《My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger》


 Chapter 1 The Academys Weakest

    ''Sometimes I wish I was never born, and if I was never born, I would never know this feeling.''


    A gloomy youth stood in front of a large notice board in the academy hallway. His fists clenched, teeth gritted, eyes filled with a hopelessness that threatened to swallow him whole.


    ''I failed... again. Dead last, huh...''


    The dark-haired young man with deep blue eyes stared despondently at the results of the first-year quarter-semester evaluation. His name sat at the very bottom.


    Damon Grey.


    ''What did I expect? I worked so hard, and it didn''t even matter. I-I still failed.''


    His eyes glistened with the threat of tears, but he pushed it all down. He swallowed hard, his fists trembling as he stood frozen in the hallway, oblivious to the bustling students around him.


    Looking up to the top of the list, the name at the very peak seemed to have an unreachable halo around it, a world apart from his.


    Evangeline Brightwater.


    The number one first-year student, a noble with extraordinary talent. To Damon, she was leagues above someone like him¡ªan existence untouchable by the academy''s weakest student.


    The hallway buzzed with the chatter of students, their voices distant but clear enough to drag him back to reality.


    "Looks like Evangeline Brightwater took first place again."


    "Isn''t that a given? She has a light attribute."


    "True, and I heard she might be the first to awaken her class among the freshmen."


    "Xander Ravencroft came in third again."


    "Yeah, and number two is Sylvia Moonveil. The ranking hasn''t changed since the entrance exam."


    Their words felt like a heavy weight sinking deeper into Damon''s chest. He wanted to give up. He really did. But dropping out wasn''t an option.


    "Screw off... I don''t have time for you today."


    Marcus''s face twisted in fury, his cold smile barely masking the rage simmering underneath.


    "You really don''t know when to give up, do you, Grey? Looks like someone''s going to the school healer again."


    Damon took a defensive stance, bracing himself for the inevitable beatdown. It was always the same script¡ªresistance, followed by punishment. Marcus lived for tormenting the weak, and no one was weaker than Damon. But for some reason, Damon never backed down, and that infuriated Marcus more than anything.


    "You really don''t know your place, do you, Grey? Fine, let me remind you."


    Marcus lunged forward, but before his fist could connect, Xander''s voice cut through the tension.


    "That''s enough."


    Xander''s tone was cold, detached. "I came here to check my score, not watch you crush an insect."


    Damon gritted his teeth. The casual dismissal, the way Xander looked at him as if he were nothing more than a bug¡ªit gnawed at Damon''s insides.


    ''I want to be... stronger.''


    Marcus, ever obedient, nodded and backed off. He wouldn''t dare disobey Xander.


    Damon walked away, his fists clenched tight, frustration and anger swirling in his chest. He hated them. Hated them more than anything. But more than that, he hated his own weakness. He hated being treated like an insect.


    And that was why he would never bow his head to them. Never.


    ''I am not an insect... I am not an insect... Xander Ravencroft, I swear I''ll make you pay for looking down on me,'' Damon muttered under his breath, each word laced with defiance. His hands clenched into fists, trembling with the rage of an ant daring to challenge a towering giant.


    But deep inside, he knew the bitter truth¡ªan ant could never topple a giant. As long as that gap in strength remained, as long as fate had decided who would stand above and who below, his defiance meant nothing. He would always remain what they saw him as¡ªan insect.


    The reality of it gnawed at him. No matter how much he cursed the heavens or swore vengeance, his rage alone would never bridge the insurmountable divide between him and those who looked down on him.


    With that weight hanging over him, Damon exited the academy building, his resentment festering in his heart like a slow poison. The lively chatter of students faded behind him as he stepped away from the bustling halls, leaving the populated areas in search of solitude.


    His pace quickened, his head lowered, as he walked toward the distant forest on the outskirts of the academy grounds. He couldn''t let anyone see the tears welling up in his eyes¡ªtears of frustration, helplessness, fury and resentment......

 Chapter 2 Philosophy Of The Weakest

    ''We are not asked to be born... we are forced to exist. Today was a horrible day, tomorrow will be worse. In the end, it will all come to pass. All things fade...''


    These words had taken root in Damon Grey''s heart, a silent mantra he had discovered etched into a broken stone slab, half-buried in the roots of an ancient tree. He had stumbled upon them during the darkest hours of his life, words that had appeared when he thought surrendering to despair would be easier than pressing forward.


    Though the epitaph was fragmented, the part he could read had clung to him, and in those words, he had found his resolve to live rather than succumb.


    The first line struck him as a brutal truth, "We are not asked to be born... The circumstances of his birth were beyond his control, a decision made by others, leaving him as little more than a pawn to fate. Noble or commoner, blessed or cursed¡ªone''s birth defined one''s lot in life.


    For Damon, it was a life marred by hardship and insignificance.


    The second line mirrored his every waking moment, "Today was a horrible day... tomorrow will be worse.


    Every day was a struggle, a cycle of suffering he had been born into as a poor, orphaned commoner, helpless against the injustices of those more powerful than him.


    Yet, In the end, it will all come to pass... all things fade. This final line offered him a faint glimmer of solace. If everything was temporary, then so was his pain. His anguish, no matter how consuming, was not eternal. And somehow, that thought kept him alive, even if it was just an excuse to avoid surrender.


    Clinging to these words, Damon found the strength to push forward, enduring each day with a flicker of hope. He had managed to scrape by, eventually making his way into the academy, yet here, surrounded by those who looked down on him, it seemed his despair only deepened.


    His hardships did not vanish; they merely took on a different form, and his hope began to fray.


    As he walked into the dense forest, hot tears traced down his face. He bit his lip until he tasted blood, barely feeling the sting, his mind locked onto that grim mantra like a twisted prayer to any god willing to listen, his heart simmering with resentment.


    ''I am not an insect...'' he repeated under his breath, each step weighted by frustration and anger.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    He reached a secluded clearing within the forest. The area, scattered with a training dummy and several basic weapons he''d taken from the academy grounds, had become his private sanctuary. Here, he trained alone, away from the prying eyes of his peers, who saw him as little more than a spectacle, someone to mock for his lack of strength.


    Damon approached the weapons rack and picked up a wooden training sword, his vision blurred by tears. Moving towards the training dummy, he swung at it, each strike harder than the last, as if he could shatter his frustration through sheer force.


    He collided with Isaac, who grinned maliciously as he drew back his hand, channeling earth magic. With a quick motion, Isaac thrust his palm forward, and a stone-covered fist smashed into Damon''s chest, forcing the air from his lungs and throwing him to the ground.


    Damon rolled instinctively, narrowly evading another icy blast as he scrambled to his knees, only for Lark to step forward, grinning as he delivered a vicious kick to Damon''s ribs.


    The group laughed, their mocking voices echoing as they pinned Damon down, his arms forced behind him. He tried to struggle, but he was hopelessly outmatched. Lark knelt before him, sneering as he punched him squarely in the face, a sharp crack filling the air as blood streamed from Damon''s nose.


    His vision blurred, his strength waning, but he clenched his teeth and held onto the final fragment of defiance left within him.


    Marcus laughed from behind Damon, his voice dripping with mockery.


    "Come on, Grey. Show us that shadow attribute magic of yours. Let''s see if it''s worth anything."


    Lark sneered, then drove his fist into Damon''s face, the force jolting him backward. Damon fell hard, slipping from the other boys'' grips as they chuckled, watching him crumble to the ground.


    Lark stepped forward, his lips curled in a smirk, and raised his leg, preparing to kick Damon square in the head. But Damon moved just in time, ducking low, and with a surge of desperation, he buried his fist in Lark''s crotch.


    Lark''s face went pale, his smirk disappearing as he collapsed to his knees, agony etched across his features.


    Damon staggered to his feet, his breath ragged, and without a second thought, he turned and dashed into the forest, the dimming light of the setting sun casting long shadows behind him.


    For a brief moment, Marcus was stunned, watching Lark writhe in pain on the ground. But his surprise quickly morphed into fury.


    "Get up!" he snapped at the others, his eyes blazing with anger.


    "After him! Don''t let him get away!"


    The group scrambled, rallying to Marcus''s command, their footsteps echoing through the forest as they surged after Damon, their shouts cutting through the dusk.

 Chapter 3 The Viscous Entity

    The forest grew darker as the last rays of sunlight faded, but Damon kept running, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he scanned the shadows for somewhere to hide. Behind him, angry voices echoed through the trees, each shout tinged with malice.


    He could hear Marcus, urging the others on with vicious excitement, and worst of all, Lark''s enraged voice, still raw from the blow Damon had delivered to his crotch.


    ''If they catch me... I''m dead.''


    Damon pushed himself further into the dense woods, stumbling over a protruding root and crashing face-first into the dirt. His bones ached, his eyes still stinging from earlier tears, and his palms, raw from the relentless training, burned as he struggled back to his feet. His entire body was battered and bruised, a reminder of the beating he had already taken, but he knew stopping was not an option.


    If he had one talent, it was running away. And if that was all he had, then he was going to give it everything he had left.


    With a deep, shaky breath, he ducked low under the branches and kept running, his vision blurred as exhaustion set in. He paused briefly, leaning against a tree to catch his breath.


    "I lost them... phew."


    He let out a relieved sigh, but as the adrenaline faded, the pain surged back, making him wince.


    He straightened, ready to sneak his way back and maybe find a healer. But just then, an icicle whizzed past his face, grazing his cheek. Startled, he looked up to see Marcus and the others closing in.


    "Found him... Quick, after him!"


    Marcus''s voice cut through the forest, and Damon didn''t bother looking back; he bolted deeper into the shadows.


    "Don''t lose sight of him... He''s good at hiding!" one of them shouted.


    "Grey, stop running, or you''ll only make this worse for yourself!"


    Damon''s mind buzzed with fear, but he knew there was no turning back. If they were going to catch him, he''d make them work for it. He tore through the trees, every step bringing him closer to the ominous boundary that marked the edge of the academy''s protection.


    One of the boys hesitated, eyeing the edge of the forest.


    "He''s running towards the barrier..."


    Marcus''s face twisted in frustration.


    "Grey, stop now, and I won''t kill you... But if you run outside the barrier, the first monster you meet will!"


    Damon''s heart pounded even harder, knowing the danger of crossing that line. The barrier kept countless deadly creatures at bay, monsters that the academy''s students only faced under close supervision. And yet, he''d rather take his chances with the unknown than face whatever fate Marcus and his gang had in store.


    Ducking under a branch, he sprinted forward, unaware of just how close he was to the barrier until he saw the faint distortion in the air. For a split second, he slowed down, but Lark''s furious voice echoed from behind, reminding him of the beating that awaited him if he stopped.


    Without a second thought, Damon plunged through the barrier.


    He stumbled, feeling as if he''d passed through a wall of icy water, but quickly regained his footing and ran. Behind him, the boys skidded to a halt at the barrier, hesitating¡ªuntil Lark, filled with unrestrained rage, charged through with a roar.


    "Damon! You''re dead!"


    "Idiot!" Marcus cursed, but his pride refused to let Damon escape.


    With a growl, he followed, prompting the others to fall in line.


    Damon''s pulse raced as he heard them still pursuing him, his lungs burning as he struggled to keep going. He could only vaguely recall stories about this part of the forest, where only the professors dared tread, but fear pushed him forward, his legs moving out of sheer instinct.


    But his strength was fading, and soon he stumbled to a halt, barely avoiding a steep drop. Before him was a deep ravine, about fourteen meters down, a river churning in the darkness below. He turned, desperate, but his pursuers were already upon him.


    "What... what have you done? You just killed him!"


    He rushed to the edge, peering down into the darkness for any sign of Damon, but the ditch was too deep, the shadows swallowing everything. Panic set in as he clenched his jaw, gripping his head.


    "Damn it... we need to leave now. If anyone asks, we were never here."


    Lark was still trembling with rage, but the other boys scrambled back, fear gripping them. Marcus glanced over his shoulder, his voice urgent.


    "Let''s go! Now!"


    Leaving Damon to his fate, they disappeared into the night.


    The ditch wasn''t that deep, but Damon''s body rolled painfully down a rocky slope. He hit the bottom with a sickening splat and a series of painful crunches as his ribs bore the impact. He groaned, his vision spinning as he struggled to stay conscious. Looking up, he could barely make out the moon through the branches above, casting a dim, haunting glow.


    He could hear their voices fading as the other boys fled, abandoning him.


    ''Wait... no... don''t leave me here... wait... stop,'' he thought desperately, but he couldn''t even choke out the words, his throat filled with blood, his voice too weak to scream.


    As silence settled over the ditch, an eerie sound stirred the air, something shifting in the darkness nearby. Damon''s heart pounded faster, fear slicing through the fog of his pain.


    He was outside the barrier; monsters sometimes lurked here. Though he hadn''t gone far, he knew he was vulnerable.


    His eyes widened in terror as he strained to see, the moonlight barely illuminating the pit. In the shadows, something moved¡ªa viscous, inky blackness shifting slowly toward him, almost blending with the darkness around it. The creature was formless, a mass like black slime that crept closer with a horrifying, unnatural grace.


    Damon trembled, a primal fear overtaking him as the formless being slithered closer. He tried to scream, tried to call for help, but only a faint, choked sound escaped his lips.


    ''No... please... no... someone... please...''


    The creature loomed over him, silent and menacing. His thoughts screamed for mercy, yet no sound escaped as it inched closer, his entire body locked in terror.


    The moon cast a ghostly light, and his heart thundered as the creature halted directly above him. Without warning, it sank down into his shadow, merging with the darkness beneath him. A surge of agony tore through his body as the entity seeped deeper into his form, but he was too weak to cry out.


    He could feel it burrowing into his very essence, a writhing blackness settling into his soul. Tears spilled from his eyes as he lay helpless.


    ''Is... is this really how I''m going to die... in a ditch...''


    The pain was overwhelming, his mind fading as he clung to his last thoughts.


    "I''m... sorry... Luna..."


    He finally managed a faint, pain-laced whisper.


    The creature seeped deeper, its presence merging with his own until his consciousness began to blur, sinking into darkness. As the last trace of the creature entered his shadow, an overwhelming exhaustion overtook him.


    Yet, in that final moment, an oath sparked to life in his mind, fueled by a burning hatred and resentment.


    ''If... I had a second chance... I swear... I''ll make them pay.''


    As his last spark of awareness flickered out, he heard a strange, metallic chime.


    [Ding]


    [System initialization has begun.]

 Chapter 4 The Living Shadow System

    The morning sun pierced through Damon''s barely open eyes, casting harsh rays that made him squint. For a moment, he lay there in a daze, touching his face in disbelief.


    "I... I''m alive... I didn''t die," he whispered, his voice thick with astonishment, his words almost breaking as if they would release the tears he held back.


    He scanned the area. The strange, dark, viscous creature that had attacked him in the ditch the night before was nowhere to be seen. He could scarcely comprehend what had happened, but before he could gather his thoughts, something floated before him¡ªa black panel with white text.


    It read:


    [System initialization complete]


    [Do you wish to Proceed]


    [Y/N]


    Damon''s brows knit together in confusion as he muttered, "Proceed...?"


    As soon as he spoke, the words flickered, and a voice echoed in his mind.


    [Welcome to the Living Shadow System, individual Damon Grey]


    [Your shadow is alive.]


    [Feed your shadow, devour souls, level up, gain skills, complete quests, and grow stronger.]


    [Do you wish to view your current stats?]


    [Y/N]


    The voice rattled on as if it expected him to be familiar with these terms. Hesitantly, Damon whispered,


    "ermh... Yes..."


    The screen shifted, revealing his stats in intricate detail.


    [HP: 50/50]


    [Mana: 30/30]


    [Strength: 9]


    [Agility: 12]


    [Speed: 25]


    [Endurance: 10]


    [Class: ¡ª]


    [Shadow: 100]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%]


    [Shadow Level: 1]


    [Condition: Shadow Is Full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills]


    "But... the voice said I could level up. No, it called itself the system..." He paused, a hint of hope stirring.


    "But how do I level up?"


    The system didn''t respond this time.


    With a sigh, he moved to check his other stats.


    Strength ¨C Physical power. Predictably, his strength was rated low.


    Agility ¨C A mix of dexterity and reflexes. The system rated him as average here, though it didn''t sound nearly as dismal as his mana.


    Speed ¨C His movement speed, slightly above average, but nothing remarkable.


    Endurance ¨C A measure of stamina and durability. Damon knew he could take a beating after everything he''d endured. Still, the system classified him as below average.


    Finally, he reached the section on class.


    [Class: ¡ª] ¨C No Class Assigned


    At present, you have no formal class assigned. Once you unlock a specialized combat or magic class, you will gain access to class-specific skills and perks. The system may allow for an unconventional class in the future.


    Current Status: Undefined. As you explore the depths of your shadow abilities and level up, a class may be discovered or created.


    Damon''s breath hitched.


    "I... I can gain a class?"


    The words gave him a glimmer of hope. People in this world could awaken up to seven classes over their lifetime, but he''d never thought he''d awaken even one.


    [Shadow: 100] ¨C Shadow Energy


    Shadow Energy is the primary resource for utilizing the abilities of the Living Shadow. It regenerates through certain actions such as consuming life force and souls. Shadow energy is spent when manipulating shadows or using certain skills, and it''s critical to maintain this resource, or risk weakening your shadow and death.


    Current Status: Your shadow energy is full. This is ideal for activating and sustaining shadow abilities during combat or exploration.


    Warning: Shadow Energy must be kept at a stable level.


    Damon read over the description, not fully grasping it. Still, the idea of wielding shadow abilities intrigued him. He pushed on, reaching the next, most unsettling stat.


    [Shadow Hunger Level: 0%] ¨C Shadow''s Appetite


    The Hunger Level represents the shadow''s need to consume flesh and souls. As you use your abilities, the shadow''s hunger will increase, urging you to feed it. Neglecting this hunger can lead to dangerous consequences, such as losing control over your actions or the shadow taking over. Be mindful not to let the hunger grow too high.


    [Note: When Shadow hunger reaches 100% HP will begin to decline until individual perishes.]


    0%-20% Hunger: Safe range. The shadow is under control.


    20%-50% Hunger: Increased temptation to feed. Minor stat boosts.


    50%-80% Hunger: Loss of partial control. Significant power boosts.


    90%-100% Hunger: Shadow becomes ravenous, fully takes control. Immediate risk of losing your humanity.


    Current Status: The shadow is currently sated, leaving you in full control.


    Damon''s face drained of color as he read the words.


    "Feed my shadow... but with what... flesh? What type?"

 Chapter 5 Level Up Requirements

    The system remained silent, offering no answer to his questions. Damon glanced down at his shadow, frustration edging his voice.


    "How do I even go about feeding a shadow?"


    His shadow responded by mimicking a thoughtful gesture, placing a hand under an imagined chin, as if it were pondering the question itself. Damon sighed, giving his cheeks a quick slap to regain focus and composure. He moved his gaze to the next stat.


    [Shadow Level: 1]


    Your Shadow Level reflects your control and power over your shadow. You can level up by feeding it and completing specific challenges or quests, which will grant you stat points to enhance HP, mana, and other attributes.


    Level up Requirements


    Souls Consumed: [0/3]


    Damon''s eyes widened. Souls. He had to devour souls. But he still didn''t know how.


    Sitting on the ground, he spent a few minutes piecing together what he could. So, souls were necessary to level up, and maybe the flesh was just fuel for the shadow itself? He cast another glance at his shadow, noticing that it now looked at him with an expression that could only be described as annoyed, as if he were a clueless novice fumbling with a brand-new system.


    "Eh... am I right about that?" he asked, half-joking.


    The shadow shrugged, appearing thoroughly unimpressed.


    Damon scowled, deciding to stay silent. He turned his attention back to the system panel.


    [CONDITION: Shadow is Full] ¨C Current State


    This condition means that the shadow has recently been fed and its hunger is sated. You retain full control over the entity, and no urgent feeding is necessary. However, as you engage in battles and use shadow abilities, this condition will shift based on the hunger level.


    Current Status: Safe. No need for immediate consumption.


    Damon exhaled a sigh of relief, feeling as if he''d been on a rollercoaster since morning.


    ''If it''s full, then I don''t have to worry about it for now.''


    Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady his mind. There was a lot to absorb, and something about this system felt unsettling, perhaps even sinister. After all, he couldn''t shake the memory of the strange monster that had attacked and fused into his shadow.


    [Attributes: Umbra] ¨C Shadow Essence


    "The system said I can control it if I have enough shadow energy, right?"


    Testing that, he raised his hand toward his shadow. It lingered nearby, waving back at him. Damon gave a firm command.


    "Stop."


    The shadow froze. He grinned, only to frown as it remained still, ignoring his movements. He bit his lip.


    "Follow me... I mean, copy my movements."


    His shadow gave him a thumbs-up and obediently began to mimic him. Damon moved around, jumped, and ran back and forth. To his relief, his shadow mirrored him like normal.


    He let out a deep breath.


    "Praise the goddess."


    Satisfied, he pointed at a rock in the distance.


    "Go over there."


    The shadow zipped across to the rock, leaving Damon without a shadow as he stood in the sunlight.


    "I see... I should keep this secret for now. If anyone finds out, maybe I can pass it off as first-class magic. Or just say I awakened a new spell."


    Better to keep things under wraps until he learned more about the system¡ªand his shadow. Damon called it back, and to his relief, it returned quickly. He still needed to test his abilities, but for now, he had more pressing matters, like washing the grime from his face.


    Noticing his torn academy uniform, he was surprised to see the fabric mending itself.


    ''That''s material from the magic continent for you,'' he thought.


    The academy''s uniform, made in Aerona, possessed unique properties like self-repair, quick cleaning, and drying.


    Damon had never been to Aerona, the famed continent of magic and technology. He''d lived his entire life on the war continent, Soltheon, and likely wouldn''t leave it.


    He walked to the nearby river. Cautious now that he was beyond the academy''s protective barrier, he stopped at the water''s edge, peering into the blue depths. Seeing nothing unusual, he scooped up some water and splashed it over his face.


    He glanced at his reflection¡ªand froze.


    "M-my... my eyes."

 Chapter 6 War Halls

    Damon just stared into the water, his expression blank as he processed what he saw. The reflection staring back was that of a gloomy young man, his face contorted in shock and confusion.


    His mouth quivered. He widened his eyes, leaning closer to the water to make sure he wasn''t imagining things. But there was no mistake¡ªsomething was very wrong with his eyes.


    He gasped, his breath quickening. "Wh...what happened to my eyes?"


    His irises had turned pitch black¡ªso dark that he couldn''t tell where the irises ended and the pupils began. It was as if they''d merged into one void, swallowing the once-blue color entirely.


    He pressed his hands against his eyes, prying them open wider, hoping he was just seeing things. But no matter how hard he stared, the blackness remained.


    "Ahhh... Wh-what do I do? What if someone notices?"


    He stopped himself, forcing a wry smile. "Who''s even going to notice? Nobody cares about me... I don''t even have friends."


    Saying it out loud felt hollow, a sad truth for a boy his age. Ever since it had been revealed that he possessed a pitiful mana pool of only 30, he was seen as too insignificant to be worth anyone''s attention. Add to that his tendency to butt heads with the nobles, and even the commoners who managed to pass the harsh entrance exams avoided him.


    And then there was his own personality¡ªa bit gloomy, naturally introverted.


    He sighed at his reflection, but then shook his head to brush off the pang of loneliness. He hadn''t come to the academy to make friends, anyway.


    "Right, I''m here for the one million zeni." He reminded himself. It was all for the money, the money that could keep his sister alive.


    Standing up, he grabbed his academy jacket from the ground, dusted it off, and pulled it on before scanning the ravine for a way out. But something unusual caught his attention.


    The system screen was following him.


    He blinked in surprise.


    "Errh... how do I make this disappear? Am I going to have this following me around? What if everyone sees it?"


    Before he even finished speaking, the system panel blinked out of existence.


    "Huh, it disappeared."


    That was good enough.


    Damon took in his surroundings, scanning the forest. After some walking, he found where the ravine ended and climbed up a hill, stopping at the top to gaze out at the dense forest stretching far ahead.


    This was outside the academy''s protective barrier. The further one ventured, the more dangerous it became: goblins, kobolds, trolls, ogres, and all manner of terrifying creatures lurked out there.


    He knew this was no place for someone like him. Turning back, he walked toward the academy''s barrier.


    It didn''t take long to cross into familiar grounds, where he spotted tracks left by Marcus and his group.


    "Those idiots left me for dead and didn''t even bother hiding their tracks..." he muttered, amused by their carelessness.


    "If I were in their shoes, I''d have covered my tracks and left a few hollow clues to mislead any investigations."


    He shook his head. He wouldn''t be in their shoes, but he''d make sure they regretted what they did. After all, the goddess of doom was also the goddess of judgment, and by her hand, he would see them punished.


    Resolute, he continued out of the forest, eventually reaching the academy grounds. Passing by his secret training spot, he saw faint bloodstains still marking the ground from when he''d been beaten up. Ignoring them, he made his way to his dorm.


    Surprisingly, despite his status as the weakest and a commoner, his dorm was in the academy''s finest building. Passing by other students heading to class, no one paid him any mind.


    The dorm building he lived in was known as the Halls of War¡ªor simply, the War Halls. Named after the war continent Soltheon, it was a tribute to the goddess of doom and war. The building resembled a grand castle; Damon had never known such luxury until he moved in here.


    Not surprisingly, he was the only commoner in the dorm, a fact owed to his unique scholarship¡ªa golden ticket recommendation that allowed him to bypass the entrance exams, gain a place in the best dorm, and receive a million-zeni scholarship fund.


    Entering the lavish hall designed for the wealthiest noble lineages, he took the side stairs up to his floor. Reaching his dorm, he stepped inside. The spacious room was more like a suite.


    After a quick bath to wash off the grime, he changed into a fresh uniform. A flicker of anxiety washed over him; what if someone noticed something strange about him? What if they saw his eyes?


    But no one did, and his shadow stayed obedient, avoiding any unwanted attention.


    He walked into the main building, hoping to make it to class on time. But as he hurried down the hall, a voice called out to him.


    "Damon Grey... see me in my office at once."

 Chapter 7 The Ultimatum

    Damon froze at the sound of that voice¡ªcold, strict, and unmistakably imperious. His legs felt a little weak as he turned to face the source.


    ''Arrg... seems my luck runs out here.''


    He slowly turned around, meeting the gaze of a man in his thirties. The man had long dark hair and a stern, no-nonsense expression, his pale gray eyes carrying an air of unyielding authority. Dressed in black, he looked every bit as dark and foreboding as his reputation.


    This was Professor Kael Blackthorn, the strictest professor in the academy. Damon had a gnawing feeling the man held a particular dislike for him.


    Professor Blackthorn specialized in dark magic, which, theoretically, should have made him a good mentor for Damon, whose shadow attribute aligned with it. But the moment Kael learned Damon''s mana pool barely reached a paltry thirty, he dismissed him entirely.


    Kael''s cold gray eyes narrowed, piercing Damon like a dagger.


    ''This can''t be good.''


    An ominous feeling settled in Damon''s gut, as if whatever awaited him in Blackthorn''s office was bound to be unpleasant.


    "Follow me, Damon Grey," Professor Kael said, already turning to lead the way.


    Damon frowned, trying to find an escape route.


    "I have a class right now; maybe I can come later?" he ventured.


    Kael didn''t even pause.


    "I''ve already spoken to your professor for Elemental Manipulation. You''ve been excused."


    Biting his lip, Damon knew he was out of excuses. Whatever fate awaited him, he had no choice but to follow.


    "Ahh, goddess be with me," he muttered under his breath, reluctantly trailing behind.


    As they walked, Damon''s eyes flitted across the halls. Students greeted Professor Kael with respect, and those who knew his reputation glanced at Damon with pity. Others, recognizing Damon as the academy''s outcast, shot him disdainful looks¡ªsome even smirking, as if reveling in his misfortune.


    He ignored them, knowing they''d never amount to more than spectators in his life. If mocking him gave them a sense of purpose, he thought, then so be it. This was the nature of most mortals, he mused¡ªthey needed to see someone worse off to feel better about their own lives.


    Kael''s face reddened slightly as a vein pulsed at his temple. Taking a slow breath, he went on,


    "Someone like you should never have been allowed to cross the gates of our glorious Aether Academy. Yet here you are..."


    Kael shook his head, disgust evident in his tone.


    "The only reason you''re here is because of a golden ticket¡ªone you''re entirely undeserving of."


    Damon kept his head lowered, silent as Kael tore into him. He didn''t argue; every word stung with truth.


    "When you showed up with a golden ticket, the academy had its doubts. We wondered how someone so lowly could come by such a thing. After investigating, we discovered the source, and it was... surprising, to say the least."


    At this, Damon looked up, his curiosity piqued. He''d always wondered about the ticket himself. All he knew was that it had somehow come into his family''s possession and was included in the inheritance left for him and his younger sister, Luna.


    A golden ticket was as prestigious as it sounded¡ªa literal golden ticket granting the holder admission to Aether Academy, the world''s most esteemed institution. Along with it came a scholarship fund of one million zeni each semester.


    The ticket, issued only once a year to the best graduating student, served as a recommendation of sorts. If the recipient chose to pass it on, the beneficiary would inherit its privileges, gaining automatic entrance to the academy without any examination.


    He raised his head, feeling a flicker of hope. Who would bestow such an invaluable gift on him? What connection could they possibly have with his family?


    Kael continued to glare at him.


    "It''s mind-boggling that someone of such standing would waste the golden ticket on you. Someone like you will never amount to anything."


    Damon''s fists clenched, his shadow beneath him flickering erratically in response to his rising frustration. But he kept silent, swallowing down his anger.


    "You''ve shown no improvement, failed every evaluation, every test. Your performance in this first quarter is rock-bottom," Kael spat, his voice laced with scorn.


    "By the glory of the goddess, I can''t fathom why someone as exalted as Seras Blade would give you her golden ticket... only for you to come here and disgrace her name."


    At the mention of that name, Damon''s breath caught in his throat. His anger evaporated, replaced by a wave of shock that settled heavily in his chest. His eyes widened, filled with disbelief.


    "Seras Blade..." he whispered, stunned.

 Chapter 8 The Legend

    across the nine continents of aetherus, from the central continent ruled by demons to the other eight governed by the goddess races, there was hardly a soul unfamiliar with the name seras blade. for demons, she was a feared adversary; for the goddess races, she was a revered hero.


    seras blade was a prodigy from the war continent of soltheon, born into a mid-level noble household. by age three, she could wield a sword; by age five, she had defeated someone who had awakened their first class. at six, she awakened her own class¡ªa unique one not shared by the masses.


    that was merely the beginning. by ten, she had reached her second class advancement. at eleven, she''d already slain numerous monsters and was hailed as a prodigy.


    by fourteen, she entered the academy, quickly becoming its top student, her talent dazzling the entire world. she achieved her fourth class advancement at fifteen, and by graduation, she was stronger than most of the professors.


    they said she was blessed by the goddess of doom, a warrior of unparalleled power.


    but her legend didn''t stop there. after her record-breaking graduation, she joined the war against the demon continent of centros. at the time, the demons were steadily advancing in a war that had raged for centuries. the goddess races were losing ground¡ªuntil seras arrived. her feats on the battlefield became legendary, and over the years, she reached the fifth class advancement. with her power, she was instrumental in forcing the demon continent into a truce.


    even damon, who''d grown up far from glory, knew the name seras blade. she was a myth, a legend¡ªand somehow, his golden ticket had come from her.


    "my goddess... seras blade," damon whispered, his frustration momentarily forgotten as he stared, wide-eyed.


    kael''s expression barely softened.


    "correct. the seras blade was the original owner of your golden ticket. as for how it came to be in your hands... that''s beyond me."


    kael sighed, glancing at damon with barely contained disdain.


    "it seems she gave it to a young couple named grey."


    he sneered.


    "and somehow, that couple birthed a failure like you. it pains me to think that the eminent name of seras blade is associated with someone of your caliber. your very existence tarnishes her legacy."


    damon lowered his head, his hands visibly trembling. he felt the weight of kael''s scorn pressing down on him, filling him with a suffocating shame.


    kael reached into his pocket, retrieving a brooch with the academy''s crest. made of silver, it bore a rune for "probation" inscribed in stark lettering. kael pushed a sheet of paper toward damon, his gaze laced with contempt.


    "i''m giving you a chance," he said.


    "fill this out, and drop out of the academy voluntarily."


    the paper slid toward damon, and his heart sank, his face turning pale. he bit his lip until he tasted blood.


    kael watched him, unfazed by his distress.


    he tossed the brooch in his hand toward damon, who instinctively caught it. the silver brooch had the academy''s crest with a rune for "probation" etched on it.


    "since you won''t leave with dignity, the academy will force you out." kael''s voice held a cruel satisfaction.


    "congratulations, damon grey. you are now officially a probationary student. when you inevitably fail the mid-semester evaluation, i''ll be here to personally kick you out."


    damon''s hand shook, his fingers digging into the brooch as kael continued.


    "i''ve seen what you''re worth¡ªa failure and nothing more. you''ll never amount to anything."


    damon''s shadow flickered erratically as his rage swelled, his voice cold and cutting.


    "some educator you turned out to be, professor."


    kael frowned, but damon pressed on, his voice steady, fueled by a lifetime of frustration.


    "you say i''m a failure. yeah, you''re right. i''ve failed countless times, and i''ve given up plenty, too. but i''m still here. still standing. call me a failure all you want, but saying i won''t amount to anything? that''s where you''re wrong. you don''t get to decide what i can or can''t do." his eyes burned with defiance.


    "you have no idea what i''ve been through just to make it this far. and if i go out, i''ll go out kicking and screaming, knowing i gave it my all."


    damon''s voice rose, his anger spilling over.


    "yes, i''m a failure, but failure is the crucible i''ve been forged in."


    he stood, his glare locked onto kael.


    "i''m not getting expelled. i''ll pass that mid-semester evaluation. and when i do, i''ll look you dead in the eye and say¡ª"


    he leaned forward, his voice a low, fierce whisper, "screw you."


    kael''s gaze remained cold and unyielding.


    "with your pathetic amount of credits, even passing won''t be enough. you''ll need to place in the top ten to stay, and we both know that isn''t happening. your words are nothing but a dog barking."


    with a dismissive flick of his wrist, kael tossed an envelope toward damon.


    "now, get out of my office."


    damon caught the envelope, his dark eyes flashing with cold fury. he clenched the brooch in his hand and left without another word.

 Chapter 9 Same Everywhere

    damon stormed out of professor kael''s office, his hands trembling with barely contained rage.


    he strode through the hallways, which were mostly empty since most students were in class. if any of them had known that he had talked back¡ªand even made a rude remark¡ªto the academy''s most feared professor, they''d likely think him insane. but damon didn''t care. not about kael, and certainly not about the prestigious seras blade. none of that mattered. all he cared about was his sister''s life, and that came down to one all-encompassing problem: money.


    ''there''s nothing that money can''t buy'', he thought bitterly.


    ''if you can''t buy something with money, it simply means you don''t have enough¡ªor you don''t know where to find it.''


    "i need more zeni..." he muttered under his breath.


    the academy''s scholarship provided him with some relief, but even a million zeni wouldn''t be enough to cover what he needed. he couldn''t leave or get expelled, but he had no idea what to do next.


    ''ahh... curses.''


    he bit his lip, the weight of his burdens pressing down on him until he felt he might burst. he''d talked big in kael''s office, fueled by his anger, but deep down, he knew how hopeless he felt.


    taking a deep breath, he chanted his usual mantra, a quiet whisper to himself.


    ".....today was a horrible day... tomorrow will be worse..."


    repeating it a few times, he let out a long sigh and found a nearby fountain, sinking down onto the bench beside it.


    "what... what do i do... how... can i..." his voice trailed off, heavy with exhaustion.


    just then, his shadow flickered, moving strangely, as if waving at him. damon blinked, watching as it gestured, attempting to communicate. after a moment, he understood: it was pointing toward the system.


    damon shook his head with a faint smile. "right. how could i forget about that?"


    summoning the system panel, he scanned his stats. most were unchanged¡ªexcept for two.


    [shadow energy] had dropped, and even more concerning, [shadow hunger] had increased to a new level.


    alarmed, he checked his condition panel, and relief washed over him when he saw the result:


    [condition: shadow is full]


    he sighed, remembering that high shadow hunger could be fatal. "i really don''t like the idea of perishing," he muttered, glancing down at his shadow, which had returned to behaving normally under the sunlight.


    "you are late."


    damon froze. the entire training ground fell silent as the professor''s voice echoed, commanding instant attention. all the other students halted and turned to look at him, each with a different expression.


    he didn''t need to look up to feel their stares piercing through him. instead, he frowned and raised his gaze slowly, his expression dark and unyielding. the shadowed look in his black eyes only made him appear more foreboding, casting an unapproachable aura that matched the gloom he radiated.


    meeting the professor''s gaze, damon maintained an icy, defiant stare. the professor, unaffected, nodded slightly.


    "you... what is your name?"


    damon''s heart pounded in his chest, threatening to betray him, but he held firm, his face a mask of cold resolve.


    "grey. damon grey."


    the professor''s eyes narrowed, clearly recognizing the name.


    "hmm... yes. you''re that damon grey."


    damon''s expression darkened further, feeling his irritation rise.


    ''these bastards are all the same... looking down on me, huh?''


    he crossed his arms, determined not to let this professor belittle him, especially after what he''d just endured with kael blackthorn.


    "so what if i am?" he replied, his tone cold and defiant.


    a few gasps sounded among the students, surprised by his audacity. marcus and lark, among them, exchanged shocked glances, clearly not expecting to see damon standing there, defiant and very much alive.


    the professor''s eyes hardened at damon''s response. his voice grew louder, and a trace of his aura leaked into the air, pressing down with an invisible weight.


    "you are late. go stand in the corner."


    damon felt his knees weaken as the professor''s aura bore down on him, leaving him faint.


    but just as the pressure threatened to overpower him, his shadow moved erratically beneath him, almost as if it absorbed the brunt of the impact, sparing damon the worst of it. he managed to maintain his cold exterior, though his body trembled under the strain.


    as he walked to the corner, his shadow wobbled instead of his legs, taking on the weakness he''d hidden from the others. his expression remained icy and grim, undeterred by the professor''s display of power.

 Chapter 10 Reflexive Movements

    the beastkin professor raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by damon''s seemingly unaffected response to the aura. on the other side of the training ground, an elf girl with striking white hair watched him with a curious glint in her eyes.


    damon, for his part, maintained a calm facade as the professor announced the continuation of class. slowly, the other students'' attention returned to their training, allowing damon to stand unnoticed in the corner of the grounds. he let out a quiet sigh of relief, casting a quick glance at his shadow. it weakly raised a hand to give him a thumbs-up, bending over like an old man, its shape quivering as if coughing.


    damon shot it a concerned look.


    "erhmm... are you... are you okay?"


    talking to one''s own shadow would be considered madness by most, but damon wasn''t like most people. not all shadows had a mind of their own, so he figured he wasn''t crazy. or at least he hoped so.


    his shadow wobbled unsteadily but puffed out its nonexistent chest, striking a pose as if to say, "piece of cake."


    damon smirked.


    "thanks... you really saved me back there. would''ve been embarrassing to act all high and mighty, only to end up on my knees. especially with so many girls watching... i could die of shame."


    the shadow waved a hand dismissively, as if to say, "nah, no big deal."


    damon nodded but quickly furrowed his brow.


    "now act normal! before someone notices."


    the shadow seemed offended, hesitating before grudgingly returning to its regular, motionless form. damon sighed with relief, thankful no one had seen him talking to his own shadow. to look more inconspicuous, he pulled out his pager and started scrolling through it, pretending to be absorbed in something.


    "i really hate this class," he muttered quietly, though he knew his shadow was listening.


    his gaze drifted across the field and landed on a girl with radiant golden hair, a sword in hand, exuding a glow that seemed to light up the world around her. her eyes were a luminous gold, marked with a symbol resembling the sun.


    "that... that''s the number one first-year, evangeline brightwater. she has a light attribute, one of the more powerful ones, so... yeah, nothing special," he said with a touch of sarcasm.


    "she''s number one, after all."


    that last line lifted his mood a bit, and he let himself chuckle, feeling a bit of the tension ease away.


    damon turned his gaze toward a beastkin girl with dark hair streaked with white highlights and animal ears perched atop her head¡ªa trademark of her kin. she struck a training dummy with her claws, sending off sparks of electricity.


    "that''s leona valefier. she''s from the wild continent, lothria. her attribute''s called the storm attribute. she''s ranked fourth..."


    he trailed off, eyeing her with a mix of curiosity and caution.


    he continued introducing the top ten students in his class to his shadow, almost as if giving a newcomer a rundown of the group. his descriptions were laced with occasional side comments, a mix of admiration and sarcasm as he assessed each one.


    while damon talked, the professor called an end to the training session.


    "it''s time for today''s practicals to conclude, but since we have a bit more time, i''ll let two of our top students demonstrate a duel using elemental magic. watch closely and learn."


    he nodded toward evangeline and sylvia, gesturing for them to step onto a makeshift stage. the two girls stood opposite each other, unarmed but brimming with intensity.


    damon sighed, barely glancing up as they readied themselves for combat. instead, he kept his attention fixed on his pager, scrolling through it aimlessly. watching their duel wouldn''t help him, not when he''d already seen them fight countless times before. to him, they were just reminders of what he lacked.


    he kept his head down, absently scrolling, as the sounds of battle began to fill the air. he caught glimpses of flashing light and felt the bursts of energy, the clash of light and lunar magic igniting the field. his shadow reacted to the flashes, shifting slightly in agitation, but damon ignored it, eyes firmly on his pager.


    the sounds grew louder, the gasps of students around him more intense than usual, signaling that today''s duel was particularly fierce. but damon stayed nonchalant, almost tuning out the spectacle.


    "hey, watch out!" the professor''s voice cut through the noise, too late.


    without even lifting his head, damon''s shadow moved instinctively in sync with his body. he dodged a beam of light, shifting to the side just in time, then ducked another, feeling the heat graze past him as he leaned away from the next. finally, he sidestepped, avoiding the last flash by mere inches, as it seared the ground behind him.


    the training grounds fell silent, students and professors alike staring in shock. damon remained still, his eyes still on his pager, expression unbothered, as if nothing had happened.


    it took a moment for him to process it all, his mind finally catching up to his reflexive dodges.


    ''huh... wha...what just happened?''

 Chapter 11 Mark Of Shame

    the realization of what had just happened finally caught up with damon. he stood there, holding his pager in one hand and an envelope from kael in the other. his gaze drifted to the scorched mark on the ground, where a beam of light had seared the earth just inches away from him.


    his face went pale. that could have been him.


    sensing every eye on him, damon kept his expression tightly controlled, masking his fear with a hardened glare. his dark eyes held a glint of anger, a front to conceal the panic bubbling inside.


    his gaze shifted to evangeline brightwater, who stood frozen, her expression a mix of unease and shock. it was clear she hadn''t meant for her attack to go astray. beside her was sylvia moonveil, who met his stare coolly, while the other students remained silent, processing what they''d just witnessed.


    damon''s heart pounded as if it might burst, but he maintained his composure, unwilling to show any weakness before his peers¡ªespecially not to the nobles. with an exaggerated sigh, he looked toward the professor and lifted his pager.


    "your time is up, professor... i have another class to get to."


    without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked off the training grounds, ignoring the murmurs that followed him. he could feel their stares, heavy on his back.


    ''don''t look back... keep walking,'' he reminded himself, teeth gritted against the tension in his chest.


    the professor called something after him, but damon was too rattled to register it. he simply kept walking until he reached a quiet spot beneath a tree, finally letting out a long, shaky breath.


    looking down at his shadow, he murmured,


    "oh, my goddess... praise the lady of doom, mistress of fate... bringer of death... i almost joined her today."


    his heart continued to hammer as his shadow shifted beside him, waving dismissively as if to reassure him.


    damon chuckled, feeling a surprising surge of gratitude.


    "thank you... may the goddess reward you. you really saved me back there," he whispered, patting his chest.


    he couldn''t explain it, but he was certain his shadow had reacted to evangeline''s light magic and allowed him to dodge what could have been a fatal attack.


    damon''s mind was plagued with worries, yet there was a strange comfort in knowing he had someone¡ªsomething¡ªto confide in, even if it was just his shadow.


    it was the smallest solace, but it made the solitude easier to bear. perhaps that''s why people kept pets. in his case, he was just a loner, talking to his shadow. nothing unusual about that... right?


    "oh, right," he muttered to himself, remembering the envelope professor blackthorn had given him.


    "i forgot to look at this..."


    he glanced down at his shadow.


    "what do you think is inside? couldn''t be my results; he already threw those at me. probably has something to do with me being a probationary student now."


    finding a secluded bench beneath a tree, damon settled down and carefully opened the envelope. as he scanned the contents, his brow furrowed.


    "kael blackthorn, that bastard..."


    the envelope contained a list of regulations he was now subject to as a probationary student. most of the rules were tedious, but one line stood out, making his stomach twist. he was required to wear a probationary student brooch on his uniform, prominently displayed for all to see.


    damon''s heart sank. it was a blatant act of shaming, a way to mark him as lesser than his peers. they might as well have slapped a sign on him reading thief and paraded him naked around the campus square. his lips quivered. he had almost been in a decent mood, but this was a cold reminder that good things didn''t come his way.


    lowering his head, he pulled the brooch from his pocket, its insignia gleaming in the sunlight. he considered not wearing it, but kael would no doubt use that as an excuse to make his life even harder.


    he sighed, voice barely above a whisper.


    "at least i still have the privileges of a golden ticket student."


    the weight of it pressed on him, his chest tightening with each breath. his shadow waved gently, as if to console him.


    "yeah, i''m fine," he muttered, brushing himself off as he stood.


    "let''s get to class. i''m sure everyone else has already beaten me there by now."

 Chapter 12 The Prophecy

    damon hurried through the academy''s main building, mentally cursing the time he''d wasted reading over professor kael blackthorn''s letter. by the time he entered the history of the demon wars classroom, it was nearly full. ironically, despite being the first to leave, he was now the last to arrive.


    relieved to find the professor absent, he slipped through the door and hugged the shadows along the wall, moving as quietly as possible to avoid drawing attention. the classroom''s tiered seating allowed him to climb to his usual spot at the very back, safely distant from the nobles clustered toward the front.


    as he settled in, he let out a breath, grateful no one had noticed him, especially after the spectacle from the last class. glancing at his shadow, he whispered,


    "looks like we made it."


    the faint light cast his shadow along the wall, gesturing back as if responding.


    "hmm... are you asking if i like this class?" damon murmured, a faint smile breaking his usually gloomy expression.


    "i actually do. it''s pure theory, so mana levels don''t matter. plus, the professor''s a commoner like me, and he''s... well, he seems like a nice guy. never talked to him, but still."


    his shadow moved faintly as if listening, and damon felt his stomach grumble, distracting him.


    ''could really use some food right about now...''


    almost on cue, the system notification appeared in his vision:


    [shadow: 49]


    [shadow hunger levels: 26%]


    [condition: shadow is hungry]


    with a sigh, damon noted the rise in shadow hunger.


    "i''ll feed you later," he whispered to his shadow, though it crossed its arms as if less than impressed with him.


    trying to ignore his own hunger, he shifted his attention back to the class. below, he noticed lark bonaire sitting with marcus fayjoy and the others, all of them gathered around xander ravenscroft like loyal satellites.


    "can you tell us what you know about the legendary demon lord ashcroft?"


    it took damon a second to register. he blinked, realizing the professor''s expectant gaze was on him. his shadow raised a hand as if nudging him to get up.


    damon rose, his expression as gloomy as ever. though his hunger made it hard to focus, he recounted the familiar tale of ashcroft, a name known across the world¡ªa figure more myth than mere history.


    "ashcroft," he began, "is known as the demon lord of domination. he''s said to be the strongest demon lord that''s ever existed. long ago, the goddess races called centros home; it was the heart of all things. but ashcroft took it over in the name of the demon races."


    he felt the attention of the entire class on him now as he continued.


    "ashcroft conquered centros, renaming it the demon continent. his power and ambition made him a real threat, and he aimed to conquer all the known world. when he set foot on soltheon, he devastated everything. it was only when he reached the temple of the goddess that he was finally stopped. in that temple, he spoke taboo words before her statue."


    damon''s stomach growled, loud enough that he winced, but he kept going.


    "they say that as he uttered those words, the statue glowed¡ªand ashcroft was erased from existence. the demon armies retreated after that. but it wasn''t the end. the demons prayed to their god, and he gathered what remained of ashcroft, leaving them with a prophecy.


    ''the dominator shall return.''"


    taking a deep breath, damon finished,


    "to this day, the demons await ashcroft''s return. of course, later historians have debunked this as just a fairytale, saying someone like ashcroft could never have existed."


    with that, damon sat down, feeling the weight of everyone''s stares, but he ignored them, his mind now preoccupied with his own gnawing hunger.


    professor chrome, however, looked pleased, his eyes twinkling with interest.


    "well done, young man," he said warmly.


    "and yes, many say it''s just a myth¡ªbut myths, as we know, often hold grains of truth."


    the professor''s gaze lingered thoughtfully on damon before he turned back to the board to continue the lesson.

 Chapter 13 A Hungry Man Is A Hangry Man

    the class finally came to an end, and damon bolted from his seat as if sitting on pins and needles. without so much as a backward glance, he rushed out of the room, making a beeline for the cafeteria. hunger clawed at his insides, and he felt as though he could eat an entire feast.


    the cafeteria was sparsely populated when he arrived, allowing him to grab a seat in a corner without much trouble.


    wasting no time, he piled his tray high with twice the amount of food he usually consumed and ate with uncharacteristic gusto. the first spread disappeared quickly, but even as he swallowed the last bite, his stomach growled in protest.


    frustrated, he returned for more servings¡ªseveral more, in fact¡ªuntil the sheer volume of his consumption began to draw stares.


    by now, the cafeteria had filled with students, and damon''s voracious appetite became the subject of murmured conversations. even the beastkin, known for their ferocious hunger, watched him in disbelief. a human eating this much? it seemed impossible.


    damon continued until his stomach felt bloated, almost painfully so, yet the gnawing hunger refused to subside. he took another bite, feeling like he might throw up from how full he was, but his stomach growled again, sending a wave of frustration through him.


    his head felt light, his vision blurred for a moment, shifting into black and white before snapping back to normal. the sensation left him unsettled, his mounting irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.


    he stood for what felt like the eighth time to clear his table and head back for more. each serving grew larger than the last, but it didn''t matter. the hunger remained.


    when he reached the counter, he grabbed a new tray, ignoring the maids who offered to serve him¡ªhe preferred to do it himself. as he moved, distracted by his hunger, he bumped into someone.


