away.
The environment shifted again.
Ahead of him stood a house.
It was well-maintained, its exterior clean and orderly, surrounded by a neatly kept yard that suggested consistent care and attention.
Sunny stepped forward slowly, his shadows already spreading outward in quiet exploration.
The four shadows slipped through cracks and crevices, flowing into the interior of the house with silent precision. They moved through rooms, across surfaces, observing everything without being seen.
Sunny froze.
The realization hit him all at once, sharp and immediate.
This was not the right place.
The people inside were wrong.
The layout was different.
Rain was not there.
Sunny’s expression did not change outwardly, but something in his posture shifted ever so slightly as he withdrew his shadows.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
Then his gaze shifted.
An elderly man stood in the neighboring yard, slowly pushing a lawnmower across the grass with steady, practiced movements.
Sunny approached without hesitation.
"Excuse me."
The man flinched slightly, his head snapping up as he turned toward the voice. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus, his expression shifting from alarm to relief as he realized there was no immediate threat... despite the man in the scary mask.
Maybe people from the Center had no sense of danger, unlike those in the Outskirts.
"Ah — nearly gave me a heart attack there, young... man?"
He squinted, clearly struggling to make out Sunny’s features.
"Or... well, my eyes aren’t what they used to be."
Sunny paused for a fraction of a second before responding.
"I am a woman."
The correction was delivered calmly, without emphasis.
"Have you lived here for at least four years?"
The old man nodded slowly, his curiosity growing.
"More than that, actually."
Sunny’s gaze remained steady.
"What happened to the family that lived next door before this one? The one with the girl who had black hair and eyes."
The man frowned slightly, his expression shifting into one of concentration as he searched his memory.
"...I don’t recall anyone like that."
He shook his head slowly.
"Before the current family moved in, it was the Vorovkas. Been here a couple of decades."
Sunny’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He adjusted his approach.
"...Did the parents both have brown hair? Two children around middle school age?"
Recognition flickered.
"Ah. Yes, that sounds right."
The man nodded.
"Are you a friend of theirs?"
Sunny’s response came without hesitation.
"Yes. Thank you."
He turned to leave.
By the time the man blinked, he was gone.
Sunny reappeared in another alleyway, the transition seamless and silent.
For a moment, he stood there.
Then, he leaned forward and slammed his forehead against the wall.
The impact echoed faintly through the narrow space.
"This is ridiculous..."
His voice was altered slightly by the mask, but the frustration behind it was unmistakable.
His dear little sister... had managed to be such an antisocial loser that her own neighbors had no memory of her.
Sunny dragged a hand down his face, his expression twisting into something caught between disbelief and exasperation.
’I knew it...’
His gaze shifted toward the nearby trash can, his expression darkening as his thoughts spiraled.
Those fools shouldn’t have adopted his bright and cheery little goddess! If she had stayed with him, Sunny would have raised her to greatness!
He stared at the trash can for a long moment.
Then he sniffled.
The sound was subtle, barely audible beneath the mask.
Then, he thought of the good old FIWB statement, embodied by none other than people like Qingque.
’...Fuck it, we ball.’
He supposed that applied to him, too, at this point.
Without another word, he stepped forward, lifting the lid of the container and peering inside. The contents were... questionable, to say the least, a collection of discarded items that had long since lost any semblance of purpose.
Sunny did not hesitate.
With a small, practiced motion, he climbed inside, pulling the lid closed above him.
Darkness enveloped him completely as he isolated himself in his trashy sanctuary.