Sunny enters the station and declares, "I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell," triggering an immediate . He is restrained and prepped for his trial by a weary officer who informs him that the Spell sets up trials, not executions—though for a malnourished slum rat like Sunny, the distinction feels negligible. The chapter concludes as Sunny slips into a deep, unnatural slumber, beginning his First Nightmare . Worldbuilding and Atmosphere
Chapter 1 masterfully establishes the setting through "show, don't tell" worldbuilding: Shadow Slave Chapter 1