    "sorry,"


    damon muttered gloomily without looking up, but his apology barely left his lips before the other person''s voice rang out, sharp and angry.


    the tone alone made damon''s blood boil.


    in a blur of rage, he raised the tray and smashed it into the face of the person he had bumped into¡ªlark bonaire.


    damon''s heart surged with sudden, uncontrollable anger, and before he could think, he followed up with a powerful kick that sent lark flying into a service trolley. the maid pushing the trolley let out a startled yelp as lark collided with it, spilling food everywhere.


    damon moved as if to strike again, but the commotion had drawn too much attention, and he hesitated. he blinked, shocked by the sheer force behind his actions. his strength had caught him off guard. glancing down, he saw his shadow behaving normally, yet something about it made his tired eyes narrow in suspicion.


    lark, covered in food and seething, scrambled to his feet, ready to retaliate.


    "i''ll kill you for this, grey!"


    he spat, his voice dripping with venom.


    he flipped through pages on dangerous herbs and wild flora, hoping the knowledge might one day be useful. the gnawing hunger, however, was a constant distraction. his stomach growled incessantly, forcing him to miss a few classes as he finally gave up and retreated to his dormitory with a small stack of books in hand.


    the dormitory hallways were deserted, most students still attending their lessons. damon moved quickly and quietly, wary of the head maid catching him.


    he could already hear her sharp tone reprimanding him for skipping class, and he wasn''t in the mood for a lecture. he ascended to the higher floors where his room was, unlocking the door with his pager before slipping inside.


    he collapsed onto the bed, drained. his stomach felt full to the point of discomfort, yet the hunger hadn''t waned. it gnawed at him like an unrelenting beast.


    as his eyes fluttered shut, he caught a glimpse of his shadow moving freely about the room. he clutched his stomach, muttered something incoherent, and finally fell asleep.


    when he opened his eyes again, the room was cloaked in darkness. damon groaned and fumbled for his pager, its faint glow illuminating the screen. midnight. he''d been asleep for hours.


    the darkness didn''t bother him¡ªoddly enough, it felt soothing, almost like a second skin. still, out of habit, he tapped the light switch on the wall. the sudden brightness stung his eyes, but his attention was quickly drawn to the far corner of the room.


    his shadow stood there, arms crossed, radiating displeasure. its stance was practically screaming annoyance.


    damon scratched the back of his head sheepishly.


    "heh... sorry. i overslept¡ªi didn''t mean to. and shouldn''t you have woken me up?"


    the shadow''s form tensed, its fists balling up as it began a dramatic display of complaints. it gestured wildly, stomping its foot and pacing along the walls and ceiling, as if trying to express just how frustrating its day had been.


    damon sighed, already feeling a strange sense of familiarity with the peculiar entity.


    "yeah, yeah, i get it," he muttered, holding his head as the lightheadedness from his hunger returned.


    despite everything, he cracked a small smile.


    "i was feeling hungry myself. and hey, it''s late enough now that the head maid is probably asleep. let''s head to the dorm kitchen. there''s a pantry and a cold room¡ªyou can have your pick of the meat."


    the shadow paused its rant, its arms relaxing as it stroked its chin thoughtfully. after a moment of deliberation, it gave a slow, reluctant nod. damon chuckled softly, shaking his head.


    "alright then, but we have to be discreet. can''t let anyone catch us."


    quietly, damon opened the door to his dorm room. his shadow slipped seamlessly back into its usual place, clinging to him as if it had always belonged there.


    together, they stepped into the dimly lit halls.

 Chapter 14 Cooking Up A Storm

    damon silently made his way down the dimly lit halls, half-afraid the head maid would appear out of nowhere. the war halls carried an eerie stillness at night, shadows stretching across the walls and corners in a way that would unsettle most people. yet, damon found himself oddly comforted by the darkness.


    where others might see obscurity, damon saw clarity. to his eyes, the mild darkness was as vivid as daylight. every detail of the lavish carpets, intricate marble floors, and towering walls of the dormitory stood out. still, he kept his footsteps light, careful not to disturb the quiet or alert anyone to his presence.


    the other students were likely already asleep, exhausted from a demanding day of classes and activities. the war halls, reserved for the academy''s elite, had an air of exclusivity.


    the uppermost floors housed top-performing students like xander ravenscroft, evangeline brightwater, student council president lilith astranova, and the more accomplished seniors.


    these floors were pristine and spacious, a testament to the privilege and prestige of their residents. damon, by virtue of his golden ticket, had been granted access to these floors despite his unconventional scores.


    below these heights, the floors accommodated nobility and students with excellent academic credits, but none matched the luxury of the upper floors.


    there were other dormitories scattered throughout the academy, but none had the same aura of excellence and intimidation.


    damon had never ventured out this late before. most nights, he collapsed into his bed after grueling days, often too tired to do anything but sleep.


    on his hardest days, when trials piled up, he would drift off with tear stains still drying on his cheeks. his struggles had left him gloomy, hardened, and weary.


    yet tonight, something about the emptiness of the halls and the strange comfort he felt in the darkness gave him a semblance of calm.


    as he reached the elevator, he paused. using it would be quicker, but it was also risky. if the head maid found out, he''d be in for a nightmare. among the student body, professor kael blackthorn was a figure of fear, but for damon and others in the war halls, the head maid was the true terror. her wrath was legendary.


    turning to his shadow, damon whispered,


    "don''t go anywhere. we just have to sneak down a few floors. as long as the head maid doesn''t see us, we''re golden."


    the shadow gave him a playful thumbs-up and exaggerated a tip-toeing motion, earning a wry smile from damon.


    despite the unnerving day he''d spent with this peculiar entity, its antics had started to endear it to him. it was strange, but the companionship felt genuine.


    still, damon couldn''t ignore the gnawing fear deep in his gut. the changes to his body were unpredictable.


    his insatiable hunger weighed on him, no matter how much food he consumed. worse, his vision occasionally shifted, the world losing all color and plunging into stark black and white. every symptom seemed linked to the shadow''s hunger, an ominous connection he couldn''t fully understand.


    "its hunger is affecting me too," damon thought grimly.


    he had been keeping an eye on the shadow energy stat in his system. it was dropping steadily, and the shadow''s hunger was growing more demanding. he glanced at the shadow again, its form twitching slightly as if restless.


    without hesitation, he reached for it and flicked it on. the room flooded with light, and damon instantly felt the comfort of the shadows slip away. his own shadow returned to behaving normally, no longer stirring unnaturally.


    leona blinked against the sudden brightness, and when her eyes adjusted, she took in damon''s disheveled appearance. her expression softened, and the tension in her posture melted away. food still smeared her mouth as she relaxed back into her seat without a word.


    damon averted his gaze, his eyes falling on the other doors in the kitchen. two of them led to the pantry and the cold room, his intended destination. but with leona sitting there, watching, he couldn''t exactly sneak off unnoticed.


    leona, however, didn''t seem in any hurry to leave. she casually continued her feast, completely unbothered by his presence.


    ''guess i''ll have to eat something until she''s gone,'' damon thought. his hunger was too overwhelming to wait her out.


    he wandered the kitchen, checking the usual spots where the maids stored leftover pastries and prepared meals. to his shock, every shelf, every container, was empty. not a single scrap of food remained.


    ''how is all that food gone?'' he wondered.


    the maids always cooked in excess to cater to the whims of the elite students, yet now, there was nothing.


    his shadow, ever the silent observer, pointed directly at leona.


    ''no... it can''t be,'' damon thought, staring at her incredulously.


    ''i mean, she''s a beastkin, but no one eats that much... right? not to mention she''s a girl... there''s just no way.''


    yet the evidence was irrefutable. plates and bowls surrounded her, and she was still eating with gusto, even humming a little tune between bites.


    he sighed heavily.


    ''guess i''ll have to cook.''


    at least the raw ingredients were untouched. the kitchen was enormous, fully stocked with an array of supplies, and the pantry offered even more if needed. damon gathered everything he could use, setting the ingredients on the counter.


    leona glanced at him, her golden eyes curious, but she didn''t stop eating.


    damon got to work, prepping the meal with methodical efficiency. his knife sliced through vegetables with precision, and within minutes, his ingredients were ready. despite his exhaustion and ravenous hunger, he moved quickly, determined to cook enough to satisfy the unrelenting void in his stomach.


    no matter how much he ate, his hunger never seemed to wane, a troubling realization he tried to ignore.


    with his prep complete, damon lit the stove and began to cook. the rhythmic sounds of chopping, sizzling, and stirring filled the kitchen, blending with the soft hum of leona''s continued feast.

 Chapter 15 Sharing A Meal

    the kitchen was massive, far more extravagant than what one would expect from a dorm kitchen. outfitted with state-of-the-art gadgets imported from the magic continent of aerona, it was a place designed for luxury.


    damon, however, barely knew how to use any of it. such opulence was far removed from the life of a commoner, and he felt out of place even standing there.


    the only thing he recognized was the stove, and that was only because it looked simple enough to operate. he had seen the maids light it a few times before, and that knowledge proved sufficient.


    he started with something straightforward: stir-frying meat and vegetables. tossing them in a pan, he added a mix of seasoning and spices, letting the aroma fill the air. it wasn''t complicated, and damon found the process surprisingly manageable.


    next, he cooked rice¡ªa lot of it. he wasn''t planning on holding back tonight. a hearty soup with generous chunks of meat followed, its simmering broth adding another layer to the kitchen''s intoxicating smells. finally, he noticed some pre-sliced potatoes, likely prepped by the maids earlier. grinning at his luck, he fried them to a golden crisp and whipped up a rich tomato sauce to pair with them.


    the kitchen soon became a storm of activity, the clatter of pots and pans blending with the hiss of sizzling oil. the air grew thick with the mouthwatering aroma of damon''s efforts.


    seated at the table, leona valefier paused in her feast, her sharp senses drawn to the enticing smells. her chewing slowed, and though she continued to eat, her previous enthusiasm waned. the food she had devoured moments ago now seemed dull in comparison.


    leona''s golden eyes flicked toward damon occasionally, watching as he moved with surprising efficiency for someone who claimed no familiarity with a luxurious kitchen.


    her mouth watered despite herself, and she cursed her treacherous appetite for betraying her pride.


    meanwhile, damon worked tirelessly, barely able to keep up with his own hunger. his stomach grumbled incessantly, so he began eating as he cooked.


    whatever finished first went straight into his mouth. but his cooking outpaced his eating, and before long, he had a mountain of food prepared.


    finally done, damon glanced around for a place to eat. the counter with its fancy high stools seemed unwelcoming, and the idea of retreating to the dining area was unthinkable.


    ''no way. if the headmaid catches me in there, i''m dead.''


    that left only one option: the table where leona valefier was sitting.


    he leaned back, his stomach bloated and his movements sluggish. despite the mountain of food he had consumed, his stomach still growled faintly. standing up, he glanced down and saw his shadow flickering tiredly, almost as if it shared his exhaustion.


    but damon couldn''t eat another bite. the thought of food made him nauseous. he needed fresh air, or he''d risk losing everything he''d just eaten.


    he scanned the kitchen and chose the garden door. the dining room door was off-limits¡ªtoo risky with the headmaid potentially nearby. he didn''t even consider the dorm back entrance; it was undoubtedly locked at this hour.


    the garden door creaked open, and damon stepped outside. the cool night air brushed against his face, offering immediate relief. the garden was serene, filled with vibrant flowers, a scattering of fountains, and carefully trimmed green shrubs adorned with rose vines as a barrier from the outside..


    he walked to the nearest fountain, holding his hand over his mouth as waves of nausea hit him. sitting on the fountain''s edge, he tried to steady himself. his shadow danced erratically at his feet, shifting between lethargy and strange bursts of aggression.


    damon took deep breaths, trying to calm the unease building in his chest. fear gnawed at him¡ªnot just from his shadow''s unpredictable behavior but from the isolation he felt. he trusted no one, neither in the academy nor beyond its walls.


    he couldn''t share his plight with anyone, he was all alone.


    ''just stay calm. bury it all and keep a cool head.''


    after several minutes, his head cleared, and he felt stable enough to return. pushing open the kitchen door, damon froze.


    leona valefier was gone¡ªand so was the rest of his food.


    ''th-that damn beastkin ate my food...''


    he shook his head. he wasn''t going to eat it anyway.


    ''at least she''s gone.''


    with the kitchen finally empty, damon moved quickly. he made his way to the cold room. it was time to feed his shadow.

 Chapter 16 Unique Diet

    the academy''s kitchen was massive, outfitted with every amenity imaginable¡ªespecially in war hall, the dormitory reserved for royals, nobles, and the academy''s elite students. among its many features was the cold room, a vast space kept frozen to store a variety of meats.


    damon pushed open the heavy door and was met with an imposing sight: large vaulted doors, each one radiating an icy chill. he hesitated in front of them, his hand hovering over the handle as he debated whether to proceed.


    his stomach growled loudly, and his shadow flickered erratically on the floor, its movements almost agitated. gritting his teeth, damon clenched the handle and yanked the doors open. a blast of cold air rushed out, sending a shiver through his body as bright white lights illuminated the interior.


    the cold room was enormous, the walls coated in frost that shimmered under the lights. rows of processed animal carcasses hung from metal hooks¡ªcows, goats, and other creatures, their forms preserved in the biting cold. crates filled with smaller cuts of meat were stacked neatly in the corners. the air was thick with the scent of raw flesh, sharp and metallic.


    damon stepped inside cautiously, his shadow extending itself across the frosty floor, moving independently as if surveying the room. his head throbbed, and a wave of fatigue washed over him, even though he''d spent the entire day sleeping.


    "hey, come on over here," damon called to his shadow.


    the shadow retreated from its wandering and stopped in front of him, its vague form quivering slightly.


    "let''s go for that one. it''s big enough and should be good to eat," damon said, pointing at a frozen cow carcass, its head already removed.


    the shadow slithered toward the cow, circling it with a curious energy. then, it stopped.


    damon waited. one minute. two minutes. nothing happened.


    frustration bubbled up inside him.


    "what... why aren''t you eating?"


    the shadow shook its head, a gesture that seemed both annoyed and reluctant. it pointed at the cow with a tendril-like limb, its movements deliberate.


    damon''s patience snapped.


    "what do you mean you can''t eat that?"


    the shadow crossed its arms¡ªcrossed its arms, as if it were just as frustrated as he was. damon pressed his fingers to his temples, massaging away the throbbing pain as he took a deep breath to calm himself.


    "okay... fine. no problem. if beef won''t work, there''s mutton, fish, and plenty of other options."


    he pointed toward a hanging sheep carcass.


    "eat that."


    the shadow glided over to the sheep, circling it in the same manner as before. once again, it refused to eat. damon''s lips pressed into a thin line, his body trembling¡ªwhether from the cold, his own gnawing hunger, or sheer irritation, he wasn''t sure.


    he tried directing the shadow to other meats: pork, fish, and even crates of small game. but no matter what he offered, it wouldn''t eat. worse, the hunger emanating from the shadow seemed to grow stronger, and damon realized with a sinking feeling that he was being affected by it too.


    ''that''s why i can''t get full... no matter how much i eat.''


    a shiver ran down his spine as he recalled the system''s warning: if your shadow is not fed, you will perish.


    his heart sank, and his breathing quickened.


    "w-what do i do? oh, goddess, what do i do?"


    the shadow reacted immediately, clutching its chest as if scandalized, its form rippling with an almost offended energy.


    damon rolled his eyes, dismissing the theatrics.


    "i don''t have time for this," he muttered, pulling out his pager and setting a timer. he kept the system panel open, its glowing interface a constant reminder of his precarious state.


    "i need to know how long it takes for the percentage to change," he said, jotting down notes.


    "if i can figure out the timing, i''ll know how long i have."


    despite the weight of exhaustion, damon forced himself to move to his study, where a stack of books from the library waited for him. he pulled one open and flipped to the first page.


    "i''ll use this time to read," he decided, "while observing my shadow and documenting any changes to my body. the pager will help me track everything."


    lost in his research, damon noticed the absence of light in the room. the darkness didn''t matter¡ªhe could see perfectly, even without illumination.


    that was the first change he documented.


    but hunger gnawed at him, pulling his focus away. his concentration faltered, and his eyes felt heavier with each passing second. eventually, his head dipped lower, resting on the table. fatigue overtook him, and he fell asleep.


    the darkness gave way to the light of the morning sun, creeping through the edges of the drawn curtains. the rays grew stronger as the sun climbed higher, painting the room in golden hues. yet damon did not stir, his face buried in the crook of his arm.


    a sharp knock broke the silence.


    when no response came, the door creaked open, the measured clicks of heels echoing against the hardwood floor.


    his name was called out again but he gave no response.


    "damon grey!"


    the stern voice of the headmaid pierced through the haze of sleep. a firm hand shook his shoulder, jostling him awake.


    "damon grey, wake up," her stern voice called.


    "damon grey! wake up now! sleeping this late when you have a class is unbecoming of a student."


    groggy, damon blinked his eyes open, struggling to focus. the figure of the head maid stood over him, her sharp features outlined in the dim light filtering into the room.


    as damon''s vision adjusted, a wave of horror surged through him.


    the world around him had shifted¡ªcolors dyed into shadows, and every detail was unnaturally vivid, as though he could perceive the faintest movements in the air itself.


    "ah... ahh... wha¡ª" damon stammered, his voice trembling.


    the headmaid frowned, her gaze piercing.


    "are you quite all right, damon?"


    damon gripped the edge of the table, his breath hitching. what is happening to me?

 Chapter 17 Monochrome Perception

    damon stared at the headmaid, his widened eyes betraying the fear and confusion clawing at his mind. but it wasn''t fear of her¡ªit was the visceral, gut-wrenching shock of a world stripped of color.


    the room, the sunlight, even the headmaid herself¡ªall of it had faded into stark black and white. the only exception was the headmaid''s chest, where a vibrant, golden glow pulsed faintly, alien in this monochrome existence.


    his hands trembled as he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.


    the headmaid remained unaffected by the change, her stern demeanor unchanged. she was a tall, composed woman with long black hair braided neatly down her back and sharp amber eyes that always seemed to pierce through him. her uniform was pristine, marked by a brooch displaying the academy''s crest¡ªa small detail damon would never have noticed before, but now he could see it with startling clarity.


    "damon grey, are you all right?" matilda''s voice was firm, though her eyes narrowed as she caught damon staring.


    the golden glow captivated him, drawing his gaze with an almost magnetic pull. his mouth hung open, and to his horror, he felt the unmistakable wetness of drool trailing from his lips.


    "ermmh... yes, miss matilda... i''m fine," he muttered, forcing himself to tear his eyes away from her chest.


    the room''s monochrome state remained overwhelming. the sunlight streaming through the windows lacked its usual warmth, appearing cold and colorless.


    yet somehow, damon still knew the original colors of everything¡ªthe polished mahogany of his desk, the navy curtains swaying lightly by the window. his vision was unnervingly sharp; even the dew droplets on the window frame, reflecting faintly distorted images of the outside world, were startlingly clear.


    ''what is happening to me?'' he thought, his mind racing.


    a quick glance at the system panel still floating in front of him made his stomach drop. his shadow hunger had climbed to dangerous levels.


    matilda''s voice broke through his daze, irritation evident.


    "damon grey, stop staring into the distance and get up. you have 15 minutes to get ready. after that, you''ll have 5 minutes to eat before heading out. that gives you a total of 20 minutes. now move."


    her sharp tone jolted him.


    "y-yes! i''ll be ready!" he stammered, scrambling to his feet and bolting toward the bathroom.


    matilda, frowning slightly, glanced around his room, noting its spotless condition¡ªa testament to the maids'' efficiency. she turned to leave, but paused just before closing the door, her brows furrowed.


    ''did the color of his eyes change? i''m certain he had blue eyes before...''


    as they walked, damon couldn''t ignore the faint golden glow radiating from her chest. it was the same as what he had seen in the headmaid, a warm, ethereal light that stirred something primal within him. his mouth watered involuntarily, and the faintest scent of something delectable wafted through his senses.


    the hunger clawed at him. for a brief moment, an uncontrollable urge to attack flared in his mind, a dark whisper urging him forward.


    ''no!'' he shook his head sharply, forcing himself back to reality.


    the maid led him to a small table where a modest breakfast had been arranged. she lowered her head respectfully before speaking.


    "you did not eat breakfast yesterday. the headmaid insists you do so today."


    her tone softened slightly.


    "she also said she is willing to forgive your absence from the dorms the night before."


    damon blinked, momentarily distracted. he could hear her heartbeat, the rhythmic pulse of her blood coursing through her veins. the golden glow of her soul captivated him, but he forced his gaze downward, unwilling to let her see the hunger in his eyes.


    the maid stepped back after delivering her message, bowing slightly before leaving the room. her absence gave him the clarity to process her words.


    ''how did she know?'' he wondered, his brows furrowing in confusion.


    as the headmaid, it was matilda''s duty to oversee all the students in the war halls, even someone like him. but damon couldn''t shake the question of why she cared so much about his actions.


    his stomach growled, interrupting his thoughts. with a fatigued expression, he wolfed down the food in front of him. it was gone in moments, consumed with such ferocity that it startled even him.


    yet the hollow ache in his gut remained. no matter how much he ate, it wouldn''t make a difference. this insatiable hunger wasn''t physical; it stemmed from something far darker.


    his eyes flicked to the faint golden light he could see emanating from others'' chests. each glow whispered of sustenance, and he couldn''t deny the truth any longer.


    ''i know what my shadow wants,'' he thought grimly. ''and it''s not good.''


    pushing the empty plate aside, damon stood abruptly. dark circles hung under his eyes, and his once-sharp gloomy gaze was dulled by fatigue. without a word, he left the dining room and exited the dormitory, the brisk morning air greeting him as he stepped outside.


    as he reached the academy''s main plaza, a sudden jolt of awareness hit him like a lightning strike. his breath caught in his throat, his senses sharpening in an instant as the world around him seemed to ripple. something was wrong, terribly wrong, and the shadow inside him stirred with a chilling anticipation.

 Chapter 18 The Pain Of Starvation

    damon stood frozen in place as students moved past him, their chatter blending into a dull hum. his breath hitched, and his pupils dilated, the black of his eyes expanding unnaturally as if they sought to consume all light.


    a long trail of drool leaked from his parted lips, unnoticed as his gaze locked onto the crowd. in his monochromatic world, the vibrant glow of their souls was unbearable¡ªradiant, tantalizing, and beckoning him to devour them.


    beneath his feet, his shadow began to writhe unnaturally, tendrils of darkness curling and coiling like smoke, inching toward the ground around him. it reacted violently, a predator denied its prey, its erratic movements mirroring damon''s own inner turmoil.


    he took a slow, deliberate step forward, his hand reaching out toward a nearby student. the glow radiating from their chest was irresistible, pulling him forward like a moth to a flame. his eyes darkened further, and a predatory glint appeared in his gaze.


    inches from touching the student, damon froze. a surge of clarity hit him like a splash of cold water.


    "ahhh!"


    he collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach as if trying to contain the ravenous hunger clawing at his insides.


    a few passing students stopped, glancing at him with concerned expressions. the weight of their stares was enough to jolt him into action. he forced himself to his feet and bolted, his steps unsteady as he fled the plaza.


    behind a detached building, damon finally stopped, leaning heavily against the wall as he caught his breath. his chest heaved, his heart pounding in his ears.


    his shadow, normally mischievous and animated, had changed. it twitched erratically, its movements weak yet feral, as though gathering its strength for a desperate attack. damon collapsed onto the ground, his legs giving out beneath him.


    he raised his head weakly, his body trembling with a mix of fear and exhaustion. despite the terror gnawing at his mind, his thoughts felt unnervingly calm and cold.


    ''i know what it wants,'' he realized, his gut twisting in revulsion.


    his shadow wasn''t satisfied with scraps or ordinary sustenance. it craved souls¡ªvital, powerful souls from beings like humans, elves, beastkin, and other races with potent life forces.


    "arrghhh..."


    a guttural groan escaped his lips as a wave of hunger-induced pain wracked his body. time blurred as he sat there, clutching his sides, his breaths shallow and uneven. occasionally, his vision would black out, plunging him into brief moments of unconsciousness.


    he glanced at his pager, using it to record the durations of his blackouts. it wasn''t much, but it gave him some semblance of control over his spiraling state.


    his enhanced senses only made things worse. through his shadow, he could perceive the movement of people and objects by the way they disrupted the light and darkness around them.


    the constant influx of sensory data was overwhelming, and each time he lost focus, it felt as though his consciousness expanded to encompass all the shadows around him.


    it was disorienting. painful. maddening.


    hours passed, and by the time he emerged from his stupor, it was already lunchtime. he hadn''t attended a single class, but the chatter of students and the unmistakable mention of "lunch" and "cafeteria" reached his ears, pulled in by his heightened hearing.


    "food... fooood..."


    the word slipped from his lips in a low, groggy mutter. he staggered to his feet, his movements sluggish and jerky, like a reanimated corpse.


    "what a beast."


    "who let such a savage creature in here?"


    "disgusting."


    "....."


    the murmurs grew louder, but damon ignored them. he didn''t care what they thought. as long as they didn''t touch him, he would let it go.


    from her table, leona valefier watched with sparkling eyes. the beastkin had a substantial pile of food before her, but her interest was wholly focused on damon.


    the more damon ate, the more despair filled him. no matter how much he consumed, the gnawing hunger remained, a void that nothing could fill. frustration built within him, bubbling over into raw rage.


    with a guttural grunt, damon suddenly stood and, with a surge of monstrous strength, hurled the table several meters across the room. it crashed into the counter, shattering glass and scattering food everywhere.


    the cafeteria fell silent, the other students staring in shock at the display of raw power.


    damon''s eyes glowed with a mad frenzy as he glared at the room, his breathing ragged. every person in his line of sight appeared as prey, glowing with an unbearable light.


    ''food... food... there''s food everywhere...''


    he swallowed hard, fighting the primal urge threatening to overtake him. forcing himself to turn away, he bolted from the cafeteria, running blindly through the academy until he reached a deserted hallway.


    he staggered to a stop, leaning heavily against the wall.


    "hungryyyy... so hungryyyy,"


    he muttered, his voice barely audible.


    as he stumbled forward, his shoulder collided with someone.


    "get the hell out of my way!" he snapped, shoving the person with enough force to send them crashing into the wall.


    when damon looked up, his eyes widened. standing before him was a blinding source of light, brighter than any soul he had ever seen.


    his stomach twisted painfully, his mind clouding. he had no control now. the hunger consumed him entirely, and he lunged forward, his instincts fully taking over.


    evangeline brightwater froze in her tracks, the radiant light around her intensifying with an almost blinding fury.


    her piercing gaze locked onto him, a mixture of anger and indignation flickering across her elegant features.


    "how dare you?"

 Chapter 19 Shadow VS The Strongest

    evangeline had missed her usual trip to the cafeteria. she had been summoned by professor kael blackthorn and had just finished her errand, now walking briskly through the halls with a stack of papers in her hands. her attention was focused on the documents, her sharp mind processing the professor''s instructions.


    as she turned a corner, she felt herself collide with someone. the impact caught her off guard, and before she could react, she was shoved forcefully into the wall.


    "ahh!" she gasped, the sting of the cold stone shooting up her back. the suddenness of it all left her shocked and furious.


    no one had ever treated her with such blatant disrespect. she pushed herself off the wall, anger blazing in her emerald eyes, and turned to confront the offender.


    when her gaze locked on his face, recognition flickered in her mind. she didn''t know his name, but she remembered him¡ªhe was the boy who had effortlessly evaded stray shots during her battle with sylvia moonveil. there had been something strange about him then, something elusive.


    but now, as she looked at him, she felt a chill crawl down her spine. his eyes were pitch black, his lips twisted into a snarl, and the way he stared at her was anything but human. his gaze was feral, cold, and unnervingly predatory.


    almost on instinct, she straightened, her voice laced with indignation.


    "how dare you!"


    before her words had fully left her lips, he lunged forward. the movement was so sudden that evangeline''s mind blanked for a second. her body tensed to defend itself, but just before he reached her, he stopped.


    he froze in place, trembling violently, his hand clutching his head.


    "sorry,"


    damon whispered hoarsely, his voice a faint rasp. he didn''t even look at her, his face contorted with pain and frustration.


    evangeline blinked in confusion, her anger momentarily replaced by unease. she studied him, noting the way his shadow seemed to writhe unnaturally beneath his feet, dark tendrils rising and sinking back into the ground as if alive.


    to her shock, he began to back away, his movements rigid and strained. he was trying to leave.


    her anger flared once more. he shoved me and thinks he can just walk away without an explanation?


    "wait!"


    she snapped, stepping forward and grabbing his shoulder to stop him.


    that was the moment everything unraveled.


    the instant her hand made contact, damon stiffened. the sensation brought forth a flood of memories¡ªtimes he''d been mocked, beaten, and humiliated by marcus and his gang. a spark of rage ignited within him, consuming his fragile restraint like oil poured onto an open flame.


    his body trembled violently, and his eyes darkened further as shadows began to rise around him, swirling chaotically.


    evangeline''s hand slipped from his shoulder as damon let out a low, guttural growl.


    before she could react, he turned on her, grabbing her arm with terrifying strength. without hesitation, he pulled her into a throw.


    evangeline felt the air rush around her as her body was launched through the corridor. reacting instinctively, she twisted midair and landed on her feet, her boots skidding slightly against the floor.


    the papers she had been carrying scattered around her like fallen leaves, forgotten as her narrowed gaze locked onto damon.


    evangeline realized the distance was shrinking too quickly. gritting her teeth, she molded her light magic into a glowing blade.


    [light magic: radiant blade]


    the blade shimmered with power as she swung it down in a wide arc, sending a streak of destruction across the ground. damon, however, slipped past the strike with unnerving ease, his shadow-enhanced reflexes allowing him to evade even this close-range attack.


    she swung again, but this time, he deflected her sword with a calculated strike of his hand, pushing the blade to the side.


    evangeline didn''t hesitate, unleashing a concentrated beam of light magic directly at him. damon ducked and then sprang forward, his foot slamming into her with a flying kick.


    she crossed her arms in time to block the blow, though the impact sent her skidding back several feet. her heart raced as she regained her footing, gripping her radiant blade tightly.


    damon showed no signs of stopping. he charged forward, his movements unpredictable. evangeline swung her sword with practiced precision, but each strike was either dodged or countered.


    ''he''s reading my moves... no, it''s more than that. he''s anticipating them,'' she realized, frustration creeping into her thoughts.


    damon''s attacks were wild yet strangely calculated, blending primal instincts with unnatural flexibility. his punches and kicks came from impossible angles, twisting his body as though he had no bones.


    evangeline feinted to the left, hoping to catch him off guard, but he saw through it. his foot connected with her temple in a precise kick, and before she could recover, his palm struck her diaphragm, forcing the air from her lungs.


    she stumbled back, gasping for breath, her vision blurring for a split second.


    the next thing she registered was damon launching another flying kick. this time, it hit with full force, and darkness claimed her vision as her body crumpled to the ground.


    damon stood over her, his breathing heavy and erratic. drool dripped from his mouth as his shadow writhed uncontrollably. his eyes were glazed, his consciousness buried beneath the primal hunger consuming him.


    he moved closer, his hand reaching for her neck. the temptation to crush the light she radiated was overwhelming, almost instinctual.


    but just as his fingers brushed her skin, his body jolted violently.


    damon gasped, clutching his head as clarity returned in a crashing wave. his knees buckled, and he stumbled back, trembling uncontrollably.


    "no... no...," he muttered, his voice hoarse and filled with panic.


    he turned abruptly and bolted down the corridor, his footsteps echoing as he fled. he stumbled several times but forced himself onward, fear overtaking his every thought.


    he didn''t stop running until he reached the busy plaza, his head low as he darted toward the forest.


    unbeknownst to damon, a figure watched him from the windows of an adjacent building.


    lark bonaire''s lips curved into a sinister smile as his eyes followed damon''s retreating form.


    "found you, grey..." he murmured, his voice dripping with malice.


    with a casual flick of his wrist, he opened the window beside him and leapt out, using wind magic to steady his descent.


    his movements were precise, calculated. he slipped between buildings and trees, evading the gaze of wandering students as he pursued damon into the forest.

 Chapter 20 Ravenous

    damon''s breathing was ragged as he sprinted through the outskirts of the academy, his thoughts a chaotic blur. his body moved on instinct, his legs carrying him toward the familiar refuge of the forest¡ªa place he often used as his training ground.


    the path to his destination quickly disappeared under his feet as he veered off course, the dense canopy of trees swallowing him whole. the sunlight filtering through the leaves created a patchwork of light and shadow on the forest floor, a sight that might have been serene under any other circumstances.


    but to damon, it was a tormenting labyrinth. his black-and-white vision, heightened by his shadow affinity, overwhelmed him with sensory input. the shadows from the trees were alive, pulsating with strange energy, bombarding him with fragmented images and sensations.


    the sheer volume of information crashed over him like a tidal wave.


    he stumbled, his knees hitting the ground with a dull thud. a pained grunt escaped his lips as his world spun uncontrollably. his hands trembled as he tried to push himself upright, only to collapse again after a single faltering step.


    crawling to the nearest tree, he slumped against its rough bark, his chest heaving.


    "stop... please, make it stop..."


    his voice was barely a whisper, a desperate plea to the shadow that had once been his ally.


    but the shadow offered no solace. where it had once been a loyal extension of his will, it now writhed on the ground like a living thing, its erratic movements reflecting the chaos in damon''s mind.


    he clutched his head tightly, his fingers digging into his scalp as he tried to block out the flood of perceptions. the shadows around him whispered, their voices indistinct but maddeningly persistent. each inanimate shadow seemed to carry its own distinct presence, a cacophony of stimuli that drowned out his thoughts.


    why won''t it stop?


    damon''s anguish deepened, his body trembling as he fought against the overwhelming sensations.


    then, amidst the chaos, a sound reached him¡ªfaint but distinct.


    footsteps.


    the steady rhythm of someone approaching echoed in his heightened perception. though still distant, his shadow-filled vision painted a vivid image of the intruder: lark bonaire, running confidently through the forest.


    lark''s soul radiated a faint glow that caught damon''s attention, a beacon amidst the shadows. damon''s throat tightened, his hunger surging uncontrollably at the sight of that light. his teeth clenched as he fought the urge, his hands gripping his head even tighter.


    "no... no, not again..." he whispered, his voice trembling with dread.


    the footsteps grew louder, each step reverberating in damon''s distorted senses. it wasn''t long before lark emerged from the trees, his gaze locking onto damon''s collapsed form.


    damon sat slumped against the tree, his body shuddering as he muttered incoherent pleas. his once-sharp eyes were now clouded with confusion and fear, his shadow twitching erratically at his feet.


    lark''s lips curled into a slow, calculated smile as he observed the scene.


    "there you are, grey... i''ve been looking for you since yesterday," lark bonaire''s voice rang out, sharp and mocking.


    he strode toward damon confidently, summoning a whip formed of wind magic with a casual flick of his hand.


    "you didn''t really think you could kick me and just run away, did you?" lark sneered. "you''re so lucky lord xander stopped me back then. heh, heh, heh."


    damon sat slumped against the tree, his head lowered and hands clutching his temples. shadows flickered erratically around him, twitching like living things. his voice was weak, almost a whisper.


    "...you should run... i won''t be able to stop it if it reaches 90%."


    the transformation was instantaneous.


    lark took a step back, his bravado melting into wide-eyed terror as he stared at the abomination before him.


    "g-grey... wh-what''s happening?" he stammered, his voice trembling.


    the shadow-creature tilted its head, emitting a low, guttural growl that resonated through the forest. its movements were erratic yet deliberate, exuding raw, predatory power.


    driven by instinct, lark lashed out with his wind magic, sending a slicing gust toward the creature. but the attack dissipated against its form, utterly ineffective.


    the shadow struck back, its clawed hand darting out and grabbing lark''s arm. with a sickening crunch, it crushed the bones in his wrist.


    "arrgh!"


    lark''s scream echoed through the forest as he crumpled in pain, his right arm hanging mangled at his side.


    the shadow released him, letting his body drop, but its dark form trembled with sadistic laughter at his agony. lark, realizing his attacks were futile, scrambled to flee, activating wind magic to propel himself away.


    but the shadow was faster.


    with an inhuman speed, it darted between the trees and appeared above him. a clawed hand slammed lark''s face into the ground, dragging him across the forest floor. his face scraped against rocks and roots, leaving him bloodied and broken.


    he tried to scream, but the shadow pressed him down, cutting off his voice. then, with terrifying strength, it lifted him and hurled him into a tree. the force splintered the trunk, leaving lark gasping in a pool of his own blood.


    "y-you... monster..." lark croaked, trying to crawl away. "i''ll... report this... to the inquisition... i swear on the bonaire name..."


    the shadow stepped closer, its claws carving through nearby trees as it advanced.


    "i... am... hungryyyy," it whispered, the voice guttural and alien.


    lark froze, his bravado evaporating into pure terror.


    "g-grey... please... don''t do this," he begged, his voice cracking. "i''m a noble... i''ll pay you¡ªmillions of zeni! spare me! i-i swear, i''ll never bother you again!"


    the shadow didn''t respond. its void-like maw opened wide, jagged teeth glinting before it clamped down on him. lark''s screams were cut off as the shadow devoured him whole, leaving no trace behind.


    for a moment, the forest was silent.


    then the shadows receded, melting away from damon''s form. he collapsed to his knees, trembling as he regained control of his body.


    [you have slain lark bonaire.]


    [you have received 5 attribute points.]


    [you have acquired the skill 5x.]


    [your shadow is full.]


    damon''s breath caught in his throat as the notifications faded. tears streamed down his face, and his voice cracked with anguish.


    "ah... ahhh... what...ahhh..."

 Chapter 21 Erasing The Evidence

    the forest was eerily silent, the stillness pressing on damon like a weight. his breaths came in shallow gasps as he glanced around, willing himself to calm down. the situation was dire¡ªif he were implicated in the death of lark bonaire, his life at the academy, and possibly beyond, would be over.


    the academy prided itself on being neutral ground, where students enjoyed a degree of diplomatic immunity. its own rules superseded external laws. but lark wasn''t just any student¡ªhe was a noble. a simple fight would''ve been excused, but this was different. damon hadn''t just killed him; he had consumed him in an act that would be deemed both inhumane and monstrous. the very thought sent a shiver down his spine.


    tears that had spilled moments ago dried instantly as cold reality settled in. the temple inquisition. the rumors damon had heard about their methods made his stomach churn.


    "if i get caught... it''s all over," he whispered to himself, biting down on his lip until the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.


    his mind raced, consumed by fear and the desperate need to cover his tracks. the guilt of killing lark was shoved aside, replaced by a primal survival instinct. he began formulating a plan, forcing himself to think logically.


    the scene was littered with evidence: claw marks on the trees, blood stains, a broken tree trunk, torn fabric, and lark''s pager lying on the ground. damon took deep breaths, his hands trembling as he assessed everything.


    "no mistakes," he reminded himself, knowing that any slip-up could spell doom.


    he decided against heading directly to the academy. instead, he moved toward the barrier at the edge of the forest, breaking a few branches along the way to simulate the chaotic retreat of a monster. he carefully placed strips of lark''s torn clothing on shrubs and hung the pager on a snapped branch. each step was deliberate, leaving no trace of his involvement.


    circling around, damon crossed the barrier into the wilderness beyond. he made his way to a nearby river, its cool water sending a shiver through his body as he waded in, letting the current wash over him.


    "no scent, no tracks," he thought, emerging soaked and chilled but resolute.


    back within the safety of the academy''s barrier, damon headed toward the secluded forest where he often trained. here, he was meticulous, leaving no tracks or signs of his passage. arriving at the clearing, he hung his academy uniform on the weapons rack.


    the enchanted fabric, damaged by lark''s wind whip, was already mending itself, a testament to its craftsmanship from the magic continent of aerona. that, at least, was one less thing to worry about.


    but the gnawing anxiety wouldn''t leave him. he didn''t know how long it would take before someone noticed lark''s absence. he clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. turning to a training dummy, he let out a guttural yell, punching it with all his might.


    "why? why did this have to happen to me?" his voice cracked with anguish.


    as sunlight filtered through the canopy, damon''s shadow stretched long on the ground. it twitched, shifting unnaturally. he froze, his breath catching as he noticed it scratch its head in what seemed like an apologetic gesture.


    "go away!" he shouted, his voice filled with raw emotion.


    the shadow flinched, retreating behind a training dummy. from its hiding spot, it peeked out cautiously, almost like a child afraid of scolding. damon glared at it, his body trembling with a mixture of anger, fear, and helplessness.


    for now, the forest was silent once more, but damon knew the reprieve wouldn''t last.


    damon collapsed onto his rear, his chest heaving as he fought to suppress the fear threatening to overwhelm him. he clenched his fists, forcing himself to think rationally.


    "i didn''t leave any traces. i should be fine. i just need to act dumb if anyone asks... lark probably didn''t tell anyone he was coming after me, or marcus and his group would''ve been with him. no one else knew he was here but me."


    your shadow level reflects your control and power over your shadow. you can level up by feeding it and completing specific challenges or quests, which grant stat points to enhance hp, mana, and other attributes.


    level-up requirements


    souls consumed: [1/3]


    damon stared coldly at the words. the requirement for leveling up was clear: souls. he had gained one from killing lark bonaire. his chest tightened, but before guilt could take hold, something else caught his attention.


    at the top of the screen, a small icon blinked¡ªa number five with a plus sign. damon focused on it, revealing another menu.


    [attribute points]


    attribute points are gained by feeding the shadow or completing quests. these points can be distributed to empower any specific stat.


    available points: 5


    his eyes gleamed. "so i can use this to increase any stat?" he murmured. he thought for a moment, then decided.


    "all points to mana."


    the instant he confirmed his choice, his mana stat shifted.


    [mana: 35/35] +5


    a wave of warmth washed over him as the new mana coursed through his body. damon gasped, feeling the energy surge.


    "it actually worked... my mana really grew. i can feel it."


    for a fleeting moment, his fear and worries vanished, replaced by the euphoria of growth. damon had spent years trying to grow stronger through training, but the results had always been incremental at best. now, he had gained power in an instant.


    "and all i had to do was kill one person..." he whispered, a smile creeping across his face. the rush of power eclipsed the moral weight of what he''d done.


    lost in his exhilaration, he didn''t notice his shadow until it returned to its place beneath his feet. it shifted unnaturally, its edges darkening, as if mirroring his smile. but as damon continued to grin, the shadow seemed to frown, its form twisting with an almost worried expression.


    damon''s eyes flickered down, his smile faltering. narrowing his gaze, he muttered,


    "the system isn''t all good... but it rewards me for my actions." he paused.


    "speaking of rewards, i also got a skill."


    he focused on the skills tab, and the moment the information materialized, his breath caught. his eyes widened in disbelief as he read the description, the words sending a shiver down his spine.

 Chapter 22 Potentially Glaring Evidence

    the system panel revealed the skill tab, and as damon carefully read through the details, he felt an involuntary thrill rise within him. the description of his newly acquired skill exceeded his expectations.


    it was an active skill.


    to ensure he wasn''t imagining things in a desperate bid to distract himself from reality, damon forced himself to calm down and reread the skill description, his eyes scanning the words with precision.


    [skill: 5x]


    [description:]


    the warriors of the sky continent, vuldren, embodied freedom and limitless growth, their achievements inspiring the concept of boundless potential reflected in this skill.


    [effect:]


    5x amplifies a chosen stat by five times its base value for 5 minutes.


    [type:]


    active.


    [cooldown:]


    10 minutes.


    damon couldn''t help but feel impressed. the skill''s potential was immense. he paused, considering the reference to vuldren, the northeastern continent known for its flying cities, airships, and nomadic lifestyle. their strong sense of independence and freedom was legendary, as was their worship of both the unknown god of the demons and the goddess of doom.


    this duality had once branded vuldren as heretical, though the temple had rescinded its judgment centuries ago.


    "parts of vuldren have supposedly been taken over by demons recently..." damon mused.


    the truce between demons and the goddess''s race made such rumors more intriguing than concerning, but he pushed the thought aside. what truly captivated him now was the skill''s ability.


    [5x amplifies a chosen stat by five times its base value for 5 minutes.]


    he glanced at his stats again, his attention drawn to his mana. it had always been a source of shame¡ªfar too low to perform adequately in class. even after adding the five attribute points earlier, raising his mana to 35, it still felt insignificant. but now, with this skill, everything seemed different.


    "5x to mana," damon muttered, eager to test the skill.


    a sudden surge rippled through his body as mana swelled within him, flooding his system like a rushing tide. the intensity far surpassed the warmth he''d felt earlier. empowered, he smiled, momentarily free of his fears and doubts.


    [hp: 50/50]


    [mana: 175/175] [5x]


    [strength: 9]


    [agility: 12]


    glancing at his mana, damon frowned as realization struck. the single shadow ball he had unleashed had drained 50 mana points.


    "no wonder i couldn''t do this before... my normal mana pool could never handle it. that one attack cost more than my pitiful 30 mana could hold."


    he clenched his fist, determination flaring in his eyes.


    "but now... now i can get stronger. i can earn attribute points and increase my power even further."


    with renewed vigor, damon formed another shadow ball and then experimented with other techniques. however, his enthusiasm quickly drained his mana to zero, leaving him exhausted well before the five-minute duration of his skill expired.


    despite the fatigue, he couldn''t sit still, his excitement undiminished. damon eagerly awaited the cooldown period to end so he could explore the skill''s potential in other stats.


    after ten minutes passed, damon rose and approached a nearby training dummy. he tried lifting it with one hand but failed miserably.


    "alright, let''s see how this works with strength," he muttered.


    activating the skill [5x], he focused on his strength stat.


    [strength: 45] [5x]


    a surge of raw power coursed through his body, his muscles responding with newfound vigor. damon grabbed the dummy again, this time lifting it with little effort. the sheer strength amazed him.


    "this is incredible..." he whispered, a smile tugging at his lips as he tested his enhanced strength with various exercises.


    once the cooldown reset again, damon turned his attention to other stats. with every activation of [5x], his abilities soared to unimaginable levels.


    when he boosted his speed, the effect was astonishing, his movements blurring as he darted around the training ground. however, his endurance couldn''t keep pace with his newfound velocity, and he exhausted himself well before the five-minute timer expired.


    finally, damon turned to his most unique stat: shadow energy. already at 100, the boost pushed it to an overwhelming 500. yet, to his frustration, he felt no noticeable difference.


    "why? what does it mean? why can''t i feel anything?" he wondered, but he shook his head. "it doesn''t matter for now. i''ll figure it out later."


    by the time damon finished his tests, the sun had set, and darkness blanketed the training ground. he returned to where his academy uniform hung, finding it dry and freshly mended. after slipping into the pristine clothing, he waited a little longer for the night to deepen. then, he made his way back to the academy.


    damon''s steps felt lighter as he approached the war walls, though a subtle unease lingered. the intense hunger he had felt that morning was gone, his shadow satiated from its grisly feast on lark bonaire. yet, the memory of that act weighed on him, twisting his heart with unease no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.


    sneaking into his room undetected, damon sighed in relief. he shrugged off his academy jacket, ready to collapse into bed. but as he placed the jacket on his chair, he froze.


    his hand instinctively went to his chest.


    the brooch was gone.


    a chill ran down damon''s spine.


    "if i left it at the scene of the crime..."


    the thought was like ice in his veins.


    "it would be glaring evidence."

 Chapter 23 Uncertain Ally

    damon stared out through the window, his thoughts a storm of uncertainty. he considered returning to the forest where he had killed lark bonaire, but the idea quickly soured in his mind.


    "if i go back, i''ll just make more mistakes... leave more evidence."


    his brooch''s absence gnawed at him, but it wasn''t incriminating evidence by itself. there was no clear link between him and the gruesome death. everything about lark bonaire''s demise pointed to a monster¡ªa creature with claws and power far beyond damon''s own.


    "as long as i stick to that story, i''m fine," he muttered under his breath.


    "in fact, i just need to act like i know nothing at all. i never saw lark bonaire or anyone else."


    in the world beyond these walls, nobles wouldn''t need hard evidence to act against him. as a lowly commoner, they could have him arrested, tortured for answers, or worse, with only a shred of suspicion. but here, within the bounds of aether academy, things were different.


    the academy was more than just a school; it was a fortress of neutrality.


    damon clenched his fists, drawing some comfort from his unique status. as a student of aether academy, he was granted a form of diplomatic immunity. no noble, no matter how powerful, could touch him without the academy''s consent. this sanctuary extended to all students, regardless of their origins, because aether academy was a melting pot of cultures and nations, drawing youths from every corner of the world of aetherus.


    the academy was nestled within soltheon, the war continent, specifically in the empire of valtheron. its proximity to valerion, the imperial capital, lent it an air of prestige. located on neutral ground known as athor''s sanctuary, aether academy stood as a beacon of unity amid a fractured world.


    here, young warriors trained to combat the demonic scourge that plagued the land. although the current ceasefire provided a fragile reprieve, the academy''s purpose was clear: to prepare its students for the endless war that could reignite at any moment.


    damon exhaled deeply, the tension in his chest easing slightly.


    as long as he remained a student, his status as a commoner mattered little within the academy''s meritocratic system¡ªat least on the surface. he knew segregation lingered in subtler forms. nobles still found ways to exert their influence, but aether academy offered a rare opportunity where talent could overshadow bloodline.


    ''although segregation still exists,'' he thought grimly.


    graduating from aether academy wasn''t just an achievement¡ªit was a gateway to greatness.


    for commoners and nobles alike, graduating meant access to unparalleled opportunities. positions of power, influence, and unimaginable wealth awaited those who completed their training. even the empire''s elites aspired to graduate, and the academy welcomed all who showed the talent and resolve to survive its rigorous trials.


    it was a brutal proving ground where not everyone made it to the end. students often died during their training, but those who endured left their mark on the world, their names etched into history.


    damon''s resolve hardened as he thought about what graduation would mean for him.


    the scholarship funds the academy provided were a lifeline, but it was more than just money keeping him here.


    he walked to the window, staring into the darkness.


