Shadow Slave

Even though there was a considerable chunk of the colossus left uneaten, Sunny ordered Imp to return. By the time the small creature climbed back to the surface of the island, the members of the cohort had gathered around Sunny.

"Huh? Wait... the little rascal looks different!"

Indeed, Effie was right. The scrawny fiend was different from how he had been before. Firstly, he had grown - just a few days ago, Imp was barely as tall as Sunny's knee, but now his head was on the same level as Sunny's abdomen.

The vital areas on his wiry body were now covered by black plates that resembled a suit of light armor, each glinting with a dark metallic sheen. The same went for his long, sharp claws and triangular teeth.

Imp's face twisted in a grotesque grin, and he raised his chin with pride. After that, the little fiend threw a furtive glance at Nephis.

Sunny smiled. "Congratulations, ugly. You have officially graduated from an unseemly gremlin to an unsightly goblin."

Imp's grin grew a bit forced. He glared at Sunny and hissed.

Nephis looked at them for a few moments. "...I don't know. I think he is a little cute."

The little fiend froze, then swelled with smugness.

Sunny shook his head and sighed. "Are you blind? Well, whatever. Let's see what exactly changed..."

He summoned the runes, waited for the shimmering symbols to reveal themselves, and studied them with a focused expression.

Most of the runes seemed the same:

Shadow: Ravenous Fiend.Shadow Rank: Transcendent.Shadow Class: Devil.

Neither the Rank nor the Class had changed. So, the evolution must have been tied strictly to Imp's Attributes.

Sunny had anticipated such a result, so he was not too disappointed. Curious, he continued to read the runes:

Shadow Description: [A pitiful little creature...]Shadow Attributes: [Lucky], [Marvel], [Ravenous], [Shadow Sworn], [Greater Steel Body].

Sunny tilted his head a little. 'Huh...'

This was good! Before, Imp possessed an Attribute called [Lesser Iron Body]. Sunny had expected one epithet to change, but not both of them. Not only had "lesser" changed to "great," but "iron" had also become "steel." That was a considerable leap.

'I wonder...'

The description of the [Lesser Iron Body] had implied that Imp's body possessed qualities of metal. What about the [Greater Steel Body]?

He concentrated on the shimmering symbols and read:

[Greater Steel Body] Attribute Description: "This Shadow's body is akin to blessed steel."

'Jackpot!'

Not only had mundane iron been replaced by blessed steel - thanks to the Sun Prince, no doubt - but Imp's body had gone from merely possessing qualities of metal to being entirely like metal. What did it mean? It meant that the little fiend's whole body was now as resilient as a weapon forged out of Transcendent steel would be. In other words, nearly indestructible. More indestructible than the original Scavenger's already impregnable bone armor had been, at least.

Sunny was very satisfied. He had achieved his initial goal of toughening up the Ravenous Fiend. However, he still wanted to know just how tough his Shadow had become... There was only one way to find out.

As Imp was puffing out his chest, Sunny smiled pleasantly and gave him a wholehearted kick.

In the next moment, there was a dull metallic ring and a piercing shriek. "Ah! Goddammit! What the hell?! That hurts so bad!"

Jumping on one foot, Sunny cradled his other one and glowered at the scrawny fiend, who had fallen on his butt with a startled expression. "Argh! Effie, whack this little bastard as hard as you can!"

Effie lingered for a moment, then gave him a composed look. "...I'll do no such thing, you heartless despot. Come here, poor thing... shall we bully your cruel master together? Ah, you're so adorable... in a hideous, nightmare-inducing kind of way..."

Sunny stared at the scene in front of him with wide eyes. What the hell was happening? Why was everyone treating the wicked little wretch so well?

'D-don't tell me...'

Did Imp's [Lucky] Attribute influence how people felt about him, as well?

'That must be it!'

The scrawny fiend, meanwhile, glanced at Sunny with a vindictive grin. ...But there was something wrong with it.

Suddenly, Imp's eyes and mouth shone with fiery orange-red light, which contrasted sharply against the black metallic sheen of his face. Imp's sharp steel teeth had also been black a few moments ago, but now they were shining with a red-hot glow and radiated scorching heat. It was as though there was an immolating infernal furnace inside the little fiend's maw.

'What the...'

Sunny blinked a couple of times, then shifted his gaze quickly to the runes.

There was a new string at the end of the Ravenous Fiend's Ability list.

Shadow Abilities: [Scavenger], [Devourer], [Shadow Step], [Internal Heat].

He concentrated on the last Ability without any delay.

[Internal Heat] Ability Description: "This Shadow's teeth and claws can be infused with annihilating heat, enhancing their cutting power."

Sunny froze for a moment.

'So, wait... this blessed steel gifted him not only with an affinity to metal, but also with an affinity to fire?'

And the little rascal had even received a new Ability out of it? Well, it made sense... steel had to be tempered with fire, after all. And the Sun Prince had been drowned in molten metal before becoming the steel colossus, to atone for his perceived betrayal of Sun God's will.

Sunny glanced at the scrawny fiend and sighed. "Alright, alright. Stop glowering. I won't hit you anymore... you did well, wretch!"

With that, he smiled and gave Imp a thumbs up.

The small Shadow hesitated for a few moments, then jumped to his feet. The scorching red glow radiating from his teeth slowly disappeared. He looked very proud of himself.

Sunny nodded. "Good. Ah, just look how tough and strong you've become!"

Imp puffed out his chest again, listening as Sunny added: "...I just can't wait to send you to fight all kinds of dreadfully powerful Nightmare Creatures!"

Slowly, the arrogant expression on the scrawny fiend's face was replaced with one of concern and distress.

Sunny smiled wickedly. "Yes, yes... with a body like that, you won't be damaged too badly even if a titan chews on you a bit..."