Saint jumped up. Feeling the change within her own soul. Her shadow, ever faithful, emerged in panic, adopting its reflection at her feet. But soon, a second shadow emerged from the depths of her soul.

  It had the same appearance, as if indistinguishable from her former shadow. But in it, she could sense something different, something deep and twisted that made her afraid. A feeling so unfamiliar that it pgued her mind for a long time.

  Still, the weaver's shadow proved harmless. Watching both individuals with barely contained curiosity, something else happened.

  "Fate truly is complex and unpredictable. Even when you think you've understood how it works, events like this keep happening." It was one, not hundreds of voices speaking at once. All coming from that shadow.

  "So, now, heir to destiny, what will you do?"

  Saint didn't need to think twice. Even though she had a seeming immunity to mental attacks, she could feel each word affecting her mind, feeling the whispers tingle across her skin.

  Drawing on all her remaining essence, she commanded not just her seemingly new shadow, but all the true darkness within the mountain to enter her soul's core... and be sealed within.

  The mountain itself seemed to tremble with this command, as waves and waves of darkness flooded the mountain caverns like a tidal surge. No, this wasn't her doing alone. She would never have the authority to command such ancient presences. Instead...

  "Oh, then this is it. Very well, so be it. When you are ready for his arrival, or to face a demon, seek me out. For the threads, though broken, still pull history to the estuary."

  The shadow began to recede, inching its way deeper into her heart, never taking its gaze from Saint's magenta eyes. Just a moment before disappearing, she shifted her gaze to the shadow of the former Sunny. The Weaver's shadow seemed to smile crookedly.

  The earth shook as the very fabric of the nightmare seemed to tremble. The mountain fractured as more and more true darkness entered her body, creating wall upon wall to contain the demon's shadow. Then she heard it, the sound of a metal door opening.

  The ceiling above her head split, revealing a colossal, bck, gloved hand with needle-like cws, piercing the mountain to trap her.

  She felt it instinctively. This presence could only belong to the prince of the underworld. The st son of the unknown. Her father, the demon of the underworld.

  She was lifted to the very top. The palm partially released her, without letting her fall, as if observing her with close, intense interest. But the strangest thing about it was that the being had no eyes, no head, no body at all. Only the arm that held her seemed to exist in that space, and yet…

  “My daughter… perhaps the st one left in that cursed world. How did you end up like this?” The deep, mysterious voice, like the echo of an abyss, spoke. “No, that’s not the right question. It would be better to ask, ‘What will you be like?’”

  The monotonous voice was tinged with interest. Around her, she could feel the shadows colpsing, the product of the nightmare’s end. But strangely, only the space around her remained barely held together. As if the presence of that demon refused to disappear immediately.

  “You’ve worked hard, you’ve grown. But you can’t do it anymore if you rely on that crutch.”

  She watched him, her face expressionless, but with a hint of doubt and fear in her eyes. The presence didn’t respond, but the atmosphere seemed to soften, as if the world around her was trying to comfort her.

  The demon's fingers twisted, carving invisible runes in the air before her. At the same time, a strange sensation in her soul invaded her. Her vision blurred, and her body fell to its knees.

  The world went dark as reality shattered. Saint didn't have time to look up before her consciousness shut down and a world of ethereal strings surrounded her.

  < You have completed your nightmare >

  < You have received the blessing of the Demon of the Underworld >

  < Calcuting result… >

  < Glorious Appreciation: You deserve your own spin-off! >

  < Breaking the third seal… You… really are an anomaly, aren't you? >

  The world seemed to freeze as millions of eyes settled on her. The eternal strings glowed brighter, and she could have sworn she felt torn strings swirling around her.

  Then, her father's voice echoed once more in the endless void. “Find Your Way. My Saint of the Underworld.”

  End of Volume Two: Princess of the Underworld