    "i must stay ahead of them at all times," he whispered.


    the brooch''s disappearance still loomed over him, but his fear was slowly being replaced by an icy resolve. he would do whatever it took to survive in this merciless world.


    his thoughts shifted to the upcoming mid-semester evaluation, a trial that loomed like an executioner''s blade.


    "if i don''t make the top ten, i''ll be expelled. that bastard professor kael blackthorn will make sure of it." damon''s fists tightened.


    "i can''t let that happen. i need to figure out where my shadow''s next meal will come from... and find a long-term solution to feed it."


    "i need to be ready."


    the clock was ticking, and damon knew the academy''s investigation might uncover something eventually. still, he had time¡ªtime he''d use wisely.


    "i''ll use this system and my shadow to the fullest," he vowed, glancing at the dark figure at his side.


    the shadow responded, nodding its head in silent applause before giving him a thumbs-up.


    damon''s lips twisted into a grim smile.


    "you''re not exactly my ally, are you? but you''re not my enemy, either. so help me. help me become stronger. help me seize my fate. help me devour to gain strength."


    the shadow swirled around him in a silent, sinister affirmation.


    damon stood silently in his dorm room, the suffocating fear replaced by cold, unyielding resolve.


    the night deepened, but damon didn''t rest.


    he sat at his desk, pulling out a stack of books and opening them in the dim light. his eyes scanned the pages hungrily.


    "knowledge is one of the keys to open the door of power," he murmured, his voice low and determined.


    with that, damon began to read, immersing himself in the darkness of the night and the knowledge of the world, preparing himself for the trials ahead.

 Chapter 24 No, You May Not

    damon saw the first light of dawn creeping through his window, casting a pale, golden glow across his room. his face remained buried in the books he''d borrowed from the library, where he''d been reading tirelessly through the night.


    the darkness that had shrouded the room earlier was no hindrance to him now, thanks to his newfound vision that rendered light unnecessary. even in the absence of illumination, he could clearly see every word on the pages, every corner of his room.


    as dawn brightened the space, damon''s gaze shifted toward his shadow. it had spent the night skidding across the room, flitting from corner to corner like a restless sentinel on patrol.


    he yawned, exhaustion setting in after a sleepless night.


    i can''t afford to miss class again, he thought, rubbing his eyes. missing yesterday had already put him on edge. another absence might start drawing attention, and that was the last thing he needed.


    still, the nagging worry crept in. his absence could implicate him, couldn''t it?


    "no," he muttered, shaking his head.


    "i can''t let myself second-guess everything. if i do, my heart will give out long before they catch me."


    he clung to the belief that there was no evidence tying him to lark bonaire. there couldn''t be. he had been too careful.


    damon walked into the bathroom and washed up. the cold water splashing against his face helped chase away some of the lingering fatigue. afterward, he dressed in his crisp, clean uniform, neatly folding and tossing his soiled clothes into the laundry basket. the maids would take care of it on laundry day, as always.


    as he stepped into the hallway, his eyes caught a flash of red hair.


    there, walking down the corridor, was a stunning girl with striking crimson locks that shimmered even in the dim morning light. her posture and gait were regal, exuding confidence and authority. damon didn''t even need to see her face to know who she was: lilith astranova, the second-year student council president.


    "what''s she doing on this floor?" he muttered under his breath.


    second-years had their own floor, far removed from his. there was no reason she should be here. but damon shook his head, dismissing the thought.


    ''not my problem.... except is she here to, investigate..''


    narrowing his eyes he turned in the opposite direction, took the elevator down, and headed for the dining hall.


    breakfast was light, barely enough to stave off his hunger, but it didn''t matter. he wasn''t in the mood to eat anyway. finishing quickly, damon left for his first class of the day¡ªpotion brewing.


    when he arrived, only a handful of students were present. perfect. damon found a quiet corner where he could blend into the background, avoiding any unnecessary attention.


    as he sat, his ears perked up, hoping to catch whispers of rumors or clues about lark bonaire. most of it was mundane chatter, the typical gossip that floated around the academy. but then, a name caught his attention.


    lark.


    damon''s eyes shifted toward a group of students. it was xander ravenscroft and his friends. their voices were hushed, just out of earshot.


    "i can''t hear them," damon muttered, irritation creeping in.


    his unease grew. i killed lark bonaire... what if they know?


    his shadow, which had been idly shifting nearby, suddenly waved at him.


    damon blinked, startled.


    his voice was laced with venom.


    "i hate him... even more now."


    he sighed, slumping slightly in his chair. ''how could i not hate someone who treats me like i''m less than the dirt beneath his feet?''


    the professor began the lecture, but damon''s mind remained elsewhere, his thoughts entangled in schemes and strategies for staying ahead of those who might stand in his way.


    the professor droned on and on, his monotone voice blending into the background as damon half-listened. he jotted down the important parts of the lecture, but his mind kept wandering, preoccupied with thoughts of lark bonaire.


    lark was dead, and no matter how much damon wanted to dismiss it, the weight of that reality bore down on him. the guilt and paranoia gnawed at him, making it hard to focus.


    class eventually ended, followed by the next, and soon it was lunchtime.


    during lectures, damon couldn''t ignore the subtle glances cast his way by evangeline brightwater. the number one first-year, her reputation was as pristine as her golden hair and sun-marked eyes. but her attention unsettled him.


    damon hadn''t even noticed at first¡ªit was his shadow that informed him, giving him a nudge and pointing her out. each time her gaze lingered, it added to his unease.


    why is she looking at me? he wondered.


    the cafeteria was crowded as always, the hum of voices and clatter of trays filling the air. damon, however, didn''t need to worry about finding a seat. he headed straight to the more exclusive section reserved for nobles and top-ranking students.


    when he arrived, he spotted xander ravenscroft and his group occupying a table near the center. their laughter and animated conversation grated on his nerves, but damon didn''t stop. he walked past them, his gaze fixed on the table at the farthest corner¡ªsecluded and quiet, just the way he preferred.


    reaching the table, damon sat down. it was only then that he realized he hadn''t grabbed any food. but the thought of weaving through the bustling cafeteria unsettled him further. instead, he pressed a button discreetly embedded into the table, summoning a maid.


    when she arrived, he ordered something light.


    as he waited, damon could hear the murmurs of other nobles nearby, their whispers sharp and cutting.


    "did you see what he did yesterday?" one whispered.


    "he''s a beast," another scoffed.


    damon ignored them, though their words rekindled the memory of yesterday''s incident. his shadow had been hungry¡ªravenous, in fact¡ªand he had lost control, acting in a way that was... less than human. the aftermath had earned him disdainful looks and cruel remarks, but damon refused to let their judgment affect him.


    his food arrived shortly after, and he started eating in silence, savoring the calm of his corner. but that peace didn''t last long.


    the cafeteria gradually fell silent, the bustling noise replaced by an eerie stillness. damon glanced up, his fork hovering mid-air, and found himself staring at evangeline brightwater.


    she stood directly in front of him, her flawless appearance almost glowing in the soft cafeteria light. her expression was composed, but her eyes held a quiet intensity as she addressed him.


    "may i sit here?" she asked politely, her voice calm yet firm.


    damon frowned, setting his fork down. he met her gaze, unflinching.


    "no, you may not."


    his tone was cold, leaving no room for negotiation.

 Chapter 25 Be My Partner

    evangeline brightwater stepped into the bustling cafeteria, her presence commanding immediate attention. the vibrant hum of conversation began to quiet as her gaze swept across the room. she didn''t falter, walking with the unshaken poise expected of someone of her stature. her eyes sought out one table¡ªat the far edge of the cafeteria, where a lone figure sat.


    damon grey.


    she had learned his name earlier after a brief inquiry. something about him had caught her interest.


    as she made her way forward, the silence followed her like a wave. by the time she reached the center of the cafeteria, xander ravenscroft had noticed her approach. he turned to his group, gesturing for them to give him space. they complied without hesitation, leaving him standing at the now-empty table.


    xander stood to greet her, his confidence unwavering.


    "lady brightwater... would you like to have lunch with me?" he asked, a polite smile on his face.


    but evangeline didn''t even glance in his direction. she walked past him, her eyes locked on the table at the far corner. damon''s table.


    xander blinked, stunned. the murmurs that rose among his group were quickly drowned out by the whispering of the other students.


    evangeline stopped in front of damon''s table, her graceful presence a stark contrast to the dark-haired boy sitting alone.


    damon didn''t notice her at first, his focus on the food in front of him. he lazily stabbed a piece of food with his fork, only to pause and glance up. his black eyes met hers, and his expression hardened into a cold frown.


    evangeline''s gaze held steady, her intensity unwavering.


    "may i sit here?" she asked.


    damon''s tone was sharp, his response immediate.


    "no, you may not."


    evangeline blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. in noble society, such a dismissal was unthinkably rude.


    her hesitation lasted only a moment before she did something equally unexpected. without a word, she took the seat opposite him.


    damon''s glare deepened.


    ''by the goddess, what is wrong with this girl? didn''t i say no?''


    the cafeteria was abuzz now. whispers filled the room as students gawked at the scene. evangeline brightwater, the number one first-year, sitting with damon grey, the one who barely scraped by in his classes. it was an unusual pairing that had everyone talking.


    ''i don''t need this kind of attention,'' damon thought grimly. he had been doing his best to keep a low profile, and this was exactly the kind of spectacle he wanted to avoid.


    as if the situation couldn''t get worse, he felt a sharp gaze drilling into him. he turned and saw xander ravenscroft glaring at him from across the room, his expression a mix of confusion and anger.


    damon''s lips twitched.


    ''ah, that''s right. xander has a crush on this girl, doesn''t he?''


    damon allowed himself a small, amused smile. it was short-lived, though, as he turned his attention back to evangeline.


    "what do you want, evangeline brightwater?" he asked flatly.


    "evangeline brightwater," damon said sharply.


    "i believe you''ve already returned my brooch. you can leave now. you have no more business with me."


    evangeline shook her head, her voice calm.


    "i''m already here. i might as well eat. besides, i still have something i want to ask you."


    damon''s heart skipped a beat. he couldn''t help but think back to lark, the guilt still fresh in his mind.


    ''does she know? no... she couldn''t,'' he reassured himself, though the doubt lingered.


    the maid returned with evangeline''s food, and she began eating. damon''s attention flickered to the students around them. all eyes were on their table, especially xander ravenscroft''s.


    oddly, seeing xander seethe with jealousy brought damon some satisfaction.


    "now then, evangeline brightwater," damon said, his voice cutting through the silence,


    "what do you want? get to the point¡ªi don''t have all day."


    evangeline lifted her glass to her lips, taking a small sip.


    "just call me evangeline. we''re classmates in the same year, after all."


    damon sighed impatiently.


    "i said don''t beat around the bush."


    "may i call you damon as well?" she asked casually.


    "i mean, if you''re on a first-name basis with me, it''s only fair that i do the same."


    damon groaned inwardly, his frustration mounting.


    "i said get to the point. since you clearly have no intention of talking, i''m leaving."


    he stood abruptly, leaving her behind, but her voice stopped him in his tracks.


    "wait, damon, wait!" she called, her voice loud enough to carry across the cafeteria.


    "i wanted to ask you to be my partner!"


    the room fell silent. damon almost tripped over his own feet at her words. his face twisted in disbelief. xander ravenscroft''s eyes widened in shock, and the entire cafeteria erupted into murmurs.


    damon''s mind raced.


    ''partner? what is she talking about? this has to be some kind of misunderstanding...''


    he considered walking out to avoid the scrutiny, but with so many eyes on him, his legs felt like lead. reluctantly, he turned back and resumed his seat, masking his anxiety behind a cold expression.


    "explain yourself," he demanded, his voice flat but his nerves far from calm.

 Chapter 26 Reputation Of The Weakest

    damon was a hateful, spiteful, and jaded person with a sour outlook on life. yet, deep down, he was still just a teenage boy. and like any teenage boy, he wasn''t entirely immune to drama¡ªespecially when the number one girl in his class suddenly asked him to be her partner.


    of course, damon wasn''t stupid. he knew there was no romantic undertone to her request. still, he couldn''t help but wonder what her true intentions were.


    the attention from the rest of the cafeteria made him uncomfortable. whispers and glances swirled around them like an irritating buzz, but damon forced himself to keep a calm facade. the last thing he wanted was to embarrass himself further.


    evangeline, in stark contrast, seemed unbothered by the attention. her golden hair shimmered under the cafeteria lights, and her sun-kissed eyes were focused solely on him.


    with damon seated again, she finally spoke, her voice soft but clear.


    "i want you to be my sparring partner."


    damon furrowed his brows, his expression darkening.


    ''sparring partner? she caused such a commotion for that?''


    but then, confusion hit him like a wave.


    ''why would she want me? doesn''t she know i''m the weakest guy here? my mana pool barely scrapes 30...''


    he stared at her, suspicion pooling in his black eyes.


    ''she''s trying to humiliate me. that''s it. typical noble games.''


    his lips pressed into a thin line as he chewed on his inner cheek.


    ''or maybe... it''s some kind of scheme. why would someone like her want to associate with me of all people?''


    damon''s sharp gaze swept over her, noticing the way her fork trembled slightly in her hand despite her outwardly composed demeanor.


    "why do you want me?" he asked coldly, his voice laced with mistrust.


    evangeline blinked, as if the question itself was absurd. her golden eyes widened slightly before softening with clarity.


    "isn''t it obvious?" she said, her tone steady.


    "you''re really strong. you have incredible mastery over your body in combat¡ªyou dodged my light magic using only reinforcement magic. you also have the battle awareness to anticipate my every move."


    she delivered the explanation in one fluid breath, her words filled with admiration.


    damon, however, sat frozen. confusion twisted his features as her praise bounced around in his head.


    ''reinforcement magic? i can''t even use that.''


    he glanced at her, his frown deepening.


    ''mastery over my body? the only thing i''m good at is running away... what is she even talking about?''


    subtly, damon''s eyes flicked to the side, where his shadow stretched ominously along the floor.


    ''anticipating her attacks...'' he thought grimly.


    ''it wasn''t me. it was my shadow taking control when shadow hunger hit 80%. that''s all.''


    "it doesn''t matter who you point out among the first years. none of them are strong enough to match either of us."


    damon kept his gaze fixed on xander, who now looked ready to explode with rage.


    "in that case, why not the second years?" damon continued, his voice tinged with sarcasm.


    "the student council president, lilith astranova, is practically in a class of her own. or there''s number two, renata¡ª"


    evangeline cut him off with a wave of her hand.


    "no," she said with a small laugh.


    "i''m looking to spar, not to die. lady astranova has already awakened her third class, and renata is nearly on her level. none of the first years, including us, have had a class awakening yet."


    she picked up her glass and took a measured sip, her eyes glinting with resolve.


    "that''s why i want us to train together."


    damon didn''t respond immediately. his gaze drifted behind her to where xander ravenscroft was still glaring at him, his expression dark with simmering fury.


    noticing damon''s distraction, evangeline turned to see xander approaching, his steps firm and deliberate.


    "lady brightwater," xander began, his voice filled with indignation,


    "it is far beneath your standing to sit with this lowlife, let alone ask him to be your sparring partner. surely you''re unaware, but he is the last-ranked first-year student¡ªand at record-breaking levels, at that."


    his voice rose with each word, drawing attention from nearby tables.


    pointing at damon''s chest, xander continued,


    "do you see that brooch? that''s a probationary brooch¡ªreserved for the absolute worst students. only the most disgraceful failures have the dishonor of wearing it."


    murmurs spread through the cafeteria like wildfire.


    "a probation brooch? i didn''t even notice it."


    "i thought those were just rumors."


    "how bad do you have to be to get one?"


    "wait, isn''t that the guy with a mana level of 30?"


    "no way! what''s someone like that doing here?"


    damon heard every insult, every mocking whisper, but his face remained calm, his expression betraying nothing. only his shadow betrayed his inner turmoil, quivering erratically with suppressed anger.


    ''xander ravenscroft... i will not forget this humiliation.''


    taking a deep breath, damon finally glanced at evangeline, his voice calm but laced with subtle defiance.


    "evangeline," he said, intentionally using her first name to enrage xander further.


    "like i said before, i can''t be your sparring partner. i am, after all, the academy''s weakest."


    without waiting for her reply, damon stood, his movements deliberate and composed. ignoring evangeline''s calls, he walked out of the cafeteria, his expression eerily calm, leaving behind the murmurs and stares that had begun to suffocate the room.

 Chapter 27 No Allies

    damon grey was a sore loser, with a massive ego and a pride far beyond his station¡ªor so people claimed. it was a reputation he''d earned during his short, tumultuous life, and one he didn''t entirely deny.


    but damon had learned early on that bowing your head and begging didn''t make the pain stop. it didn''t ease the humiliation. the people who oppressed others found joy in seeing them grovel, and damon had decided long ago that he would never give them that satisfaction again.


    he had bowed enough. he had begged enough. and yet, humiliation had followed him like a shadow. but at least now, when it came, he stood tall.


    nobles. every single one of them was the same in his eyes. they exploited the commoners simply because they could, knowing the oppressed would rarely fight back.


    the irony wasn''t lost on him. the means of production lay in the hands of the common people, yet they were the ones eating scraps¡ªwhen they ate at all. damon knew what it was like to starve, to watch others waste food as if it were nothing.


    he knew what it felt like to eat crumbs that someone had deliberately trampled underfoot, savoring even that because it was all he had.


    he''d seen it all¡ªthe inhumane treatment, the casual cruelty. that was why damon would always hold a negative bias toward nobles.


    and xander ravenscroft? he was the cookie-cutter image of everything damon despised. they had never spoken before today. hell, xander had barely acknowledged his existence until now.


    but that didn''t matter. damon hated him for the simple fact that he was xander ravenscroft.


    and now, xander had given him even more reason to hate him.


    damon gritted his teeth as he made his way toward the library, his shadow trailing him like an obedient companion, its movements perfectly mimicking his.


    the library building loomed large in front of him, its grand doors a silent promise of refuge and knowledge. just as damon reached for the handle, a cold, sharp sensation exploded across his side.


    the impact sent him flying, his back slamming into the unyielding stone wall with a sickening thud. air rushed from his lungs, and he coughed violently, groaning as pain flared through his body.


    shaking off the haze, damon struggled to his feet, his eyes locking onto a group of angry faces. marcus fayjoy stood at the forefront, his lips curled into a sneer.


    xander ravenscroft''s lackeys.


    marcus raised his hand, the faint glow of mana gathering as another ball of ice materialized in his palm.


    damon frowned, his fists clenching. he wasn''t in the mood for this, but it seemed they weren''t going to give him a choice.


    "you just don''t know when to quit, do you?" marcus jeered, the ice orb in his hand glowing ominously.


    "surround him," marcus commanded.no?v(el)b\\jnn


    the other boys quickly moved, forming a semicircle around damon. their actions didn''t go unnoticed, as a small crowd of onlookers began to gather, murmuring amongst themselves.


    "what''s going on there?"


    "are they planning to gang up on him?"


    "someone call a professor¡ªthey can''t fight here!"


    "oh, good afternoon, professor," marcus said, forcing a smile.


    "nothing''s going on. we were just giving grey here a proper demonstration of what actual magic looks like."


    he glanced at his cronies, who nodded quickly.


    "isn''t that right, guys?"


    "yeah, grey needed help."


    "yes, sir, we were just showing him some spells."


    marcus smiled smugly.


    "you heard them, professor."


    kael''s eyes narrowed, his sharp gaze shifting to damon. blood stained damon''s lips, and his expression was colder than usual.


    "is that true?" kael asked.


    damon''s fists clenched, anger bubbling beneath the surface.


    ''what do you care?''


    the thought nearly escaped his lips, but he swallowed it down. instead, he stayed silent, his defiant glare speaking volumes.


    sensing the tension, marcus seized the opportunity to retreat.


    "well, professor, since you''re here, we''ll take our leave."


    without waiting for a response, marcus and his group hurried off, eager to avoid further scrutiny. the crowd dispersed soon after, their curiosity satisfied.


    kael stepped closer to damon, his expression unreadable.


    "for your own good, damon grey, take my advice and drop out. you don''t belong here. you''ll never make it at the academy."


    damon''s jaw tightened, his nails digging into his palms. the professor''s words were like a dagger to his pride.


    "and i said go screw yourself," damon whispered, his voice dripping with venom.


    kael''s eyes briefly flickered with something¡ªamusement, perhaps¡ªbut he didn''t respond. instead, he turned and walked away, his robes billowing behind him.


    damon''s glare followed him until he disappeared from view. he knew kael blackthorn wanted him gone more than anyone else. the professor hadn''t stepped in to protect him¡ªhe''d simply wanted to witness damon fail.


    kael blackthorn wasn''t an ally. he was just another noble.

 Chapter 28 Lilith Astranova

    damon didn''t head straight into the library. instead, he made a detour to the infirmary to have his injuries treated. it was a routine he had grown accustomed to, something he carried out almost mechanically. the healers worked quickly, their magic mending the bruises and cuts marcus and his group had left on him.


    once patched up, damon returned to the library. he immersed himself in a few books, letting their words distract him from the day''s frustrations. eventually, he trudged off to his classes.


    the rest of the day was dominated by combat training, leaving little opportunity to speak with evangeline brightwater. not that he wanted to.no?v(el)b\\jnn


    the hours passed quickly, but damon''s mood soured with each passing moment. every glance at marcus and his lackeys stoked the anger burning in his chest. his hands trembled, not from fear, but from the dark desire creeping into his thoughts.


    ''i''ve already killed lark,'' he thought grimly. ''might as well finish off the whole group.''


    it was a dog-eat-dog world, and damon had long accepted that as the truth. the strong preyed on the weak, and if he didn''t fight back, he would be devoured.


    he clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms. their deaths wouldn''t bother him. if anything, he''d lose sleep worrying about getting caught, not over the loss of their lives. that''s how deep his anger ran.


    once classes were over, damon made himself scarce, slipping away before evangeline could try speaking to him again. he had no patience for her noble politeness today.


    he arrived at the war halls early, long before the other students. his room awaited, filled with books he still needed to finish. socializing was out of the question; he was an outcast, a lone shadow among a sea of faces that either ignored or despised him.


    closing the door behind him, damon sat down with one of the texts, his mind drifting between the words on the page and the events of the day.


    ''hopefully tomorrow won''t be like today,'' he thought. he didn''t believe it, but the faint hope was enough to keep him going.


    he buried himself in his reading, pushing the anger down into the depths of his mind. if he was lucky, it would all fade away by morning.


    ........


    somewhere in the forest on the outskirts of the academy, a red-haired young woman with striking emerald-green eyes walked through the thick darkness. her presence radiated authority, and her curvaceous figure only enhanced her beauty, though it was the sharp intensity of her gaze that truly defined her.


    she was lilith astranova, the student council president. despite being only a second-year student, she had risen to the prestigious role through sheer power and competence. her exceptional skill and tenacity set her apart, earning her respect and fear in equal measure.


    tonight, she had taken on an unusual task. a student, lark bonaire, had been reported missing by his friends. after investigating, she was convinced this wasn''t just a case of someone sneaking off to party in athor''s sanctuary, the town nearest to the academy.


    her inquiries had brought her here, deep into the forest. the academy had launched a discreet search, but lilith, driven by her sharp instincts and an unshakable curiosity, decided to conduct her own investigation.


    she glanced back at the tree.


    "¡ªthey don''t match any demonic or monster species i know."


    returning to where she first found the claw marks, lilith bent down, meticulously studying the footprints left in the disturbed earth. she spotted lark bonaire''s distinct shoe prints, alongside larger, inhuman tracks. however, her sharp eyes caught something peculiar¡ªa second set of human footprints, nearly obscured by the chaos.


    "someone else was here," she muttered, narrowing her eyes.


    she retraced the trail from a new perspective, trying to piece together what had happened. suddenly, the monster''s tracks seemed to morph into human footprints.


    "they weren''t two separate beings," she realized, her breath catching. "a human turned into a monster..."


    lilith replayed the sequence in her mind.


    "lark came here, following someone. that person transformed into a monster and attacked him. afterward, they tried to make it look like they disappeared beyond the barrier, but... no, that''s not right. they wanted us to think it was a monster from beyond the barrier. clever..."


    her gaze lingered on the spot where the transformation had occurred.


    "if it weren''t for this mistake, i might have been fooled," she admitted, smiling faintly.


    "whoever you are, mystery man... you''re smart. but not smart enough.... you should have tried being more meticulous."


    with a wave of her hand, she erased the footprints, ensuring no one else would discover what she had uncovered.


    she searched the area one last time for any additional clues but found none. satisfied, lilith straightened up and pulled her pager from her jacket.


    pressing it to her ear, she spoke with a calm, authoritative tone.


    "good evening. this is student council president lilith astranova. i''ve located traces of lark bonaire. unfortunately, it appears he was killed¡ªmauled by a monster that breached the barrier. i''ll await your team''s arrival for further investigation."


    ending the call, she slipped the pager back into her pocket, her emerald eyes glinting with determination.


    "fine then," she murmured, gazing into the forest''s depths. "i''ll find you myself... mystery man."

 Chapter 29 Unexpected Guest

    damon woke up with his head resting on his study table, his cheek pressed against the rough pages of an open book. the morning sun streamed through the window, bathing the room in warm light as he groggily pushed himself upright, rubbing his face with a frown.


    he scanned the room instinctively, searching for something most people wouldn''t even think about¡ªhis shadow.


    sure enough, he found it. it wasn''t where it should have been, stretched obediently across the floor or walls. instead, it lingered in a far corner, a formless patch of darkness curled in defiance of the sunlight.


    "hey, get over here," damon commanded, his voice rough from sleep.


    the shadow obeyed, gliding across the floor like liquid night until it returned to its proper place beneath him. the sunlight streaming in elongated it unnaturally, casting it across the room.


    "small men cast large shadows... if the conditions are right," damon muttered to himself, eyeing the distorted projection.


    the shadow waved at him in greeting, its edges rippling like smoke caught in a breeze.


    "yes, good morning to you too," he replied dryly. stretching his arms, he yawned deeply before addressing it again.


    "now then, let''s check the system window. time to monitor our progress... especially regarding hunger."


    with a thought, a translucent interface materialized before him, the glowing text hovering in the air:


    ....


    [hp: 50/50]


    [mana: 35/35]


    [strength: 9]


    [agility: 12]


    [speed: 25]


    [endurance: 10]


    [class: ¡ª]


    [shadow energy: 73]


    [shadow hunger levels: 12%]


    [shadow level: 1]


    [condition: shadow is full]


    [attributes: umbra]


    [skills:]


    souls consumed: [1/3]


    ---


    ''i need two more to level up,'' he thought grimly.


    he spent the entire day observing them but found no opportunity to act. his patience wore thin until he overheard their conversation. apparently, they were planning to sneak out of the academy after curfew to party at athor''s sanctuary.


    xander had instructed them to ask around about lark bonaire''s whereabouts¡ªa futile effort.


    ''too bad they won''t find anything,'' damon thought with a cold smile.


    by the time classes ended, the day had passed faster than expected. damon considered going to the library but realized he''d been neglecting his physical training. training in the academy''s designated spaces wasn''t an option; too many eyes were watching. instead, he decided to visit his usual spot in the woods.


    the location was uncomfortably close to where he had killed lark bonaire¡ªnot directly near it, but close enough to stir unease. damon debated avoiding the area entirely until the voices of marcus and his group searching for him left him no choice. for privacy''s sake, the woods were his only option.


    ---


    when damon arrived, he slipped off his uniform jacket and shirt, exposing his lean frame to the sun. his body wasn''t bulky, but his muscles were defined¡ªmore so than he remembered. damon attributed his improved physique to the subtle enhancements made by the system.


    he approached the weapons rack and deliberated before selecting a bow. if he was going to take on marcus and his group, all of whom were individually stronger than him, he needed the skills of a hunter¡ªsomeone who could kill beasts stronger than themselves.


    knocking an arrow, damon aimed at a target, only to miss. undeterred, he pulled another arrow, adjusted his stance, and loosed it again. the process became mechanical, his shots sometimes hitting the target but more often missing.


    ''if i want to win, i can''t face them head-on,'' he thought, frowning as another arrow sailed wide.


    ''not without the boost from shadow hunger. but if i rely on that, i''ll lose control and leave behind too much evidence.''


    he paused, considering his plan methodically.


    ''i''ll have to act before the hunger clouds my mind. fight them while i''m weaker but still lucid enough to make smarter decisions.''


    damon fired another arrow, this time grazing the edge of the target.


    ''i could enhance my arrows with mana using the skill [5x]. maybe even coat them in poison to weaken them.''


    his thoughts settled on athor''s sanctuary. it wasn''t just a town party venue; it was also home to vendors who dealt in all manner of goods. if he followed marcus and his group, he could learn their route out of the academy without being caught and use the opportunity to procure what he needed.


    his lips curled into a cold smile. "when they leave, i''ll follow them¡ª"


    "who do you intend to follow?"


    the sudden voice snapped damon from his thoughts. he spun around, his heart freezing as fear surged through him.


    standing there was a red-haired girl with piercing emerald eyes, her academy uniform pristine. damon''s breath hitched, sweat forming on his brow as recognition struck.


    "student... council president," he stammered, his voice faltering.


    her gaze was sharp and cool. damon''s stomach twisted as he realized his moment of privacy had been completely shattered.

 Chapter 30 Small Slip Of The Tongue

    damon''s heart pounded in his chest, but his face remained expressionless. he couldn''t afford to let his eyes dart around in search of it¡ªhis shadow.


    instead, he looked deliberately to the side, causing the student council president to follow his gaze for a brief moment. that gave him just enough time to glance down. there it was, attached to his feet like it should be, perfectly normal.


    he nearly sighed in relief.


    ''thank the goddess it''s here.''


    he had feared his shadow might still be wandering elsewhere, refusing to settle. but there it was, mimicking his every move.


    the student council president, lilith astranova, furrowed her brows slightly as if contemplating something. damon didn''t know why she was there, but his mind raced through countless possibilities¡ªnone of them good.


    especially if it was related to lark bonaire''s death.


    he bit the inside of his cheek to stay calm.


    ''she couldn''t be here because of that. i''m overthinking something trivial,'' he reassured himself, though his heartbeat refused to slow.


    putting on an awkward smile, he scratched the back of his head.


    "oh! student council president, i didn''t see you there."


    lilith smiled faintly, her tone carrying an edge of amusement.


    "hello... i must have startled you, judging by how frightened you look."


    damon chuckled nervously.


    "yes, you did. the forest, you know... wild animals and all. can''t ever be too cautious."


    "is that so?" she replied coolly.


    she walked over to the weapons rack, her fingers brushing off the dust accumulating on its surface.


    "these are academy equipment. did you get the proper permissions before bringing them here?"


    damon laughed nervously, rubbing his neck.


    "well... i, uh... i didn''t..."


    lilith sighed, her expression unreadable.


    "i see. and your name is?"


    damon hesitated before answering.


    "damon... damon grey. i''m, uh, a first year."


    lilith''s sharp green eyes flickered for a moment at his response.


    "i see, damon grey."


    damon noticed the brief change in her expression.


    "do you happen to know me, student council president?"


    lilith smiled politely.


    "no, i don''t. it''s nice to make your acquaintance, damon grey."


    "just lilith is fine, damon," she said softly as she stepped closer.


    damon''s instincts screamed at him to keep calm, but her proximity felt suffocating.


    "so, you know lark bonaire?" she asked, her voice light yet probing. "what is he like?"


    this time, she referred to lark in the present tense, and damon caught it. he straightened his posture, trying to sound nonchalant.


    "lark and i were classmates. we didn''t really get along, and, honestly, i don''t think he was a nice guy. so, i always tried to stay out of his way. that''s the extent of my relationship with him."


    lilith nodded slowly, her gaze never leaving his face.


    "and where did you last see him, damon? can you remember that?"


    feigning a thoughtful expression, damon tapped his chin.


    "i think it was at the cafeteria. i accidentally bumped into him, and lark got a bit upset. now that i think about it, that was the last time i saw him."


    as the words left his mouth, damon widened his eyes as though a realization had struck him.


    "wait... why are you asking all these questions? is lark in trouble? did he do something...?" he let his voice rise slightly, a hint of fear slipping in.


    "did something happen to him?"


    lilith blinked at his reaction, momentarily taken aback.


    ''hmmm... i can''t tell if he''s genuinely worried or lying. he''s either an excellent actor or just channeling the fear he''s feeling now.''


    shaking her head, she softened her tone.


    "oh, no. he''s fine. there''s no problem. lark was just called back by his family for a personal matter."


    damon exhaled audibly, a look of relief washing over his face.


    "thank the goddess," he muttered.


    "i thought something terrible had happened to him. we may not have gotten along, but it would''ve still bothered me if something had happened. you see, i never got to properly apologize for what happened at the cafeteria. i feel... so guilty."


    lilith observed him carefully, her expression neutral, though her thoughts swirled.


    ''my goddess, what a convincing performance. i can''t tell if he''s a masterful liar or just that honest. damon grey, the academy''s weakest student, the one who got a golden ticket from seras blade... there''s something about you i can''t quite place.''


    she shook her head inwardly, still unsure. without any concrete evidence, lark bonaire''s death remained officially attributed to a monster attack¡ªsomething that couldn''t possibly connect to a first-year like damon.


    after asking a few more routine questions, lilith smiled lightly and took a step back.


    "well, damon, thank you for your time. don''t forget to file that paperwork."


    damon nodded quickly, forcing a warm smile. "of course. have a great day, lilith."


    as she turned and walked away, damon waved her off, his hand trembling slightly until she disappeared from view.


    lilith''s expression darkened as she moved out of sight.


    ''i''ll get to the bottom of this, damon grey. there''s a darkness in your heart... i can feel it.''


    as she walked away damon''s eyes grew colder.


    ''hmmm i slipped up... however my words aren''t anything conclusive.. next time i''ll be ready for you lilith astranova.''

 Chapter 31 Less Than Human

    lilith astranova left damon at his training ground, her thoughts churning as she walked away. she hadn''t come to suspect him initially; her original purpose was to reprimand him for using academy equipment without proper authorization. yet, the moment he saw her, his reaction gave her pause.


    he was cautious, deliberate. too deliberate.


    she smiled faintly, her mind replaying their encounter.


    "damon grey, the academy''s weakest student. the boy who received a golden ticket from seras blade herself," she murmured.


    his name had circulated among the faculty and student body. in the beginning, the professors had placed high expectations on him, believing the ticket symbolized hidden potential. but by the quarter-semester evaluations, those expectations had waned. damon''s mana pool was pitiful, his combat skills unimpressive, and his overall abilities underwhelming.


    "there were simply no redeeming qualities," lilith mused, her voice tinged with curiosity.


    until today, she had never met him in person. and to her surprise, he wasn''t what she expected.


    ''someone that weak shouldn''t even be able to kill a fly, let alone someone like lark bonaire,'' she thought, her steps slowing.


    ''unless... he has a special ability.''


    the idea struck her suddenly. an ability that allowed someone to transform into a monster¡ªan anomaly, but not impossible.


    "no," she shook her head, dispelling the thought for now. "it doesn''t fit. but he is suspicious."


    at the start of their interaction, damon had radiated guilt. she had almost believed she''d cornered her culprit. but midway through their conversation, something changed. his demeanor shifted¡ªhis eyes became cold, calculated.


    ''was the guilt i saw at first fake? some kind of act? or... was i wrong about him altogether?''


    the inconsistency gnawed at her. if he had continued to show guilt, she might have pressed further and exposed him. but his abrupt composure had thrown her off balance, leaving her unsure.


    lilith exhaled sharply, annoyance creeping into her tone.


    "hmph. how frustrating. i can''t rely on just one lead. i''ll have to keep a close eye on him."


    she glanced at the pager in her hand and frowned.


    "i should''ve gotten his pager number. no matter. i''ll collect it when he comes to file the paperwork... assuming he does." she smirked to herself.


    "damon grey, i''m certain there''s more to you than meets the eye."


    her steps quickened as she headed back to the site of lark bonaire''s death. the academy investigators had concluded it was a monster attack, a convenient explanation that tied up loose ends neatly.


    "this bow won''t do either," he added, casting a disdainful glance at the weapon.


    "i can''t take anything from the academy armory. their equipment is too well-secured."


    reluctantly, damon opened his desk drawer and retrieved a short, weathered dagger. holding it in his hand, memories from his past surged to the surface.


    the dagger was a relic of his days on the streets of the capital, a so-called "reward" for running errands for a smuggling ring that trafficked in magic crystals and ore. it was a cruel token of survival¡ªa tool that had seen more bloodshed than a boy his age should have endured.


    but even back then he had never taken a life... well until now.


    he gripped it tightly, his knuckles whitening.


    "this will have to do," he muttered, slipping it into his jacket.


    turning to his shadow, he whispered,


    "okay, buddy. this is up to you now. the others don''t live in the war halls, but marcus does. whether it''s because he''s an outstanding student or his family''s wealth, he''s still here. find him. when he''s ready to sneak out with his group to athor''s sanctuary, we''ll follow."


    his shadow gave a silent thumbs-up, its form detaching from his own and gliding effortlessly across the floor.


    "try not to get caught," damon added softly as it vanished through the door.


    alone once more, damon exhaled heavily, the weight of his situation pressing down on him. his shadow''s hunger was growing, and it was nearing a dangerous threshold. if he couldn''t find a way to feed it human flesh by the day after tomorrow, it would transform into a ravenous creature. and if he failed to sate its hunger after that, his health would begin to deteriorate until he eventually succumbed to death.


    "i will survive this," he swore under his breath. "i''m not going to die. not yet."


    he spent the next few hours preparing, sharpening his resolve and steeling himself for what lay ahead. when his shadow failed to return, unease began to creep in. just as he was about to leave in search of it, the shadow slipped through the window, waving its hand urgently.


    damon''s heart pounded.


    "so, what did you find?"


    the shadow gestured for him to follow, pressing a finger to its lips to signal silence.


    damon nodded, his pulse quickening. carefully, he opened the door to his dorm and stepped into the dimly lit hallway. his shadow led the way, its movements fluid and silent, guiding him down a flight of stairs. damon''s every step was cautious, his ears straining for any sound of the headmaid.


    at the bottom floor, damon froze as his eyes landed on marcus. the boy was sneaking out of the dorm, oblivious to the predator lurking in the shadows.


    a cold smile spread across damon''s lips.


    "got you."

 Chapter 32 Tailing

    damon followed marcus fayjoy from the shadows, his movements precise and silent. he let his shadow scout ahead while he trailed slowly behind. reaching the ground floor was easy enough; as long as they made no noise, the ever-watchful headmaid wouldn''t notice.


    he observed marcus slip through the dining hall and into the kitchen, the faint creak of the door barely audible.


    damon crouched behind a row of chairs, gesturing for his shadow to proceed. once the shadow disappeared through the kitchen door, damon waited a moment before entering cautiously.


    by the time he stepped inside, marcus was gone. that was fine. his shadow, lingering near one of the side doors, motioned to him silently. damon followed its gaze to the door, noting where it led.


    ''this door goes to the garden,'' he thought. ''why not just use the main exit through the kitchen?''


    still, he didn''t question it further. instead, he sent his shadow through the door and waited a few seconds before slipping through himself.


    ---


    the soft glow of the twin moons bathed the academy grounds in a faint, ethereal light. damon scanned the garden for his shadow and found it waving at him from behind a cluster of flower beds. he moved quickly but quietly, keeping his figure low.


    ahead, marcus pushed through a hedge wall that, to damon''s surprise, didn''t resist.


    ''no way,'' damon thought as he stopped at the edge. his eyes narrowed, his fingers brushing against the thick greenery. ''they actually destroyed part of the hedge and covered it with illusion magic?''


    testing it, damon pressed his weight against the foliage. despite its tangible appearance, he slipped through with ease, emerging on the other side of the academy''s dormitory perimeter.


    "this is elven illusion magic," he murmured under his breath, his eyes scanning the skillful design. "it''s too refined. seniors must have done this."


    marcus, still unaware of his pursuer, continued moving cautiously. damon''s shadow crept closer to their target, following marcus''s every move as he navigated the outer grounds.


    ---


    escaping the dormitory was the easy part, but leaving the academy itself would be the real challenge. first-year students like damon weren''t allowed to leave, especially at night. it was a privilege reserved for senior students, who could do so without fear of consequence due to their strength and standing.no?v(el)b\\jnn


    still, it was an open secret that first-years often found ways to sneak out, usually heading to athor''s sanctuary¡ªthe nearest town¡ªfor a taste of freedom. while the academy''s faculty often turned a blind eye to these escapades, being caught still carried the risk of punishment, particularly from the student council, who patrolled the town for wayward first-years.


    damon didn''t know the finer details of these escape routes. he wasn''t particularly close to his fellow first-years, nor had he shown much interest in these outings before. tonight, however, was different.


    from his hidden position, damon watched as marcus stopped outside one of the academy''s detached buildings. a few minutes passed before members of marcus''s group joined him. the boys exchanged hurried whispers before moving as a group¡ªnot towards the academy gates, but toward a section of the outer wall.


    damon tilted his head, observing their path.


    the vehicle was already gaining speed, so damon activated his skill.


    "[5x speed]."


    a burst of energy surged through him.


    [speed: 125]


    in an instant, his body accelerated, the world around him blurring as he sprinted after the carriage. he caught up swiftly, grabbing onto the back and hoisting himself up. flattening his body against the wooden frame, he made sure he wasn''t visible from inside.


    he exhaled softly. the ride wasn''t comfortable, but it was better than falling behind.


    ---


    the carriage rumbled along the path toward athor''s sanctuary. along the way, damon noticed other students sneaking through the woods or taking hidden trails toward the town. a few he recognized as first-years like himself, moving so stealthily he wouldn''t have seen them if not for his shadow pointing them out.


    as the bright lights of athor''s sanctuary came into view, damon prepared to dismount. when the carriage slowed slightly, he leaped off, landing gracefully on the road.


    "stay with them," he instructed his shadow, which continued trailing the group as the carriage entered the town.


    damon blended into a crowd of travelers, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling streets.


    ---


    athor''s sanctuary was alive with activity. bright lanterns illuminated the cobblestone roads, and vendors called out their wares from colorful stalls. food carts, trinket shops, and performers lined the streets, creating a vibrant atmosphere.


    at the center of the town stood a towering statue of the goddess of doom, her sword and scales gleaming ominously in the lantern light. the sight of it sent a shiver down damon''s spine.


    the lively streets made him uneasy for another reason¡ªhe had no shadow. with his companion busy tailing marcus''s group, damon felt exposed. he stuck out in a subtle yet unnatural way, something he hoped no one would notice.


    as he navigated the crowded streets, damon faced a new problem. he didn''t know anyone in the town, nor was he familiar with its layout. scammers and thieves were bound to be lurking, and he also had to watch for the student council, who might be patrolling for wayward first-years.


    still, damon wasn''t entirely out of his depth. he''d lived on the streets before and pulled off a fair share of scams himself. he just needed to keep his composure, blend in, and avoid looking like an easy target.


    "ah, hello there!" a cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts. "you must be new here. allow me to show you around athor''s sanctuary."


    damon sighed inwardly. he hadn''t even made it far, and already a vulture had approached him, looking for an easy mark.

 Chapter 33 Phantom Of The Past

    damon knew how to deal with these kinds of people¡ªit was best to just ignore them. if that didn''t work, he''d resort to the second option.


    "well, young man from the academy, what can i do for you? looking for a place to party? magic artifacts? spellbooks that are easier to learn than what they teach at the academy?"


    damon didn''t even glance at the man pestering him.


    "i am carls, the info broker..."


    the voice was male, but damon kept walking, ignoring him entirely. yet, the man persisted, trailing close behind.


    "in fact, i know a way to get magic crystals for cheap, potions of all kinds... i''m an information broker above all else."


    damon sighed and finally gave the man a sidelong glance.


    the stranger was young, probably around twenty, with unkempt brown hair and a shifty look in his piercing blue eyes. everything about him screamed "suspicious."


    "screw off." damon''s voice was cold, low, and final.


    but carls was undeterred.


    "i happen to know many adventurers in this area and shopkeepers too. i''m your guy for anything..."


    he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.


    "even in the underworld."


    damon''s eyes narrowed sharply, the faintest flicker of interest betraying his otherwise stoic expression.


    carls grinned triumphantly.


    "finally caught your interest, huh? heh, i knew from the moment i saw you that you and i are going to be friends. so, what do you say?"


    damon didn''t reply, instead quickening his pace and weaving through the crowd. he needed to lose this guy, fast. after a few abrupt turns and slipping through a dense cluster of pedestrians, damon finally managed to shake him off.


    he exhaled in relief. "that guy is too shady."


    rounding a corner, damon caught a familiar blur of black out of the corner of his eye. a slight smile tugged at his lips as he looked down.


    "welcome back."


    pointing his finger at carls, damon''s tone dropped to a cold threat.


    "if you don''t scram... i''ll kill you."


    carls froze, his smile faltering for just a moment as he locked eyes with damon''s unyielding, dark gaze. but he quickly forced a grin.


    "sure, man... as you wish. if you need me, just call. i even saved up and got one of those fancy pagers nobles use for communication."


    reaching into his pocket, carls pulled out a small card and casually tossed it toward damon. the card spun through the air, but damon sidestepped it, letting it drop to the ground without so much as touching it.


    carls smirked.


    "geez, no need to be so cautious. then again, what can i expect from the phantom himself?"


    damon''s jaw tightened at the mention of the nickname¡ªphantom. it brought back memories of the capital''s backstreets, a place he''d rather leave buried in the past. those days had been a necessary evil, a time when damon honed his skills in theft, traps, and poisons to ensure his sister had a roof over her head.


    he clenched his fists, forcing himself to bury the lingering bitterness.


    ''i will survive, no matter what it takes.''


    damon''s eyes flicked to the card on the ground. after a moment''s hesitation, he crouched slightly, just enough to memorize the pager number without touching the card.


    ''can''t be too cautious... all sorts of magic exist in this world.''


    without another glance at carls, damon turned and walked out of the alley, blending seamlessly into the bustling crowd. he made a series of random turns, weaving through the mass of people until he was certain he wasn''t being followed.


    eventually, he stopped in his tracks, his attention caught by a commotion in the distance. a first-year academy student was being dragged away by someone. squinting to get a closer look, damon''s eyes locked on a small badge pinned to the person''s chest¡ªa student council insignia.


    "hmmm... shit," he muttered under his breath.


    quickly ducking into a nearby shop, damon pretended to browse the shelves, his sharp eyes darting to the shop''s reflective surfaces.


    after a few minutes, he stepped back out onto the street, scanning his surroundings. glancing down, he caught sight of his shadow stretching along the cobblestones at his feet.


    "before we go to marcus and his group," damon muttered to himself,


    "let''s get a change of clothes¡ªor at the very least, a cloak. yeah, a cloak is cheaper."


    damon wasn''t just being stingy. his academy uniform wasn''t something he could afford to lose or damage; replacements were prohibitively expensive, and the school wasn''t exactly forgiving about such matters.

 Chapter 34 Energy Drain

    "damn that stingy shopkeeper..." damon muttered under his breath, clicking his tongue in irritation.


    his stomach growled, a sharp reminder of his growing hunger. he''d spent the last thirty minutes inside the shop haggling over the price of a worn-out cloak. the shopkeeper''s stubbornness had tested damon''s patience, but every zeni mattered. he couldn''t afford to waste money unless it was absolutely necessary.


    ''i''ll be using this cloak for a very long time,'' he thought grimly.


    the cloak wasn''t much to look at¡ªits brown fabric was already fraying at the edges, and it had clearly seen better days. still, damon had prioritized durability over appearance, even while being a cheapskate. the hooded cloak reached all the way to his legs, effectively concealing his academy uniform beneath.


    glancing at his shadow, damon frowned slightly. an unusual hunger gnawed at him, more unsettling than the pangs from his empty stomach. he couldn''t quite place the feeling, but it left him uneasy.


    "alright, let''s go. show me where marcus and his group went," he said, his tone sharp.


    his shadow responded with its customary thumbs up before slipping away, moving fluidly along the cobblestones. damon followed at a measured pace, careful not to attract attention. the cloak helped, but he was acutely aware of the unusual sight he presented¡ªa person without a shadow, especially when cloaked, was bound to draw notice.


    athor''s sanctuary was still alive with activity, even though it was well past midnight. the streets bustled with adventurers, merchants, and townsfolk, the warm glow of lanterns illuminating the lively scene. damon''s shadow led him toward the more affluent part of town, where the adventurers'' guild was located.


    the moment damon stepped into the district, he felt the shift in atmosphere. lavish storefronts lined the streets, their goods displayed behind polished glass. restaurants exuded sophistication, their interiors visible through grand windows, and their menus undoubtedly far beyond damon''s meager budget.


    the area was undeniably safer than the rest of town, thanks to the guild''s enforcement of the rules. still, damon knew better than to trust appearances. some adventurers were little more than criminals with licenses, but they wouldn''t dare commit crimes here. the nobles who frequented this district ensured swift consequences for anyone foolish enough to disrupt the peace.


    damon glanced at the opulent surroundings and sighed.


    ''this world will always favor the rich and powerful... and the nobles are both,'' he thought bitterly, his teeth clenched in frustration.


    his shadow stopped abruptly near a grand fountain in the center of the district. damon approached it cautiously, watching as his shadow pointed toward a building across the street.


    it was a restaurant¡ªa lavish establishment that radiated sophistication and exclusivity. the golden glow from its chandeliers spilled out onto the street, and the scent of rich, decadent food lingered in the air.


    damon''s eyes narrowed as he saw a group of students entering the restaurant. they carried themselves with the confidence of seniors, students who had earned enough freedom to indulge in such luxuries.


    "i can''t enter a place like that dressed like this," damon muttered to himself, tugging slightly at his cloak.


    the garment, while practical, was far too shabby for such an establishment. damon had no intention of discarding it, especially after all the trouble he''d gone through to buy it. besides, he didn''t need to follow marcus and his group inside. observing them from a distance would suffice.


    ''no way i''m wasting money on a place like that,'' damon thought, his frugal instincts flaring. he positioned himself discreetly by the fountain, watching and waiting for the right moment to act.


    damon stood outside the lavish restaurant, his gaze fixed on its ornate facade as he considered his next move. he needed to wait for marcus and his group to leave. an ambush would be the easiest way to isolate one of them, allowing him to feed his shadow and keep it satisfied.


    "ugh... no way..." damon muttered, his heart sinking.


    "how did my shadow energy drop so much in such a short time?"


    he glanced down at his shadow, which quivered slightly in response.


    "wait... sending you to follow marcus and his group... being so far from me must have drained your energy," he murmured, narrowing his eyes.


    "damn it. this was a mistake on my part..."


    the weight of the situation pressed down on him. his shadow was growing hungrier by the moment, and he knew he couldn''t afford to let its hunger spiral out of control.


    looking around, damon noticed a modest tavern not far from the adventurers'' guild. it wasn''t as grand as the restaurant across the street, but it was busy enough to provide cover while still affording him a view of the establishment where marcus had gone.


    ''first, i''ll need some zeni,'' damon thought, scanning his surroundings.


    he spotted a small shop nearby, one he knew would exchange cash if he used his magic money card. slipping inside, he completed the transaction in a matter of minutes, pocketing the physical currency.


    the magic money card¡ªor mmc¡ªwas a marvel of aerona''s advancements in magical technology. it allowed users to store their funds securely, linked to an account accessible through war banks or authorized outlets. the academy had issued damon one upon his enrollment, loading his scholarship funds and benefits directly into it.


    while it was convenient, damon couldn''t risk drawing attention to himself by withdrawing zeni in a rowdy place like the tavern. such establishments were magnets for troublemakers, and with his meager skills, damon had no desire to invite the wrath of adventurers or thieves.


    pulling his cloak tighter around him, damon crossed the street and pushed open the tavern''s heavy door. the smell of stale ale and roasting meat greeted him, along with the din of boisterous conversations.


    his arrival was immediately punctuated by chaos. a skinny man flew through the air toward him, seemingly tossed by an unseen force. damon sidestepped effortlessly, his reflexes honed from years of surviving in the streets.


    he glanced toward the source of the commotion and froze.


    standing in the center of the tavern was leona valefier. her dark hair, streaked with white highlights, framed her sharp golden eyes, and her animal-like ears twitched slightly as she held a mug in one hand.


    damon instinctively pulled his hood lower, hoping to avoid her gaze.


    the tavern''s patrons were too absorbed in their revelry to care about the brief scuffle, but leona''s sharp eyes locked onto him. damon tried to maneuver toward a secluded corner table, but before he could sit, her voice cut through the noise.


    "hey! i finally found you. i''ve been looking for you all night," she declared, her tone a mix of relief and irritation.


    damon''s heart sank. this wasn''t going to be a simple night after all.

 Chapter 35 Subject Of Misunderstandings

    damon kept his hood low, avoiding leona valefier''s piercing golden gaze as he moved to a table by the window. from here, he could keep a clear view of the restaurant where marcus and his group were gathered. he slid into the seat without a word, hoping she would leave him be.


    leona, however, was not so easily deterred. she followed him without hesitation and sat across from him, her mug clinking against the wooden table as she placed it down.


    "that''s very rude, you know," she said, her voice light but with a cold edge.


    "you can''t just ignore someone like that."


    damon didn''t respond, keeping his gaze fixed on the window.


    ''what is wrong with this girl, and why is she even talking to me?'' he thought, annoyed.


    leona''s golden eyes flickered with amusement, and she leaned in slightly.


    "hey, why did you sneak out of the academy? i thought you were going to cook something tasty. hmm... but this is fun too, i guess."


    damon narrowed his eyes beneath his hood, his mind racing.


    ''did she follow me? of course she did... how am i slipping up this much? have i lost my edge?''


    leona, for her part, had been following damon from the moment she saw him enter the dormitory kitchen. she''d initially assumed he was about to prepare some kind of midnight snack, and she''d planned to join in.


    but when he left the academy instead, her curiosity had been piqued. she trailed him as he moved through the town, though she briefly lost track of him when he disappeared into a crowd. finding him here at the tavern was sheer luck¡ªor so she believed.


    yet damon''s silence puzzled her. she''d expected at least some sort of acknowledgment, but instead, he seemed intent on ignoring her entirely.


    leona shrugged and downed the contents of her mug just as a tavern waitress approached their table.


    "welcome to the drunk imp! what can i get for you?" the waitress asked cheerfully.


    leona glanced at damon, not bothering to hide the fact that she hadn''t brought any money. the mug she''d been drinking from? paid for by the unfortunate skinny man she''d tossed out of the tavern earlier.


    she fully expected damon to foot the bill for anything else she ordered, and she didn''t feel the least bit ashamed.


    in lothria, her homeland on the wild continent, the strong naturally commanded respect and resources. to her, damon was undeniably the strongest first-year in the academy, even if he didn''t act like it. letting someone stronger take the lead wasn''t a blow to her pride¡ªit was simply how things worked.


    damon, however, was completely unaware of leona''s reasoning or the conclusions she''d drawn about him. he didn''t know that his actions¡ªintentional or otherwise¡ªhad convinced her that he was far stronger than he truly was. in reality, he was barely scraping by, but her assumptions couldn''t have been further from the truth.


    the mention of those names piqued damon''s interest. evangeline brightwater and sylvia moonveil were the two strongest students in their year. if they were talking about him, it couldn''t be good. still, he didn''t want to appear too eager and risk giving leona any leverage.


    "evangeline brightwater and sylvia moonveil talking about me? doubt it," he replied, feigning disinterest.


    leona brushed her hair aside, her golden eyes sparkling.


    "i''m serious. evangeline said you¡ª"


    before she could finish, the waitress returned, setting trays of meat and drinks on their table. she placed a mug in front of damon and another in front of leona, then filled the rest of the space with steaming plates of food.


    the moment she left, both damon and leona lunged for the food, grabbing handfuls of meat with their hands. damon ate quickly and efficiently, his stomach finally quieting. but watching leona devour the food on his dime made his heart ache.


    ''she''s going to pay back every penny she owes me¡ªwith interest. even if i can''t beat her now, the moment i can, she''s paying up.'' damon had always been too frugal to let anyone waste his money without consequences.


    the food disappeared fast. damon ate just enough to satisfy his hunger, while leona devoured the rest without shame. they drained their mugs at the same time, slamming them onto the table in unison.


    leona wiped her hands with a handkerchief, as if suddenly remembering something.


    "right, where was i? oh, yeah¡ªi''m telling the truth."


    damon sighed, already regretting entertaining the conversation.


    "you''ve already said that. now pay up. you owe me ten zeni with a 70% interest rate for every day you don''t pay."


    leona blinked in confusion.


    "but didn''t you only pay three zeni for all this? i don''t have my magic money card with me right now, so i''ll pay you back when we get back to the academy."


    she slammed her hand on the table before damon could respond.


    "anyway, all that petty change stuff isn''t important!"


    damon bit his lip, frustrated.


    ''of course, a rich noble doesn''t think money is important. damn those nobles.''


    leona leaned forward, her golden eyes gleaming with excitement.


    "as i was saying, i heard you were strong. and now i''ve confirmed it for myself. so... fight me. i want to know what it''s like to battle the strongest guy in our class."

 Chapter 36 Hunted

    "screw off," damon muttered, his voice barely audible over the rowdy ambiance of the tavern.


    the clinking of mugs, boisterous laughter, and myriad scents of ale, roasted meat, and other food assaulted his senses.


    leona valefier, undeterred, stared at him with an unsettling intensity.


    "i insist. you have to fight me. now."


    damon bit his lip. he had no desire to become a casualty of her whims. if the academy''s weakest student went up against leona valefier, ranked number four, he''d be meeting the goddess long before his time.


    ''looks like i need to explain this to her before i end up on a healer''s table... or worse.'' damon sighed, rubbing his temple.


    "i''m the weakest person in the academy," he said bluntly.


    "not just today, but in the academy''s history. if we fought, i''d lose. no doubt about it. so, you can leave now."


    leona shook her head, unconvinced.


    "i knew you''d say that."


    damon scowled under the hood of his cloak.


    ''knew i''d say what? is this girl insane, or is she just looking for an excuse to beat me half to death? i knew her sunshine-girl act was too good to be true.''


    his instincts screamed at him to leave, but he took a deep breath, trying to calm his rising unease.


    "why would you think that? i already told you¡ªi''m the weakest."


    leona smirked.


    "hmph, i thought so too... but you gave yourself away."


    damon''s eyes narrowed.


    "how? what in the name of the goddess are you talking about?"


    leona puffed out her chest proudly.


    "i had my suspicions, but evangeline confirmed them."


    ''evangeline brightwater... i knew she''d cause me problems,'' damon thought bitterly.


    leona continued,


    "remember the day evangeline and sylvia were fighting? evangeline accidentally shot stray light magic at you, and you dodged them all without even looking. earlier, that same day, the professor pressured you with his aura, and you didn''t even flinch."


    damon glanced at his shadow, cursing inwardly. that had all been its doing.


    "that doesn''t prove anything," he said firmly. "it was all just a fluke."


    leona tilted her head, unconvinced.


    he was in a dilemma.


    ''should i let myself get beaten and humiliated? no. absolutely not. i refuse to be debased by nobles if i can help it.''


    his thoughts churned furiously as he considered his options.


    ''but first, i need to get rid of this girl... she''s going to be in my way.''


    lost in thought, damon didn''t respond immediately, and leona misinterpreted his silence as confirmation of her accusations.


    "so, when do we fight?" she asked, her tone eager.


    "never," damon snapped, turning his head to the window to avoid further confrontation.


    he gazed out at the night sky, but his attention wasn''t on the stars. from his vantage point, he could keep an eye on the restaurant across the street, where marcus and his group had been. when his eyes landed on them, his heart sank.


    they weren''t alone.


    his face turned pale beneath the shadow of his hood as he spotted the unmistakable figure of the student council president, lilith astranova. marcus and his friends had been caught.


    ''first years aren''t allowed outside the academy grounds... and of all people, they get caught by her!''


    to make matters worse, lilith''s sharp gaze shifted toward the tavern. damon''s blood ran cold.


    ''she''s coming here next!''


    damon stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floorboards.


    "hey, where are you going?" leona asked, confused by his sudden movement.


    he clicked his tongue in frustration. leaving her behind was tempting, but he couldn''t take the risk. she might blurt something out, especially to someone as cunning and perceptive as lilith.


    without thinking, damon grabbed leona''s hand.


    "come on. we''re leaving."


    "huh? wait, why?" she asked, startled by his urgency.


    "shut up and follow me," he hissed, pulling her toward the back of the tavern.


    "we''re being hunted by the student council president."


    leona stumbled after him, barely able to process his words.


    meanwhile, lilith was already stepping through the tavern''s entrance, her piercing eyes scanning the room. damon''s heart pounded as he realized their window of escape was rapidly closing.


    ''damn it... how am i going to get out of here now?''


    the situation was spiraling out of control. as a probationary student, damon couldn''t afford another infraction. if he got caught outside the academy grounds, his punishment would be severe.


    and now, with leona in tow, his chances of slipping away unnoticed were even slimmer.

 Chapter 37 Bait And Switch

    damon was on edge, his grip firm on leona''s wrist as he pulled her along. he wasn''t taking any chances with lilith astranova, knowing full well how easily she could extract information.


    to his surprise, leona valefier didn''t resist. the beastkin girl simply followed without complaint, her usual boisterous energy muted.


    the rowdy noise of the tavern buzzed around them, but damon noticed a subtle shift in the atmosphere. the kind of shift that told him someone of note had entered.


    ''the lowlifes in here are probably debating whether to sell us out to the student council.''


    reaching the back door, damon pushed against it with all his weight, but it didn''t budge.


    "huh... crap, it''s locked," he muttered, his frustration mounting.


    leona blinked, her expression almost comical in its confusion. "now what do we do? are we in trouble?"


    damon shot her a glare, barely holding back the urge to smack some sense into her.


    "did you not read the student handbook? if we get caught by the student council out in town way past curfew, we''re in a lot of trouble!"


    leona bit her lip, finally looking concerned. "hmm, that sounds bad."


    damon clenched his teeth, exasperated.


    lilith astranova was not someone to take lightly. from their brief interaction earlier that day, he could tell she was sharp and calculating. hiding in the back wasn''t an option¡ªshe''d find them easily.


    scanning the room, his eyes landed on a small wooden staircase leading upstairs.


    "come on, let''s go," he hissed, pulling leona along before she could protest.


    when they reached the top, damon realized the second floor overlooked the ground floor below. a sinking feeling gripped him as he spotted lilith entering the tavern. worse still, as if guided by instinct, her sharp eyes drifted upward¡ªand locked onto them.


    damon''s hood concealed his face and uniform, but leona wasn''t so fortunate. her academy-issued uniform was impossible to miss.


    the tavern went quiet for a beat before erupting into laughter and jeers. the patrons, a mix of adventurers and drunkards, found the scene highly entertaining.


    "fifty zeni on the boy and girl!" someone shouted.


    "hahaha! hammer-hand''s not bad, but i bet twenty-five they get caught!"


    "a hundred on the pair!" another bellowed.


    lilith''s icy smile silenced the room in an instant. her mere presence commanded respect¡ªor fear.


    he grabbed leona''s arm and strode over, pulling the mop out and kicking the bucket over to spill water onto the floor. without a word, he pushed open a door to one of the rooms, made a mess there too, then stopped and retraced his steps back to another door.


    damon pulled it open, shoving leona inside a closet, and left the door slightly ajar.


    "stay here and don''t make a sound," he ordered in a low voice.


    leona blinked, confused, but nodded. damon wasted no time. pulling off his cloak, he muttered a curse under his breath.


    ''damn it, this cloak cost me two zeni and a half.''


    ignoring the sting of losing money, he draped the cloak over the mop, shaping it into a crude, hooded figure. the window creaked as he opened it, placing the bait on the ledge.


    he paused, signaling with his shadow¡ªa trick he''d left outside the room as a sentry. the moment it zipped back to his feet, damon knew: lilith was here.


    there was no time to hesitate. activating his skill, [5x] to [strength], he hurled the mop-cloak figure through the window with all his might, sending it flying towards the sky.


    as soon as he threw it, damon spun around and dove into the closet where he''d hidden leona, closing the door behind him. he clamped a hand over her mouth just as lilith teleported into the room.


    for a moment, silence reigned.


    from the corner of her vision, lilith caught sight of the cloaked figure falling into the alley. with the window wide open and no other sign of the fugitives, she assumed they had escaped. her lips curled into a faint, calculating smile as she teleported out, pursuing the bait.


    the instant she was gone, damon slipped out of the closet, dragging leona with him. he gripped her tightly, [5x] still activated, and they leapt through the window in the opposite direction. they hit the ground running, darting through the dimly lit streets.


    it had been a daring gamble¡ªone small mistake, and lilith would have caught them.


    leona followed, her chest heaving more from dread than anything. her mind reeled at what had just happened. damon, her seemingly ordinary classmate, had managed to fool lilith astranova.


    and that grip of his¡ªthere was no denying it. she''d felt his strength surge when he grabbed her.


    ''i knew it,'' she thought, awestruck. ''he''s been hiding his true power all this time.''


    damon, oblivious to her thoughts, grimaced. the sight of his uniform in the moonlight reminded him of the sacrifice he''d just made.


    "i just lost money," he muttered bitterly.


    leona didn''t hear him.


    turning a corner, damon''s frustration deepened as he spotted members of the student council patrolling the streets ahead.


    "tsk... i knew it wouldn''t be this easy," he muttered, dragging leona into the shadows of an alleyway.

 Chapter 38 Ditching

    damon took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he steadied his thoughts. leona was still beside him, her presence both unsettling and an irritation.


    "five thousand zeni," he muttered flatly, breaking the silence.


    leona blinked in confusion. "what?"


    "that cloak cost me five thousand zeni," damon clarified, glaring at her. "pay up."


    her golden ears twitched as she looked around awkwardly.


    "i... i don''t have any money on me..."


    damon''s glare intensified, his cold expression cutting through her excuse like a blade.


    "but don''t worry!" she added quickly, her voice brimming with nervous energy.


    "i''ll pay back what i owe when we get to the academy."


    his eyes narrowed, calculating.


    "fine. but there''s a 70% interest rate for every day you don''t pay up."


    leona nodded earnestly, as though the outrageous terms were entirely reasonable.


    "okay, deal. a warrior must always pay their debts."


    damon suppressed a smile, his lips twitching slightly as he looked away.


    ''that was some easy money. nobles are so gullible.''


    but his amusement was short-lived as his gaze shifted toward the street.


    ''that''s assuming she even pays. either way, i need to ditch her fast and hope lilith astranova doesn''t catch us.''


    he glanced back at leona, only to find her staring at him with wide, sparkling eyes, her admiration practically shining through. the golden hue of her irises glimmered in the moonlight, making her awestruck expression even more pronounced.


    "you''re really amazing!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine wonder.


    "i can''t believe a first-year escaped the student council president! i didn''t even think it was possible to outmaneuver someone at a third-class advancement. i mean, you''re incredible!"


    damon froze. he''d never been praised like this before, and he didn''t know how to respond. if she had insulted him for using underhanded tactics, he wouldn''t have cared. but this... this was unexpectedly nice.


    "i''m not that¡ª" he began awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.


    leona would be sacrificed for his escape.


    and to ensure she held no grudges, damon would make it seem like getting caught was entirely her fault¡ªif she got caught.


    his skill cooldown timer had finally reset. turning to the beastkin girl beside him, he addressed her in a calm but commanding tone.


    "okay, listen up. i imagine the student council has the gates covered, so we need a solid escape plan. i''m not going to coddle you, so you''ll have to keep up no matter what. walking out isn''t an option, but..."


    his dark eyes glanced at her briefly, betraying no emotion.


    "if we get separated, there are carriages leaving town. the student council doesn''t have the authority to check them. just ask the merchant really nicely."


    inwardly, damon smirked.


    ''assuming those stingy merchants actually let you board... once we hit the crowd, i''m giving her the slip. with [5x] set to speed, i''ll be long gone before she even realizes it. if she gets caught, there''ll be no proof i was ever in town.''


    he gave her a kind smile, though his thoughts were anything but.


    ''let this be a lesson, stupid noble girl. trust no one.''


    standing up, he prepared to move.


    "alright, on the count of three, we run into the crowd. try to keep up."


    leona''s golden eyes sharpened, her focus intensifying. "understood."


    damon smiled faintly as he activated [5x]. "three."


    without warning, he bolted into the bustling crowd, his figure vanishing like smoke. leona, caught off guard but quick on her feet, rushed after him. though their academy uniforms made them stand out, damon moved like a shadow.


    a former pickpocket, he wove through the sea of people effortlessly, slipping between tight spaces, ducking under carts, and crawling through narrow gaps. every movement was calculated, every step precise.


    leona, on the other hand, struggled. though fast, she lacked damon''s finesse and understanding of crowds. each person in her path became an obstacle, and her attempts to push past them only drew more attention. angry shouts and glares followed her as she inadvertently caused people to stumble, further congesting the streets.


    realizing she was causing a commotion, leona changed tactics. with a leap, she climbed onto a nearby rooftop, thinking she could track damon from above. but by the time she reached the roof, damon was already long gone.


    from her vantage point, she could see the chaotic streets below, filled with merchants, townsfolk, and scattered members of the student council searching for wayward first-years like her.


    looking out at the vast, bustling town, she couldn''t help but feel admiration.


    ''he''s really amazing,'' she thought, her awe growing even more.


    her misunderstanding of damon''s abilities deepened, solidifying him in her mind as a strategic genius far beyond her comprehension.

 Chapter 39 Moment Of Hesitation

    lilith astranova stood in silence, holding the cloak in her hands. the faint scent of the streets clung to the fabric, and she couldn''t help but admire the simplicity of the ruse. to think a mere first-year had managed to fool her with such an elementary trick¡ªa bait-and-switch maneuver. she had fallen for it, momentarily blinded by her confidence.


    her sharp eyes scanned the cloak once more. she hadn''t seen his face, but she didn''t need to. his build was unmistakable, and more importantly, she remembered who had been with him.


    "leona valefier," she murmured to herself.


    the beastkin girl had been hard to miss. as a promising first-year, leona was naturally someone the academy kept a close eye on, so lilith''s recognition of her wasn''t surprising. but what intrigued her was the boy¡ªhis audacity and cunning.


    lilith''s thoughts lingered on the brief exchange of events. as soon as she realized the trap, she had teleported back to the top floor of the tavern, the origin of their bait. but by then, they were long gone.


    she chuckled softly, her voice echoing faintly in the quiet room.


    ''such cunning... it has to be him.''


    the name came to her lips like a revelation.


    "damon grey."


    earlier today, she hadn''t been entirely sure what to make of him, but now there was no doubt in her mind. he was clever¡ªdangerously so. using such a trick to escape her was both bold and ingenious.


    lilith moved to the window, her sharp gaze cutting through the night. the bustling streets below seemed insignificant compared to the thrill of the hunt. a cold smile played on her lips, her emerald eyes glinting with intrigue.


    "now you''re even more interesting," she whispered, a mix of amusement and anticipation in her tone.


    she leaned against the windowsill, her mind racing with thoughts of her next move.


    ''you won this round, damon grey, but let''s see how far your wit carries you. i''ll find you... and when i do, we''ll see just how clever you really are.''


    damon exhaled deeply, relief washing over him now that he was finally rid of leona. he felt no guilt about ditching her¡ªin fact, he considered her a burden. the whole escape had gone as he planned. knowing full well that she couldn''t navigate crowds the way he could, he had used them as cover, slipping away with ease.


    ''let''s hope she gets out of here without getting caught by the student council,'' he thought, though it was more for convenience than genuine concern.


    he made his way to the city gate, and as expected, the student council members were stationed there, intercepting any first-years trying to flee back to the academy. damon let out a quiet sigh, glancing down at his exposed uniform. without his cloak, he stood out, but that didn''t faze him.


    the shadow quivered erratically at the sight of potential prey, its form glitching in anticipation. damon''s dark eyes glinted as he approached the boy, pulling out a dagger from his uniform. his movements were slow and deliberate, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim moonlight.


    he stood over the boy, raising the dagger. but just as he prepared to strike, he froze. his hand trembled, and sweat beaded on his brow.


    ''he''s someone''s son... someone''s brother... am i really going to kill someone who''s done nothing to me?''


    the thought struck him hard, his heart pounding in his chest. his shadow pulsed erratically, urging him forward, but damon stayed his hand. the boy''s face was peaceful in his drunken slumber, and damon''s resolve faltered.


    his stomach growled again, the hunger gnawing at him. the shadow writhed impatiently, but damon''s mind was a whirlwind of doubt and conflict.


    ''why?'' he thought. ''why can''t i do it? he''s never wronged me... so why?''


    before he could resolve his inner turmoil, a voice called out, breaking the silence.


    "arthur! arthur, where are you?"


    damon ducked back into the shadows, crouching low. a group of second-year students emerged, searching for their friend.


    "hey, over there! found him!" one of them called out.


    "heh, looks like mr. lightweight got drunk again," another joked.


    "come on, let''s pack him up. we can tease him tomorrow," the first student said, helping arthur to his feet.


    damon watched silently as they carried their friend away, his presence concealed in the darkness. he clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him.


    ''second-years... i wouldn''t stand a chance against them anyway.''


    once they were gone, damon punched a nearby tree, his knuckles stinging from the impact.


    "damn it... why did i hesitate?!" he growled, his voice low and angry.


    he forced himself to take a deep breath, steadying his nerves. tonight had been a failure¡ªno prey, no progress. his stomach growled again, the hunger biting at him like a relentless predator. with gritted teeth, damon slipped back into the academy. sneaking into his dorm was easy, but as he collapsed onto his bed, the weight of his failure bore down on him.


    his hunger remained, gnawing at him relentlessly, and his mind swirled with regrets.

 Chapter 40 Because I Want To Eat Them

    damon was woken up by the deep growl of his own stomach. his eyes remained shut, but the world around him came into sharp focus through his shadow. he didn''t need to glance at the system notification to confirm it¡ªhis hunger had reached critical levels, somewhere around 85%. the sensory input was overwhelming.


    he saw it all: the glowing outlines of souls moving through the dorm halls, students heading for their classes, and maids quietly tending to their duties. each movement cast rippling shadows that his senses latched onto, flooding his mind with information. it was painful, like trying to drink from a firehose, but it was better than the last time.


    before, he could only clutch his head and scream as his brain begged for mercy. now, he found himself adjusting, as if his body were forcing itself to adapt to the madness.


    that calm shattered the moment he opened his eyes.


    a kaleidoscope of overlapping images bombarded his vision¡ªshadows and souls blending into a chaotic stream of light and dark.


    "ahhrrg..." damon groaned, clutching his head as he rolled on the bed.


    cold sweat dripped down his face, and his breathing grew ragged. but slowly, painfully, he forced his mind to settle. like eyes adjusting to the blinding light of the sun, he began to make sense of the chaos.


    his body, however, told a different story. dark circles framed his dilated pupils, and his pale, sweat-slicked skin made him look more corpse than human. his shadow twitched violently by the door, glitching and shifting erratically as if it were an animal ready to lunge.


    damon pushed himself upright, only to collapse onto the floor with a heavy thud. he leaned his head back against the edge of the bed, panting.no?v(el)b\\jnn


    despite the torment, a strange clarity cut through the noise. it was the same as before, only this time, damon felt as if he were adapting to the chaos. even so, the mental strain of perceiving the world through the shadows gnawed at him.


    ''this is only going to get worse if i step into a place with too many shadows...''


    the forest, he realized, was both his salvation and his curse. it was the only place where he could hide from prying eyes when his hunger turned him into a monster. but it was also a place riddled with shadows, an endless supply of sensory overload.


    he clenched his fists and turned his gaze to the system notification hovering in front of him.


    [shadow hunger: 84%]


    [shadow is starved]


    [stats have been significantly boosted]


    he bit his lip, hard enough to taste blood.


    ''what do i do? damn it, what can i do? i missed my chance yesterday...''


    his hands trembled as he fought the rising panic. hunger clawed at his insides like a beast demanding to be fed. yet, despite the madness, damon forced himself to stay seated, gripping the edge of the bed as if it were the only thing anchoring him to reality.


    damon rose from his bed, his body sluggish and his stomach gnawing at itself. he shuffled into the bathroom, the cold water from the shower washing over him, momentarily dulling the burning hunger that threatened to consume him.


    but then the shadow shifted, its head-like form turning toward a specific direction. time passed, and damon, unable to sleep, finally raised his head. he regretted it instantly.


    the room was flooded with the glow of souls, but two lights stood out above all others.


    the first was a golden blaze, blinding and radiant like the midday sun¡ªevangeline brightwater. her soul burned with such intensity that damon almost winced.


    the second was new to him: a gentle, silvery-white light, soft and serene like moonlight. sylvia moonveil, the elven girl, sat beside evangeline.


    his stomach growled audibly.


    damon couldn''t take his eyes off them. the predatory instinct in him surged, his pupils dilating as his gaze locked onto the two brightest souls in the room.


    from the front of the class, the professor''s voice cut through the haze.


    "damon, is there a reason you''re staring at evangeline and sylvia with such intensity?"


    the room fell silent. every pair of eyes turned to damon, including those of the two girls.


    but damon was lost in his reverie. he answered honestly, his voice dripping with hunger.


    "because i want to eat them."


    the professor blinked, stunned, before bursting into laughter. the rest of the class followed suit, assuming it was a poorly timed joke.


    damon wasn''t joking.


    the noise shattered his trance, and he quickly lowered his head back to the desk, avoiding the stares of evangeline and sylvia.


    ''i need to leave... or i''ll do something i''ll regret.''


    without hesitation, damon stood and began walking toward the door at the back of the classroom.


    the professor called after him, frowning.


    "damon, where do you think you''re going?"


    he didn''t stop or turn around. his voice was flat, carrying a weight of finality.


    "anywhere that isn''t here."

 Chapter 41 Shadow Vs The Fourth Rank

    "stop right there, young man... class is still ongoing."


    the professor''s firm voice echoed through the classroom, stopping some of the murmurs as damon marched toward the door.


    damon didn''t even flinch, his steps resolute. his hunger was unbearable, gnawing at him like a parasite. he wasn''t just leaving to escape the professor''s lecture¡ªhe was escaping himself.


    if his shadow''s hunger reached 90%, he wouldn''t just be a problem for the professor; he''d be a threat to everyone in the room. and he wasn''t nai?ve. the same professor who now ordered him to stop would undoubtedly move to kill him if he transformed into a monster.


    the door was tantalizingly close, but just as he reached out to push it open, it slammed shut on its own. damon''s stomach sank.


    "did you not hear me? class is still ongoing. or at the very least, explain yourself¡ªor else..."


    the words hung in the air like a threat.


    "or else what?"


    damon turned his head slightly, his face half-shadowed. his hunger made him reckless, amplifying his aggression. it was like being drunk¡ªhis judgment clouded, his patience nonexistent.


    "what are you going to do, professor? attack me? sure, go ahead!"


    the venom in his voice startled the class. murmurs rippled through the students.


    "has he gone crazy?"


    "he must be drunk or something."


    "that bastard really wants to die."


    "what do you expect from a commoner? no manners, no discipline."


    the professor raised a hand, silencing the growing chatter with an air of authority. his displeasure was evident as he stared at damon.


    professor alfred was known for his calm demeanor, but now there was a glint of disdain in his eyes. he had once held some hope for damon when he first enrolled but had long since deemed him a disappointment.


    "quiet down, everyone," he said. his voice was controlled, but his words dripped with condescension.


    "i won''t stop you, damon. it would be unbecoming of me, a professor, to fight a student¡ªespecially one as weak as you."


    damon''s fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms. the insult stung more than it should have.


    the professor smirked slightly, continuing,


    "so, i''ll let your peers remind you of your place. perhaps this will teach you some humility. next time, pay attention in class so you don''t end up as a glorified disappointment."


    damon turned fully, his vision narrowing as his anger surged. for a moment, he considered lunging at the professor, consequences be damned. but before he could act, alfred glanced toward evangeline brightwater.


    "evangeline, take him down."


    evangeline hesitated, biting her lip.


    "i... i don''t think i can beat him, but¡ª"


    before she could finish, leona valefier''s voice cut through like a crack of thunder.


    "i''ll do it!"


    his focus narrowed, and his fury boiled over. he muttered coldly,


    "[5x] to [mana]."


    a surge of raw power coursed through him, boosting his already heightened stats.


    the class, particularly xander ravenscroft and professor alfred, stared in shock. damon wasn''t just surviving; he was holding his ground against leona valefier, a prodigy of the wild continent lothria.


    damon reached her in a heartbeat. leona didn''t back away¡ªhand-to-hand combat was her forte. her claws extended, and her mana surged as she threw a punch. damon, half-consumed by his shadow''s hunger, raised his elbow to block. sparks flew on impact, numbing his arm with searing pain.


    the pain only fueled his fury. with a snarl, he retaliated, aiming a punch at her. leona dodged, but damon opened his hand mid-strike, turning it into a grab. his fingers clamped around her head, and with a predatory growl, he hurled her to the side.


    leona stumbled, hitting the ground with a thud as gasps rippled through the class.


    "no way! did he just push leona valefier?"


    "how did he even do that?"


    "a human overpowering a beastkin in physical combat? without a single class advancement?"


    xander narrowed his eyes, analyzing every move.


    "body enhancement and reinforcement magic," he muttered to himself. "that''s the only explanation."


    damon didn''t hear the murmurs. his focus was singular. he charged at leona, who shifted to a defensive stance. her technique was flawless, but fighting damon was like battling a wild beast. he fought with raw instincts, his every move fueled by the primal desire to kill and devour.


    leona could feel his killing intent¡ªit was suffocating.


    she leapt backward, landing near the classroom door. her lips curved into a thin smile, excitement glowing in her golden eyes. lightning gathered around her as she prepared a devastating spell.


    "[thunder clap]."


    a storm of crackling destruction engulfed the room, swallowing damon whole in its furious energy.


    professor alfred moved, ready to intervene, but hesitated as a figure emerged from the cloud. damon burst through the storm, his uniform scorched and his body bruised, but his predatory smile remained. in his hand, a sphere of raw, destructive shadow mana pulsed with terrifying power.


    he was inches from leona in an instant, aiming the orb straight at her face.


    leona''s eyes widened in fear. she could see it clearly¡ªdeath in his cold, unwavering gaze. damon''s shadow had no hesitation, no mercy.


    but in that final moment, a flicker of humanity broke through the haze. damon shifted his hand slightly, and the shadow orb veered past her, obliterating the door behind her in a deafening explosion.


    the room fell silent, the class too stunned to react.


    damon stepped back, wobbling slightly. his head hung low as he muttered under his breath,


    "lucky..."


    without another word, he staggered out of the classroom, leaving the shattered remains of the door behind him.


    professor alfred''s face was a mix of shock and confusion. xander ravenscroft''s expression, however, was darker.


    ''since when did that commoner possess this kind of power?''


    he needed to ask marcus and his other lackeys after they finished serving their punishment.


    damon wandered through the halls, his hunger clawing at him once more. this time, it was stronger. he was lucky he''d regained control, but next time, he might not be so fortunate.

 Chapter 42 The Man In The Woods

    damon stepped into the open sun, but his path forward was shrouded in uncertainty. he had no idea where to go, and it was only a matter of time before his shadow consumed him entirely. in its ravenous state, it would devour any unsuspecting soul nearby.


    it wasn''t the act of eating someone that worried him. it was the consequences.


    this was aether academy, a place where even the faintest hint of a monster drew the attention of merciless professors. if anything that looked remotely inhuman appeared in broad daylight, it would be killed without hesitation. questions could wait for the aftermath.


    damon knew he wouldn''t survive such an encounter.


    the academy, once meant to be a sanctuary for students, now felt like a death trap.


    there was only one solution.


    ''i have to escape outside the academy.''


    it was a desperate gamble. if he could make it past the grounds, he could head for the nearby town, athor''s sanctuary. there, amidst the unsuspecting townsfolk, his shadow could find a meal¡ªhelpless and unprepared prey.


    the thought twisted his gut with guilt, but it was better than dying here.


    without wasting another second, damon bolted. his battered body, bruised from leona''s lightning attacks, protested with every step, but he kept moving. his uniform had begun to mend itself, the fabric stitching back together, though it did little to ease his pain.


    he sprinted toward the hidden passage¡ªa student escape route rarely used under the watchful eyes of the academy.


    when he reached the edge of the tree line, he stopped abruptly.


    fear gnawed at him as he bit his lip, hesitant to move forward. his shadow pulsed beneath him, its chaotic energy feeding his mind disturbing images. the trees'' shade was dangerous¡ªit amplified his shadow''s senses, overwhelming him with its vast perception of the world.


    damon glared down at the erratic darkness swirling at his feet.


    "hey," he hissed through gritted teeth.


    "don''t spread your senses into the shadows under the trees. if you do, we won''t find any food to eat."


    there was no response. his shadow had spiraled too far into madness. damon couldn''t tell if it even heard him¡ªor if it cared.


    as he stepped closer to the shade, the reaction was instant.


    the moment his shadow touched the trees'' darkness, a sharp, searing pain erupted in his head. damon stumbled, clutching his temples as he fell to his knees.


    "stop... stop... stop!" he roared, his voice cracking under the strain.


    the shadow flickered, glitching out of existence for a fleeting moment, and then... silence.


    damon collapsed, gasping for breath. cold sweat drenched his body as he trembled violently. his hands dug into the dirt, and for a brief second, the pain subsided.


    clarity returned, sharp and unforgiving.


    his dilated pupils reflected the terror clawing at his soul as he whispered the question that had haunted him all along.


    a man stood there¡ªa hunter, by the looks of him. he was older, perhaps in his fifties, with a long, greying beard and a muscular frame. he wore practical hunter''s garb and carried a bag of supplies, a bow slung over his shoulder, and a freshly hunted deer carcass.


    the man''s blue eyes held a kind light, his expression a mixture of worry and curiosity.


    damon remained wary, his body tense despite his exhaustion.


    "who... who are you?" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.


    as if on cue, his stomach growled loudly, causing damon to wince and clutch his abdomen.


    the hunter''s lips curled into a warm smile.


    "ah, you must be hungry, little guy. hold on, i''ve got some rations in here."


    he dropped his supplies and rummaged through his bag, eventually pulling out a small pouch of dried food. he held it out to damon, who eyed it suspiciously despite the gnawing hunger in his eyes.


    noticing damon''s hesitation, the hunter chuckled.


    "smart young man, aye? alright, here."


    without offense, he took a piece from the pouch and ate it himself, chewing with deliberate ease.


    satisfied, damon snatched the pouch and devoured its contents without restraint. the dry rations were rough and tasteless, but to him, they felt like salvation.


    the hunter watched with amusement, leaning back as damon tore through the food.


    "my name''s carmen vale," he said, his voice warm and steady.


    "i''m a hunter around these parts."


    damon finished the last of the rations, but his stomach growled again, louder this time.


    his hands pressed against his abdomen as he muttered,


    "hungry..."


    carmen let out a hearty laugh.


    "no problem, kid! good thing i''ve got this deer."


    with practiced ease, carmen gathered firewood and started a fire. he skinned the deer and sliced off its thighs, rubbing a mix of spices over the meat before setting it over the flames.


    "alright, let''s see how much you can eat!" carmen laughed again, a booming sound that echoed through the forest.


    damon watched cautiously. the hunter moved with an ease and openness that unnerved him. he left his bow and arrows within arm''s reach of damon, his back fully exposed. there was no trace of suspicion or guardedness in carmen''s demeanor, only kindness.


    to damon, this kind of generosity felt alien, even dangerous. he couldn''t understand why someone would act this way. and so, even as his body screamed for nourishment, his mind remained on edge, scrutinizing the man before him.

 Chapter 43 Kindness Is Reciprocal

    damon grey was a jaded young man, his life shaped by a series of harsh lessons that had made him bitter and distrustful. kindness was not something he encountered often, and when it came, it felt alien¡ªa massive cause for suspicion.


    as the hunter, carmen, roasted the deer thighs over a modest fire, damon''s sharp eyes scrutinized every movement he made. the man was a puzzle, too trusting, too open. damon had learned to survive by questioning everything, and carmen''s easy manner only heightened his caution.


    the hunter spoke about his life, filling the silence with tales of hunting trips, his family, and his youthful adventures. damon didn''t respond, but he listened, his gaze flicking between the fire, the man''s hands, and his surroundings. the only sound he made was the faint rustle of his clothes as he shifted uncomfortably.


    carmen, sensing the boy''s wary nature, ensured his every action was visible. he even exaggerated his movements as he prepared the meat, smiling occasionally, though damon''s expression remained guarded.


    meanwhile, damon''s shadow writhed like a living entity, reacting to his hunger. its erratic behavior unnerved him, and his thoughts grew heavier, dulled by the persistent ache of starvation and the primal instincts clawing at his mind. his focus wavered between the man''s words and the tantalizing scent of roasting meat.


    when one of the thighs was ready, carmen pulled it from the fire, smiling as he extended it toward damon.


    damon''s eyes lingered on the offering, but his gaze quickly shifted to carmen''s face, his suspicion as clear as the hunger in his dull, predatory stare.


    carmen chuckled, realizing the boy''s hesitation.


    "ah, of course." he took a bite of the meat himself, chewed, and swallowed.


    "see? nothing to worry about."


    only then did damon snatch the meat, his hands trembling slightly. he tore into it with feral desperation, each bite fueling his weakened body but doing little to sate the insatiable hunger gnawing at him.


    carmen sat a short distance away, observing damon with a calm, thoughtful expression. his gaze drifted to the shadow writhing unnaturally around the boy.


    "that''s quite a shadow you''ve got there," he remarked, his tone casual but curious. "is that your magic attribute?"


    damon didn''t answer, too focused on devouring the meat, though his shoulders tensed at the question.


    unfazed by the silence, carmen continued.


    "mine''s fire. people in town always say it doesn''t suit me¡ªtoo gentle, they claim."


    he laughed lightly.


    "but i wasn''t always like this. used to have a temper like a wildfire when i was younger."


    before damon could react, carmen''s demeanor shifted in an instant. the hunter''s eyes sharpened as he grabbed an arrow from his quiver and lunged toward damon.


    damon''s instincts screamed, but he was too slow, caught off guard as the arrow shot past him. he froze, waiting for pain, but none came. instead, there was a soft thunk behind him.


    turning his head cautiously, he saw the arrow embedded in the trunk of the tree just inches above his shoulder, pinning the lifeless body of a thin, black snake.


    carmen let out a relieved sigh.


    damon narrowed his eyes at him, the skepticism in his stare as sharp as ever.


    "that''s far-fetched," he muttered.


    carmen chuckled lightly.


    "yes, it is. but i can hope, can''t i?" he glanced at damon, his smile never faltering.


    "you know, kid, i used to be a noble."


    damon''s expression shifted at those words, his eyes narrowing further, this time with a hint of hostility.


    carmen noticed it instantly.


    "ah, you don''t seem to like nobles much. that''s fair," he admitted, his tone understanding.


    "i don''t like them either¡ªespecially now that i''m a fallen noble."


    "you''re a fallen noble?" damon echoed, his voice tinged with mild curiosity.


    "that must be hard. your kind gets worse treatment than commoners, and commoners don''t like you either."


    carmen smiled again, this time with a faint trace of bitterness.


    "yes, it was hard at first. but i got past it. people were kind."


    "no, they''re not," damon shot back, his voice quiet but firm.


    carmen shook his head slightly, his gaze steady.


    "let me tell you something, kiddo. kindness is reciprocal. if you show someone kindness, they''ll show it back to you. but if you go in looking for the worst in people, that''s all you''ll ever see."


    damon didn''t reply immediately, his focus returning to the meat in his hands. he gnawed the last pieces off the bone, his hunger still gnawing at him, though something about carmen''s words made his heart feel just a little calmer.


    finally, he spoke, his voice subdued.


    "i''ve seen the worst in people... ever since the day my parents died. the neighbors and relatives who seemed so kind¡ªafter they were gone, i saw their true colors."


    carmen''s expression softened, and he glanced at damon carefully. it seemed the boy was beginning to open up to him.


    "my parents died in the demon wars,"


    damon continued, his words tinged with bitterness and sadness. he tightened his grip on the bone in his hand, the memories resurfacing with painful clarity.

 Chapter 44 Mask Of Falsehood

    the memories of the past were like sharp thorns embedded in damon grey''s heart, each one a painful reminder of the failures and lessons that shaped him into the jaded young man he was today. and it had all begun with the death of his parents.


    "my family lived in a small village a few kilometers off the lands of the ravenscroft household," damon started, his voice low and strained, the words dragging up emotions he had long buried.


    "it was a small, quiet place... the kind of village where everyone knows everyone. my father was born there. he and my mother were well-known, celebrated even, because they''d both achieved first-class advancement."


    he gritted his teeth, the memories cutting deep.


    "they were often called ''the heavenly pairing.'' my father had the darkness attribute, and my mother... hers was a variation of light. it was called ''day.'' together, they protected the village with their power."


    damon''s stomach growled, but he ignored it, his hunger drowned out by the flood of painful recollections.


    "my sister and i were born there. for a time, life was good. everyone in the village was kind to us, or at least they seemed to be."


    carmen listened in silence, his gaze fixed on the boy, sensing the storm of emotions behind his words.


    "it all changed," damon continued, his voice growing colder,


    "when the demons made a massive advancement into soltheon. the war worsened, and my parents, being at the first-class advancement, were conscripted by the nobles and forced to fight."


    he lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.


    "they left us behind... my sister and me. at first, the village still treated us kindly. but then, one day, the news came. our parents were dead."


    carmen''s eyes lingered on damon''s face, noting the twisted smile that barely masked the deep pain in the boy''s dark eyes.


    "only two things were returned to us," damon continued, his voice tight.


    "my father''s broken sword... and a locket that belonged to my mother."


    damon clenched his fists.


    "the village held a funeral. i buried the sword, but i couldn''t bear to part with the locket. i hid it away, afraid the adults would make me bury it too. instead, we buried her clothes."


    carmen glanced up at the sun filtering through the trees, his heart heavy with sympathy for the boy''s loss.


    "with our parents gone, the only relatives we had in the village were my father''s distant cousin. we didn''t know much about my mother''s side, only faint clues from the stories she used to tell us about her brother. looking back now, i can guess she might have been a noble. but what does that matter? knowing wouldn''t have helped us¡ªtwo orphaned children left to fend for ourselves."


    "maybe, deep down, i was just looking for a reason not to die. and i found one."


    carmen''s eyes widened slightly, a glimmer of hope in his gaze.


    "at the roots of that tree, there was a broken stone slab. on it, someone had carved words¡ªfragments of something greater. i pieced them together. those words gave me a purpose."


    carmen''s throat tightened. he wiped at his eyes.


    "what... what did it say?"


    damon raised his head, his dark eyes alight with a mix of fury and defiance.


    "we are not asked to be born; we are forced to exist. today was a horrible day. tomorrow will be worse. in the end, it will all come to pass. all things fade..."


    he exhaled sharply, his clenched fists trembling.


    "those were the words. it wasn''t complete, but the part i saw was enough. it taught me about the vast unfairness and insignificance of everything. it should have been the final push to die, but instead, it gave me life. if we''re so small, so meaningless... then even as a worm beneath the cosmic vastness, i have the right to struggle. if i''m going to die anyway, then i''ll die in blood, screams, and tears, knowing i gave it my all."


    damon gritted his teeth, his voice rising with fervor.


    "i made my choice. i would survive. so i returned to the village and began making my plans."


    carmen stared at the boy, both awestruck and disturbed by the raw determination in his voice.


    "what plans?"


    "my plan to take my sister and escape," damon replied, his tone steady and resolute.


    "i remembered my father mentioning a small house he owned in the capital¡ªvalerion. i decided i would find it, no matter what."


    carmen shook his head slowly, his eyes wide with both admiration and disbelief.


    "that must have been a tremendous gamble."


    "it was," damon admitted, his voice colder now.


    "but i had nothing left to lose."

 Chapter 45 A Survivor

    damon could still recall every detail of those harrowing days, the weight of his survival pressing down on him. the night he decided to leave was burned into his memory, and for the week leading up to it, he made sure to keep his younger sister, luna, by his side at all times.


    he waited patiently, watching the comings and goings of the village until a traveling merchant caravan arrived. that night, while the village was still and the caravan set up camp, damon made his move.


    he slipped into his house under the cover of darkness, his heart pounding with both fear and resolve. he scavenged anything of value¡ªa small sack of zeni hidden in a cupboard, a few trinkets left untouched by his guardians, and finally, his mother''s locket. the locket had been buried beneath a loose floorboard in their old room, hidden away to protect it from greedy hands.


    that was damon''s first brush with theft.


    the memory was vivid, every sensation seared into his mind. his hands trembled as he dug up the locket, its metal cool against his fingertips. luna, confused but trusting, clung to him as he gathered their meager belongings. she didn''t understand what was happening, but as long as she was with her brother, she felt safe.


    in the early hours of the morning, damon approached the caravan leader, having prepared everything he could. he offered the man all he had, only to be swindled¡ªcharged double the fair price for their passage. that was damon''s first encounter with trickery.


    the journey to the capital was treacherous. aetherus was a world where monsters roamed freely, emerging from dungeons scattered across the land. the roads were perilous, and traveling with a caravan offered only a fragile sense of safety.


    damon and luna came close to death on multiple occasions. once, a pack of dire wolves attacked their convoy, leaving damon clutching luna tightly, prepared to die protecting her. on another occasion, someone in the caravan tried to sell luna into prostitution, forcing damon to fight tooth and nail to protect her.


    from each trial, damon learned and adapted. each betrayal, each struggle, hardened him further. by the time they reached the capital, the naive boy who had once wanted to die beneath an ancient tree was gone, replaced by someone colder, sharper, and far more bitter.


    carmen listened intently to damon''s tale, his expression somber. he could see the boy''s pain and the resilience forged through suffering.


    "you''ve been through a lot, kid," carmen said quietly. "but it got better, didn''t it? the tomorrow you sought wasn''t worse than yesterday."


    damon''s shadow flickered erratically in the firelight as he replied, his voice low and heavy with pain.


    "no... it didn''t. it got worse."


    the capital was no safe haven; it was a different kind of hell. damon had the papers for his father''s residence, a small house in the poor district. but when he tried to claim it, he was met with endless bureaucracy. he had to deal with the war banks, who demanded proof of ownership now that his father was dead.


    to make matters worse, damon crossed paths with a noble during this time, and the resulting conflict forced him to sell the house for a fraction of its worth just to avoid further trouble.


    yet, damon was resourceful. using the tricks he had learned from the caravan, he convinced the bank to sell him another house. during the negotiations, he discovered that his father had made a deposit at the bank. hoping it was money, damon cashed it out¡ªonly to find a golden ticket for aether academy, the prestigious institution for training the gifted.


    though disappointed, damon kept the ticket, viewing it as his father''s final legacy. when he and luna moved into their new, modest home, damon made a decision. luna was the more talented of the two, so he planned for her to use the golden ticket to enroll in the academy.


    "i''m so sorry. please forgive me. i''m sorry..."


    the atmosphere grew heavy, an unnatural weight pressing down on the clearing. carmen could feel the shift in the air as damon''s shadow began to writhe, rising up unnaturally and wrapping around him like living tendrils.


    [ding]


    [shadow hunger levels: 90%]


    [shadow is ravenous.]


    [all stats are drastically amplified.]


    before carmen''s eyes, damon transformed. his body was consumed by an entity of pure darkness, its form monstrous and terrifying. long claws extended from where damon''s hands once were, and his mouth was filled with sharp, glinting fangs. the creature''s presence was overwhelming, and its malevolent aura sent shivers down carmen''s spine.


    yet, even in this twisted form, the monster spoke, its voice distorted and filled with despair.


    "i... i... am sorry..."


    carmen''s grip tightened around his bow, his knuckles turning white. he raised the weapon, aiming at the shadowy figure before him. but his hands trembled. somewhere within that abomination was still the boy who had poured his heart out just moments ago.


    "that thing... it''s just a child..." carmen whispered to himself, hesitation creeping into his mind.


    it was a hesitation that cost him dearly. in the blink of an eye, the shadowed claws tore into his chest, piercing flesh and bone with devastating force.


    carmen gasped, blood pouring from his mouth as he staggered back, his bow slipping from his grasp. the pain was excruciating, but his gaze remained fixed on damon¡ªor what damon had become.


    through the haze of agony, carmen heard the monster''s voice once more, trembling and broken.


    "i''m sorry..."


    despite the mortal wound, carmen''s lips curled into a faint smile. blood dripped down his chin, soaking his beard as his vision blurred.


    "you''re... strong... kid..." carmen rasped, his voice barely above a whisper. "you''re... a survivor..."


    his words hung in the air as his eyes dulled, the light fading from them. even in death, his face held a gentle smile¡ªa final act of compassion for the boy who had become a monster.

 Chapter 46 Remorseless

    the shadow devoured carmen. his body was consumed whole, and for a brief, harrowing moment, damon hesitated to return to his human form.


    a deafening growl erupted from him, a primal roar that echoed far and wide. it was a sound imbued with raw emotion¡ªrage, sorrow, and helplessness all intertwined. then, like water cascading from a broken dam, the shadows retreated from his form, revealing the trembling figure beneath.


    the voice of the system rang out, cold and indifferent.


    [you have slain carmen vale.]


    [you have received 5 attribute points.]


    [you have acquired the skill remorseless.]


    [your shadow is full.]


    damon fell to his knees, clutching his chest as pain shot through him. tears streamed down his face, hot and relentless. he had opened up to carmen vale, shared his story, his pain, and his vulnerability. and in the end, he had devoured him.


    what hurt more than anything was the memory of carmen''s final moments. the man hadn''t raised his weapon, hadn''t fought back, even as death loomed. his parting words and gentle smile were alien to damon¡ªhe didn''t understand kindness, had never truly known it.


    as a scream of anguish began to build in his throat, a sudden coldness spread through his heart, like ice freezing over turbulent waters. his mind, though heavy with grief, became unnaturally calm.


    he whispered to himself, "oh... i see. it must be the effect of my new skill."


    standing slowly, damon realized the hunger that had driven him earlier was gone. his gaze shifted to the hunting bow that had belonged to carmen vale, now lying discarded on the ground.


    "kindness isn''t reciprocal," damon muttered, his tone void of emotion.


    "because people like me exist... people who repay kindness with malice."


    though his voice was steady, tears still streamed from his eyes. he bent to pick up the bow, cradling it in his hands.


    "even so... thank you. thank you for showing me kindness and for reminding me that hesitation is weakness. i promise¡ªi will survive, no matter what."


    his grip on the bow tightened.


    "if i can... i''ll try to show kindness. but it will always come second to survival."


    wiping his tears away, damon glanced at the bloodstained ground.


    "i can''t give you a proper burial... it would leave too much evidence. i''m sorry."


    remorseless enhances mental clarity and tactical awareness during high-stress situations. when in combat, it grants heightened focus, enabling precise analysis of the battlefield. this boost improves reaction speed, decision-making, and the ability to anticipate enemy movements. the skill activates upon entering combat or facing a critical threat.


    [type]


    passive.


    [cooldown:]


    0 seconds


    damon read the system''s description in silence, the words etched into his mind. they struck him like a blade, cutting through his lingering doubts. the philosophy of remorseless rejected everything carmen vale had embodied. it reminded damon, painfully, that carmen''s death had been the result of his hesitation.


    "to walk the path of remorseless," damon whispered, his voice barely audible.


    "i must forsake hesitation and regret."


    he cast a glance at his shadow. the dark figure that had consumed carmen now loomed silently beside him, its usually playful demeanor subdued. there was something different about it now¡ªa weight, as if it too felt guilt for what had transpired.


    "if i abandon hesitation... if i embrace remorseless..." damon''s voice grew steadier, his tone resolute.


    "will i survive? will i become stronger? will i be able to save my sister? will i finally be free from living in fear?"


    for a moment, the shadow seemed still, its surface rippling like disturbed water. then, slowly, it nodded, its movement deliberate and solemn.


    damon''s expression hardened. he clenched his fists, feeling the resolve solidify within him.


    "very well. i understand. i will no longer hesitate."


    reaching into his uniform, damon retrieved a pager. its faint light illuminated his face as he pressed the buttons with purpose. he dialed a number, waiting for the faint static before speaking in a low, controlled voice.


    "it''s me. meet me three kilometers northwest of the town. i''m going to need some tools."


    he ended the call without waiting for a response.


    continue your journey on empire


    damon stood there for a moment longer, his shadow looming at his side. the air around him felt heavier, charged with the weight of his newfound determination.


    he didn''t mourn or linger. instead, he turned and began walking. each step carrying him further from his old self and closer to the remorseless path he had chosen.

 Chapter 47 Reverting To Old Habits

    a young man with brown hair and piercing blue eyes approached a cluster of trees outside athor''s sanctuary. his simple tunic, patched in several places, gave him the appearance of someone unremarkable¡ªan impression he intended to cultivate.


    he scanned his surroundings, clutching a pager in one hand and a bag in the other.


    "hmmm..." he murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips.


    "i''m here. do you mind showing yourself?" he called out, his voice carrying a measured calm.


    silence.


    his brows furrowed slightly.


    ''is he not here yet?''


    "did you bring the stuff i asked for?"


    a voice behind him answered, low and casual.


    "you really don''t miss a beat, do you?"


    carls turned, his body tensing momentarily.


    "whoa, phantom..." he said, chuckling as he relaxed.


    "heh, i think i understand how you earned that nickname."


    carls stood before him, a sly grin on his face. the lanky figure''s casual demeanor masked a sharpness that damon knew better than to underestimate. carls seemed genuinely pleased to see damon, as if surprised by the quick follow-up after their last meeting.


    but it was carls'' perceptive gaze that unnerved damon the most. he knew something was different about him. damon''s usual gloom had shifted into a colder, almost predatory calm. his dark eyes bore an unsettling focus, his academy uniform showing faint burn marks¡ªa testament to a recent incident.


    carls gestured to the bag he carried. "that''s the material from the magic continent for you. i heard this stuff''s notoriously expensive."


    damon''s eyes locked onto him with an icy glare.


    "you''d better not be planning to steal it."


    carls laughed, throwing up his hands.


    "i wouldn''t dream of it." with a casual toss, he dropped the bag at damon''s feet. "everything you asked for, right here."


    damon regarded the bag warily. "open it."


    carls raised an eyebrow, but his smile didn''t waver. "sure, no problem."


    he crouched down and unzipped the bag, showing damon its contents. then, with an exaggerated flourish, he emptied everything onto the ground before carefully repacking it.


    "see? even touched it with my hands. no funny business. not like that time someone sprinkled flay powder on someone else''s clothes..." carls smirked knowingly.


    "i''ll need monster innards, fluids from the organs of poisonous monsters... oh, and glass beakers¡ªwe''ll have to visit a glassmaker for that."


    he rattled off a detailed list, his voice steady. each item seemed innocuous on its own, but together, they painted a picture of something far more dangerous.


    carls raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.


    "if you don''t mind me asking, phantom... you''re not switching career paths to assassin, are you?" experience exclusive tales on empire


    damon stopped walking abruptly and turned around. his dark eyes locked onto carls, sharp and cold.


    "if you keep asking questions, you might just find out," damon said coldly, his voice low.


    "and don''t call me phantom. damon grey will do just fine."


    the chill in damon''s gaze sent a shiver down carls'' spine, and he instinctively raised his hands in mock surrender.


    "alright, alright. no more phantom."


    damon''s narrowed eyes lingered on him for a moment before he turned back toward the path.


    "now, i need funds. take me to the parts of town where people walk around with plenty of money."


    carls chuckled, his nervousness quickly replaced by amusement.


    "as you wish, damon. i know just the place¡ªrich merchants and traders, all carrying cash. and hey, one of the items you need is in that area too. with your skills, you could snag a few thousand zeni easy."


    damon sighed, running a hand through his hair. he''d thought he''d left pickpocketing behind, but desperate times called for desperate measures. his savings were reserved for his sister''s medication, and this was the only way he could gather funds quickly.


    ''i need to find someone to scam or steal from pretty soon.''


    the two of them strolled into town, blending seamlessly into the bustling crowd. before visiting the shops for damon''s materials, they decided to fall back on old habits¡ªa pickpocket spree in the busiest parts of town.


    as former street urchins, damon and carls were experts at reading people. they knew exactly who to target: the ones with deep pockets, plenty of cash, but not enough influence to make trouble if their money went missing.


    that was the difference between a professional pickpocket and an amateur¡ªknowing who not to steal from.


    they selected a few marks, their practiced eyes scanning the crowd for opportunities. working in tandem, they made short work of five targets, relieving them of five pouches of zeni without arousing suspicion.


    to cover their tracks, they staged a diversion. damon slipped one of the stolen pouches into the bag of an unsuspecting bystander, then gave him a calculated shove. the man''s bag spilled open, and the pouch tumbled out just as one of their victims began searching for their missing money.


    the chaos was immediate. the crowd turned on the unlucky man, accusing him of theft. he protested vehemently, but it was no use¡ªhe was dragged off by the authorities, leaving damon and carls to vanish into the commotion with their spoils.


    once they were safely away, carls broke into a wide grin.


    "i can''t believe that worked! your plan was insane, damon. we got so much!"


    damon couldn''t suppress a smile of his own as he inspected their haul.


    ''i''ve got some money. money.''

 Chapter 48 Shadows Choice

    damon counted the zeni in his hand¡ª12,000 from the day''s pickpocketing spree. the weight of the coins brought back memories he''d rather forget. back in the capital, child pickpockets had to pay protection money to local gangs.


    to put it simply, most of your loot went straight to the gang. refuse to pay, and you''d disappear without a trace.


    ''this world isn''t fair to the weak,'' he thought bitterly.


    he stuffed the money into the bag holding his academy uniform, dividing the spoils as agreed. damon kept 70% of the earnings, giving carls 10% for leading him to the vendors and 20% as his share of the pickpocketing profits. they made sure to dispose of the pouches and any incriminating evidence before continuing.


    "alright, show me where i can get ore for cheap," damon said flatly.


    carls grinned mischievously.


    "heh, i know just the place. but it''s a bit unconventional, and it''ll depend on how good your eye is."


    damon raised an eyebrow, his expression wary.


    "and where would that be?"


    carls brushed his brown hair aside and smirked.


    "follow me."


    damon hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking to his shadow, which remained still. its silence was reassuring, but he still muttered under his breath,


    "keep an eye out for tricks."


    the shadow stirred slightly, acknowledging his command. satisfied, damon followed carls through the winding streets until they arrived at an old, dusty shop.


    the place reeked of booze and rocks, the heavy scent of sweat hanging in the air. it was exactly what damon expected¡ªminers sold their pilfered finds here, rocks that might contain valuable ore. buyers could sift through the pile, pay for a piece, and hope they struck gold¡ªor, more likely, lose their money.


    it was gambling in its purest form. rare success stories kept the hopeful coming back, even though most people left empty-handed.


    damon scanned the shop''s interior, his expression flat. "are you serious?"


    carls smiled cheekily. "dead serious."


    damon crossed his arms, unimpressed.


    "i don''t gamble unless i have more than an 80% chance of winning."


    carls chuckled.


    "well, you''re in luck. this isn''t gambling¡ªit''s a test of skill. if you''ve got a sharp eye, you can walk away with something valuable. most of these rocks come from a magi-ore mine. i''ve seen people make a killing here."


    "this one?" he asked under his breath.


    read new adventures at empire


    the shadow seemed to shiver with excitement.


    trusting its judgment, damon set the rock aside and waited as the shadow pointed him to a few more. when it finally shook itself, signaling there was nothing else of value in the shop, damon nodded.


    carls returned with a handful of randomly chosen rocks.


    "this is all i found. want any of these?"


    damon''s shadow gave a faint gesture of dismissal.


    "no need. i''ve got what i wanted. let''s go pay and head to a smith."


    carls eyed damon suspiciously but didn''t argue, shrugging as they approached the counter. damon dropped his chosen rocks onto the counter with a loud clatter, then pushed over the payment.


    the half-drunk overseer grunted, eyeing the coins before nodding. he reached for a hammer.


    "let''s see what ya got, kid."


    damon raised a hand to stop him.


    "that won''t be necessary. i''ll take them as they are."


    the man blinked, confused.


    "you sure, kid? don''t wanna know if you won... or lost?" his lips twisted into a mocking grin.


    damon smiled faintly, pulling up his hood. "i prefer to leave it to the goddess of fate."


    carls smirked, folding his arms.


    ''he must be pretty sure he made a killing today.''


    the overseer shrugged, already losing interest.


    "whatever. take your junk and go."


    damon loaded the rocks into his bag, careful not to draw attention. leaving them unbroken was a calculated move¡ªif there were rare ores inside, he didn''t want anyone following him. as far as the shop''s patrons were concerned, he was just a foolish kid hauling worthless rocks.


    once outside, damon cast a glance at his shadow, which flickered faintly in the sun light.


    ''let''s hope my gamble pays off.''

 Chapter 49 My Money....

    after obtaining the ores, their next stop was a blacksmith''s shop. carls swore by the goddess herself that the man was skilled, even if he wasn''t well-known, and assured damon that the smith was tight-lipped about his clients. damon wouldn''t have to worry about word getting out.


    the shop was tucked away in a quiet corner of town, hidden behind a labyrinth of winding alleys. carls led the way, navigating the twisting paths with ease until they arrived.


    damon stepped into the dimly lit workshop, the bag on his shoulder feeling heavier than usual. it contained his academy uniform and the rocks he''d purchased from the ore shop. he still wasn''t sure if the rocks were worth anything or if his shadow had simply chosen at random. but given how animated the shadow had been about the first rock, damon allowed himself a shred of hope.


    the shop was silent except for the rhythmic clanging of a hammer striking steel. weapons, tools, and armor were meticulously arranged on racks and shelves. some of them bore intricate enchantment runes, their faint glow indicating that they were artifacts.


    a warm light emanated from the furnace, casting flickering shadows across the walls. at the center of it all stood a large, burly man with a thick beard. he was engrossed in shaping a heated blade, wearing heavy gloves and a fireproof apron.


    carls gestured for damon to follow, leading him closer to the blacksmith, who didn''t bother to look up from his work.


    "old man anvil, it''s been a while. how''s business treating ya?" carls called out with an easy grin.


    the blacksmith, anvil, didn''t respond, his focus unwavering as he hammered the blade.


    carls smirked, undeterred.


    "still obsessing over your work, i see. anyway, i brought a friend. he wants some tools made, and you''re the only guy i trust to give him the best."


    at this, anvil finally raised his head, his intense gaze shifting to damon.


    "tools, huh? what kind?" his deep voice carried the weight of someone who had seen and done much.


    damon stepped forward, meeting the blacksmith''s piercing eyes.


    "the kind that can kill and carry poison. i have a concept in mind."


    anvil studied him for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if peering into damon''s soul.


    "you''ve taken a life before," anvil said gruffly. "more than once, even. you have the eyes of someone who''s seen death¡ªand will create more of it."


    damon''s expression hardened. he hadn''t expected the man to see through him so easily, and the bluntness of the observation left him momentarily unsettled.


    anvil quenched the blade he''d been working on, steam hissing as it hit the water. setting the sword aside, he folded his arms.


    "what kind of weapon do you want?"


    damon slung the bag off his shoulder and set it on the floor with a heavy thud.


    "that depends on what these rocks hold. can i borrow a hammer?"


    anvil motioned toward a door at the back of the workshop.


    "there''s a sledgehammer and an anvil inside. break your rocks and bring me the ore."


    the blacksmith paused, casting damon a sideways glance.


    "gambling at such a young age..."


    curious, damon opened his system panel.


    ---


    [hp: 50/50]


    [mana: 90/90]


    [strength: 9]


    [agility: 12]


    [speed: 25]


    [endurance: 10]


    [class: ¡ª]


    [shadow: 99]


    [shadow hunger levels: 1%]


    [shadow level: 1]


    [condition: shadow is full]


    [attributes: umbra]


    [skills:]


    [5x] [remorseless]


    [locked]


    damon stared at the screen, almost laughing despite himself.


    "ninety... my mana grew to ninety."


    the excitement was quickly tempered by regret as his mind returned to the lost crystal.


    "but at what cost? two million zeni, gone..."


    his shadow flickered, as if sensing his discontent, but it remained silent, watching him with what damon could only describe as a hesitant expression.


    after a moment of reflection, damon took a deep breath and forced himself to think rationally. money could be earned again. rapidly raising his mana capacity, however¡ªthat was priceless.


    "so," damon muttered, turning his attention to his shadow. "you eat mana crystals too, huh? and instead of feeding shadow hunger, it boosts my mana directly. interesting."


    the shadow rippled slightly, but it made no response.


    snapping out of his reverie, damon straightened his back and grabbed the next rock. he didn''t have all day, and there were still more to break open. there was no telling what other surprises these stones might hold.

 Chapter 50 Tools

    damon emerged from the forge minutes later, his expression darker than before. during this time, carls had been chatting with the blacksmith, anvil, convincing the standoffish man to assist damon. while anvil wasn''t the friendliest, carls knew him well enough to push past his prickly demeanor.


    when damon stepped into the main shop, anvil glanced at him. his sharp eyes immediately caught the shift in damon''s demeanor. the coldness in the boy''s gaze had been replaced by something deeper¡ªa painful, hollow look, as if he''d just endured a significant loss.


    anvil smirked knowingly.


    "looks like you suffered quite the blow. and here i thought you were walking out with some rare treasures."


    carls, ever the optimist, tried to cheer damon up.


    "no worries, damon. life''s full of wins and losses. you''ll bounce back."


    damon didn''t respond. he silently slung the bag off his shoulder, set it on the counter, and pulled out the ores he had collected.


    anvil''s smirk turned to a mocking grin, but it quickly froze when his eyes landed on the materials damon produced. his hands trembled slightly as he picked them up to inspect them.


    "this... this is magisite..." anvil stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. he turned to another piece, his face growing pale.


    "and this... it can''t be cursed ore, can it?"


    carls'' eyes widened as he leaned in for a closer look.


    "i never doubted you, damon. i knew you had a sharp eye!"


    damon remained silent, his mind still spiraling.


    ''two million. that mana crystal was worth at least two million zeni,'' damon thought, his lips twitching in frustration.


    ''no, wait. i didn''t even test it. if i''d found the right buyer, it could''ve been ten million. ten million! and that damn shadow devoured it...''


    while damon quietly lamented his loss, anvil was too busy marveling at the ores, practically salivating over the rare finds. carls stood awkwardly between them, unsure of how to join the conversation. in an effort to break the silence, he spoke up.


    "anvil, didn''t you say you''d make something on the house if the ore turned out to be good?"


    the blacksmith cleared his throat, snapping out of his trance.


    "ah, yes. of course. so, what do you have in mind, kid?"


    damon''s lips pressed into a thin line as he considered his options. he finally nodded and spoke.


    "i need arrows. they should have hollow tips that can carry poison. i also want twin daggers forged from the magisite."


    as damon explained, anvil grabbed a notepad and began sketching out designs.


    "the arrows..." damon continued, "...should have heads made from the cursed ore."


    anvil raised an eyebrow but didn''t interrupt, letting damon elaborate.


    "cursed ore," damon said, "kills magic on contact and slows the flow of mana. it''s toxic and attracts monsters. perfect for arrowheads."


    he hesitated before adding, experience new stories on empire


    "i don''t want them handled directly for too long. the effects aren''t safe."


    damon''s eyes narrowed, frustration flickering across his face.


    ''four days is too long. looks like i''ll need substitute weapons in the meantime.''


    carls noticed damon''s expression and opened his mouth to speak, but damon beat him to it. he reached into his bag and pulled out a worn dagger, placing it on the counter.


    "i need this sharpened. and i''ll need a bow and some arrows. how much will it cost me?"


    anvil waved his hand dismissively.


    "no charge. i''ll lend you some gear. just bring them back in four days when you pick up your custom weapons."


    damon''s eyes narrowed again. "and if i break them?"


    anvil stroked his beard, laughing heartily. "then it means i''m not a good enough craftsman."


    damon frowned, biting his lip. "i meant no insult."


    the blacksmith chuckled again. "none taken."


    damon nodded. "alright then. i''ll see you in four days."


    anvil disappeared into the back of the shop, returning moments later with a simple bow and a quiver of arrows. he handed them to damon, then took the dagger to sharpen it. it took only a few minutes before anvil held the blade up, inspecting his work.


    "here you go." he handed it back to damon, his sharp gaze fixed on him. "so, you''re part of quick hand, eh?"


    damon''s jaw tightened as he took the dagger. memories of the smuggling ring in valerion flickered in his mind. he shook his head.


    "not anymore."


    without another word, damon shouldered his bag, his expression unreadable. carls exchanged farewells with anvil before following damon out of the shop.


    the pair made their way through the bustling streets, ticking off the remaining items on damon''s list. their first stop was a glassmaker, where damon purchased vials and beakers of various sizes. from there, they visited a potion shop, filling the containers with a variety of potent chemicals and solutions.


    their final stop was the adventurers'' guild¡ªor rather, the back alley behind it. damon procured monster glands from shady merchants, carefully squeezing the volatile contents into empty glass beakers.


    by the time they were done, the sun had set, and the streets were bathed in the faint glow of twilight. damon''s steps were heavier now, exhaustion creeping into his limbs.


    "that''s everything," carls said, breaking the silence.


    damon nodded, his mind already focused on his next task.


    "thanks for the help, carls. i''ll take it from here."


    with a quick farewell, damon left his companion and headed back to the academy under the cover of darkness. instead of returning to his dormitory, he made his way toward the forest at the academy''s edge¡ªhis usual training ground.


    under the shadow of the trees, damon stashed his loot in the hollow of a large tree, carefully concealing it. he donned his academy uniform and began reorganizing his equipment, testing the feel of the bow and the balance of the freshly sharpened dagger.


    once his preparations were complete, damon began his training. he focused on honing his control over his newly expanded mana pool, now at a staggering 90. testing his [5x] skill, he felt the surge of power ripple through his body, far beyond what he''d experienced before.


    a rare smile crossed damon''s face as he marveled at the results. despite the heavy loss of the mana crystal, a spark of satisfaction burned in his chest.


    ''this is just the beginning,'' he thought, his resolve hardening.


    every step, every ounce of effort was part of his grand preparation¡ªfor revenge.

 Chapter 51 Pride Over Money

    it was well past midnight by the time damon finished testing his weapons and experimenting with his newly expanded mana pool. exhaustion tugged at his body, but he forced himself to focus. pulling out his collection of materials, he meticulously recorded what he had gathered.


    among the inventory were monster fluids, herbs, and chemical solutions. each item had been chosen with purpose.


    ''this should do,'' damon thought, his eyes scanning the list.


    he had deliberately avoided buying ready-made poisons¡ªnot only were they expensive, but purchasing them left a trail that could lead back to him. instead, he had opted for the raw materials, planning to craft the concoctions himself.


    two primary poisons were needed: a lethal one for swift kills and another that acted fast. beyond that, he required paralyzing agents, poisons to incapacitate, and smokes for both offense and escape.


    smoke bombs were a priority, especially those that could mask his scent.


    "two days," damon muttered under his breath.


    find more to read at empire


    that was all the time he could afford to suppress his shadow hunger while remaining lucid. any longer, and the hunger would overtake him.


    the golden ratio was a shadow hunger level of 50%. at that threshold, his stats received a significant boost, but his mind remained under control. anything higher would risk chaos.


    ''it''s not enough time,'' damon thought bitterly, clenching his fists.


    his magical abilities lagged far behind his peers. while they flaunted unique spells, damon could barely manage a basic shadow magic bullet.


    "not enough," he murmured. "but with my [5x] skill, i can crush them physically in an ambush."


    taking them head-on would be suicide, and damon knew it.


    he began walking back to the war halls dorm, his mind racing with plans.


    ''i''ll need to skip classes for the next two days to finish my preparations. one target... that''s all i need. study his habits, strike when the moment is right. one more soul is all i need to level up.''


    leveling up might grant him new system rewards, potentially giving him an edge.


    when he reached the war halls dorm, the main door was locked, as expected. trying to enter through the front would be foolish. the back door was likely shut too, but damon didn''t care.


    the night cloaked the academy in darkness, but damon moved as though it were daylight. his enhanced vision made the shadows irrelevant. he followed the hedge wall, slipping through a concealed section disguised by illusion magic.


    the passage led him to the dorm garden. from there, damon navigated to one of the side doors and entered the kitchen.


    as he stepped inside, the faint clang of pots and the acrid smell of something burning assaulted his senses.


    "i''ll pay you in zeni if you cook and eat with me. and i''ll also pay back my debt from yesterday¡ªright now."


    leona reached into her nightwear, which had a small pocket, and pulled out her pager.


    "give me your pager number. i''ll pay for yesterday''s debt," she said, her tone resolute.


    damon raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback by her straightforwardness. after a brief pause, he relented and gave her his number.


    a few moments later, a ding echoed from his own pager. he pulled it out and stared at the notification in disbelief.


    leona valefier had transferred eighty thousand zeni to him.


    damon froze, his eyes narrowing at the figure displayed on the screen.


    ''this... this girl just casually sent eighty thousand zeni? i was only charging her 8,508.1 zeni at principal interest for one day! can''t she do basic math?''


    his mind spun as he calculated the amount again, confirming that she had overpaid. for a moment, his disbelief gave way to amusement.


    damon smirked, a crooked grin spreading across his face.


    "well... what do you want to eat?" he asked, his voice light, betraying his good mood.


    leona smiled back, a mischievous glint in her golden eyes.


    "something delicious, like last time. lots of it."


    damon''s mood brightened further. money, it seemed, truly could buy happiness, and leona had just purchased his. this was, by far, the easiest money he''d ever made. to think, he hadn''t even charged her for the food he was about to cook.


    ''cooking for a noble would wound my pride... but i think that eighty thousand just healed it. who needs pride when you can make money?'' damon thought, stifling a chuckle.


    "fine," he said, rolling up his sleeves. "i''ll cook, but you''re going to clean up the mess you made."


    leona''s golden eyes sparkled with excitement.


    "yes, sir!" she replied with a mock salute.


    she immediately began clanging pots and pans together as she attempted to tidy up, the sound echoing loudly through the kitchen.


    damon winced and shot her a sharp glare.


    "quietly," he hissed in a low whisper, "before the head maid comes down."

 Chapter 52 Friends

    damon watched leona fumble with the pots and pans, his usual gloomy expression unchanging. the clattering and scraping noises grated on his nerves.


    ''she''s making too much noise,'' he thought, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.


    "that''s... enough. go sit down. i''ll take care of this mess," he said, his tone firm but measured.


    leona looked around awkwardly, her beastkin ears twitching slightly in response to his voice. she hesitated but obeyed, hopping onto one of the high stools and watching damon with curious eyes.


    damon moved swiftly, cleaning up the chaos she had created. pots and pans were stacked, the burned remains of her failed attempt disposed of. it took a few minutes, but he managed to restore a semblance of order, leaving the rest for the maids to handle in the morning.


    ''the maids aren''t going to like this,'' he thought grimly, but he brushed the concern aside. there were bigger issues on his mind.


    gathering ingredients, damon began sorting through vegetables, spices, and cuts of meat, selecting what he thought would be simple and quick to prepare.


    "no veggies!" leona suddenly declared, springing up from her stool.


    damon''s glare was sharp enough to freeze her in her tracks. however, the realization that she was paying him softened his resolve.


    "fine," he muttered, setting the vegetables aside. "sit down and don''t make any noise."


    leona seemed indignant for a moment, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. yet, she remembered her earlier loss to damon and grudgingly complied. strength meant everything in the world of beastkin, and damon had already proven his dominance. she sat back down, pouting like a child denied her favorite treat.


    damon ignored her, focusing on preparing the meal. he pushed away the vegetables and focused solely on the meat. his movements were precise, methodical, and efficient. as the meat began to sizzle, a mouthwatering aroma filled the air.


    but then damon froze.


    the scent of cooking meat flooded his senses, and his heart started to race. unbidden, the memories of the forest where he had killed carmen vale earlier that day surged to the forefront of his mind. the metallic tang of blood, the sight of lifeless eyes staring up at him, and the sickening crunch of flesh and bone echoed vividly in his thoughts.


    damon''s chest tightened. his breathing grew ragged, each inhale deeper and more labored than the last. the scent of fragrant meat, so innocuous and inviting, was now an unbearable reminder of his actions.


    his [remorseless] skill, a passive safeguard against guilt, remained dormant. it required pressure, stress, tension, or the heat of battle to activate¡ªand he was not in any of those situations. left without its protective numbness, damon was alone with the weight of his feelings.


    his hand trembled slightly as he gripped the spatula. the sizzling pan before him blurred, replaced by flashes of red and shadows of the forest. his breaths came in short, uneven bursts, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest.


    "hey, are you okay? you look off," leona''s voice cut through the haze in damon''s mind like a splash of cold water.


    he took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to steady himself.


    "i''m fine," he said curtly, glancing at her golden eyes, which gleamed with concern.


    "do you want condiments with this?" he asked, trying to shift the focus.


    she smiled brightly, her beastkin ears perking up.


    "yes!"


    leona nodded without hesitation.


    "okay, no problem. i''ll pay."


    she tilted her head and smiled softly.


    "you shouldn''t be so gloomy, you know. as your friend, i worry."


    damon almost recoiled at her words, caught off guard.


    "my friend? since when did you and i become friends?"


    "since yesterday," leona said, her smile widening.


    damon shook his head.


    "sorry to burst your bubble, but you and i are not friends."


    her golden eyes flickered, briefly revealing her hurt feelings. yet, she quickly composed herself.


    "no. we eat together, we defeated a powerful enemy together, and we dueled each other. that makes us friends."


    damon sighed heavily. there was no reasoning with this overly sentimental beastkin.


    the first time they ate together had been pure coincidence¡ªthere was no other comfortable seat available. they hadn''t defeated a "powerful enemy" together; they had merely been running from the student council president. and as for their duel? that was just her attacking him in a fit of excitement earlier today. none of that constituted friendship in his eyes.


    he stood abruptly, his patience wearing thin.


    "listen here, leona valefier. i don''t know how things work in the wild continent of lothria or how beastkin become friends, but wake up and smell the roses. this is soltheon, and i''m human. where i stand, you and i are not friends¡ªwe''re barely acquaintances."


    leona lowered her head slightly, his harsh words visibly stinging.


    "that''s fine," she said softly, though her tone held quiet determination.


    "because the best of friends start off as strangers."


    damon rolled his eyes and turned toward the door, uninterested in her idealistic notions.


    "you can send the payment whenever. if it''s late, you''ll owe me interest."


    without waiting for a response, he walked out of the kitchen, leaving leona to her thoughts.


    leona sat there, feeling bitter but not dissuaded. she muttered under her breath


    "we are friends."

 Chapter 53 Intellectual

    two days had passed since damon devoured the kind hunter, carmen vale. in that time, his shadow hunger had grown steadily. after his last experience, damon had learned an important lesson.


    if he allowed his shadow to travel too far from him¡ªbeyond one kilometer¡ªit would begin to consume shadow energy at an alarming rate. he had tested this limit carefully and made note of it.


    during these two days, damon had attended only one class¡ªpotion brewing. when he entered the lecture hall, all eyes were on him, accompanied by hushed murmurs. the gossip had spread like wildfire.


    the class doubted his strength, and not in a positive way. apparently, leona valefier had shown up unannounced and beaten one of their classmates to a pulp for insulting damon. afterward, she declared loudly to the entire class that damon was her "best friend."


    naturally, this sparked rumors. many speculated that leona had held back during her earlier fight with damon to avoid humiliating him, which further fueled whispers about his supposed weakness.


    damon, of course, couldn''t care less. the only reason he had bothered to attend the class was for knowledge on potion-making and to scope out his next target: isaac regardi. isaac was a member of marcus''s group, one of the people who had abandoned damon to die that fateful night¡ªthe night he gained the living shadow system.


    revenge was his purpose now, and he would hunt them down one by one.


    damon''s stats had received a modest boost from his increased hunger, though not enough to affect his sanity. yet, it was progress, and he would take every advantage he could.


    at present, he was in the library, scouring shelves for a book that could help him refine his poisons.


    these past two days had been hectic, filled with relentless training and experimentation. he had trained with the bow he''d acquired, tested his poisons and paralyzing agents on animals, and even suffered the consequences of his recklessness.


    one mishap involved damon accidentally inhaling fumes from a beaker, causing him to pass out for several hours. fortunately, the poison wasn''t potent enough to kill him.


    ''imagine dying from my own poison,'' he thought, shaking his head at the absurdity of it.


    among his test subjects were a group of ravens. one of them escaped, and before he knew it, damon had become the sworn enemy of every raven in the area. they harassed him relentlessly, diving at him whenever he stepped outdoors.


    rather than let the situation frustrate him, damon turned it into an opportunity. he used the ravens as target practice, sharpening his archery skills. over time, his ability to pick up his bow, nock an arrow, and fire with precision improved significantly.


    now, all he needed was to perfect one final poison, and he would be ready. he had already gathered all the information he needed about isaac regardi.


    ''tonight, he will die,'' damon thought grimly, his resolve unwavering.


    there was a coldness in damon''s eyes as he opened the book and stepped aside to let someone pass. he felt a slight bump against his shoulder and heard the soft, apologetic voice of a female.


    damon raised his head from the book, irritation flickering briefly on his face before he quickly suppressed it. he knew it wasn''t genuine anger but rather the aggressive effect of his shadow hunger. the sensation gnawed at him constantly, threatening to spill over into his interactions.


    the person he had bumped into was a young girl he recognized¡ªan elf with white hair and striking grey eyes. she was sylvia moonveil, the second-ranked student among the first years.


    "that''s easy. it''s because the compounds in the root and the sweat glands dissolve each other. if you want them to work, you need a third compound to act as a binder."


    damon listened intently but frowned when she stopped short of revealing the binder.


    "like what?"


    sylvia tilted her head, as if the answer should have been obvious.


    "salt. it works perfectly as the binder. in fact, it''s the best option."


    "salt... of course," damon muttered, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information.


    "why didn''t i think of that?"


    sylvia turned to leave, her curiosity about damon seemingly satisfied.


    "well, goodbye," she said lightly.


    damon raised a hand quickly.


    "wait... how do i get rid of the smell if i''m using bodak poison?"


    she paused, glancing back. "you boil it."


    "but if i boil it, won''t it just evaporate into gas?"


    she shook her head.


    "that only happens if you boil it directly. just add boiling water. the water will evaporate, but the heat will take care of the poison."


    damon nodded, mentally noting her advice. he spent the next few minutes asking her more questions, each answered with the same calm precision. before long, their conversation veered into broader topics.


    it became clear to damon that sylvia was an intellectual, much like himself. unlike him, however, she came from wealth and had access to a vast collection of books growing up. he, on the other hand, had lacked such opportunities until arriving at the academy.


    he didn''t realize how much time had passed until he noticed the sun setting. reluctantly, he bade sylvia farewell and left the library.


    ''tonight, i will strike,'' damon thought as he walked away, his resolve sharpened. but first, he needed to apply the knowledge he had just obtained from sylvia.

 Chapter 54 Tonight, I Am Death

    it was almost midnight, and damon had been in this part of the forest for hours, ever since leaving the library. he stood before a makeshift table, he had made it out of bamboo. several beakers sat in front of him, their contents glinting ominously.


    a small smile crept across his face.


    ''i was a little worried, but thanks to sylvia moonveil''s advice, i finally have the perfect poison. no smell, fast-acting... but the main concern was always the antidote.''


    damon carefully picked up a vial filled with a pale, viscous liquid and examined it with satisfaction.


    "after almost dying from my own poison, i''ve learned my lesson. i''ll keep an antidote on me at all times in case my own weapons are turned against me," he muttered to himself, a hint of grim amusement in his tone.


    setting the vial aside, he reached for his dagger and began coating the blade with the newly perfected poison. he moved with precision, ensuring an even layer without wasting a single drop. once the dagger was ready, he turned his attention to his arrows, sorting them meticulously.


    some were coated with poison, designed to kill swiftly and silently. others carried paralyzing agents, meant to incapacitate rather than kill. he handled each one with care, ensuring they were ready for the task ahead.


    damon paused to gather his tools, his movements steady despite the faint wildness in his heartbeat. he could feel the anticipation rising, but the effects of his [remorseless] skill kicked in, washing over him like a wave of ice. his mind became clear, calculating, and calm.


    he analyzed every detail of his plan¡ªhow he would strike, the precise timing, and his escape route after isaac regardi was dead. but even as his thoughts ran through every possibility, he knew there were variables he couldn''t predict.


    ''it''s impossible to account for everything. i just need to stay cautious and adapt.''


    satisfied, damon picked up his bow and took a moment to center himself. he uttered a short prayer to the goddess of doom, his voice low but steady:


    "let this be my enemies'' doom and not my own. may the fates be with me, and let death guide my hand in the wars to come."


    the prayer hung in the stillness of the forest, and damon let out a deep breath. he carefully concealed the quiver and dagger within his uniform. the bow was harder to hide, but at this hour, the academy grounds and nearby areas were deserted.


    the night was his ally, and the shadows his weapon.


    with everything in place, damon melted into the darkness, his movements silent and deliberate. the hunt had begun.


    it was a moonless night, shrouding the world in near-complete darkness. for anyone else, the lack of light would be an obstacle, but not for damon. his vision, attuned to the night, made the shadows his ally rather than his enemy. he moved silently, skirting the main path lined with lamps, where even the faintest noise could give him away.


    ahead loomed the judgment halls, a dormitory second only to the extravagant war halls in opulence. damon''s target, isaac regardi, resided on the third floor.


    hidden in the bushes, damon observed the building. the glow from isaac''s room spilled into the night, a beacon against the dark.


    he glanced at his shadow, the manifestation of his abilities, shifting restlessly beside him.


    "i suppose isaac is a night owl," damon muttered, smirking.


    "if it weren''t for the student council president catching his group in town the other day, they''d probably be out partying by now."


    your next chapter is on empire


    his shadow balled its hands into fists as if expressing its disdain for isaac and his friends.


    he focused on the shadow level tab.


    [shadow level: 1]


    your shadow level reflects your control and power over your shadow. level up by feeding it and completing specific challenges or quests.


    level-up requirements


    souls consumed: [2/3]


    "just one more..." damon muttered, a faint grin creeping onto his face. "let''s see what happens when i level up."


    the hour passed slowly, but eventually, tobias left the room. damon watched as the lights dimmed, leaving isaac alone. his shadow returned, confirming the boy was fast asleep. damon nodded to himself.


    "okay, buddy. it''s go time."


    he moved like a wraith, reaching the building''s edge and scaling the wall. the climb was treacherous with few handholds, but his experience as a former thief served him well. at the third-floor window, he drew his dagger, sliding it into the narrow gap to lift the lock.


    with a faint click, the window opened.


    damon pulled a small sphere from his pocket¡ªa paralyzing gas bomb. he dropped it inside, quickly shutting the window behind it. through the glass, he saw isaac twitch in his sleep, his body succumbing to the gas.


    damon waited, then drank an antidote from a vial at his side before reopening the window. he slipped inside, moving with deliberate caution. the room was dark, but his night vision painted everything in sharp relief.


    approaching the bed, damon loomed over isaac, who lay helpless, his body unresponsive but his eyes wide with terror.


    "hello there," damon said, his voice a venomous whisper.


    isaac struggled weakly, his lips trembling as damon forced them open. with careful precision, he poured a few drops of the paralyzing agent inside.


    isaac''s eyes watered, his breathing ragged as he tried in vain to move.


    "wh... who... are you?" isaac''s voice was barely audible, choked by fear and the paralysis gripping his body.


    damon leaned closer, his expression dark with cruel amusement.


    "what? don''t recognize me? the trash commoner with shadow attribute magic and a pathetic mana of 30?"


    isaac''s eyes widened in realization, his pupils darting as he tried to make sense of the figure towering over him.


    "y... you... you''re damon grey..."


    damon leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper, cold and final.


    "tonight, i am death."

 Chapter 55 A Soft And Luxurious Death

    isaac had never felt such raw, primal fear. his body refused to move, every muscle locked in place, his tongue heavy and unresponsive. the darkness of the room was suffocating, and worst of all, he couldn''t see the face of his tormentor¡ªdamon grey.


    tears streamed from isaac''s eyes as he lay helpless.


    "please... please don''t do this," he whimpered, his voice a desperate rasp coated in despair. "i''ll pay you... i have money... lots of it... millions of zeni..."


    from the shadows, damon''s voice cut through the silence like a blade.


    "money? you think your wealth can save you?" damon let out a cold chuckle.


    "how funny. lark bonaire said the same thing before he died."


    isaac''s trembling intensified at the mention of that name.


    ''lark... he killed lark...'' the realization slammed into him like a tidal wave. if damon had killed lark, there was no reason to think he wouldn''t kill him too. the fear clawed at his sanity, and isaac''s breath quickened into panicked gasps.


    damon stepped closer, his voice dripping with contempt.


    "you nobles are all the same. you cling to your wealth and influence, using them to ruin others, to take what you don''t deserve. but when that power fails, you think money can save you. guess what?"


    damon''s hand reached for the bedside table, grabbing isaac''s pager. the sound of the small device being picked up felt deafening in the stillness of the room.


    "when real power speaks, money takes three steps back," damon continued, his voice like ice.


    "because in the end, money loses its value before true strength. your rules, your influence¡ªthey mean nothing here. i have the power now."


    isaac''s trembling was uncontrollable. tears blurred his vision as he gasped,


    "please... i beg you... don''t kill me. i''m the heir of the regardi house... you can''t kill me!"


    damon smirked, his silhouette leaning closer to isaac''s trembling form.


    "fine," he said, his tone suddenly calm. "i''ll take your money."


    isaac''s heart leapt with a flicker of hope. his desperation latched onto those words like a drowning man clinging to driftwood. if he could survive this, he vowed to make damon pay tenfold.


    "your war bank account," damon said, his tone demanding. "what''s the pin?"


    isaac heaved deep breaths, his voice shaky but compliant. "of course... it''s ****."


    [you have gained 10 attribute points.]


    [you have awakened the skill: shadow perception.]


    damon exhaled slowly, climbing off the lifeless corpse of isaac regardi. it was done. unlike the chaotic rush of emotions he''d felt when killing lark, this time there was only a cold, hollow calm.


    his eyes shifted to his shadow, which seemed to writhe with anticipation.


    "you can devour him now," damon said, his voice flat.


    the shadow quivered in delight, stretching unnaturally as it moved over isaac''s body. within moments, it engulfed the corpse entirely, leaving no trace behind. the system chimed once more.


    [you have gained 5 attribute points.] experience tales at empire


    [your shadow is full.]


    damon turned to the pager lying on the bedside table. he quickly accessed isaac''s war bank account and transferred all the funds to the account of tobias margan. once the transaction was complete, he deliberately placed the pager in a semi-hidden spot under a shelf, ensuring it was just conspicuous enough to catch someone''s attention.


    he moved to the window, carefully locking it with his dagger, before climbing down with practiced precision. every step was calculated to avoid leaving any trace of his presence. once he reached the paved path, he slipped away into the night, blending seamlessly into the shadows.


    by the time he returned to his dorm, the tension of the night had started to lift. he entered his room quietly, stepping over the mess in the kitchen. leona valefier must have been searching for him again¡ªprobably to demand he cook something for her.


    once inside his room, damon finally allowed himself to relax. the passive effects of [remorseless] began to fade, and the adrenaline drained from his body. his hands trembled, his breath came in ragged gasps, but a faint smile crossed his lips.


    "i leveled up," he whispered to himself.


    opening his system panel, he saw that he had gained 15 attribute points in total¡ª10 from leveling up and 5 from devouring isaac''s corpse. but what truly caught his attention was the notification about his new skill.


    he opened his system panel and the first thing he saw was a prompt.


    [do you wish to activate shadow perception?]


    [y/n]


    damon didn''t hesitate.


    "yes," he whispered.


    the moment he confirmed, a familiar, overwhelming sensation surged through him. his vision widened, and his legs gave out beneath him. he fell to his knees, gasping for air as his shadow writhed and danced around him, his perception grew wider far beyond what a human should have.

 Chapter 56 Shadow Perception

    the sensation of his senses traveling through the shadows was familiar to damon. he had felt this before, during moments when his shadow''s hunger reached a critical level. yet now, with the activation of [shadow perception], the experience was far more intense¡ªoverwhelming, even.


    it was as though his awareness had expanded into a vast, infinite void, allowing him to sense everything connected to the shadows around him. images and sensations flooded his mind like a relentless torrent, chaotic and alien to any ordinary human understanding.


    he saw himself from the vantage point of his own shadow, the objects in his room outlined in vivid detail. he could feel the shadows cast by the lamps outside his dormitory, sense the rustling of trees in the wind, and perceive the sprawling expanse of darkness under their branches. in this moonless night, where light barely reached, the world of shadows seemed like a colossal, seamless mirror reflecting countless fragmented images back to him.


    damon''s mind struggled to process the overwhelming influx of sensations. his vision blurred, his head throbbed, and he felt on the verge of screaming¡ªbut he didn''t.


    slowly, painstakingly, he began to regain focus. this wasn''t his first encounter with shadow perception. before he had gained the skill, his shadow had occasionally shared its unique perspective with him, albeit on a much smaller scale. he knew how to control it.


    the shadows operated similarly to human sight: while the eyes could take in a wide field of vision, the brain only processed a fraction of that data, storing the rest subconsciously. shadow perception worked the same way¡ªhe didn''t need to absorb every detail at once. what he needed was to limit the range of his focus, suppressing the flood of information until it became manageable.


    damon took a deep breath and closed his eyes. immediately, a weight lifted from his mind as his human vision was removed from the equation. he centered himself, focusing entirely on the world of shadows. slowly, he began to rein in his perception, shrinking its radius until it extended only ten meters around him.


    ''good. this is manageable,'' damon thought.


    he tried to reduce the range further, but no matter how much he concentrated, the field of perception stubbornly resisted shrinking any smaller. every attempt to push it caused the range to expand instead, forcing damon to stop and steady his mind. he treated it like balancing on a knife''s edge, maintaining calm to prevent the sensation from spiraling out of control.


    when he felt stable, he cautiously opened his eyes. the dual perception of his human vision and the shadows'' awareness was disorienting at first, but he adjusted quickly. the shadows painted the world in vivid contrasts, filling in gaps his eyes couldn''t see. explore more adventures at empire


    damon took a tentative step forward, but his coordination faltered. his foot caught awkwardly, and he stumbled, falling to the floor with a thud.


    "ugh... ouch," he muttered, shaking his head.


    it wasn''t perfect, but it was progress. as he sat on the floor, he couldn''t help but smirk at the potential of his newfound ability. shadow perception wasn''t just a skill¡ªit was a doorway to a realm of possibilities. however, mastering it would clearly take time.


    "i''m still not used to this..."


    damon muttered as his shadow shifted closer to him. from its perspective, he could see himself¡ªa young man with dark hair, black eyes, and a perpetually gloomy expression. his pale, smooth skin gave him an otherworldly look, one that only added to his brooding demeanor.


    "ahh, this is going to be hard... if i don''t focus, my perception will keep growing out of control."


    he glanced at his shadow, its dark form moving fluidly as if alive.


    "this is how you normally see the world, right? got any tips for controlling this?"


    the shadow paused, mimicking a thoughtful pose by placing a hand on its chin. after a moment, it snapped its fingers as if struck by inspiration. with deliberate motions, it gestured over its eyes, indicating he should close them.


    damon nodded in understanding.


    "i see. keep my human eyes closed until i adjust to this new perception. makes sense."


    he sighed, a mix of annoyance and resignation escaping him.


    "still, it''s going to be a bother. feels like learning to walk all over again."


    damon sighed.


    "now i need five souls to level up. figures the difficulty would increase with each level. at least i''ve got 15 attribute points to distribute..."


    he shook his head, pushing aside the thought.


    "no distractions. let''s focus on the skill."


    navigating the system menu, damon selected [shadow perception].


    [skill: shadow perception]


    [description]:


    "when the first mortals sought shelter from the sun''s wrath, an old seer whispered: ''the shadow is not an absence but a mirror¡ªa realm where souls walk untethered by the weight of form.'' thus, in the echoes of soltheon myths and solarion shades, the power of shadows emerged as a bridge between realms, offering perception not bound by flesh but tethered to the world of the unseen."


    [effect]:


    extends the user''s awareness into the realm of shadows, allowing the perception of movements and presences beyond the limits of light and sight.


    [type]:


    passive/active.


    [cooldown]:


    none.


    ---


    damon''s eyes narrowed as he read the description.


    "perception not bound by flesh... and it mentions solarion, the sun continent."


    he knew a little about solarion. it was a land of nomads and traders to the west, famous for its harsh deserts and fierce warriors. the myths tied to shadows and light intrigued him further, but he quickly redirected his focus.


    the skill''s utility was obvious¡ªvast spatial awareness that could prove invaluable for scouting or tracking. the challenge, however, lay in mastering it. damon noted that the skill being both passive and active meant he might eventually learn to shut it off.


    "until then, i need to get a handle on it. no wonder the system asked if i wanted to activate it. if this had triggered during the incident with isaac, i''d have been screwed..."


    he shook his head at the absurdity of his situation. there was no time to dwell on hypotheticals.


    "before morning, i need to figure out how to live with this altered perception. guess i''ll take my shadow''s advice and keep my eyes closed while practicing. i''ve already missed two days of classes¡ªany more, and i''ll never catch up."


    determined, damon stood from his bed, keeping his eyes firmly shut. he took a cautious step forward, his shadow guiding him as he began his self-imposed training.


    "for now, let''s learn to walk... and see."

 Chapter 57 The Only Commoner

    the world was dark and colorless for damon. his eyes were blindfolded by a strip of black fabric, casting him into utter darkness. but the absence of color came not from the fabric alone¡ªit was the result of his shadow perception. viewing the world through shadows stripped it of vibrancy, rendering everything in monochrome hues.


    his newfound perception brought as much challenge as it did utility. his vision relied entirely on the shadows surrounding him. he could see through the inanimate shadows of walls, trees, or objects, but when it came to the shadows cast by people, his ability faltered. from them, he could only sense faint ripples, vague impressions of movement within the shadow realm.


    however, damon had one advantage¡ªhe could see clearly through the perspective of his own shadow. even if it moved far from him, it acted as a mirror, transmitting everything it saw back to him.


    that was a vast improvement from before. previously, he had to rely on his shadow to try and mime its findings, a silent messenger whose gestures often left him guessing.


    he sighed, steadying himself by pressing a hand against the cold wall.


    "seeing through shadows is... difficult," he muttered, the frustration evident in his tone.


    after hours of practice, he was finally starting to adapt. yet, his shadow perception remained a fickle and treacherous tool. shadows obeyed the whims of the light that birthed them; even a slight shift in illumination could drastically alter his view of the world. it was disorienting, like trying to navigate through a kaleidoscope in constant motion.


    the night had been long, but he had made progress. blindfolding his eyes had proven essential, forcing him to rely solely on this new perception.


    damon made his way to the dorm door, his hand brushing lightly over its surface as he prepared to face the day. he knew this wasn''t going to be easy. the blindfold was bound to attract attention, especially considering he was already treated as a pariah among the noble students.


    but it had to be done. if he didn''t master this skill, he would remain vulnerable. the memory of being cornered by lark bonaire in the forest flashed through his mind¡ªa grim reminder of what his lack of control had cost him.


    ''i need to understand depth perception, learn to adapt to the ever-changing view, and make it my strength, not my weakness,'' he resolved.


    with that thought, damon pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway. his movements were fluid, unhurried. though blindfolded, he didn''t stumble, relying entirely on his shadow perception. after hours of effort, he had managed to suppress its radius to ten meters, giving him a clear but manageable range.


    reaching the elevator, he extended a hand to find the buttons. the shadows within the small space outlined them clearly, allowing him to press the one for the ground floor with ease.


    it was early morning, the time when most students were bustling about, preparing to leave. normally, damon avoided this hour, preferring to move earlier or later to escape the judgmental gazes of the nobles. today, however, he made no effort to dodge anyone.


    the elevator descended smoothly, the soft hum of its mechanisms filling the silence. when the doors opened, damon stepped out into the lobby. he exhaled softly, bracing himself for the challenges of the day ahead.


    if he wanted to survive¡ªand thrive¡ªhe needed to conquer this new world of shadows. your next read is at empire


    the ground floor of the dormitory exuded opulence. chandeliers cast soft, golden light across the polished floors, and antique furniture adorned the space, giving it a grandeur more fitting for a palace than student housing¡ªnot that damon had ever set foot in a palace to compare.


    damon scowled, keenly aware of the attention her loud voice was drawing. he needed to get out of here before things escalated.


    "i''ll pass," he said curtly, brushing past her.


    "wait!" she called after him. "i''ll pay you five thousand zeni to eat with me!"


    that stopped him in his tracks. slowly, a smirk crept across his face.


    "hmmm. i suppose i can make time," he said, his tone suddenly amiable.


    leona beamed, clearly pleased with herself. she had a fair understanding of damon by now¡ªhe was a man who put a price on everything. as long as you offered the right amount of money, he''d agree to almost anything.


    their relationship was peculiar, to say the least. perhaps it was the beginning of an unusual friendship, or perhaps it was nothing more than a transactional arrangement.


    for leona, who lived by her emotions and instincts, it felt like camaraderie. for damon, whose world was ruled by cold logic, it was simply business.


    the two of them found an empty table in the dining hall, away from the clusters of nobles. leona seemed to be in high spirits, her golden eyes bright with energy. damon, on the other hand, remained as gloomy as ever, his black blindfold giving him an almost spectral appearance.


    as soon as they sat down, the whispers began.


    "why is that commoner wearing a blindfold? did that mongrel finally go blind?"


    "i can''t believe he''s still here at the academy."


    "don''t worry. he''ll be expelled soon enough. just look at the brooch on his chest¡ªit''s only a matter of time."


    damon sighed, trying to tune them out. this was precisely why he usually avoided the dining hall during peak hours. as the only commoner among the noble students in the war halls, he was a constant target for their disdain.


    his frown deepened as he felt two new shadows approach their table. they moved with purpose, their presence sharp and unmistakable.


    "may i sit here?"


    damon didn''t bother to look up. his response was immediate and flat.


    "no."

 Chapter 58 Unwelcomed Attention

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    evangeline brightwater glanced at damon, her curiosity piqued by the black blindfold obscuring his eyes. she couldn''t understand why he was wearing it, but it added to his mysterious aura. his demeanor remained as cold and detached as ever, though she got the distinct impression he had sensed her presence long before she spoke.


    the subtle reaction stirred a strange sense of de?ja? vu in her. turning to sylvia moonveil, who stood quietly by her side, she searched for an explanation. the elven girl merely shrugged, offering no insight.


    evangeline bit her lip, suppressing a sigh. damon grey was as standoffish as always, though it surprised her to see him seated with leona valefier. she recalled the beastkin loudly proclaiming to the entire class that damon was her best friend.


    "there aren''t any free tables left, so this is the only option," evangeline said, her tone light but resolute.


    "i hope you don''t mind."


    without waiting for permission, she sat down and pulled sylvia into the seat beside her.


    damon sighed, his irritation evident.


    "actually, i do mind," he said flatly. "but clearly my words won''t stop you."


    evangeline bit her lip again at his bluntness.


    leona, ever cheerful, smiled at the newcomers.


    "actually, i''m fine with it. the more, the merrier! strong people should all stick together."


    damon let out another sigh, his patience waning.


    "then i should leave. after all, i''m the academy''s weakest student."


    leona shook her head firmly, her golden eyes sparkling with determination.


    "no, you''re the strongest! and my bestie!"


    if damon''s eyes weren''t covered by the blindfold, he would have shot her a glare that could freeze the sun.


    ''what is wrong with this girl?'' he thought in frustration.


    ''i''ve told her a hundred times that i''m not... whatever. i''m only here for the money.''


    evangeline, sensing the awkward tension, tried to steer the conversation toward something neutral.


    "i didn''t know the two of you were friends," she said, glancing between damon and leona.


    "we are not friends," damon replied coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.


    leona, undeterred, giggled softly.


    "that''s right¡ªwe''re best friends!"


    damon exhaled sharply.


    damon ignored her completely, focusing instead on finishing his food. he hated the attention the three girls brought to their table, their presence drawing countless stares from the surrounding students. a gloomy loner like him had no desire to be the center of such unwelcome interest.


    evangeline bit her lip, feeling the sting of his dismissal. she was trying to be polite, but his cold attitude made the atmosphere awkward.


    sylvia noticed her friend''s discomfort and decided to step in.


    "she''s right. can you even see with that on?"


    damon paused for a moment, considering ignoring sylvia as well, but quickly dismissed the idea. her knowledge had proven valuable in the past, and he might need her expertise again.


    "no, i cannot," he replied bluntly. "my eyes can''t see anything with this on."


    leona''s ears perked up, her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity.


    "is this some kind of training? how does it work?"


    damon didn''t reply, maintaining his silence as he pushed his plate away.


    leona, undeterred, grinned mischievously. she reached into her pocket and pulled out her pager.


    "i want to buy your niceness and friendliness. my offer¡ªten thousand."


    damon''s eyes narrowed behind the blindfold. this girl really had him figured out. she knew he wouldn''t turn down easy money, even if it meant entertaining her antics.


    ''what haven''t i done for money?'' he thought bitterly.


    ''i''ve begged, i''ve stolen... selling a little pride is nothing.''


    sylvia and evangeline frowned in unison, misunderstanding his silence. they must have assumed he was offended by leona''s brash offer.


    before they could speak, damon surprised them by smiling faintly¡ªa rare and unsettling sight. the smile was faint and gloomy, but it was unmistakably there.


    "deal," he said, his voice carrying an edge of amusement.


    both girls blinked in disbelief, their eyes widening. damon had smiled.


    raising his head slightly in leona''s direction, he continued,


    "this blindfold is¡ª"


    he stopped abruptly, his posture stiffening. his shadow perception alerted him to someone standing behind him, their presence cold and invasive.


    the silence broke as an arrogant, self-assured voice rang out.


    "it seems there aren''t any free seats for the first years. may i sit here, lady brightwater?"


    the speaker didn''t wait for a response, casually sliding into the seat opposite damon.


    damon''s aura darkened immediately, a chill radiating from him as he sensed the intruder through his shadows.


    xander ravenscroft.

 Chapter 59 Malicious Remarks

    damon''s eyes, hidden beneath his blindfold, would have burned with anger, resentment, and every negative feeling he could muster towards xander ravenscroft. but as they were shut and obscured, he could only rely on his [shadow perception] to sense the world around him.


    his mood darkened further when xander chose to sit at the table.


    in damon''s monochrome world of shadows, xander''s high and mighty aura stood out like a polished blade. xander radiated a commanding presence, the kind that seemed to demand respect by mere existence. it was as though he lived by an unshakable set of principles, carrying himself with a dignity damon found both enviable and detestable.


    and that was precisely why damon hated him.


    to damon, survival was paramount, and he wouldn''t hesitate to sacrifice principles, pride, or anything else necessary to keep breathing. that was the stark difference between the noble xander ravenscroft, born into privilege and strength, and damon grey, a commoner who had scraped and clawed his way through life.


    the feeling was mutual. xander didn''t seem to harbor any affection for damon either.


    enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    xander inclined his head in a polite gesture, addressing the girls at the table.


    "lady moonveil," he greeted smoothly, his tone regal.


    he turned to leona. "good morning to you, lady valefier."


    finally, his gaze fell on evangeline.


    "apologies for the intrusion, lady brightwater. a good morning to you as well."


    but when his eyes settled on damon, his expression hardened, and his tone grew sharp.


    "commoner."


    damon didn''t miss a beat, sneering back with equal venom.


    "noble."


    the air between them thickened with tension, palpable to anyone paying attention.


    this was a rare occurrence¡ªxander rarely acknowledged damon''s existence. most of the time, he would refer to damon as "insect" in passing, even if damon was standing right in front of him. yet now, he had looked directly at him, his disdain visible.


    damon raised a teacup to his lips as a maid delivered xander''s breakfast to the table. his discomfort grew with every second. here he was, the so-called weakest student in the academy, seated among four of the strongest.


    ''this is going to be a long day,'' damon thought bitterly, setting his cup down.


    he could feel xander''s disapproving gaze on him, likely judging his surprisingly refined manner of holding the teacup. but damon didn''t care. he wasn''t here to impress anyone. he was here for one reason only: leona valefier had paid him to have breakfast with her.


    ''the things i do for money,'' he thought with a grimace.


    sylvia and evangeline both noticed the tension brewing between damon and xander. however, the beastkin leona remained blissfully oblivious, far too engrossed in her own thoughts.


    with a bright smile, she returned to her earlier question, ignoring xander''s interruption.


    "tell us."


    damon tilted his head slightly.


    "tell you what?"


    leona grinned mischievously, leaning forward.


    "you agreed to be nice, remember? you were going to tell us about your blindfold."


    "you''re holding a fork."


    leona ran through several gestures, testing damon''s abilities. each time, he answered correctly without hesitation or movement.


    evangeline clapped her hands together, her admiration evident.


    "that''s incredible! to think you could train your senses like that."


    xander''s smirk vanished, replaced with a scowl.


    "it has to be a spell. there''s no way he can see without his eyes."


    sylvia shook her head, her expression thoughtful.


    "no, i didn''t sense any magic. he hasn''t even moved his mana."


    evangeline''s amazement only grew, and she turned to damon with a warm smile.


    "you really are something. as expected from the one who defeated me."


    xander froze, his eyes widening as he processed her words. he looked between evangeline and damon, his gaze narrowing with disbelief.


    "that''s ridiculous. i find it hard to believe that this commoner, with such a pitiful amount of mana, could defeat anyone, let alone you."


    evangeline frowned, her irritation building, but before she could respond, damon finally turned his head toward xander.


    "is ''preposterous'' the only word you know?" damon sneered.


    "you show up here uninvited, act like a lovesick fool, and expect people to take you seriously? i''m not sure where you''re from, lover boy, but that''s not how you win a lady''s heart."


    xander''s usually composed demeanor cracked, and his jaw tightened in visible frustration.


    leona, sensing drama, leaned forward eagerly.


    "lovesick? what does he mean, damon?"


    damon suppressed a cruel smirk, relishing the opportunity.


    ''right on time,'' he thought.


    "the fool has a crush, obviously," damon said, his voice casual but biting.


    he paused deliberately, waiting for leona''s curiosity to peak.


    leona''s eyes lit up with intrigue.


    "on who? tell me, tell me! and it better not be me¡ªhe''s definitely not my type."


    damon''s smile turned wicked as he prepared to deliver the killing blow.


    "it''s that obvious, isn''t it? xander has a crush on¡ª"


    xander slammed his hands against the table, standing abruptly.


    "how dare you, commoner! i challenge you to a duel!"


    damon leaned back in his chair, unimpressed.


    "huh? screw off. why would i fight you, you retard?"

 Chapter 60 You Wont Win

    xander ravenscroft had never felt more insulted in his life, and the fact that it happened in front of evangeline¡ªhis long-standing crush¡ªonly made it worse. damon''s calculated insult had been ruthless, delivered with precision and malice right before his audience.


    damon leaned back, watching xander fume with a detached amusement.


    ''no matter how high and mighty he acts, he''s still just a teenager. i''ll never understand these foolish crushes.''


    xander''s outburst had not gone unnoticed. the quiet hum of the dining hall turned into a murmur as students began to whisper and cast curious glances toward their table.


    "is xander ravenscroft really going to duel that guy?"


    "of course. if he has any honor, he''ll demand satisfaction and fight."


    "wait, isn''t that damon grey?"


    "no way. you mean the guy who''s last in the rankings?"


    "that''s him¡ªthe probationary student. can you imagine? a nobody like him squaring off against ravenscroft?"


    damon sighed, lifting his teacup again as the whispers grew louder.


    ''so much unnecessary attention. these noble idiots really think i''ll fight just because some pompous moron asked for it? honor can kiss my ass.''


    xander, on the other hand, was seething. his fists trembled, his knuckles white as he gritted his teeth.


    "your cheap insults mean nothing," xander growled. "i challenge you to honorable combat!"


    damon didn''t even look at him. he took a slow sip of tea before sneering.


    "and i said, screw off."


    the sharp dismissal hung in the air, silencing some of the murmurs. the tension between the two was palpable.


    evangeline and sylvia, sitting at the table, were wide-eyed. the situation had escalated far beyond what they expected, and neither knew how to diffuse it. still, they understood that this reaction wasn''t uncommon for nobles like xander.


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    sylvia leaned slightly toward evangeline, whispering.


    "it''s not unusual for a noble to resort to a duel when they feel insulted, especially from a warrior house like ravenscroft. they''re... predictable that way."no?v(el)b\\jnn


    evangeline nodded faintly but kept her eyes on damon, who seemed unbothered by the growing crowd and rising tension. the difference in demeanor between the two boys couldn''t have been starker: xander, fiery and indignant, and damon, calm and utterly disinterested.


    leona, who had been quietly observing, smirked. her golden eyes glinted with amusement as she leaned forward, clearly enjoying the spectacle.


    she could barely contain her excitement, practically bouncing in her seat.


    "wow, damon, you''re going to fight him? i can''t wait!"


    damon shook his head, his voice calm yet dismissive.


    "i have no reason to play along with him. just because someone asks for a fight doesn''t mean i''ll give it to them. only idiots fight when they have nothing to gain."


    xander scoffed, his irritation bubbling over.


    "we only have one theory-based class today. the rest are practical. our last class is professor blackthorn''s anti-magic combat training, right?"


    damon raised an eyebrow beneath his blindfold.


    "so?"


    sylvia''s gray eyes gleamed with an idea.


    "you can compete there."


    evangeline shook her head.


    "i highly doubt professor blackthorn would allow them to fight directly. unless..."


    sylvia nodded, cutting her off.


    "that''s right. they wouldn''t be fighting each other. instead, they can take on the magic artillery. whoever lasts the longest at a set difficulty wins."


    the mention of the magic artillery made everyone pause. a relic from the magic continent, the artillery was originally designed for the demon wars but had since been repurposed as a training tool. it fired relentless barrages of magical attacks at the user, testing their speed, reflexes, and barriers.


    xander sat back down, crossing his arms.


    "very well then."


    damon scoffed.


    "and why should i? i gain nothing from this."


    xander glared at him, but leona raised her hand, grinning mischievously.


    "i know! xander pays you if he loses!"


    damon held his chin, pretending to ponder.


    "hmm, that works for me. half a million zeni if i win."


    xander scoffed, his lip curling.


    "you truly have no honor."


    damon sighed, leaning back casually.


    "since when has that ever mattered?"


    xander clenched his fists, his pride unwilling to let him back down.


    "very well. but if i win, you will offer me a public apology."


    he glanced briefly at evangeline, clearly hoping to impress her.


    damon turned his blindfolded face toward xander, his voice carrying a confident edge.


    "you won''t win."

 Chapter 61 The Grudges Of Man Versus Bird

    in his short life, damon had learned a few harsh lessons, and they had served him well.


    when you are weak, appear strong. when you are poor, act rich.


    but the most important lesson was this: never get into a battle you couldn''t win. damon never gambled unless he had at least an 80% chance of succeeding. this situation was no different.


    as he weighed what he stood to gain against what he could lose, the odds seemed to even out.


    ''with five hundred thousand, i can finally transfer luna to a better medical facility. i can''t lose.''


    he clenched his fists under the table, hiding the intensity of his determination. he understood the stakes. xander''s demand for an apology if he lost seemed trivial compared to what damon stood to gain.


    ''nobles and their vain nonsense,'' he thought bitterly, nearly sneering at the idea.no?v(el)b\\jnn


    victory was the only option. damon was confident in his familiarity with the magic artillery, especially if he chose an attribute that worked in his favor. the odds of success were high.


    he glanced downward, his shadow stretching faintly across the floor. while he couldn''t see it with his blindfolded eyes, his [shadow perception] skill gave him a perfect vision of it, along with the rest of the room. oddly, it felt as though the shadow was watching him back.


    across the table, xander continued shooting icy glares his way. damon''s calm confidence seemed to grate on the aloof noble, whose pride wouldn''t allow him to back down.


    pushing his chair back, damon stood, brushing off his uniform.


    "we''ve got philosophy of magic next," he said, turning to leona. "i''m out."


    leona wrinkled her nose in disappointment.


    "that sounds boring."


    sylvia tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she stood.


    "he''s right. let''s go. we might be late if we don''t hurry."


    evangeline nodded, her gaze thoughtful.


    "professor chrome is teaching this class, right?"


    the mention of chrome seemed to pique xander''s interest. however, the others could tell evangeline wasn''t really asking a question.


    "yes," sylvia answered. "he mostly teaches theory courses¡ªhistory of the demon wars, philosophy of magic, demonology, dungeon characteristics, monster ecology... things like that."


    xander nodded. "he is also a commoner."


    evangeline nodded again, her tone distracted.


    "right, i knew that."


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    damon saw the perfect opportunity to discredit xander and couldn''t resist taking a jab.


    "wow, you really impressed her there, lover boy."


    xander''s glare turned sharp, his fists clenching.


    "speak one more time, and i''ll¡ª"


    "that''s enough," sylvia interjected, her tone cutting through the brewing tension like a blade. "let''s just get to class."


    damon stood up, his expression as grim as ever, and leona quickly followed, stepping to his side as if claiming her spot.


    evangeline and sylvia, walking close together, also got up. xander, heading to the same class, joined them, making their group look oddly cohesive¡ªlike a group of friends. damon wished they would just leave him alone.


    as they exited through the main entrance, damon''s senses heightened. his [shadow perception] caught the subtle movement of something swooping down at him. the direction and speed were clear in his mind.


    with a swift motion, he waved his hand, smashing the attacker out of the air before it reached him. a loud caw followed as the raven crashed to the ground.


    "why are you making animal cruelty sound like a war? you must have offended the ravens first."


    damon sighed, his patience wearing thin.


    "why does that matter? if they all die, then no more grudges."


    sylvia gritted her teeth but held herself back. she glanced at the raven in her hands, her expression softening.


    "[healing moonlight]," she whispered.


    a gentle, white glow enveloped the bird as sylvia''s lunar attribute magic worked its miracle. the raven stirred awake, its broken wing now healed. sylvia smiled warmly as she cradled the bird, a serene sight that seemed almost divine.


    but the tranquility shattered when the raven''s gaze landed on damon. its feathers ruffled, and it let out a furious caw.


    "evil, evil, evil!"


    "killer, killer, killer!"


    xander smirked.


    "even the animals can see your true nature."


    damon kept his expression neutral, though inwardly he sighed.


    ''right. ravens can talk. i forgot that.''


    sylvia stood up, glaring at him.


    "apologize to the ravens."


    damon scoffed, crossing his arms.


    "why in the goddess''s name would i apologize to a bunch of birds? he attacked me."


    through his shadows, he noted her sour expression and hesitated. for a moment, his blunt demeanor cracked as he reminded himself that sylvia could be useful.


    ''if i want her help, i should at least try to stay in her good books.''


    he sighed deeply.


    "fine... as you wish."


    leona giggled.


    "wow, i can''t believe you made damon agree so easily."


    damon''s annoyance only deepened as he stepped closer to the raven in sylvia''s hands.


    "i apologize to you for any grievances."


    sylvia smiled at the raven.


    "now, forgive him, mister raven."


    the bird stared at her, then at damon, before hopping onto his head with a triumphant caw.


    "get off me, you¡ª" damon raised his hand to swat it away, but sylvia caught his wrist, her grip surprisingly firm.


    her grey eyes locked with his blindfolded eyes, a mischievous glint in them.


    "i think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."


    damon clenched his teeth, barely restraining the urge to snap.


    ''screw off,'' he thought bitterly.

 Chapter 62 The Raven Ravenscroft

    evangeline stood back, quietly observing the unfolding chaos with an amused smile. it was rare to see damon so out of his element. the usually stoic and distant figure was now at odds with a raven and an elf, and it was undeniably entertaining. even sylvia, who was typically calm and reserved, seemed unusually spirited in defending the bird.


    the raven perched smugly on damon''s head, ruffling its feathers as if declaring victory. damon''s frown deepened with every passing second, his patience clearly fraying.


    sylvia''s gentle smile, however, remained unwavering.


    "looks like he''s decided to stay," she said lightly, stroking the bird''s feathers.


    damon gave her a deadpan look.


    "did he tell you that, or are you just guessing?"


    sylvia tilted her head playfully. "a little bit of both."


    he sighed, his shoulders slumping.


    "get this bird off my head, or it''s going to be dinner."


    the raven squawked indignantly, hopping off damon''s head and onto sylvia''s arm.


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    "caw, caw! killer, killer! caw, caw! evil, evil!" it shrieked, clearly satisfied with itself.


    through his shadow perception, damon studied the bird. the morning sunlight glinted off its glossy black feathers, except for a small, bare patch near its wing. his gaze narrowed as a memory surfaced: this was the same raven that had outwitted him during one of his poison tests. it had feigned paralysis long enough to escape, earning his disdain¡ªand, apparently, its grudge.


    ''so that''s why it hates me. clever little pest,'' he thought grudgingly.


    sylvia interrupted his musings.


    "you should keep him," she said, a teasing lilt in her voice. "as a way to atone. or so i think he says."


    damon raised an eyebrow. "so you''re just guessing."


    sylvia brushed her silver hair aside with a graceful motion, her tone turning mock-serious.


    "well, yes. i''m not a beast tamer, after all."


    "i''m not keeping that thing," damon retorted firmly, crossing his arms.


    sylvia''s playful expression sharpened into a glare. the raven hopped onto her shoulder, as if emboldened by her defense.


    "yes, you are," she declared. "you broke its wing, traumatized it, and started this ridiculous feud. the least you can do is give it a home."


    damon shook his head. "not a chance. it''s a wild animal¡ªit can fend for itself."


    the raven squawked again, wings flapping dramatically.


    "evil! evil! killer, killer!" it screeched, fixing damon with its piercing black eyes, full of judgment.


    sylvia''s lips curved into a triumphant smirk. "see? even it knows you''re in the wrong. you owe it."


    "you really like hearing yourself talk, don''t you? if you stayed quiet, no one would think you were dead."


    he turned his gaze to leona and evangeline, who had been standing nearby.


    "these two were here the whole time, and they didn''t feel the need to run their mouths."


    evangeline sighed, her arms crossed.


    "can the both of you not get into it right now? save your energy for the duel."


    xander glared at damon but kept silent, scoffing under his breath.


    leona laughed, brushing a strand of black hair behind her ear.


    "damon, what''s the plan? how are you going to beat him? i can''t wait to see your skills in action."


    damon ignored her, turning on his heel and heading toward class.


    "this day just keeps getting more and more annoying."


    as he walked away, the raven flew from sylvia''s arm and landed on his shoulder.


    "evil! evil!" it squawked again, settling into place as if it belonged there.


    sylvia chuckled, her usual calm demeanor softened by amusement.


    "see? it''s already bonding with you."


    "if it proves to be a nuisance," damon muttered, "i''m going to kill it."


    the raven tilted its head, cawing defiantly. "evil! caw!"


    sylvia raised an eyebrow, curious.


    "what are you going to name him?"


    damon stopped in his tracks, a sly smirk curling on his lips. he glanced over his shoulder at xander, who had been watching with a sneer.


    "i think i''ll call it ravenscroft," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.


    xander''s expression darkened instantly. he recognized the insult for what it was: a deliberate jab at his family''s name.


    sylvia hesitated, her smile turning wary. "i don''t think that''s a good idea..."


    damon''s smirk widened.


    "then it''s decided. his name will be ravenscroft. croft for short."


    xander ravenscroft''s composure snapped. his voice trembled with fury as he stepped forward.


    "you dare, you lowly commoner!"

 Chapter 63 Did Someone Die

    damon sat at the back of the class, as he always did. except this time, he had company¡ªa fact that made him increasingly uncomfortable.


    leona valefier, his self-proclaimed best friend, sat directly to his right, her black white hair glowing faintly in the soft classroom light. she lounged back casually, grinning as if she owned the space. sylvia moonveil, on the other hand, claimed the seat to his left. her excuse was simple: she was there to ensure he didn''t harm the raven now perched on his shoulder.


    evangeline had also followed, though she hadn''t bothered to offer an explanation. she simply took a seat nearby, her quiet presence both calming and bright. and then, of course, there was xander ravenscroft. his aristocratic scowl practically burned a hole in the back of damon''s head, his indignation over damon naming the raven "ravenscroft" still fresh and palpable.


    damon could see through xander''s thinly veiled anger. it wasn''t just about the name; xander clearly wanted an excuse to hover near evangeline. the crush he harbored for her was obvious, and damon figured he was merely using their antagonism as an excuse to stay close.


    damon sighed. he hated crowds, hated people being close to him. having this many around made his skin crawl, feeding his ever-present paranoia.


    ''what is their angle?'' damon thought, his jaw tightening.


    ''what are they trying to achieve? is this some kind of plot?''


    he couldn''t shake the unease. and then there was that earlier incident with his shadow perception¡ªa disquieting reminder of how little he understood his own abilities.


    sylvia''s words replayed in his head: "damon, stop being stubborn."


    it had been so innocuous, yet it struck a nerve. it reminded him too much of something his sister, luna, used to say whenever she wanted something from him. he couldn''t help but draw parallels between the two of them¡ªthe white hair, the similar eyes, even their shared magic attributes. for a brief moment, his shadow perception had twisted the world, making sylvia''s image bleed into that of his sister''s.


    he clenched his fists, his hands brushing against the blindfold covering his eyes. he still couldn''t fully comprehend this skill, this strange ability that was more curse than blessing.


    pulling up the skill''s description again, damon read it in his mind as his shadow perception allowed him to view the system panel, even with his eyes closed.


    [skill: shadow perception]


    [description:]


    "when the first mortals sought shelter from the sun''s wrath, an old seer whispered: ''the shadow is not an absence but a mirror¡ªa realm where souls walk untethered by the weight of form.'' thus, in the echoes of soltheon myths and solarion shades, the power of shadows emerged as a bridge between realms, offering perception not bound by flesh but tethered to the world of the unseen."


    [effect:]


    the user''s awareness extends into the realm of shadows, perceiving movements and presences beyond the limits of light and sight.


    [type:]


    passive/active


    [cooldown:]


    0 sec


    ---


    damon closed the panel and turned his focus back to sylvia, using the very skill he was trying to understand. this time, her image didn''t distort. she looked like herself¡ªno haunting overlap with luna''s fragile features.


    ''was it all in my head?'' he wondered, his brow furrowing.


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    "the shadow is a mirror..."


    the description echoed in his mind. he didn''t understand everything about the skill, nor did he have full control over it. that meant it was entirely possible his mind had played tricks on him.


    unconsciously, his gaze shifted toward sylvia. she was sitting just inches away, her delicate fingers brushing the raven''s feathers with a childlike fascination. there was an innocence to her in that moment, a rare softness that contrasted with the composed demeanor she often displayed.


    ''luna.''


    the thought flickered again, unbidden. he shook his head, trying to banish it. of course, sylvia moonveil reminded him of his sister¡ªthey shared some physical and magical similarities. but sylvia was an elf, not human like luna. and the differences between them were just as striking as the similarities.


    damon bit his lip, memories of luna''s pale, sunken face flooding his mind. he could still see her lying weakly in bed, her body frail and wasting away as illness consumed her.


    "be nice," she chided, her expression somewhere between amused and annoyed.


    damon sighed.


    "fine. let me rephrase. the benefits you gain from a relationship don''t have to be something tangible, like money or luxury. we stand to gain many things from forging these fleeting bonds: the self-gratification of being around someone you love, the joy of destroying someone you hate, impressing your family, or proving your worth. all of these are benefits, but in the end, these bonds always break¡ªwhether by choice or by cosmic design."


    a heavy silence followed his words.


    leona bit her lip, her cheerful demeanor dimming slightly.


    "but even so... having a friend is good, even if it''s fleeting."


    damon shrugged, his tone dismissive.


    "i don''t care. i''m more interested in what you people actually want from me. what''s your angle? what do you hope to achieve? the only person here who''s been clear is xander ravenscroft, and trust me, the feeling is mutual."


    evangeline sighed, shaking her head.


    "you really are a difficult person to get along with. no wonder you''re always alone."


    "that''s fine by me. i like it that way."


    sylvia frowned, her calm voice carrying a quiet conviction.


    "whoever is comfortable in solitude is either a wild beast or a god. you''re neither, so i''m sure there''s a part of you that desires connection."


    she paused, her gaze steady.


    "fine. you wanted a reason, right? here it is: i stand to gain the self-gratification of saving someone from their solitude. that''s what i want."


    evangeline smiled faintly at her friend''s boldness. sylvia might have been reserved, but she was far from weak.


    "my reason is the same as i''ve told you before," evangeline said. "i want you to be my training partner."


    leona raised her hand excitedly. "me next! me next!"


    she tapped her chin in exaggerated thought.


    "hmm... what do i want? oh, right! i want to be your friend so you''ll cook for me."


    her gaze shifted to xander, who had been silently fuming. "what about you?"


    everyone turned to him expectantly.


    xander narrowed his eyes, his lips curling in disdain.


    "i can''t stand this commoner. especially after hearing what he just said. he''s both vile and cunning. i''ll stay to keep an eye on him."


    damon sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.


    "i couldn''t care less what you all want."


    as he spoke, damon''s shadow perception picked up on a presence approaching their group.


    the blue-haired figure stopped in front of xander, bowing his head slightly with an air of practiced loyalty. he spared a glance at the rest of the group before turning his focus to damon.


    "grey," he greeted, his tone disdainful but curt.


    damon''s smirk twisted with cold malice. "marcus."


    damon''s expression didn''t falter.


    "why the sour expression? did someone die?"

 Chapter 64 Dead And Devoured

    marcus''s glare was sharp, his anger palpable as he faced damon taking notice of the blindfold over his eyes.


    "grey, you bastard. i see you still know how to run your mouth."


    damon scoffed, crossing his arms with a nonchalant air.


    "and i see you still haven''t grown out of that subservient attitude. just so you know, your lord and master ravenscroft doesn''t actually give a damn about you."


    marcus''s eyes narrowed dangerously, but before he could respond, xander raised a hand, cutting through the tension.


    "ignore him."


    xander''s voice carried authority, though his annoyance with damon was evident. "what''s so important that you had to come all the way here when class is about to begin?"


    as marcus hesitated, xander stole a quick glance at evangeline. the subtle action didn''t go unnoticed, and marcus''s lips pressed into a thin line as he seemed to grasp the unspoken meaning. after a moment, he bit his lip before speaking, his voice strained.


    "it''s lark. he''s been confirmed dead."


    the air grew heavy. damon suppressed a smile, his face remaining unreadable, but the others immediately turned their attention to marcus.


    xander, who had been the leader of the group marcus was part of, frowned deeply.


    "how?" he asked, his voice tight. "how did he die? he was only missing, wasn''t he?"


    marcus''s eyes were red, his voice trembling as he struggled to suppress his tears.


    "he was missing... but it turns out he went into the woods. a monster managed to get past the academy''s barrier. it attacked him and dragged him beyond the barrier..."


    evangeline''s gaze was sharp as she looked at marcus.


    "beyond the barrier? that''s impossible. the barrier wouldn''t allow a monster to pass."


    sylvia nodded, her calm voice carrying a note of concern.


    "she''s right. that barrier was designed to selectively allow only members of the goddess races to pass. demons and monsters can''t cross it. and if they did, the wards would''ve triggered an alarm across the academy."


    leona, her eyes flickering with unease, leaned forward.


    "what kind of monster could it have been?"


    marcus''s voice cracked as he shook his head.


    "we... don''t know. the investigation only found deep claw marks and his pager. nothing else..."


    damon''s expression remained neutral, but his thoughts were as sharp as a blade.


    ''hmph, so they''ve finally decided to stop hiding lark''s death. i wonder what story the academy fed his family... no matter. as long as no one finds out i killed him, i should be safe.''


    xander''s calm demeanor was betrayed by the clenching of his fists. through his shadow perception, damon could sense the faint tremble in xander''s hands.


    ''he''s holding it in,'' damon mused. ''should i act concerned? or indifferent?''


    xander took a deep breath, his voice measured but tinged with sadness.


    "i see. we should send our condolences to his family. as for the monster... i''m sure the academy will hunt it down."


    damon frowned slightly at xander''s words.


    ''of course, the academy won''t sit idle. they still have their pride to uphold. poor monsters beyond the barrier will be paying the price for this.''


    marcus sniffed, wiping at his eyes before speaking again, his voice breaking. enjoy new chapters from empire


    "they... they found isaac''s pager with a transaction receipt. it showed that he transferred all his money to tobias''s account. the room also had signs of a struggle. two cups were found¡ªone with traces of poison. the investigators believe tobias drugged him... but his body was never found."


    damon suppressed the urge to grin, his inner thoughts cold and calculated.


    ''good thing i tampered with more than just the pager. adding traces of the paralyzing agent to the cup was a stroke of genius.''


    leona''s eyes narrowed as she studied damon.


    "so, tobias killed his friend?"


    damon shrugged nonchalantly.


    "who knows? that''s for the investigation to decide."


    marcus''s glare returned, tears glistening in his eyes.


    "he didn''t kill him! i can vouch for tobias!"


    damon tilted his head slightly, a thin smile forming on his lips.


    "but you weren''t there, were you?"


    xander''s fury broke through his usual calm demeanor.


    "shut up, commoner! we don''t need your bitter remarks right now!"


    sylvia chimed in, her voice firm yet gentle.


    "at least try to be sensitive, damon."


    the raven perched nearby suddenly cawed.


    "caw! evil! evil!"


    damon sighed, dismissing the bird''s cry with a wave of his hand.


    "well, his body hasn''t been found. maybe he''s still alive."


    sylvia''s expression softened, and she nodded.


    "that''s the most thoughtful thing i''ve heard you say today."


    evangeline followed with a hopeful tone.


    "yes. it''s possible he''s still alive."


    xander nodded, his determination to remain optimistic evident.


    damon, however, sneered internally.


    ''too bad. isaac is dead and devoured. they won''t even find a body. and this is just the beginning.''


    the classroom murmurs grew quieter, and damon''s senses sharpened. expanding his shadow perception, he swept the room and noted the faint silhouette of the professor''s shadow as he entered.


    the professor, an elderly man with a kind smile, clapped his hands to gather their attention.


    "let us begin. take your seats, everyone."


    marcus reluctantly moved to a seat near xander, his movements slow and heavy.


    damon sighed as he looked down at his shadow.


    ''now... who do i take out next?''

 Chapter 65 Potentially Unique Class

    professor chrome stood at the front of the classroom, his kind features softening the stern white of his beard. perched on his nose were glasses that glinted faintly in the dim light, while his usual white robe flowed around him, giving him an almost ethereal presence.


    damon watched him through the shadows cast in the room, his perception allowing him to see the gentle aura the man exuded.


    chrome''s demeanor was a rarity among the professors. unlike the others, who openly looked down on damon for being the weakest student, chrome had always treated him with respect. to damon, this was made even more remarkable by the fact that chrome, like him, was a commoner.


    the professor began the class by recounting the discussion from the previous session. he spoke of philosophies and theories, praising the students'' engagement and intellectual curiosity.


    damon let the words wash over him, barely registering them. he hadn''t been in the last class, so he had no idea what they had discussed. his mind was too preoccupied with his plans.


    as he sat there, his thoughts churned.


    ''who do i kill next?'' he mused, his blindfolded eyes facing forward.


    ''and who do i frame this time?''


    the inclusion of lilith astranova in the investigation troubled him. it was clear that she wouldn''t believe tobias was guilty of killing isaac.


    ''which means she''ll keep digging, looking for evidence about what really happened to isaac.''


    damon smiled faintly, his fingers tapping lightly against the desk.


    ''she''s probably trying to clear tobias. that''s perfect. if no one expects him to be the next target, then tobias becomes the ideal scapegoat again.''


    he glanced downward at the shadow cast beneath him, which had been behaving like an ordinary shadow since he left his dorm.


    ''i don''t need to sneak into the judgment halls where tobias is under house arrest. i just need to lure him out.''


    damon''s plan began to crystallize as he tapped the desk rhythmically.


    ''i still have two days before anvil finishes making my weapons. my shadow energy is at 200 now, so i can last a little longer without feeding it... but i''ve got at most four days left.''


    his heart steeled itself against hesitation.


    ''within these four days, i''ll need a plan to lure out tobias and kill him before lilith uncovers the truth.''


    a faint flutter caught his attention, though he didn''t turn his head. something hopped onto his desk.


    without needing to look, damon knew it was the raven sylvia had made him adopt as a pet. the bird sat there silently, its beady eyes glinting with intelligence. it had been unusually quiet since the class began, as if aware of its surroundings.


    damon''s gaze flicked toward it briefly.


    ''this bird... it might actually come in handy. i just thought of a feasible but dangerous plan.''


    while damon silently plotted, the professor had stopped talking, his gaze now directed at him. unaware of the now-silent classroom, damon remained lost in his thoughts.


    a sharp nudge from sylvia''s elbow jolted him.


    startled, damon looked up, his calm expression masking the irritation bubbling within.


    xander''s scoff was loud enough to catch his attention, though the noble didn''t bother speaking. the mocking smirk on xander''s face said it all.


    damon bit his lip, torn between silence and opportunity. being on academic probation, he needed every credit he could get. the stakes were too high to ignore.


    he put on a thoughtful expression, sifting through his memories for an answer. something that shaped his life. his thoughts drifted to an epitaph he had stumbled upon years ago in the woods. those words had been his springboard, his acceptance of life''s cruel realities.


    finally, damon sighed.


    "it''s meaningless..."


    chrome frowned slightly.


    "that''s disappointing. i''ll have to deduct half your credits for refusing to answer."


    but damon wasn''t finished. the word lingered in his mind as he relived the harrowing moments of his life. his parents, dead in a senseless war. his relatives, betraying him. his village, casting him out. he and his sister had starved, scraping by in a world that seemed designed to crush them.


    damon clenched his fists under the desk. he remembered nearly ending his life, running from death for a place to survive, and watching adults, one after another, reveal their selfish motives. just when he found hope, it shattered¡ªhis sister fell ill with a chronic, incurable disease.


    life was meaningless. hopeless. cruel.


    and yet...


    even in that abyss, damon had refused to surrender. the despair didn''t consume him. instead, it forged him.


    his voice was cold and tired, a sound that shouldn''t have belonged to someone so young.


    "life is not a gift but a curse. we are dealt hands we never asked for, forced to play roles we never agreed to. those who concede early fade quietly, but those who stand, bloodied and battered, rewrite the rules. i don''t kneel to designs i didn''t create. my life is my own, my pain my teacher, and my will the only god i answer to. even as i face my end, covered in blood and tears, i will spit in the face of the goddess of fate. the goddess can have me... when she''s earned me."


    his words hung in the air, heavy and unrelenting. he clenched his fist, his shadow writhing faintly beneath the desk.


    the room erupted into murmurs.


    "did he just disparage the goddess?"


    "that''s blasphemy!"


    "has he lost his mind?"


    "the temple inquisition will take him for this!"


    outside the classroom, lilith astranova, the student council president, froze in place. she had been walking past the room but stopped, her wide eyes fixed on damon through the door''s narrow window.


    "what arrogance... what madness," she muttered. "is he insane?"


    inside, professor chrome''s reaction was unexpected. he chuckled softly, then broke into a hearty laugh, stroking his beard with genuine amusement.


    "what an interesting philosophy," he said, his eyes gleaming with approval.


    "without a doubt, your first class advancement will awaken to something unique¡ªsomething unlike any other. that, i am sure of."


    the murmurs grew louder, students exchanging shocked glances, but damon blinked, caught off guard by the professor''s high appraisal.


    for a moment, his cold resolve faltered, replaced by the faintest flicker of surprise.

 Chapter 66 Blasphemous Philosophy

    damon wasn''t the only one surprised by professor chrome''s high appraisal. for the people of aetherus, class advancement was not just a measure of power¡ªit was a defining milestone in life. every individual had the potential to awaken up to seven classes, and with each class advancement, their rank and power increased exponentially.


    the first class advancement was pivotal. it determined the foundation of an individual''s growth and could be any class: mage, knight, assassin, healer, and many others. these were the more common classes, shared by countless individuals across the world. however, there was a rare phenomenon known as a unique class, where an individual awakened to a class that was entirely their own.


    the factors that influenced class advancement were numerous: philosophy, birth, lineage, ambition, faith, desires, emotions, and even the unpredictable hand of fate. of these, one''s philosophy and mindset were among the most critical. it was for this reason that professor chrome had given damon such a high appraisal.


    with a philosophy as radical and defiant as damon''s, his first class advancement would almost certainly be unique¡ªassuming he ever awakened to a class at all. class awakening was no easy feat; it was a trial of will, determination, fortitude and talent, often beyond the reach of the weak.


    meanwhile, the classroom buzzed with murmurs.


    "the temple inquisition will definitely come for him with that mindset..."


    "who does he think he is to say such things about the goddess?"


    professor chrome raised his hand, silencing the noise with a calm yet firm tone.


    "that is enough, everyone. i do not think his words are blasphemous at all. he did not insult the goddess. after all, in the book of fate, the goddess herself said, and i quote:


    ''to love fate is to defy fate. only then can you be your truest self.''"


    the room fell silent for a moment as the weight of those words settled over the students.


    sylvia, seated beside damon, nodded in agreement.


    "yes, that''s true. the goddess only acknowledges those who strive to make their own path. so, i don''t think it''s blasphemous at all."


    evangeline added, her voice steady.


    "i don''t think the temple will concern itself with something so trivial."


    xander, however, scoffed from his seat.


    "if the temple took this wretch now, it''d be better for all of us in the goddess races. but i suppose you''re right," he said with a venomous smirk.


    despite his insult, the class seemed to lean toward agreement with the top three students. the murmurs softened, indicating that most were inclined to accept their reasoning.


    damon sneered faintly, his lips curling in disdain.


    sylvia fell silent for a moment, her expression tight as she glanced toward chrome for reassurance.


    "that''s... all i have to say," she muttered before quickly sitting down.


    chrome turned his attention to evangeline.


    "do you have something to add?"


    evangeline hesitated, her sun-marked eyes lingering on damon before she spoke.


    "i''ll continue where she left off," she said softly.


    "damon isn''t... bothered by pain. he sees it as a learning opportunity¡ªsomething to push his growth. his pain becomes his ally, shaping his will and identity."


    her voice wavered slightly, and she sat down abruptly, unwilling to continue. the more she analyzed it, the more twisted damon''s philosophy seemed to her.


    xander leaned forward, his expression scornful.


    "let me give my honest opinion. someone who refuses to conform has no rules. what wouldn''t he do? the act of ''spitting in the face of the goddess of fate'' represents ultimate defiance. if he can spit on the goddess, then what do the rules of man mean to him? morality, kindness, love, honor... how is he any different from a wild beast? or a monster? a sinner."


    chrome shook his head, his expression calm yet firm.


    "understandable... but his philosophy only rejects rules he didn''t make. if he creates rules that restrict himself to only kindness and righteousness, does that not make him a saint rather than a sinner? xander, i hope you realize that human rules are transient. what was considered righteous a thousand years ago might be viewed as evil now. take human sacrifices, for example. once, they were seen as the ultimate righteousness. now, they are regarded as barbaric."


    turning back to damon, chrome continued.


    "his philosophy is neither cruel nor evil. i would argue it is kind. if i were to name it, i would call it radical individualism¡ªwhere the will of one takes precedence over the beliefs of many."


    behind his blindfold, damon''s eyes widened in slight surprise. someone was defending him. that was... new. he wasn''t used to anyone standing up for him, and the unexpected support stirred something faint in him¡ªa flicker of warmth.


    his mind drifted briefly to the kind hunter, carmen, who had once offered him a glimmer of genuine compassion.


    ''maybe, just maybe, genuine kindness is real,'' he thought.


    but he quickly shook his head, dismissing the notion as foolish.


    ''as if.''

 Chapter 67 Killed By A Hero

    for the next few minutes, the professor encouraged the class to speculate about what type of class damon might awaken to. naturally, no one suggested he would awaken a righteous class.


    "bandit, thief, heretic..." murmured several students, their voices dripping with disdain.


    one particularly obnoxious classmate went so far as to suggest,


    "maybe he''ll awaken as a demon lord and get killed by a hero of the goddess races!"


    the class erupted in laughter, but damon''s lips tightened. he didn''t find the part about being killed amusing in the slightest.


    some were of the opinion that damon would never reach a first-class advancement at all, deeming him too weak to achieve it.


    "with a pitiful mana level of 30, what can he possibly do?"


    damon kept his expression impassive, even as the mocking continued. he was used to it.


    professor chrome, however, didn''t dwell on damon for long. he shifted the conversation to the philosophies of other students in the class.


    xander, unsurprisingly, had a philosophy grounded in honor. his classmates speculated he would awaken to a righteous class, and some even dubbed him "the raven hero," a nod to his family name, ravenscroft.


    evangeline''s philosophy centered on justice, leading to guesses she might awaken as a light paladin or judge.


    sylvia''s belief in the importance of sharing knowledge led others to imagine she would awaken as a sage or scholar.


    leona, with her steadfast belief in strength, was expected to awaken as a warrior or even a warlord.


    speculations about their future classes ran wild, but no one doubted that they would achieve a first-class advancement. it was almost as if their success was a foregone conclusion.


    the stark contrast between their confidence and damon''s precarious position wasn''t lost on him. but he didn''t feel left out; this was how things had always been for him. he was an outsider, unable to truly connect with others.


    professor chrome, meanwhile, seemed thrilled by the engagement in his class. the old man smiled from ear to ear, radiating the warmth of a kind grandfather.


    damon couldn''t help but respect him, even if he didn''t fully trust the world chrome represented.


    the raven, croft, wasn''t pleased by the mention of being eaten.


    "caw caw! evil, evil!"


    sylvia waved her hands hastily, panic flashing across her face.


    "no, no, don''t do that! i was trying to say, i''m not a tamer, but i know a thing or two. i learned some things from rangers in iorvas, so i can share that. in fact, let me help you train him. no need to eat him!"


    damon suppressed a smile, his lips barely curling into a smirk.


    ''i suppose using the bird''s life as leverage worked... she''s quite gullible despite her vast knowledge.''


    "very well then... we can start tomorrow."


    he could feel the raven hopping around on the desk, its beady eyes fixed on him. damon could almost hear its angry cawing in his mind.


    ''if this works... then i can proceed with my first plan. if not, i''ll have to adjust it. either way, in the next few days, i must kill tobias margan before his name gets cleared. but before that, i need another scapegoat.''


    his gaze shifted to marcus, who appeared somewhat drained, his eyes still red from the grief of losing two friends.


    ''i have to be more subtle next time... i''ll leave something that belongs to marcus as evidence. that will stir up some chaos. after that, i''ll change my pattern completely¡ªtarget someone who has nothing to do with me.''


    damon''s mind flickered with the realization that doing so would result in the death of an innocent person. he quickly pushed the thought aside.


    ''in this world, no one is innocent. innocence is lost the moment of birth. from then on, every breath we take is at the price of another life. even if that life is insignificant... when we eat, something must die. when we walk, we trample on ants and grass. i have no need to feel guilty. this is simply natural selection.''


    his lips parted slightly as he bit them lightly, lost in his thoughts. beneath him, his shadow stirred, reacting to his mindset. the [remorseless] skill had deactivated, but damon felt a strange calm wash over him. he focused on the necessity of his actions, pushing aside any lingering doubts or moral qualms.


    as the class came to an end, damon stood, and as expected, leona followed him. to his annoyance, the raven flew onto his shoulder, cawing angrily at him.


    sylvia trailed behind, still likely worried that damon might kill the bird. evangeline followed her, and to no one''s surprise, xander tagged along, with marcus walking behind him.


    damon sighed, sensing their presence through his shadow perception.


    "what a nuisance..."

 Chapter 68 Dire Opposition

    a young man walked through the academy halls, a tired expression etched on his pale face. he wore a black blindfold over his eyes, matching the dark shade of his hair. his academy uniform¡ªa black jacket over a white shirt with black pants¡ªwas pristine despite the intense physical training earlier. on his chest, a small brooch read probation, a label that seemed to mock his current status. perched on his shoulder was a raven, its sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.


    damon was drained after a long day of rigorous physical and magical exercises. compared to his classmates, he lagged significantly behind. his refusal to use the system''s [5x] skill left him at a natural disadvantage, and his shadow was full, denying him the extra stats boost from [shadow hunger].


    ''the academy uniform is truly impressive,'' he mused, brushing off a speck of dust from his jacket.


    even after hours of strenuous training, the uniform remained intact and immaculate. it was a marvel of magitech, capable of withstanding damage, self-mending, and even cleaning itself.


    ''i think i can understand why they''re so expensive,'' he thought, though it did little to improve his mood.


    it had been a grueling day. the instructors had pushed them through relentless training, and damon, already at a disadvantage, felt the strain more than anyone else. still, he had tried to conserve as much energy as possible for his upcoming duel with xander ravenscroft. not that it made a difference¡ªhe would have come in last regardless, except perhaps in speed.


    and all that speed? it was only good for running away.


    today had been unusual for damon. he had spent nearly the entire day with the top students in his class. what amused him was that it wasn''t his choice¡ªthey had been following him. even now, they were still with him.


    leona, as always, seemed ecstatic.


    "it''s almost time for the duel. no wonder you came last at everything today. you must be saving your stamina! i''m sure you didn''t even try at all."


    damon sneered inwardly.


    ''actually, i did try... i just suck.''


    he kept his expression neutral, knowing leona would never believe him if he said it aloud. he couldn''t exactly explain that his strength was conditional, dependent on how hungry his shadow was. when it was starving, he could rival the top students, his power exploding. but when it wasn''t, he was simply the weakest in the class.


    evangeline nodded in agreement.


    "the duel isn''t a fight, so you must have kept most of your stamina."


    sylvia chuckled.


    "although, you sure know how to act. i was convinced you were actually tired with how much you were gasping for breath."


    damon stayed silent, his thoughts simmering.


    ''i was tired. asking us to run that much should be illegal, especially since the rest of you used magic to enhance your strength.''


    xander scoffed. "whether he''s pretending or not will be determined by the outcome of our duel."


    marcus sneered, his disdain palpable.


    evangeline and the others trailing behind damon were taken aback by his boldness. speaking so disrespectfully to a professor¡ªespecially one as intimidating as kael blackthorn¡ªwas unthinkable. yet damon showed no hesitation, as though the man standing before him didn''t hold his academic future in his hands.


    kael shook his head, his cold gaze shifting to evangeline, sylvia, and xander.


    "do you think sucking up to the top students can save you?" he sneered. "if you do, you''re wasting your time."


    damon scoffed audibly. "do i look like the type to suck up to anyone?"


    kael''s eyes narrowed dangerously.


    "what wouldn''t you do? your very existence is a disgrace to this academy."


    damon bit his lip, a flash of irritation crossing his face. he took a step forward, his voice sharp and unwavering.


    "were you dropped on your head as a baby, or did your mother just not bother to teach you basic manners? if you''re deaf, let me repeat myself¡ªi''m not going anywhere."


    the room froze. everyone stared at damon in disbelief. leona''s golden eyes widened with admiration, her lips parting slightly in awe. xander looked at damon as though he had lost his mind, while evangeline was too stunned to speak. sylvia, however, appeared visibly anxious, her hands fidgeting nervously at her sides.


    kael''s expression darkened, his aura growing heavier as his anger simmered beneath the surface.


    "you dare insult me?" he hissed, his voice low and threatening.


    before the tension could escalate further, sylvia stepped forward hastily, her voice awkward but placating.


    "ah, professor, please forgive him. it''s just... damon''s a bit worked up today. he''s mentally preparing for his duel with xander, so he''s a little aggressive..."


    kael''s gaze shifted from sylvia back to damon, his cold eyes scrutinizing him.


    "he intends to duel while wearing that blindfold?" kael asked with a scoff.


    damon chuckled softly, his voice tinged with mockery.


    "i''m just giving the so-called prodigies you think so highly of a handicap," he replied smoothly. read new chapters at empire


    kael''s lips thinned into a line, his narrowed eyes boring into damon.


    "really now?" he said slowly. "in that case, i''ll allow it. i''ll even act as the referee for this duel."


    he turned his gaze toward xander, his tone suddenly colder.


    "if you destroy him, you automatically pass this class."

 Chapter 69 Magic Artillery

    The magic artillery was originally developed as a weapon during the demon wars on the magic continent. Over time, however, it was repurposed for training, its deadly potential now serving as a tool to forge capable combatants.


    This sophisticated magic technology fired projectiles imbued with various elemental attributes. Water was the slowest and easiest to dodge, while light was the fastest and most difficult to counter. The system was designed to push students to adapt to attacks of varying speeds and elements, a skill critical for high-speed battles against demons and monsters.


    Of course, the magic artillery was just one of many training facilities the academy boasted. Aether Academy''s reputation as the world''s premier institution for magical education wasn''t without merit.


    Damon stood before the equipment, his hands clenched at his sides as he took a deep breath. His eyes scanned the array of weapons available¡ªeach stronger and more durable than the ones used for sparring. These weren''t meant for dueling one another but rather for deflecting the relentless barrage of the magic artillery.


    The rules of the duel were straightforward: last as long as possible while facing the artillery. Dodging, deflecting, erecting barriers, or even tanking the attacks were all valid methods. The difficulty¡ªand thus, the points¡ªdepended on the attribute chosen for the artillery''s projectiles. Light, being the fastest, was the highest setting allowed for first-year students.


    The weapons laid out were primarily for deflecting the attacks, though shields were also available. However, shields came with a drawback: they had a limited number of hits they could withstand before shattering.


    Damon''s thoughts drifted back to Professor Kael Blackthorn''s explanation of the rules. The professor''s disdain for him had been palpable, especially when he openly encouraged Xander to obliterate him.


    ''What weapon should I choose...'' Damon mused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the arsenal again.


    He could feel the weight of expectation in the room, the unspoken judgment from his peers and Professor Blackthorn alike. But Damon wasn''t here to fail, and he certainly wasn''t here to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him falter.


    A broadsword would do, but it was too heavy for fast movement, and Damon didn''t have the skill to wield it effectively.


    A longsword was too thin, its reach wasted on someone like him. He didn''t even bother considering blunt weapons. A shield? Out of the question¡ªit would slow him down and, worse yet, had a limit to how many hits it could take. To someone like him, who couldn''t conjure barriers with magic, that restriction felt downright unfair.


    He sighed, his shadow perception scanning the rows of weapons before him. The shapes and forms blurred in his mind until his focus stopped on the short swords. He picked one up, feeling its balance.


    ''Maybe I overestimated myself,'' he thought grimly, shaking his head.


    No. He couldn''t afford doubt, not now. He held the short sword briefly before placing it back. It was an option¡ªif he didn''t find anything better.


    As he moved further down the aisle, his perception caught the faint outline of daggers on a nearby shelf. Most were too thin, useless for deflecting powerful attacks. Just as he turned away in frustration, an unusual distortion flickered at the edge of his perception¡ªa subtle ripple in the shadows. His brows furrowed beneath his black blindfold.


    He walked toward the source, his fingers brushing against the twin daggers that caught his attention. They felt... different. Their weight was perfect, their balance exceptional. But most of all, their edges were wide enough to catch the light, reflecting it like glass. That was what had caused the distortion in his shadow perception.


    A smirk tugged at Damon''s lips.


    ''Yes, these will do. They should be able to reflect¡ªor in this case, deflect¡ªlight.''


    He glanced down at his shadow, the faintest flicker of uncertainty crossing his mind.


    ''That is, assuming my theory is correct. If not, I''m about to humiliate myself... but that''s fine. I should have at least an 80% chance of pulling this off. And if not... well, I''ll use my 15 attribute points to cover my weaknesses.''


    "Are you ready, or do you intend to stand there all day?"


    Kael Blackthorn''s cold voice cut through Damon''s thoughts like a blade.


    "Why would I think that? You''re the second smartest person I know¡ªafter Sylvia."


    His blindfold hid his reaction, but her words caught him off guard.


    "I see. Good to know I''m only second," he muttered sarcastically.


    Leona didn''t catch the remark, smiling warmly.


    "Beat him and make me dinner."


    Damon raised an eyebrow. "You''re so sure I can beat him, huh? And how is me making you dinner a reward for me?"


    Leona ignored his sarcasm, her confidence in him oddly endearing despite his doubts about calling her a friend.


    "Caw caw! Evil, evil!"


    Damon turned at the sound, finding Sylvia standing nearby, her mischievous smile as sharp as ever.


    "You must be really confident if you''re already making promises to Leona," Sylvia teased.


    "I didn''t make any promises," Damon shot back. "It''s just a transaction she''s paying for."


    Sylvia grinned. "In that case, how much to include me as well?"


    Before Damon could respond, Professor Kael''s voice rang out cold and commanding.


    "Combatants, step up!"


    Xander and Damon approached the field, standing before a flight of stairs leading to the magic artillery.


    "Choose an attribute," Kael instructed.


    Xander smirked, turning to Damon.


    "I''ll let you choose. Think of it as a handicap for the weakest."


    Damon sneered, stepping up to the metal dial. "Famous last words."


    His hand hovered over the settings for a moment before he turned the dial to its maximum. Stay updated through empire


    "In that case, I select the highest attribute¡ªlight."


    The class fell silent. A beat passed before the room erupted into murmurs, their disbelief palpable.

 Chapter 70 Playing Unfairly By The Rules

    "Did he just pick light?"


    "He''s insane! No one''s ever lasted long against light as a first-year."


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    "Does he even want to stay in the academy? This is suicide!"


    "He''s going to fail spectacularly."


    The murmurs of Damon''s classmates filled the air, dripping with mockery and disbelief. He ignored them, focusing instead on the dial in front of him. The quiet hum of the mechanism confirmed his choice: light.


    Professor Kael Blackthorn stepped forward, his cold, grim expression cutting through the room''s chatter like a blade.


    "Light, is it? Truly, your overconfidence knows no bounds. Or perhaps this is your way of ensuring your failure is as spectacular as possible."


    His words drew laughter from the class, the kind that sought to humiliate rather than amuse. Damon clenched the twin glass-like daggers in his hands, their reflective surfaces catching the room''s brightness.


    ''That wasn''t even funny,'' Damon thought, shaking his head.


    ''Strength is forged in solitude, not in the approval of others.''


    Xander Ravenscroft, his opponent, chuckled darkly. The sword in Xander''s hand glinted menacingly under the lights.


    "I certainly hope you don''t die... from those beams of light. Light magic is the fastest type of magic. You will fail."


    Damon scoffed, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Someone sounds scared..."


    Xander''s eyes narrowed, his voice laced with venom.


    "I''m only scared you''ll be too dead to apologize after I win."


    Damon knew death was a very real possibility. Aether Academy wasn''t a place for the weak-hearted. Training here, both inside and beyond its walls, often came with casualties. It was an unspoken reality every student had to accept.


    "Pain and failure are the price of power," Damon said, his tone calm and resolute.


    Xander let out a low, derisive chuckle.


    "Then you will feel them both."


    He tightened his grip on his daggers.


    ''As I thought. Shadow perception allows me to predict the trajectory of light. Even if it''s fast, I can see it beforehand.''


    Two more beams fired in quick succession. Damon sidestepped both effortlessly, his movements fluid and precise. He could sense the surprised reactions of his classmates above, watching through the transparent glass.


    ''The world doesn''t define me¡ªI define myself.''


    The beams increased in number, now firing ten at once. Damon twisted his body, ducked, and sidestepped, avoiding every one of them. His movements were a seamless dance of precision and grace.


    He narrowed his eyes as more partitions opened on the walls.


    ''Hmmm, this isn''t going to be as easy as I thought.''


    The beams surged to twenty, all aimed at him with deadly precision. Damon broke into a run, his feet carrying him swiftly around the room. The beams struck the ground behind him, each one narrowly missing its mark.


    Despite dodging everything so far, Damon knew this wasn''t sustainable. The objective wasn''t just to survive¡ªit was to outlast Xander. He shifted some of his focus toward his opponent. Xander had conjured two shields of gravity magic, which hovered around him like protective orbs, deflecting the beams effortlessly as he moved across the room.


    Damon sneered at the sight.


    ''Well, that''s not fair. I can''t use that type of magic. Does his gravity attribute give him an advantage against light, or is he just that good?''


    His mind, now cold and analytical under the influence of [Remorseless], broke the situation down.


    ''I need to find a way to deal with him before I tire out. This is only the first wave, so I''ll hold off on using my [5x] skill and attribute points for now.''


    A beam of light streaked toward Damon from his right. He tilted his head just in time to avoid it, then sidestepped another. In one fluid motion, he stepped onto the wall and propelled himself behind Xander, positioning himself just outside the radius of the gravity shields.


    A smirk tugged at Damon''s lips.


    "That''s a nice barrier you''ve got there. Mind sharing the wealth with a lowly commoner?"


    Xander turned, his cold gaze locking onto Damon.


    "You dare..."


    Damon chuckled, his voice laced with mockery.


    "Not breaking any rules here. Why are you getting angry?"

 Chapter 71 Scum With No Honor

    From the glass observation deck, the class watched intently as Damon and Xander faced off. At first, they were stunned that Damon could even dodge the light magic attacks from the magic artillery.


    "Why is he running around like that?" one student muttered.


    "Isn''t it obvious? He can''t even use the weakest barrier spells," another sneered.


    "Right, with a mana pool of only 30, he can''t cast anything substantial," someone else chimed in.


    "With all that running around, he''ll tire himself out soon enough," added another voice, the tone dripping with disdain.


    "I''m surprised he can dodge at all while wearing a blindfold," one student remarked, the skepticism in their voice clear.


    The group continued their offhanded comments, mocking Damon''s apparent disadvantage, until suddenly, Damon shifted his strategy.


    He sprinted toward Xander, who stood protected by two layers of gravity barriers.


    "What is he doing now?" someone asked, leaning closer to the glass.


    To their collective surprise, Damon darted behind Xander, using the other boy as a shield. As the beams of light from the magic artillery increased in both frequency and intensity, Damon remained in Xander''s shadow, positioning himself so that Xander had no choice but to absorb the attacks from one side.


    Xander moved, trying to evade the barrage, but Damon matched his movements step for step, ensuring he stayed protected.


    "That has to be cheating! He''s blatantly taking advantage of Xander!" one student exclaimed.


    "That scum has no honor," another hissed.


    "Yeah, what a coward," someone else echoed, their disgust evident.


    Sylvia, standing apart from the others, gently stroked the beak of the raven perched on her shoulder. Her piercing gaze remained fixed on the scene below.


    "That''s not cheating," she said, her voice calm but firm.


    "He''s still acting within the rules. As long as he doesn''t attack Xander with his attribute or fists, everything is fair game."


    The murmurs continued, but Evangeline, standing nearby, appeared more thoughtful. She rested her chin on her hand, watching Damon closely.


    "I''m more impressed he can dodge light magic at all," she said softly.


    "But he seems slower now. Back when he fought me, he was faster, and his skills seemed sharper."


    Leona, her golden eyes locked on Damon, nodded in agreement.


    "Yeah, he was stronger when he fought me too. But... hmm, it feels like he''s holding back this time."


    Evangeline nodded.


    "Yes, it does seem that way. I imagine he doesn''t want to show his full power."


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes as she continued to study Damon.


    ''Is there a reason why he can''t fight at full power? Is he holding back deliberately, or are there conditions to his strength?''


    There was something about Damon Grey that unsettled her. His shadow, darker and deeper than any she had seen before, seemed almost alive, shrouding him in an aura of mystery.


    She glanced at the raven perched on her shoulder, its beady eyes reflecting her curiosity.


    ''Damon Grey... who are you really?''


    [Shadow: 180]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 3%]


    [Shadow Level: 2]


    [Condition: Shadow is Full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception]


    [Locked]


    ---


    He used his 15 attribute points, allocating ten to speed and five to agility. It pained him not to boost mana, but he knew his [5x] skill could compensate in a pinch. Maybe he could even buy mana crystals and feed them to his shadow later.


    Power coursed through his body as his joints felt nimbler, his movements lighter. The sensation was warm, invigorating.


    ''This will do for now,'' he thought.


    Damon had already decided which stat to amplify with [5x]. That would be his trump card.


    Professor Kael gave them a minute to catch their breath. Despite his cold demeanor, a flicker of worry crossed his face.


    "Are you two ready?" the professor asked.


    Xander raised his sword, summoning seven barriers that floated protectively around him. His movements were steady, his expression determined.


    Damon, blindfolded but seeing through his shadows, furrowed his brows.


    ''This guy''s good. No, he''s amazing. To have the mana and skill to create so many barriers...''


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    His teeth clenched.


    ''I can''t lose to someone like him. Never.''


    Damon raised his sword to signal he was ready.


    Xander scoffed. "Not going to create any barriers?"


    Damon shook his head. He didn''t know how to create barriers, and even if he did, he wouldn''t need them.


    "Against you, I don''t need them," he replied coldly.


    Before Xander could respond, a large beam of light shot out from the walls. It was faster than any previous attack, moving so quickly that Damon barely twisted his waist in time to dodge. The beam ricocheted off the walls, shattering one of Xander''s barriers instantly.


    Xander paled, his confidence shaken.


    But he wasn''t the only one stunned. Despite his calm demeanor, Damon''s mind reeled.


    ''That could''ve killed me.''

 Chapter 72 Clash Of Wills

    Damon took deep, jagged breaths, his chest rising and falling steadily as he studied Xander''s paling face. Outwardly, his expression was calm, but his [Shadow Perception] betrayed the stark truth. Being able to sense the light beams'' trajectories didn''t mean he could always react in time.


    A prickly sensation crawled over his skin, accompanied by a cold dread that sank deep into his chest. He recognized this feeling all too well. It was the sensation of death looming near, a stark reminder that he could die at any moment.


    He should have been afraid. He should have considered forfeiting. But his [Remorseless] skill dulled such thoughts, showing him a singular path forward. Victory was the quickest way to earn the money he desperately needed¡ªto give his sister a chance at a better life, to pay for her medical care.


    ''Death isn''t going to stop me,'' he thought resolutely.


    With that, he pointed his glass daggers toward Xander, taking a battle stance.


    His breathing steadied, his heart calmed, and his mind became void of hesitation.


    No hesitation in action, no pause for regret.


    This was the philosophy of the [Remorseless] skill.


    The arena brightened suddenly, tens of beams of light magic surging through the mirrored space. Damon felt the distortions they caused to the shadows, but they were moving far too fast. Reacting to all of them was impossible. His only choice was to focus entirely on the beams closest to him.


    Sidestepping one beam, he spun around, slashing at another with one of his daggers. The blade connected, and he felt the impact ripple through his arm¡ªit was almost like striking a solid object. He staggered briefly but didn''t stay still.


    He had boosted his speed earlier, and now he used it to his full advantage. Darting across the arena, he wove between the beams, his glass daggers slashing and deflecting the relentless attacks as they ricocheted across the room.


    But even with his enhanced speed, he was barely holding on. The beams increased in number and ferocity, forcing him to move faster and faster.


    Xander wasn''t faring much better. He ran with his sword in hand, several gravity barriers floating around him. However, cracks spider-webbed across their surfaces, and each light beam that struck them either broke or further weakened the barriers.


    Sweat poured down Xander''s face as he strained to recreate the barriers each time one shattered. His focus was split between maintaining his defenses and avoiding the beams. Glancing at Damon, he couldn''t help but feel a twinge of surprise.


    ''How is that commoner able to move so fast? No, it''s not just speed¡ªhe''s anticipating the light magic attacks. But how?''


    Xander rolled to the side, slashing at a beam coming at him from an angle. His movements were sharp but calculated. However, there was more to his technique than skill alone.


    "Wh...what...?"


    Damon didn''t give him a moment to recover. He pursued the beams, allowing them to attack him while deftly dodging and redirecting them back toward Xander.


    Damon was ruthless, each movement devoid of hesitation or mercy. He aimed for the most vulnerable points, letting the beams strike in ways that could have ended Xander''s life. Victory was all that mattered to him now¡ªwhether Xander Ravenscroft survived or not was irrelevant.


    Xander''s breathing quickened as he scrambled to conjure new barriers, the redirected light beams coming from unexpected and near-impossible angles. Damon''s tactics were unorthodox, almost underhanded, and Xander couldn''t help but feel trapped.


    "You...you...! If you think these petty tricks can defeat me, then you''ve got another thing coming!" Xander snarled, his voice shaking with frustration.


    Damon sneered, bouncing off a nearby wall as he redirected another beam of light toward Xander.


    "I''m not the one under pressure here. You are. I told you¡ªI''m going to win."


    Despite his confidence, Damon was painfully aware of his limitations. He had no barriers to protect himself; a single misstep could mean his end. Worse, his boosted agility came with a time limit. The [5x] skill lasted only five minutes, with a cooldown of ten minutes. He also knew the magic artillery was growing more intense by the second.


    ''I have to finish this within five minutes,'' he thought grimly. ''I can''t lose. I need that money.''


    Xander''s thoughts mirrored Damon''s desperation.


    ''I can''t lose. My honor is on the line.''


    Their gazes locked, Xander''s deep blue eyes filled with fury and determination, while Damon''s blindfold obscured his own, giving him an air of unwavering resolve.


    ''I will beat him.''


    They both thought the same thing, their wills colliding in an unspoken battle of grit.


    Suddenly, the magic artillery shifted again. This time, glowing orbs floated out, hanging ominously in the air. As they reached their targets, the orbs brightened and exploded like bombs, the concussive force rattling the arena.


    Damon and Xander clenched their teeth, their focus sharper than ever.


    ''I must end this now.''

 Chapter 73 Never Give Up

    Professor Kael narrowed his eyes, his expression cold and unreadable. He had expected the battle to end swiftly, with Xander''s overwhelming strength crushing Damon in mere moments. Yet, to his surprise, Damon had defied expectations, surviving the initial assault and proving to be far more formidable than Kael had assumed.


    The boy he had written off as insignificant displayed agility and precision far beyond anything he had shown before. Damon''s movements were sharp, calculated, and entirely calm, his focus unwavering despite the barrage of light magic raining down on him.


    ''He has impressive motor skills... agile, with sharp instincts. A shame his mana pool is so pitifully low, and he''s shown no aptitude for magic. He won''t make it far in the academy.''


    Kael''s cold gaze followed the battle closely as Damon swung his daggers, redirecting the beams of light toward Xander with remarkable precision.


    ''Hmph. So that''s his plan... no wonder he chose the falsity daggers.''


    The rest of the class was in uproar, their voices echoing through the arena.


    "Did you see that? How is he moving so fast?"


    "That dirty cheater! He''s using the daggers to send the attacks back at Xander."


    "That has to be against the rules, right?"


    "That commoner scum should be punished!"


    Among the crowd, Evangeline''s sharp eyes gleamed as she studied Damon''s technique.


    "What an ingenious strategy," she murmured.


    "To think he could deflect light with just the blades of his daggers."


    Sylvia, standing beside her, nodded in agreement.


    "That level of precision requires incredible control. He must have been testing it earlier to refine his approach."


    Leona chuckled softly, her admiration clear.


    "He''s amazing. Since the rules forbid direct magical attacks, he''s using the artillery''s own magic to turn the tide against his opponent. It''s bold and brilliant."


    ''I won''t lose...'' Xander rasped, his voice barely audible.


    "I won''t lose to the likes of you!" he roared, blood dripping from his mouth.


    On the other side, Damon wasn''t in much better shape. His uniform was scorched, his limbs felt like lead, and blood seeped from countless cuts. His legs ached, and his body screamed for rest, but he stood firm.


    ''He''s still standing? How...? He took that attack point-blank...'' Damon''s thoughts raced as he gritted his teeth.


    "It doesn''t matter. I''ll still win," he muttered, his voice steely with determination.


    Damon dodged another beam, his movements growing sluggish as his [5x] [Agility] skill teetered on the edge of deactivation. Glancing at Xander, he noticed how the gravity magic suppressed the light beams around him, but Damon sneered.


    "Having more mana than me won''t save you."


    Xander roared back, "You''re the one who needs saving!"


    Damon snarled as he made his move, slamming his left dagger into another orb of light. The light burned his arm, but he bit back the scream, forcing the orb toward Xander.


    Xander, already weakened, raised a cracked barrier. The orb collided with it and exploded violently, forcing him back. Damon seized the moment and hurled his right dagger at the barrier. The blade shattered on impact, breaking through and letting the light blast engulf Xander completely.


    The force of the attack sent Xander flying into the arena wall, his body crumpling to the ground, unmoving. Blood pooled beneath him, his sword shattered beside him.


    Damon stood amidst the chaos, his left arm burned and useless, his body trembling as the effects of his [5x] [Agility] skill faded. He staggered, struggling to stay upright.


    "I... I win..." he whispered hoarsely, exhaustion washing over him like a wave.


    But just as he was about to collapse, a faint twitch caught his eye.


    Xander''s blood-covered hand clenched, his battered body trembling as he forced himself to stand.


    "I... am not done... yet!" Xander roared, his voice raw with defiance.


    Damon''s face paled, his breath catching in his throat.


    ''No... no way...''

 Chapter 74 Difference Of Birth

    Xander''s entire body screamed in agony, his muscles seizing with every shallow breath. His skin was charred and burned, blood seeped from countless wounds, and his legs felt like they no longer existed. The arena blurred before his eyes, but his mind was aflame with a single thought:


    ''I can''t lose. I can''t lose to a commoner... Not after everything they''ve done. I can''t lose...''


    With a guttural groan, he raised his head, his blood-streaked face pale and haggard. His eyes, barely open, fixated on his opponent.


    The commoner¡ªno, Damon Grey¡ªstood a short distance away, his body a bloody mess. A black blindfold obscured his eyes, but his expression remained unnervingly calm. Even now, Xander could feel the quiet determination radiating from the man he once considered beneath notice.


    ''He''s just a bug,'' Xander thought, though the words rang hollow in his mind. Damon wasn''t supposed to have come this far. He was an insignificant insect, not even worth acknowledging among commoners.


    But now, Damon stood tall despite his injuries, his left arm red and raw, burned almost beyond recognition. In his right hand, he held the Falsity Dagger, its edge slick with his own blood.


    Xander gritted his teeth, anger bubbling through his pain.


    ''I can''t move... but even so, I won''t lose. I refuse to lose.''


    Above them, the magic artillery began to stir again, the hum of light magic growing louder as it prepared another barrage.


    Damon shifted slightly, sensing the change with his Shadow Perception, but his movements were sluggish.


    Xander roared, his voice raw and filled with desperation, "I won''t lose to the likes of you¡ªa lowly commoner!"


    His blood-soaked hands trembled as he did the unthinkable. He reversed the flow of his gravity magic.


    The arena seemed to tremble as Xander''s magic warped. Instead of pulling down, his gravity spell pushed upward, creating an opposing force that reflected the incoming light magic. The orbs of searing energy, once aimed to obliterate him, now reversed course, streaking back toward Damon with deadly precision.


    From the stands, Professor Keal''s eyes narrowed in astonishment.


    "He created a new spell mid-battle... Just to counter the light magic attacks."


    Damon''s body tensed. His Shadow Perception allowed him to sense the incoming attack, but his battered frame was far too damaged and sluggish to react in time. The reflected light magic struck him head-on.


    The blast sent Damon flying, his body engulfed in flames of radiant energy. His skin burned, and he coughed violently as the impact seared his lungs. He hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop as his blood soaked the dirt beneath him.


    Xander huffed, barely standing, one eye closed while the other fluttered open just enough to glare at his opponent. He forced a twisted smile, his teeth stained crimson.


    "I won''t lose to a lowly commoner... Your kind are disgusting... ungrateful... mongrels. I could never be beaten by someone like you," he spat, though every word seemed to drain him further.


    Damon lay sprawled on the ground, his chest heaving as he tried to suck in air. His hands twitched, fumbling for the dagger that had fallen from his grip, its hilt slick with his own blood.


    ''I... I can''t move...'' Damon''s thoughts were hazy, his body screaming in protest. His vision blurred, and every breath felt like shards of glass ripping through his chest. Above him, the glowing orbs of light magic hovered ominously, primed to end his life.


    Then, a sharp notification cut through the haze.


    Ding!


    [HP: 19/50]


    "Shut up!" they roared in unison, their voices raw and filled with unrelenting determination.


    Damon thrust his dagger into the orb, but the weapon shattered on impact. Shards of the blade flew toward his face, slicing deep into his skin and painting his cheeks with fresh streaks of blood. He gritted his teeth, his disabled arm trembling as he raised it to press against the ball of light. Both hands burned as he pushed with all his might.


    Xander, unable to raise his arms, leaned his entire weight against the orb, his gravity magic in reverse acting as his only counterforce.


    The searing pain burned through both boys, but neither relented.


    Damon''s vision swam, his strength fading. He bit down on his lip until it bled, refusing to let the orb consume him.


    ''Using my arms alone won''t be enough... They''ll break before this thing even moves.''


    He closed his eyes, summoning the little amounts of his mana. Shadows flickered and coalesced in his palms, forming a dense ball of shadow magic.


    "It''s true I have a small mana pool... and I can''t cast spells like the rest of you. But I refuse to lose to anyone in battle. With this tiny power of mine... I will bring down a giant!"


    With a defiant roar, Damon poured all his remaining mana¡ªevery ounce of energy he had¡ªinto the orb of shadow magic. The collision of light and shadow triggered a chain reaction. Magic attributes exploded, sending waves of destruction cascading through the arena.


    Blinding light rained down, ripping through the air with deafening force. The shockwave hurled both boys across the arena, their bodies slamming into the walls with sickening splatters of blood.


    Ding!


    [HP: 2/50]


    As the light dimmed, the arena fell into eerie silence. The two boys lay motionless, twitching faintly as blood pooled around them.


    Xander''s body shuddered once before falling still, his energy completely spent.


    Damon couldn''t see; his eyes were flooded with blood. But through the veil of darkness, his Shadow Perception picked up faint sounds¡ªthe hurried footsteps of healers rushing toward the arena.


    He let out a low, guttural grunt, forcing his battered body to move.


    One agonizing step.


    He stumbled and fell, but his shattered arms clawed at the ground, dragging his broken body forward, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.


    When he finally reached Xander, Damon forced himself to stand, his legs trembling as if they might give out at any moment. Darkness encroached on his vision, and his entire body screamed for him to stop. Death''s cold embrace was mere inches away.


    But he stood tall, his silhouette ragged and bloodied. He looked down at Xander, whose bloodshot eyes barely fluttered open.


    "I... I... win..." Damon whispered, his voice hoarse but resolute.


    Xander''s eyes filled with tears of rage and despair before they closed, his consciousness slipping away.


    Damon heard the distant shouts of the healers growing closer, but the world around him faded into nothingness. The shadows of his perception went silent as his own senses dulled.


    Yet, even as everything went dark, Damon remained standing¡ªbroken, bloodied, and triumphant.

 Chapter 75 Marcuss Fears

    The battle was nothing short of shocking. Xander Ravenscroft, the third-ranked student, against Damon Grey, the weakest in the academy. It was a duel that should have ended the moment it began, with Xander''s overwhelming power obliterating Damon''s feeble mana pool. But the outcome defied all expectations. Against all odds, there Damon stood, battered and bloodied, towering over his defeated opponent.


    The arena, once filled with jeers and mockery, had fallen into a stunned silence. Those who had belittled Damon now looked upon him with a mix of awe and disbelief. His unyielding spirit cast a shadow over their contempt, forcing them to confront the undeniable truth¡ªthis was no ordinary student.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    They recalled his words, his philosophy, which they had dismissed as the ravings of a deluded fool. Now, those very words resonated in their minds.


    "Impossible..."


    "How did he... survive?"


    "Is he even human?"


    "No one can take that much damage and still stand!"


    "He''s... a freak."


    Professor Kael had long since abandoned his post outside the observation deck. The intensity of the final clash had convinced him that the duel had gone far beyond the bounds of safety. He''d attempted to intervene, but the combatants were too consumed by their struggle to heed his commands.


    Find exclusive stories on empire


    Dark magic was Kael''s specialty, not healing. Even if he had managed to reach them in time, his abilities would have been of little use in mending their broken bodies. Frustrated and powerless, he called for emergency healers, barking into his communicator with urgency. Fortunately, the response was swift; the healers were stationed nearby, anticipating potential injuries from such matches.


    Kael didn''t waste time trying to unlock the massive vaulted doors. Instead, he summoned a surge of dark energy, punching a hole through the barrier with raw force.


    As the path opened, Leona darted inside like a storm, her body crackling with the energy of her Strom attribute magic. Her golden eyes locked onto Damon''s bloodied form, standing defiant but holding himself upright. Her heart pounded with worry and rage as she rushed to him.


    "Damon... Damon..." she whispered, her voice trembling.


    Yet, she hesitated. His injuries were so severe that she feared touching him might worsen his condition. Behind her, the healers flooded into the arena, led by Kael himself.


    Sylvia and Evangeline followed shortly after, their faces pale with dread as they surveyed the scene. Xander and Damon were carefully placed on stretchers, their bodies surrounded by the shimmering light of various healing spells.


    Marcus stumbled into the blood-soaked arena, dropping to his knees beside Xander. His face was a mask of fear and desperation as he reached out, whispering his friend''s name.


    Leona clenched her fists tightly, her body trembling with suppressed anger as her gaze flickered between Xander and Damon. It had been an honorable duel, and Damon had emerged victorious¡ªbut that did little to quell the rage simmering in her heart.


    "Caw! Caw! Dead... dead... dead..."


    The ominous cry of the raven perched on Sylvia''s shoulder broke the tense silence. The bird flapped its wings uneasily before flying over to perch on Damon''s stretcher. Sylvia''s face turned ghostly white as the raven''s words echoed in her ears.


    She couldn''t just stand there. She pushed past the healers tending to Damon, her hands trembling as she prepared a spell.


    Marcus''s head throbbed as tears spilled down his face. His hands trembled as he pressed them against his temples.


    ''What... what is happening to us? Oh, Goddess, I beg you, please... please help us.''


    As his blurred gaze drifted, it fell upon Damon Grey''s unconscious body. The sight of the boy filled Marcus with a mix of anger and an icy, unshakable dread. Damon had always been stubborn, always unyielding. Even when beaten, his piercing blue eyes had never lost their icy resolve.


    But now...


    ''His eyes... they were blue. But now they''re black.''


    Marcus''s mind raced, piecing together fragments of unsettling memories.


    ''His eyes changed. Was it... was it after we beat him up and left him for dead beyond the barrier?''


    The realization struck him like a thunderclap.


    "He spent the entire night beyond the academy barrier," Marcus whispered, his voice trembling.


    "In a monster-infested area... covered in blood. The blood should have drawn monsters... there''s no way he could''ve survived."


    He gulped, his throat dry as sandpaper. Damon survived in the evil forest covered in blood for a whole night.


    "And yet... he came back. But his eyes¡ªhis eyes are different now."


    Marcus''s fear deepened, his mind spiraling into darker and darker places.


    ''He''s faster than before, stronger than before. I even heard rumors that he fought Leona Valefier and survived. Could it be... no... this isn''t Damon Grey.''


    His body shook violently, his face pale as death.


    ''It... it''s a monster pretending to be him.''


    His breath quickened, and his thoughts turned frantic. The monsters beyond the barrier were all stronger than any first year student.


    ''I have to tell the professors... but... if I do, it means admitting that we killed the real Damon Grey. Lark... Isaac... they must have been killed by it too.''


    Marcus''s knees buckled as he staggered back, his mind a swirling tempest of fear and guilt.


    ''I need more evidence... or they won''t believe me.''


    He clenched his fists, his nails digging painfully into his palms.


    ''I need to know the truth... no matter what it takes.''

 Chapter 76 Caregiver

    The first sensation he felt was the enveloping dark¡ªa world of shadows. It was familiar to him, the strange realm his senses often wandered to, but this time it felt different. Like blurred vision struggling to regain focus, the shadows seemed indistinct, as though something was obstructing his clarity.


    Damon''s eyes fluttered open, his breathing shallow and raspy, his throat parched. The room was dim, its faint illumination barely reaching the corners, but the ceiling above him was unmistakable.


    ''The infirmary...''


    The faint darkness didn''t hinder his sight at all. For the first time, both his regular vision and his shadow perception were active simultaneously. The realization was strange, but he didn''t dwell on it.


    He instantly recognized where he was. He had been sent here too many times after being bloodied by his bullies. This place was no stranger to him.


    He tried to move, but every joint, muscle, and bone in his body protested with a dull, aching soreness.


    "Ahhh..." he groaned softly, his voice weak and hoarse.


    As his eyes adjusted, something caught his attention¡ªa familiar system prompt hovering faintly in his vision.


    [HP: 40/50]


    Damon raised a shaky hand to the glowing message, his expression unreadable.


    "I''m... still alive, huh," he muttered.


    Despite the gravity of surviving yet another brush with death, his heart remained calm. There was no wave of relief, no tears of joy. He had been here too many times before.


    Turning his head slightly, Damon managed to push himself into a sitting position. As he glanced down at the bed he occupied, something unusual caught his attention. For the first time in his many visits to the infirmary, someone was by his side when he woke up.


    It wasn''t a healer.


    It was a young girl with black hair streaked with white highlights. Beastkin ears perched atop her head twitched faintly in her sleep. Her breathing was soft and even, her features serene in unconscious repose.


    ''Leona Valefier... What is she doing here?''


    Damon''s cautious gaze lingered on her. He couldn''t understand why the beastkin girl was sitting beside him, sleeping as if she belonged there.


    By his bedside, he noticed his pager and, next to it, the raven. The bird perched quietly, its eyes closed, unmoving.


    Suddenly, his stomach growled loudly, the sound breaking the silence. Damon stiffened, his face paling. He didn''t know how long he had been unconscious, but if his shadow hunger had reached its peak, he''d be in trouble.


    His eyes darted around the room, searching for his shadow. There it was, cast faintly by the pale light spilling into the infirmary. It didn''t move, merely behaving like any ordinary shadow.


    Damon exhaled slowly, relieved. The shadow wasn''t acting erratically, so he allowed himself to relax.


    For now, at least, the immediate danger had passed. But the question remained¡ªwhat had happened after the duel, and why was Leona here?


    He opened his system panel, the faint glow of the interface illuminating his vision.


    [HP: 40/50]


    [Mana: 90/90]


    [Strength: 9]


    [Agility: 17]


    The commotion jolted Leona Valefier awake. The beastkin girl immediately entered a battle-ready stance, golden magical energy radiating from her. The word "demon" was a bitter trigger for her race.


    Her glowing eyes scanned the room until they locked onto Damon, sprawled on the floor. Her tense expression softened, and tears welled in her eyes as she rushed toward him.


    "Damon! Damon! I''m so glad you''re okay! I was so worried!"


    "Ahh! Stop¡ªouch! You''re crushing me!" Damon grunted, wincing under her weight.


    Realizing what she was doing, Leona quickly released him, flustered.


    "Sorry... you''re injured... I was just happy you were okay..." Explore more at empire


    Damon shot her a cold glare, his black eyes sharp as ever.


    Meanwhile, Croft continued its racket.


    "Caw caw! Demon awake! Awake!"


    Damon''s patience wore thin. He turned to the raven.


    "Shut up, you dumb bird! My name isn''t ''Demon,'' it''s Damon! Two different words!"


    Croft, undeterred, flew toward his head and began pecking at his hair.


    "Caw caw! Evil Demon!"


    Damon swatted the bird away, his irritation growing. Croft retreated to the desk, glaring at him resentfully.


    Attempting to rise again, Damon pushed himself off the floor, but Leona was faster. She grabbed him and guided him back to the bed, forcing him to sit.


    "Let me go! My pager..." Damon gestured toward the device on the floor.


    Leona picked it up but held it away from him.


    "Rest first," she said firmly. "Even the strongest warriors need to recover."


    Damon''s expression remained icy, but his heart was in turmoil. He needed to get to Valerion, the capital city, to ensure Luna was safe.


    Ignoring Leona''s words, he tried to stand again.


    "Stay put!" Leona pushed him back down, her golden eyes filled with concern.


    "Get off me!" Damon snapped. "Let me go!"


    Leona shook her head, her voice trembling with emotion.


    "No... you need to calm down first. As your friend, I can''t let you go like this."


    Damon''s teeth clenched in frustration.


    "Get off me, you furry bitch! We aren''t friends!"


    Leona froze, her ears drooping slightly. Her lips quivered as she bit back her emotions. Her voice came out as a soft whisper.


    "I don''t care..." she said. "I won''t let go until you calm down."

 Chapter 77 Only Pure Intentions

    Damon threw Leona an icy glare, but she didn''t budge, gripping his pager tightly with both hands.


    Her golden eyes glistened with determination as she met his glare.


    "Stay put, or I''ll break this," she said, her voice steady despite the emotions swirling behind it.


    Damon narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening me?"


    Leona shook her head firmly. "No... I wouldn''t threaten a friend. I''m telling you to calm down."


    Her words were resolute, but Damon could see her concern. She''d noticed how much he cared about the pager. Over the past two days, it had buzzed frequently, and she had a hunch that whatever had shaken him so deeply was tied to it.


    Damon reluctantly reclined back on the bed, his muscles still tense.


    Leona sighed in relief, finally handing him the pager.


    This time, he didn''t try to get up. Instead, he took a deep breath, willing himself to settle. She was right¡ªhe was losing his composure, and it wasn''t helping.


    With a trembling hand, Damon unlocked the pager and scrolled through the messages. His eyes darted over the notifications. The calls and messages from Carl were expected, but one stood out: a message from the Healing Institute.


    As he read, his breath hitched.


    The message wasn''t as dire as he''d feared. It was a billing notice for his sister''s medication and other necessities she required. She was fine. The institute had merely sent the update as a routine notification.


    Damon gasped softly, the tension leaving his body in a rush. Relief washed over him, and he lowered his head into his hands.


    ''I almost lost it over nothing...'' he thought. But deep down, he knew why he had panicked. Losing Luna would destroy him. She was the only family he had left, and the thought of anything happening to her was unbearable.


    Leona remained silent, watching him intently. Her expression was unreadable, but her presence was grounding.


    After a few moments of quiet, Damon raised his head and glanced sideways at her. She sat with her head slightly lowered, her ears twitching faintly.


    She had been right¡ªhe needed to calm down. Still, he wasn''t sure what to make of her. This infuriatingly persistent beastkin girl was an enigma. Why did she care so much about someone like him?


    His gaze softened slightly. "Thank you."


    Leona''s response came in a calm but pointed tone. "That''s racist."


    Damon blinked, confused. "What?"


    She narrowed her eyes at him. "Calling me a furry. That''s racist."


    His eyes widened. He hadn''t meant it that way¡ªhe''d just been frustrated and lashed out.


    Looking away, he muttered, "My apologies... I didn''t intend to offend."


    Leona''s expression softened as she shook her head. "It''s fine. I forgive you."


    Leona smiled, glad he accepted it. She had half-expected him to turn it down out of suspicion.


    "Oh! Right," she added, Find your next read on empire


    "I got you a new pair of uniforms from your dorm room. I asked the head maid to let me in, so she came with me to get them. They''re in there."


    She pointed to the drawer by the bedside. It was only then Damon realized he wasn''t wearing his uniform but a plain robe. He blinked, looking around.


    "Where is it?"


    Leona tilted her head, puzzled.


    "What? Do you mean your dagger? It''s with your uniform. I also sent the old one to admin so they can get it fixed or replaced."


    Damon pulled the drawer open and retrieved the dagger. It was the same one he had gotten while working for Quick Hand¡ªa memento he still hadn''t let go of.


    He stared at it briefly before shaking his head, forcing back the memories that threatened to surface.


    "I see... Why did you stay here?" he asked after a pause.


    Leona smiled warmly. "Because I''m your friend."


    Damon didn''t reply, his stomach twisting at the word.


    ''I think if I hear that one more time, I''m going to puke,'' he thought, glancing at her sideways.


    "Thank you for everything, but I''m fine now. I didn''t need you to be here. I''ve been¡ª"


    Before he could finish, his stomach growled audibly.


    Leona clasped her hands together, suppressing a giggle.


    "Ah! Sorry, I didn''t know when you''d wake up. Hold on, let me get you some food."


    She hurried out of the room, and a few minutes later, returned with a tray of food.


    When she pushed the door open, the room was empty. The white robe he had been wearing lay discarded on the bed. Damon Grey¡ªand Croft¡ªwere nowhere to be found.


    The window was wide open, the soft night breeze wafting in, making the curtains flutter gently.


    Leona stopped in her tracks, staring at the empty space.


    "He''s gone... He just left, huh?"


    She placed the tray on the bed and approached the window, her shoulders trembling. Her golden eyes glinted with unshed tears as she bit her lip, forcing down the lump rising in her throat.


    "I... I really am... just trying to be your... friend," she whispered, her voice breaking as a tear rolled down her cheek.

 Chapter 78 Intelligent New Companion

    Damon''s muscles felt sore, his every step accompanied by a mild but persistent ache. The discomfort, however, wasn''t what truly troubled him. There was a sting in his heart, deeper and far more elusive, gnawing at the edges of his mind.


    ''Leona Valefier... I just don''t get that beastkin girl.''


    He couldn''t comprehend her attachment to him. Their interactions had been minimal, yet she''d boldly declared herself his friend. Damon was aware that beastkin were often more direct than humans, especially regarding relationships, but this didn''t sit well with him. Opening up to someone was never his style, and he instinctively searched for reasons to doubt her intentions.


    "Caw, caw!"


    The sharp cry of a raven broke his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. He stopped walking and narrowed his eyes at the familiar sound.


    Croft was still with him, circling above before landing on his shoulder. The raven''s persistence baffled him, especially since it supposedly held a grudge against him. Without hesitation, Damon reached out, grabbing the bird with lightning speed.


    Croft squawked in protest, flapping wildly as Damon gripped it with one arm and used his other hand to clamp its beak shut. His cold gaze locked onto the raven''s beady eyes.


    "Sylvia said you''re intelligent enough to understand me," Damon began, his voice low and cutting.


    "Honestly, I don''t care if you are. Just know this: if you intend to follow me, then I suggest you stay quiet¡ªor die."


    The raven stopped struggling, its dark eyes reflecting Damon''s stern expression.


    Damon continued, his tone unwavering.


    "I''ll keep you if you''re useful. Perform well enough, and I''ll reward you with meat. So make your choice: usefulness or death."


    After a tense moment, Damon released the bird. Croft flapped its wings and took off into the night sky, vanishing into the shadows.


    Damon watched it go, his face devoid of emotion.


    "I suppose it''s just a stupid bird."


    Sylvia had mentioned a thing or two about ravens and their supposed intelligence. She had even offered tips on training one, volunteering to help him if needed. Damon wasn''t convinced but had to admit the bird seemed to understand him to some extent. Still, he resolved that if it proved useless, he''d get rid of it without hesitation.


    "Caw... caw... useful... demon... useful..."


    Damon froze, a mix of surprise and suspicion washing over him.


    ''This bird... It''s far more intelligent than I realized. How long has it been watching me? Could it still hold a grudge?''


    He met the raven''s beady eyes, his expression darkening.


    ''But in the end, it''s just an animal... and animals can be tamed.''


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    A cold smile crept across Damon''s lips.


    "Well, Croft... it seems you and I got off on the wrong wing. I apologize for earlier. Why don''t we start over? You''ve done very well bringing this to me. How about I buy you some fresh meat when we get to town?"


    The raven cocked its head, seemingly pleased.


    "Caw, caw... meat..."


    Closing his eyes, Damon allowed his thoughts to wander.


    "I don''t know what''s happened in the two days I was unconscious, but Tobias is surely still under house arrest. If his name hasn''t been cleared, the pressure must be mounting. Tomorrow, I''ll gather information... and then kill him."


    His mind shifted to Lilith Astranova. He didn''t know how much she''d uncovered in the past two days or whether any of it pointed to him.


    ''I''ll need to tread carefully. But thanks to Croft, I''ve just thought of a perfect way to kill Tobias Morgan.''


    First, however, he needed to retrieve weapons from Anvil: two daggers, a hook, a collapsible bow, a quiver of arrows forged from cursed ore. Perhaps he could acquire some atrax to craft a hallucinogenic poison. A color hair dye would also be useful for his plans.


    Damon clenched his fists, his lips curling into a predatory smile. He could almost taste the despair that would soon paint Tobias''s face.


    With renewed determination, he stepped deeper into the forest, the shadows around him growing thicker as he made his way toward town.

 Chapter 79 Carmens Influence

    It wasn''t long before Damon stood at the edge of the forest, his presence cloaked in the shadows of the towering trees. Though his eyes remained closed, he didn''t need them to perceive the bustling town that lay ahead. His Shadow Perception extended outward, covering an entire two-kilometer radius.


    Through this invisible network of shadows, he could sense the town''s activity. The shadows of humans, elves, beast kin, dwarves, fae, noble spirits, and countless other races moved like a vivid kaleidoscope of motion and form. Athor''s Sanctuary was a melting pot of life, a bustling hub of diversity, and the sheer amount of information flooding his senses made his head throb.


    Despite the discomfort, Damon endured it. This was a test of his abilities.


    After a few minutes, a familiar shadow flickered into focus¡ªa young man with brown hair and blue eyes, someone Damon could only describe as shady: Carls. He was the one Damon had been waiting for.


    ''He''ll be here soon,'' Damon thought, pulling his senses back to a manageable ten-meter radius.


    His hand brushed against his academy uniform, and he frowned.


    "I can''t go into town dressed like this..."


    The uniform was far too conspicuous, especially with the student council''s enforcers always on the lookout for wayward first-years. Carls was bringing him a cloak and a new blindfold, necessities if he wanted to move unnoticed.


    Damon opened his eyes, his gaze drifting to a distant hill bathed in pale moonlight. His expression twisted into something resembling a smile, though it lacked warmth.


    On that hill lay the grave of a man who had once shown him kindness¡ªkindness Damon had repaid with a claw to the heart.


    ''Kindness is reciprocal... That''s what he believed,'' Damon thought bitterly.


    The weight of his actions pressed against him, a constant reminder of the choices he had made. He was fully aware of his hypocrisy. He had killed an innocent man, and soon, he planned to take another innocent life. Discover more content at empire


    He bit his lip, his fists clenching at his sides.


    ''Truth be told, I''m no different from the people I despise. I''m just a hypocrite.''


    His dark eyes lingered on the hill, but he didn''t dare approach it. The memories were too raw, the guilt too sharp.


    ''I''ve made my choice,'' he reminded himself. ''I chose survival, no matter the cost. Morality be damned.''


    Even so, a small part of him¡ªthe part he tried so hard to bury¡ªwished Carmen Vale had been right about him. That small voice of conscience whispered faintly, reminding him of the man he could never aspire to be.


    But Damon silenced it. He couldn''t afford such weakness, not now.


    Turning his back on the hill, he waited for Carls, the weight of his decisions heavy on his shoulders as he stared into the darkness ahead.


    The soft rustling of footsteps on grass broke Damon out of his reverie. He turned to find a familiar figure stepping out from the shadows¡ªCarls, the self-proclaimed information broker.


    Damon walked with his hood drawn low, his blindfold adding another layer of anonymity. Yet, despite the covering over his eyes, he navigated the bustling streets with ease. His Shadow Perception was active, allowing him to sense every movement around him. Each shadow was unique¡ªsome darker, denser, and more powerful than others.


    It was this ability that made him pause. His attention shifted to a shadow near a wall, where something caught his interest. A poster.


    Damon extended his perception, and as the details of the poster became clear, his heart sank.


    Carls stopped beside him, his face a mix of anger and sadness.


    "So, you knew the old man, huh? Figures. He was a nice guy... not a single person in town who didn''t like him."


    Damon clenched his jaw, his eyes hidden behind the blindfold as he stared at the poster through his shadows. It bore Carmen Vale''s name and details of his supposed attack by a monster. There was even a bounty for information about the creature.


    Feigning ignorance, Damon whispered, "Wh... what happened to him?"


    Carls sighed, running a hand through his hair.


    "Word is he was attacked while camping out in the woods. Monster got him. Killed him and dragged him off... or maybe he''s still alive somewhere. Doesn''t matter¡ªeveryone in town''s already accepted he''s dead."


    Carls'' voice grew heavy with emotion.


    "He was a good man, that old geezer. That''s why the whole town''s out for revenge. When we find that monster, it''s going to pay."


    Damon''s fists clenched at his sides, his stomach twisting in guilt. He hadn''t expected Carmen Vale to be so beloved. The old man''s kindness had extended far beyond what Damon had realized.


    ''Does being kind really inspire this much loyalty?'' Damon thought, his head bowing slightly.


    He couldn''t let anyone know the truth. The kind hunter hadn''t been killed by a monster. Damon had taken his life, and now he was trapped in the web of his own actions.


    Carls exhaled deeply, breaking the silence.


    "Well, whatever. The authorities are on it. Your academy''s student council president even volunteered to help. Word is she might know something about the monster."


    Damon froze. His face went pale beneath the blindfold.


    "Lilith Astranova..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.


    If Lilith was involved, it meant danger was much closer than he had anticipated. If she found out the truth...


    Damon bit his lip, his mind racing. He was running out of options, and if he was exposed, there would be nowhere to hide.

 Chapter 80 Best Smith in Town

    For the remainder of their journey to Anvil''s workshop, Damon bombarded Carls with questions about Carmen Vale. Usually, Carls was tight-lipped when it came to giving out information for free, especially without proper compensation. But when it came to the kind hunter, Carls let his guard down, unwittingly spilling everything Damon wanted to know.


    By the time they reached the workshop, Damon had pieced together every detail he could about the man. He learned about Carmen''s modest residence, the whispered rumors of his backstory, and even information about his daughter.


    Carls, being an experienced info broker, had dug up details about her magical attribute and upbringing, painting a vivid picture of the life the hunter had left behind.


    Damon felt an uncomfortable heaviness in his chest as he processed it all. Despite his resolve to steel himself against his guilt, his heart swelled with conflicting emotions.


    ''So, he was her last surviving relative...'' Damon thought bitterly, his lips tightening.


    The weight of the revelation pressed down on him. He had taken more than just a life¡ªhe''d ripped apart what little family the girl had left.


    He bit his lip, his thoughts spiraling.


    ''How did he manage to stay so optimistic despite everything he''d been through? Despite all he''d lost?''


    The question gnawed at Damon, but he knew it was one he''d never be able to answer. Not after what he''d done. Carmen''s story, as tragic as it was, only highlighted Damon''s own flaws. Compared to the hunter''s quiet strength, Damon''s brooding seemed almost pathetic¡ªan overindulgence in self-pity.


    He pulled his hood lower over his head, the blindfold already concealing his eyes. He couldn''t see his own expression, but he wondered what kind of face he was making.


    ''Probably something pitiful,'' he thought with a grim twist of his mouth.


    They soon reached Anvil''s secluded workshop. As they approached the door, a raven descended from the sky and landed gracefully on Damon''s shoulder.


    "Shoo! Damn bird!" Carls exclaimed, stepping closer and waving his hands to scare it off.


    Before Carls could do anything else, Damon caught his hand, his tone calm but firm.


    "He''s with me."


    The raven, Croft, let out an annoyed caw, glaring at Carls with its beady black eyes.


    Carls stared at Damon, confused.


    "Didn''t peg you as the type to keep a pet¡ªespecially something as ominous as a crow."


    Damon shook his head as they entered the workshop.


    "He''s a raven, not a crow."


    The shop looked the same as it had the last time Damon visited, except this time the usual clanging of metal against hot ore was absent. Anvil wasn''t hammering away at his forge. The quiet felt out of place.


    The room itself bore the marks of countless tests and experiments. A battered training dummy stood in one corner, its charred and patched form a testament to the abuse it had endured over time.


    Anvil placed the chest on the ground and opened it with a flourish, his eyes gleaming with excitement.


    "You wanted a bow, daggers forged from magisite, hollow arrows made from cursed ore, and a grappling hook, right?"


    Damon nodded. "That''s correct."


    Anvil leaned forward, his excitement palpable.


    "The bow was the easiest to make. I designed a collapsible metal bow with moving parts. You can fold it into a compact form and carry it under your uniform."


    He reached into the chest and pulled out a silver, cross-shaped contraption. At first glance, it seemed unimpressive¡ªmore like a complicated ornament than a weapon.


    "What, not impressed?" Anvil teased, shaking the bow lightly. With a metallic snap, it expanded, transforming into a full-sized bow.


    Damon''s expression shifted to surprise. "Huh."


    Carls blinked, equally stunned. "That thing was actually a bow?"


    Anvil handed it to Damon, who took it carefully. He tested its balance, stretched the bowstring, and felt its seamless tension. A small button in the center caught his eye. Pressing it, he watched as the bow folded neatly back into its compact form.


    "This is incredible," Damon said, genuinely impressed. Read chapters at empire


    Carls clapped a hand on Damon''s shoulder, grinning.


    "Told you, Anvil''s the best smith in town."


    Damon turned back to the bow, feeling the faint magical energy coursing through it. "The magisite in the metal¡ªits magic conductivity is remarkable."


    Anvil laughed. "Haven''t seen anything yet."


    He grew more serious as he reached into the chest again.


    "The hollow arrows were trickier. Ingenious design, really. The hollow tips make them fly faster and hit harder."


    He paused, frowning.


    "But the cursed ore is dangerous. Prolonged exposure can cause... complications. In the worst cases, even death."


    Damon''s grip on the bow tightened. "I''ll manage."

 Chapter 81 Dangers Of Cursed Ore

    As Damon inspected the hollow arrows, Anvil leaned back with a shrug.


    "Well, your funeral..."


    Anvil''s gaze shifted to Damon, his tone turning serious.


    "What exactly are the side effects of cursed ore?"


    Damon could tell why the old smith was concerned. Cursed ore wasn''t named that way for nothing¡ªit was dangerous in more ways than one.


    "Cursed ore is known to disrupt or outright kill magic," Damon explained.


    "It can sever the flow of mana, which is its positive effect. But the downsides? Hallucinations, mental instability, sickness, physical weakness, and it attracts monsters. That''s just the start."


    Anvil nodded grimly, pulling one of the arrows from the chest. The arrowhead was oddly shaped, more like a hollow shell than a sharp tip. He detached the shell casing, revealing the full arrowhead beneath¡ªa black, circular design with a faint, ominous glint.


    He tossed the arrow to Damon, who caught it effortlessly, noting its peculiar weight.


    "I designed these shells to cover the arrowheads, so you can carry them safely," Anvil explained, holding up one of the small casings.


    "The cursed ore is in the exposed part of the tip. With this covering, the danger is minimized. Though let''s be honest¡ªno sane person would carry cursed ore willingly."


    Carls, standing off to the side, nodded in agreement.


    "The old man''s right. Even seasoned fighters who''ve reached their first class advancement¡ªpeople with significant resistance to magical effects¡ªhesitate to use cursed ore. And those who do? Let''s just say it doesn''t end well."


    He glanced at the arrows warily, his expression grim.


    "Weapons made of cursed ore have ruined their wielders. Like the cursed sword that drove a knight to slaughter his entire family, or the hammer that attracted a monster stampede. This stuff brings nothing but misfortune."


    Damon acknowledged their concerns but remained resolute.


    "I understand the risks. But as long as the arrowheads are covered with these shells, I should be fine, right?"


    Anvil nodded.


    "Yes. My shells are as foolproof as you can get with cursed ore. Just don''t get careless."


    Carls crossed his arms, shaking his head slightly.


    "Even so, be wary. Drawing misfortune is never a worth it."


    Damon smirked, slotting the arrow into his new bow and pulling back the string to test it. The faint hum of magic coursed through the weapon, a testament to its craftsmanship.


    "If I were more like him, I''d probably be dead already."


    Anvil shook his head, chuckling at Carls'' discomfort. Turning back to Damon, he said,


    "I also made a custom quiver that pins to your uniform jacket. One on each side for easy access to your arrows."


    Damon nodded, genuinely appreciative of the blacksmith''s effort. The man clearly went above and beyond.


    Next, Anvil pulled out a belt, tossing it to Damon. He caught it effortlessly and strapped it on, noticing two daggers sheathed at the back in a cross formation. The placement was perfect¡ªjust within reach.


    Curious, he drew the daggers. They gleamed faintly in the dim light, their reddish metal catching his attention. The blades were wider than usual, with a button-like mechanism on the pommel.


    "Magisite daggers," Anvil explained with pride.


    "They absorb magic, making them effective against spellcasters. The grip contains a compartment for poison. Just press the button with your thumb, and whatever poison you load in there will spill out."


    Damon examined the daggers, a small grin forming on his lips.


    "An insidious weapon, indeed."


    Anvil nodded, his grin matching Damon''s.


    "My only regret is that you''re too poor to afford rune inscriptions. With those, these daggers could''ve been killer artifacts."


    Damon twirled the daggers expertly, testing their balance and weight.


    "That would''ve killed my wallet too."


    Despite the jest, he couldn''t help but be pleased with the craftsmanship. The daggers felt natural in his hands as he sparred with the air, their weight perfect for swift and lethal strikes.


    He glanced at his shadow briefly, wondering what it thought of the new weapons. But it remained dormant for now, indifferent to the people around.


    ''I''ll have to get its opinion later.''


    Satisfied, he sheathed the daggers, noting how well they fit beneath his uniform jacket. Draping his cloak over his shoulders, he looked back at Anvil.


    "Now, what about the grappling hook?"


    Anvil''s grin turned mischievous as he reached into the chest.


    "Heh, you''re gonna love this one the most."


    With a flourish, he pulled out an object, and Damon''s brow furrowed. He tugged his blindfold down slightly to confirm what he was seeing.


    "Wh... what? This isn''t a grappling hook..."

 Chapter 82 Omnidirectional Gear

    Damon''s surprise was warranted. He pulled off his blindfold just to be sure his shadow perception wasn''t deceiving him. Since they''d entered the room, he had made a conscious effort not to use his shadow perception to peer into the chest. But now, he regretted his restraint.


    Anvil wasn''t holding a grappling hook as Damon had expected. Instead, he was holding what appeared to be a pair of metal braces designed to be worn on the wrists, extending from the wrist to the elbow.


    The old blacksmith grinned, clearly pleased with himself.


    "Behold my masterpiece!"


    Damon frowned as Anvil approached him, the braces in hand.


    "I think you might have mixed up my order with someone else''s..."


    Anvil chuckled heartily.


    "I had no idea you had a sense of humor under that gloomy expression."


    The blacksmith flipped one of the braces over, revealing a mechanism hidden on the underside. Damon''s eyes widened as he took in the intricate design. It looked like a series of pulleys, with a bundle of thin strings wrapped around one of them. He could have sworn there were springs embedded within the mechanism, but even with his shadow perception, the inner workings remained somewhat unclear. At the tip of the brace, a small metal blade peeked out slightly.


    "What even is this?" Damon asked, his curiosity tinged with skepticism.


    Anvil''s grin widened as he launched into an explanation.


    "This is a hook¡ªbut it''s much more than just for climbing. You wanted something compact that could fit under your uniform, so I designed these. One for each arm."


    He pointed to the thin blade at the tip of the brace.


    "I used what was left of the magisite to craft the hook. It might look like an arrowhead, but when you activate it, it shoots out and pins to a target. The pulleys and springs allow for recoil, and the thread replaces traditional rope. With these, you can pull yourself toward something¡ªor pull something toward you."


    Damon examined the braces closely, turning them over in his hands. The craftsmanship was impeccable, and the functionality sounded impressive. Still, he was cautious.


    "This... is definitely not what I expected."


    Anvil clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him forward.


    "That''s the beauty of it! You''ll see. Once you get the hang of these, you''ll wonder how you ever lived without them."


    Anvil gave Damon a quick glance and grinned.


    Damon, though reluctant to part with money, had to admit that Anvil had likely shouldered much of the expense himself.


    Anvil crossed his arms.


    "My work is my pride. I said ten thousand, and that''s final. If you don''t like it, leave the stuff behind, and I''ll refund your ore."


    Damon sighed, accepting the terms. "Fine. Not like I wanted to pay more anyway."


    Anvil grinned. "That''s the spirit!"


    Eager to test the device, Damon followed the manual''s first instructions. He aimed at a training dummy, activating the mechanism. The hook shot out with a faint hiss, embedding itself in the target. The strings were so thin they were almost invisible.


    He flipped to the next section of the manual and tried pulling the dummy toward himself. However, he underestimated the pull force of the springs and lost his footing, getting yanked forward and smashing headfirst into the dummy.


    "Agh! My head..." Damon groaned, sprawled on the ground.


    Anvil and Carls exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter.


    Carls clutched his stomach. "I can''t believe it! The great Phantom, fumbling like a rookie!"


    Anvil pointed, tears of laughter streaming down his face.


    "Careful, kid! You''ve got to get used to the recoil!"


    Damon got up awkwardly, rubbing his head. The pain stung more than his pride. He pulled his blindfold back over his eyes, more to hide his embarrassment than block out the excess information from his shadow perception.


    "Right. I''ll keep that in mind. I should probably read the entire manual before trying anything else. If I''m not careful, I''ll end up as a stain on the wall."


    Anvil nodded sagely.


    "It''s dangerous, sure, but I made it knowing you''d figure it out. Those strings aren''t just for grappling¡ªthey''re perfect for strangling someone, too."


    Carls sighed heavily.


    "Why do I feel like you just handed him a tool for murder when all he wanted was a grappling hook?"


    Damon silently inspected the braces, their weight familiar now. He could already think of dozens of applications for them. As he glanced at his shadow, he sensed it watching him. Through its perspective, he caught a glimpse of himself¡ªa faint, dangerous smile spreading across his face.

 Chapter 83 Legacy of Carmen Vale

    Damon''s muscles ached as he sat in Anvil''s workshop, the sourness of exhaustion creeping through his body. He had spent the last three hours in the smith''s cluttered shop, mastering the controls of what he now called the "Omnidirectional Gear." The name felt fitting for the intricate mechanism Anvil had crafted.


    The usual rhythmic hammering from earlier was gone; it was a kind of mourning. Anvil, like the rest of the town, was grieving the death of the kind hunter Carmen Vale.


    It had been a few days since Carmen''s death was discovered. The town had come together for a funeral, though there was no body to bury¡ªjust a few personal belongings that symbolized the man he had been. Most assumed his body had been consumed by a monster.


    They weren''t wrong. Damon had consumed him.


    As he flipped through the manual, deciphering the intricate controls of the gear, Anvil spoke in a wistful tone about Carmen, his voice tinged with sorrow.


    Meanwhile, Carls had been sent on an errand by Damon to pick up supplies and withdraw ten thousand zeni to pay Anvil. The smith, oblivious to Damon''s role in Carmen''s death, continued reminiscing about the man who had touched so many lives.


    Damon listened, feeling an uncomfortable knot forming in his chest. Guilt? Regret? It was hard to say, but the old man''s words made the air feel heavier.


    The Omnidirectional Gear was tricky to master, but after three hours of practice, Damon had figured out the basics. Anything beyond simple movements still felt dangerous, so he set it aside and decided to ask more about Carmen.


    He already knew some details from Carls¡ªlike the name of Carmen''s daughter, Iris, a pink-haired girl¡ªbut he wanted to understand more.


    "How could he command so much loyalty even after he''s dea... gone? It feels like the whole town is angry over his death," Damon asked, his tone quiet but curious.


    Anvil sighed heavily, setting down his tools.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Honestly? I never really got the man. He was always sticking his nose in other people''s business, but not in a bad way. If someone needed help, he''d come running¡ªeven if they didn''t ask for it. And he wouldn''t take no for an answer."


    The smith''s eyes moistened as he continued.


    "You could call him an oddball, but he was kind. Always trying to see the best in people, even the ones who didn''t deserve it. That''s probably why everyone loved him so much."


    Anvil glanced at Damon, his voice softening.


    "His magic was being kind. And that magic? It touched everyone."


    Damon nodded slowly, his expression grim beneath the blindfold.


    "Kindness is reciprocal," he said after a moment.


    Anvil chuckled, a faint smile breaking through his sorrow.


    "Yeah, that''s exactly what he used to say. There''s not a single person in this town he hadn''t helped before. This world lost a great man, and it''ll probably never recover. Folks like him? They''re one in a million."


    Though his eyes were hidden, Damon''s posture grew even gloomier. The weight of Anvil''s words pressed down on him.


    The smith, noticing Damon''s somber demeanor, spoke again, his voice filled with quiet conviction.


    "Thanks for the advice, Anvil. I appreciate your perspective."


    "Wouldn''t really call that advice," Anvil muttered, shaking his head.


    Still, Damon understood now. He had a path to follow, his own way of paying back what he owed to Carmen. In a sense, even though he had killed and consumed the man, Carmen had still saved him¡ªhis kindness had left a mark. It was up to Damon to carry that legacy forward.


    Not through kindness¡ªthat wasn''t his way. He had a different idea in mind.


    The door flung open, and Carls stumbled in, carrying a small bundle.


    "Ahh, Damon, you''re such a slave driver," he complained, dropping the bundle on a nearby table.


    "I don''t even know why you need hair dye and explosive ice crystals."


    He tossed a pouch toward Anvil.


    "And here''s your pay from the outlet. Geez, I''m beat."


    Carls glanced at Damon with a grin.


    "I''m glad you''re starting to trust me enough to send me to get stuff for you."


    Damon shook his head.


    "No, you''re still a shady character. I just didn''t want to risk running into the student council in town, that''s all."


    Carls clutched his chest in mock pain.


    "You break my heart, Damon! How can you be so cruel?"


    Damon ignored him, picking up the bundle. He stood, stretching his sore muscles, and pulled up his hood.


    "Thanks for everything, Anvil. If I need more weapons, I''ll be back."


    Anvil sneered, crossing his arms.


    "Oh, I don''t doubt it. You''re a repeat customer, now. Those hollow arrows and braces will need maintenance, so you''ll be back. And I intend to charge you really good."


    Damon sighed, shaking his head.


    "I knew it. It was just too good to be true. I''m still going to be losing money after all."


    With that, he turned and walked out, the bundle in hand, a new resolve settling over him.

 Chapter 84 Iris Vale

    Damon parted ways with Carls, muttering a quick farewell. There was something he needed to take care of alone. After asking for directions a few times, he reached his destination. Pulling his hood lower, he adjusted the blindfold over his eyes. It was an odd look, but it worked¡ªmost people assumed he was blind and paid him little mind.


    He stopped in front of the house, a modest building nestled in a quieter part of Athor''s Sanctuary. The tall walls and trees surrounding it gave the residence a sense of seclusion, shielding it from the bustle of the main town. The compound boasted a large garden space, its tranquility broken only by the occasional chirp of night creatures.


    Damon''s shadow perception expanded, stretching out to encompass the entire residence. His senses probed the house and the grounds. The interior was empty, but his focus shifted to the garden. There, he found his target.


    A girl, perhaps his age or slightly younger, stood before a charred training dummy. Her hands glowed with magical flames as she hurled fiery blasts at the dummy, the light casting fleeting shadows across the yard.


    Damon lingered outside the walls, debating his next move. Should he knock on the front door? The thought seemed ridiculous. He dismissed it quickly. Instead, he made his way to the back, scaling the wall with practiced ease. Walking along its edge, he climbed into a nearby tree.


    The shadows beneath the tree wrapped around him like a protective cloak, making him almost invisible. A raven landed on a branch nearby, its piercing gaze locked on him. Damon glanced at his own shadow, now darker and seemingly alive, shifting subtly as if disapproving of his actions.


    "Hey... should I really be doing this?" Damon whispered.


    His shadow waved its head, clearly disagreeing.


    "Jeez, thanks for the vote of confidence," Damon muttered. "But I''m still going to do it."


    His heart pounded in his chest as he watched the girl continue her relentless training. Her pink flames lit up the night, fierce and vibrant, yet controlled. Damon''s shadow motioned impatiently, as if urging him to move.


    "Give me a moment!" he hissed, his voice barely audible. "It''s not like I killed her father or anything..."


    The raven made a soft caw, almost as if it had something to say. Damon shot it a warning glare. Croft, the raven, took the hint and remained silent. Damon rewarded its cooperation with dried meat, which the bird eagerly snatched from his hand.


    Taking another deep breath, Damon felt his hands tremble slightly. He had never imagined he''d meet Carmen Vale''s daughter. Life had a way of throwing unexpected challenges, and this was no exception.


    ''It''s now or never,'' he thought, steeling himself.


    But his body refused to move. No matter how much he willed himself to jump off the branch, he remained frozen in place.


    He sighed, biting his lip in frustration.


    ''Since when did I become such a coward? Oh goddess, give me the strength to do this...''


    The prayer felt hollow. Damon knew better than to expect divine intervention, especially for someone like him¡ªa thief, a murderer, and most of all, an unbeliever.


    Resigned, he leaned back against the tree trunk, deciding to watch for now. The yard was illuminated by faint lamplight, casting a warm glow over the girl and her surroundings. The moons were absent tonight, leaving the sky dark and foreboding.


    "Answer me! Who the hell are you?" she shouted, her tone more desperate now.


    Damon considered his options, then decided to lean into the mysterious act. It was more entertaining that way.


    "I smell fear," he said, his voice low and taunting. "Are you afraid?"


    Iris gritted her teeth, her fear giving way to anger.


    "That''s it, you bastard! I''m burning this whole place down!" she yelled, her hands igniting with pink flames that roared to life.


    Damon chuckled softly.


    "Really now? You might want to rethink that. Burn down your house, and you''ll have to live on the streets. Trust me, that''s not a good idea."


    Her stance shifted into a combat-ready position, her flames burning brighter and hotter.


    "Fine by me," she growled, her eyes filled with determination.


    Damon sighed, running a hand through his hair.


    ''Is this girl crazy? What a hothead,'' he thought.


    Realizing the situation was escalating fast, he stood up and leapt gracefully from the tree, landing in the yard with a soft thud.


    "Calm down," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I am not your enemy¡ª"


    Before he could finish, two blazing fireballs hurtled toward him, their heat searing the air.


    ''Huh? What the¡ª? Is she crazy?!'' Damon thought as he instinctively ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the flaming projectiles.


    The fireballs crashed into a nearby tree, scorching its trunk and sending a shower of embers into the night. Damon scrambled to his feet, glaring at the girl.


    "Are you out of your mind?!" he snapped, brushing soot off his cloak. "I just said I''m not your enemy!"


    Iris smirked, her flames crackling around her hands. "Prove it."


    Damon groaned inwardly. This was not how he''d planned for things to go.

 Chapter 85 Apprentice

    Damon smirked at her sharp words, crossing his arms casually.


    ''What a firecracker,'' he thought, taking in her defiant stance.


    The girl stood in front of him, her short pink hair plastered to her skin with sweat. She wore brown pants and a white shirt, both worn and frayed, evidence of her frequent training. Her piercing blue eyes glared at him with suspicion and fiery determination.


    He sighed, tilting his head slightly. "Something tells me you''re not going to listen to me."


    She narrowed her eyes further, the flames in her hands flickering ominously.


    "Oh yeah? What gave you that impression?"


    He pointed at the fireballs she held.


    "Well, for starters, you''re holding a literal ball of flames while looking like you''re ready to incinerate me."


    She didn''t lower her guard, her expression hardening.


    "Says the shady guy sneaking into my yard, dressed like some hooded creep. I should scream ''pervert'' or ''rapist'' and have you dragged away."


    Damon winced inwardly at the threat, knowing how troublesome that would be for him.


    "And yet, you haven''t," he said, his voice calm but pointed.


    She glared at him, her hands tightening. "I''m giving you the benefit of the doubt. Barely."


    Damon chuckled softly, the sound echoing in the quiet night.


    "Go ahead, then. Scream all you like. Your voice won''t travel far enough for anyone to hear you."


    Her face paled slightly, and her gaze flickered to her surroundings as if realizing the truth in his words.


    Seeing her hesitation, Damon softened his tone.


    "But there''s no need for that. I''m not here to hurt you."


    He reached up and pulled down his hood, revealing his pale face. Her blue eyes widened when she saw the black blindfold covering his eyes. His dark hair framed his face, giving him a slightly melancholic appearance, though he still wore a faint, almost playful smile.


    "You''re... are you blind?" she asked hesitantly.


    Damon nodded. "At the moment, yes. But I can see the world just fine in my own way."


    She stared at him, clearly confused but sensing no immediate threat.


    "Why are you here? Are you... are you a friend of my father''s?"


    Damon''s heart sank at her words, his chest tightening as the weight of his past actions bore down on him. He hesitated, then answered carefully.


    "Perhaps. Let''s just say I owe him my life."


    Her eyes lowered, her expression darkening.


    "He''s dead. Whatever debts you had are repaid. You can leave now."


    He shook his head slowly.


    "Don''t you want to get into the Academy?"


    Her head snapped up at his question, her interest piqued despite her guarded demeanor.


    "I do... but what''s that got to do with you?"


    Damon took a deliberate step closer, his tone steady.


    "She''s very interested in me after she lost, in fact. I''m one of the few people in the Academy who has permission to call her by name."


    Iris''s shock deepened. Of course, that wasn''t entirely a lie. Lilith had told him to call her by her name, and she was interested in him¡ªthough her interest stemmed from a desire to hunt him down, not admiration. But there was no need for Iris to know that.


    Iris tilted her head, her skepticism battling with her newfound awe.


    "Is that so? Then you''ve reached the first class advancement, at least."


    Damon''s eye twitched, but he quickly composed himself.


    "No... but¡ª"


    "Then we have nothing more to talk about."


    Damon blinked, startled by her abrupt dismissal.


    ''What... huh... this girl.''


    He chuckled lightly, regaining his composure.


    "I suppose you haven''t heard of people like me. I''m actually the most well-known student in my year. All the professors had their eyes on me."


    ''Although they despise me now.''


    Iris sneered, her skepticism returning in full force.


    "So what? You''re just some guy."


    Damon bit the inside of his cheek, suppressing his irritation.


    "Tell you what... wanna make two hundred thousand zeni?"


    Her brows shot up. "I''m not interested in selling myself into prostitution, sorry."


    He suppressed the urge to groan, his patience wearing thin.


    ''What the hell do nobles think prostitution is? Prostitution would have been cheaper.''


    He raised his Academy-issued pager, the device glowing faintly in his hand.


    "Let''s duel. If you win, I''ll give you two hundred thousand zeni. If you lose, you become my apprentice."


    Iris sneered again, crossing her arms.


    "As if. Do I look crazy? Why would I take on an Academy student in a magical duel? That''s suicide."


    Damon smiled, unfazed.


    ''Good, she''s interested. Running this house must cost her a money. I imagine she doesn''t want to live off people''s charity forever.''


    "Oh, but there''s a caveat. I won''t use any magic at all."


    ''Because I suck at magic, with abysmal mana level'' he thought bitterly, though his expression remained confident.


    Iris narrowed her eyes, still skeptical but clearly tempted.


    Damon decided to push her further.


    "Or... you could stay here, living off the charity of the townspeople. I''ll just take my money and go. This should be easy money for someone as capable as you. Unless you''re scared. Unless you want to be a parasite your whole life."


    Iris gritted her teeth, his words hitting a nerve.


    Her hands flared with pink flames as she glared at him. "You''re on."

 Chapter 86 Wont Let Her Die...

    The dim glow of the streetlamps barely illuminated the scene, their pale light struggling to penetrate the darkness of the night. Iris kept her gaze fixed on Damon, her resolve unwavering. Though his features were obscured by the blindfold he wore, she didn''t need to see his eyes to gauge his abilities. He had agreed not to use magic, and he hadn''t reached the first class advancement¡ªvictory was assured.


    Her pink flames flickered brightly in the gloom, casting long shadows that danced across the cobblestones.


    ''If I win, I won''t have to rely on what my father left behind... or worse, the pity of the townsfolk''s charity.''


    The thought steeled her determination.


    Damon, on the other hand, stood relaxed, seemingly unbothered. Despite the blindfold, he could see perfectly, thanks to his shadow perception. The darkness was his ally, and the faint shadows cast by Iris'' flames only enhanced his awareness.


    ''She doesn''t stand a chance at night,'' he mused, tightening his fists.


    The shifting shadows around her betrayed the movements of her flames, making it almost laughably easy to anticipate where they would strike.


    ''Still, I hope this is the right decision...''


    His shadow flickered briefly, as if disagreeing with his thoughts. Damon couldn''t help but notice its subtle reproach.


    ''I''m not going back on my resolve,'' he thought, determined. ''I''m just testing a different approach.''


    "Okay, Iris. Are you ready?" he asked, his voice calm and steady.


    Her flames flared brighter, the pink hue illuminating her fierce expression.


    "More than ready. You''re going down, creep!"


    Damon sighed, his tone laced with mock pity.


    "No need to hurt my feelings. I''ll be sure to hold back so I don''t hurt you."


    ''Lies,'' he admitted to himself.


    He fully intended to go all out, even without magic. Taking on someone using magic without countering with his own was a risky move¡ªone only a fool would attempt unless they''d reached the first class advancement, where their physical body surpassed human limits. Thankfully, Damon wasn''t relying on human strength alone.


    He had the [5x] skill


    Iris stood poised, awaiting the signal, her flames coiling around her hands like eager serpents.


    He glanced at the unconscious girl again, guilt creeping into his thoughts.


    ''Using a tool I haven''t mastered in a fight... what was I thinking?''


    Croft let out another caw, as if taunting him. "Dead! Dead!"


    Damon''s stomach twisted. He clenched his fists, trying to push away the memories. He had killed her father¡ªunwillingly, but it didn''t change the fact that his hands were stained. He didn''t want any more harm to come to her. He didn''t want her to die, especially not by his hand.


    ''And I won''t let anyone else kill her either,'' he vowed silently.


    In a corner of his heart, a small, selfish voice whispered that this resolve wasn''t entirely noble. Perhaps that was why his shadow seemed so disapproving of this entire arrangement.


    He crouched down beside her, his sharp eyes scanning her still form. She was breathing, the faint rise and fall of her chest evident. But just to be certain, he leaned closer, pressing two fingers gently against her neck to check her pulse.


    Her heartbeat was steady, but Damon hesitated, lowering his ear to her chest. The softness of her frame pressed against his head as he confirmed her heart''s rhythm.


    From the corner of his vision, his shadow shifted, forming a gesture that clearly resembled a shake of disapproval. It then pointed directly at him, as if to say, Was that last part really necessary?


    Damon shrugged, smirking faintly. "Better safe than sorry."


    Satisfied that she was okay, he straightened and exhaled a sigh of relief. Gently, he picked her up, cradling her in his arms. Her pink hair cascaded over her shoulder, and for a moment, he was struck by how fragile she seemed.


    ''At least I get to keep my money,'' he thought, a small consolation amidst his guilt.


    The door to her house creaked open as he nudged it with his foot, stepping into the dimly lit kitchen. His shadow spread out ahead of him, scanning the house to locate her room, but Damon halted it mid-search.


    ''Taking a girl I just met into her room? Yeah, no. Not a great idea¡ªespecially after she threatened to scream pervert earlier.''


    Sighing, he carried her to the living room instead. A large, plush sofa caught his eye, and he carefully placed her down on it. He pulled a blanket from a nearby armchair and draped it over her unconscious form.


    Taking a seat on a wooden chair by the fireplace, Damon leaned back, watching the flickering flames cast long, dancing shadows across the room. Croft landed on the armrest beside him, cocking its head expectantly. Damon tore a piece of dried meat from his pouch and handed it to the raven, who cawed in approval.


    "This is going to take a while," Damon muttered under his breath.


    The stillness of the room was interrupted by the faint vibration of his pager. He pulled it from his pocket, flipping it open. The name on the display made his heart skip a beat.


    "Damn," he whispered, gripping the pager tightly.

 Chapter 87 Refined Manners

    Damon''s fingers tightened slightly around the pager as he raised it to his ear. Anxiety gripped him, though he tried to mask it. The caller was from the Healing Institute in Valerion¡ªa woman whose voice always seemed calm and composed, even when delivering unsettling news.


    Healer Floral Estin.


    She was a specialist in treating magic circuit cancer, and one of the few people Damon felt genuine gratitude toward. It wasn''t a feeling he extended often¡ªalmost never¡ªbut for her, he made an exception. There were a scant few who had earned that sentiment: Seras Blade, even though he had never met her; Carmen Vale, whose philosophy had subtly influenced his current path; and, of course, Flora Estin.


    "Good evening," her soft voice came through the line, steady and professional.


    Damon returned the greeting, his voice neutral, masking the turmoil brewing inside him. The call was brief. She updated him on the expenses related to his sister''s care¡ªpayments he needed to make, transfers to authorize. It wasn''t unexpected, but hearing the numbers still made his stomach churn.


    When the call ended, Damon leaned back in the wooden chair by the fire, staring at the flickering flames. He had asked for his sister to be transferred to a better ward, one with higher-level care. The cost? Half a million zeni.


    He opened his pager and initiated the transfer to the Institute''s warback account under Luna Grey''s name. As always, Flora Estin would ensure the funds were allocated properly.


    When the transaction completed, Damon exhaled heavily and cradled his head in his hands. His chest felt tight, a mixture of relief and frustration flooding his thoughts.


    ''My luck must be improving. If it weren''t for the duel with Xander, I''d have been short.''


    The payout from that encounter had kept him afloat, but just barely. He still had a few thousand zeni left, but with the mounting expenses, it was nowhere near enough. He needed more money¡ªsoon.


    Leaning back in the chair, he closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the tension in his shoulders.


    ''The problems just keep piling up. There''s never enough time...''


    He slipped the pager into his pocket, his shadow flitting across the room erratically. Its movements were a reflection of his own restless mind, and he couldn''t help but think about the burden it imposed on him.


    The shadow''s hunger.


    As long as that mechanic of his existence persisted, trouble would always follow. And worse, his shadow didn''t feed on animals¡ªonly people. He had considered monsters, but in this region, the monsters were nearly as strong as someone in their first class advancement or higher.


    This was the Evil Forest''s territory, after all.


    ''I''ll take my chances with people,'' Damon thought grimly, though he wasn''t proud of the conclusion.


    Deep down, he suspected that even monster flesh wouldn''t satisfy the shadow''s hunger. It wasn''t a physical need¡ªit was instinct, primal and undeniable, like a predator''s urge to hunt.


    Damon expected the questions but couldn''t afford to be entirely honest.


    "My name is Damon Grey," he replied evenly. "As for your father... like I said, I owe him my life."


    She nodded, though her doubt lingered. She pressed him with a few more questions, and Damon responded with carefully crafted half-truths, sidestepping anything that might unravel his story.


    Growing tired of the interrogation and sensing the conversation edging toward dangerous territory, he decided to shift her focus.


    "I''ve been your guest for three hours," he said with a faint smirk. "Can''t I at least get some tea?"


    Iris raised an eyebrow. "Actually, you invited yourself in."


    Damon chuckled softly. "Good to see you''re lively again. But don''t forget¡ªyou''re my apprentice now."


    Iris sighed, her reluctance evident. "Fine. Whatever. I''ll make some tea."


    Damon found her grudging compliance amusing. "Good girl."


    She shot him a glare before heading toward the kitchen. "Do you have any preference for tea, Mr. Damon?"


    "No. And you can call me Master."


    Iris turned to glare at him again, her tone sharp. "Like hell I would. You''re not much older than me."


    Damon smirked. "Fair enough. Then I suppose Damon will do just fine. Drop the ''Mister,'' though."


    Iris nodded curtly and busied herself in the kitchen. It wasn''t long before she returned with a pot of tea and two cups arranged neatly on a tray. Damon reflexively picked up the pot, pouring tea for both of them. He brought the cup to his lips, savoring the warmth before setting it down.


    When he glanced up, Iris was glaring at him, her fists clenched tightly.


    "Are you a noble?" she asked, her tone cold and accusatory.


    Damon tilted his head, confused. "No, I''m not."


    Iris stood abruptly, her eyes narrowing. "Liar."

 Chapter 88 Dire Ambitions

    Damon was caught off guard by her sudden outburst. The sharpness of her tone and the anger in her eyes were unexpected. Her emotions seemed to boil over without warning, leaving him momentarily speechless.


    It wasn''t the first time he''d seen such resentment. He recognized the look¡ªit was one he was all too familiar with.


    "I''m not a noble," Damon said calmly, leaning back in his chair.


    "I don''t think you''ve ever heard of a noble family named Grey, have you?"


    Iris didn''t seem convinced. Her gaze shifted to the tea cup in front of him, her lips pressing into a thin line.


    "But you have to be," she insisted. "That tea etiquette... only nobles bother with that kind of refinement."


    Damon tilted his head slightly, perplexed. "Tea etiquette?"


    "Yes!" she snapped. "The way you hold the cup, pour the tea, everything about it screams noble upbringing."


    Damon chuckled softly, setting the tea cup down.


    "This is just how I normally drink tea. My mother was very particular about it."


    He sighed.


    "But no, I''m definitely not a noble."


    Iris studied him, her brow furrowed in uncertainty. After a long pause, she bit her lip and sat down, her shoulders slumping slightly.


    "I... I apologize for my outburst," she murmured, her voice quieter now.


    Damon shook his head dismissively. "It''s fine. You''re quite the hothead, though."


    Her cheeks flushed, and she avoided his gaze.


    "You don''t seem to like nobles very much," he observed, his tone neutral.


    Her expression darkened instantly, and her fists clenched on her lap.


    "I hate them," she spat through gritted teeth.


    The intensity in her voice struck a chord with Damon, sparking a vague sense of de?ja? vu. Fate, it seemed, enjoyed playing strange games. Not long ago, he''d said something similar to her father. He recalled the man''s response¡ªcalm, but firm¡ªand decided to answer her in his own way.


    "I hate them too," Damon said, his voice steady.


    Iris blinked, surprised. Her head tilted slightly as she studied his face, searching for any trace of insincerity.


    He smiled faintly.


    "What? They suck. They treat people horribly. I can''t imagine why anyone would like them."


    Damon shook his head.


    "I agree he''s wise, but I don''t agree with that line of thinking. Revenge is... satisfying. Seeing the fear in the eyes of those who wronged you, making them beg for their lives, and taking it away¡ªthat''s satisfying."


    His lips curled into a thin, almost unsettling smile as he spoke. The words carried a dark edge that made Iris shiver.


    "A wise man once said, ''An eye for an eye makes the world go blind,''" Damon continued, his tone laced with mockery.


    "But that man probably never lost an eye. If he did, he''d want payback."


    Damon raised his tea cup, sipping it leisurely.


    "If revenge is what you want, I''ll help you. If the academy is what you want, I''ll help you. If it''s someone you want dead, I''ll help you."


    Iris stared at him, trying to gauge the sincerity in his words.


    "And what''s in it for you?" she asked cautiously.


    Damon held up two fingers. "I repay my debts and... personal enjoyment."


    She hesitated for only a moment before responding. "I want all of that."


    Damon nodded, his expression steady. "You''d have to kill people. Your father wouldn''t want that."


    Iris bit her lip, her gaze hardening.


    "He''s gone now. His ideals won''t help me anymore."


    Damon studied her closely. This wasn''t what he had expected. Carmen Vale''s daughter wasn''t the gentle, meek girl he had imagined. Instead, she was a spitfire, burning with enough hatred for the nobility to willingly team up with someone as shady as him.


    Despite his uncertainty, Damon made up his mind. He would grant her wish.


    "Alright, then. As my apprentice, I can''t let you go off on your own. You''re wildly ambitious. If you want to restore your noble house, fine, I''ll help. But first, we start with getting you into the academy," he declared.


    Iris nodded, determination replacing her tears.


    "You should be careful, Iris. What you want isn''t for the faint of heart. Think it over. I''ll be back tomorrow," Damon said, rising to his feet. Read the latest on empire


    As he turned, Croft landed gracefully on his shoulder. He opened the door and stepped out into the night, pulling up his hood.


    He clenched his fist tightly, the cool night air biting against his skin.


    ''This was not what I was expecting,'' he thought.


    ''If I do this, I''ll be making more enemies in the future. But... I''ve decided. I''ll help her see her ambitions through, no matter what. It''s just a few nobles. It''s not like I haven''t killed some already.''


    With that, Damon disappeared into the shadows, his resolve set and his path filled with the inevitable chaos that lay ahead.

 Chapter 89 Goodbye Loner Life

    The sunlight streamed through the window, spilling across Damon''s desk where he sat, a thick book on magic history propped open in his hands. Dark circles marred his face, evidence of a sleepless night. With a deep sigh, he flipped the final page, scanning the last paragraph before snapping the book shut.


    Stretching his arms above his head, he yawned.


    "With this, I''ve more or less caught up with the first-year curriculum..."No?v(el)B\\jnn


    He wasn''t about to be caught lacking in theoretical exams or tests again. After his previous humiliation, he had made it a point to read through the entire syllabus for the year, summarizing and taking meticulous notes to commit it all to memory.


    What happened last time would never happen again. As for Marcus Fayjoy, the one who caused it... his reckoning was coming.


    Damon exhaled, setting the book aside and pulling his blindfold back over his tired eyes. He had returned to his dorm late last night after his meeting with Iris, just past midnight, only to find Leona Valefier sulking in the dorm kitchen. She sat silently, arms crossed, clearly waiting for him.


    When Damon slipped in, her pout deepened, though she said nothing. It was painfully obvious she was upset that he had left without saying a word.


    Though guilt didn''t weigh on him much, Damon decided to appease her by cooking up a storm. He prepared several hearty meat dishes, reasoning that a full stomach might soften her mood. But more importantly, his encounter with Iris had prompted another thought: he might not be enough to train her. If he was to mold her into someone capable of carrying out her ambitions, he needed help.


    That was why he decided to get on Leona''s good side. He also resolved to ingratiate himself with Sylvia Moonveil¡ªher vast library of knowledge would undoubtedly prove invaluable.


    ''At this rate, I might as well be chummy with everyone,'' Damon mused.


    It wasn''t just about forming alliances, though; it was about adaptability. Damon prided himself on being supremely flexible, willing to abandon principles and reshape himself to fit any situation. If it meant surviving¡ªand thriving¡ªthen so be it.


    His body had mostly recovered, the soreness in his limbs a fading memory. He owed some thanks to the ointments Sylvia and Evangeline had passed along, though he wasn''t one for sentimental gratitude.


    A faint grumble from his stomach interrupted his thoughts, though he quickly dismissed it. It wasn''t the shadow hunger, not yet. He estimated he could hold out for another day or two. That gave him just enough time to deal with Tobias Margan.


    Damon pulled a cufflink from his pocket, turning it over in his fingers. It belonged to Marcus Fayjoy. Originally, he had planned to lure Tobias out using Isaac''s handwriting. But after some thought, he decided on a more elaborate approach. He would mimic Marcus''s handwriting, framing him with a fabricated letter and leaving behind this cufflink along with some carefully placed ice crystals.


    Still, he wondered about the mechanics of shadow hunger. His shadow could eat monster meat but it couldn''t convert that to shadow energy.


    ''I assume it''s like that mana crystal. I can gain attribute points, but not shadow energy¡ªor maybe just a boost to one stat.''


    He pushed the thought aside for now. Testing theories was one thing, but not at the expense of his survival. Damon had no intention of dying young.... So fighting monsters could wait.


    Damon rose from the chair with a groggy stretch, the events of the previous night still lingering in his mind. He shuffled into the bathroom and emerged refreshed, droplets of water clinging to his hair. Croft, the raven, was still dozing on a pillow, feathers ruffled from sleep.


    He dressed quickly, fastening his uniform with practiced efficiency before pinning the brooch to his chest. As he opened the door, the subtle creak stirred Croft, who immediately flapped its wings and landed on Damon''s shoulder, settling into its usual perch.


    Descending to the dining hall on the bottom floor, Damon noted the quiet emptiness. The nobles were still waking, granting him the privilege of having the space to himself. He chose a table near the window and sat down, ready to eat.


    As he took his first bite, a familiar presence brushed against his senses¡ªLeona Valefier. Her shadow loomed in his perception before she entered, her golden eyes fixated on him. She said nothing as she approached, her usual boisterous energy conspicuously absent.


    Damon sighed, recalling how he had cooked for her the night before to lift her mood. She hadn''t even offered to repay the favor. Seeing her so quiet was strange, but he had already decided to keep her in his good graces. If he was going to train Iris properly, Leona''s combat expertise might come in handy.


    "Hello there... bestie," he said, forcing the last word out with barely concealed discomfort.


    Leona''s ears perked up, her mood visibly brightening as a radiant smile spread across her face. Her golden eyes sparkled with delight. "What did you just say?"


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    Before Damon could respond, a maid arrived with a large trolley laden with food, interrupting the moment. Grateful for the distraction, Damon motioned toward the meal.


    "Let''s eat," he said flatly, avoiding her expectant gaze.


    As they began eating, Damon''s thoughts wandered.


    ''I suppose I can use her... although I may have to put up with her whims. Not that I''m not doing that already. Iris, I''m really going all out for you.''

 Chapter 90 The Lion And The Jackals

    Damon and Leona both ate with voracious appetites¡ªLeona because of her beastkin nature and Damon due to the insatiable demands of his shadow. The dining hall was filled with the rhythmic clatter of cutlery and the occasional satisfied hum from Leona, who couldn''t stop sneaking glances at Damon. He, however, remained focused on his plate, eating in silence.


    As he forked another bite of food, Damon furrowed his brow, his senses alerting him to two approaching shadows from the direction of the elevator.


    ''It''s still early. Why are they awake?''


    The elevator doors opened to reveal Evangeline and Sylvia, who quickly made their way over. Without so much as asking for permission, Evangeline seated herself at the table, clearly having learned from previous encounters with Damon. Sylvia followed, offering a warm smile as she settled into her chair.


    "Good morning. You two seem inseparable as always," Sylvia remarked, her gaze flitting between Damon and Leona.


    Damon didn''t look up as he responded curtly, "I could say the same about the both of you."


    Evangeline smirked, nodding toward a maid who added more food to the table.


    "Hello, Damon. I''m glad to see that two days in the infirmary didn''t dampen your... er, honest disposition."


    Damon turned his sharp gaze toward her.


    "I hate mincing words. Just say I''m a jerk like you really think. No need to act like a noble lady."


    Sylvia chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You really don''t change, do you? I suppose that''s fine."


    Evangeline sighed, leaning back in her chair, while Damon picked up his teacup and brought it to his lips.


    "I''m not even going to ask why you''re sitting here," he muttered.


    Evangeline replied smoothly,


    "Actually, this time it''s because we wanted to check on you. Leona told us you woke up, and by the time we got there, you were gone."


    Sylvia set down her fork, her expression firm.


    "The least you could''ve done was tell Leona you were leaving. That was insensitive, especially after she spent two days by your side."


    Evangeline nodded in agreement. "Her mood was rock bottom."


    Damon glanced sideways at Leona, who was stuffing her face with food, her demeanor completely carefree.


    "Her mood seems fine to me."


    Evangeline turned to Leona for an explanation. Leona gulped down her food and chased it with a glass of juice, sighing contentedly.


    Damon''s feelings toward Xander Ravenscroft hadn''t softened; he still didn''t like him. Yet, he couldn''t deny that Xander was different from Marcus and his gang. Unlike them, Xander had never physically or verbally attacked him. In fact, if Marcus and the others tried to torment Damon in front of Xander, he would stop them.


    At first, Damon had assumed Xander''s actions were purely out of self-interest, perhaps to maintain control over his "followers." But the truth was far simpler: Xander Ravenscroft was a lion surrounded by jackals who borrowed his name to assert dominance.


    Xander hadn''t recruited them, nor did he encourage their behavior. They had gravitated to him because of his noble lineage and natural charisma.


    ''But I''m still going to make life difficult for him,'' Damon thought, a smirk tugging at his lips.


    ''Consider it repayment for cleaning up your pack of jackals.''


    His resolve to eliminate Marcus''s group remained firm.


    Breakfast passed uneventfully, the quiet interrupted only by the gradual arrival of other students who filled the dining hall. When Damon finished eating, he stood, prompting Leona to follow immediately. This surprised the others, who hesitated before rising to join them.


    As the group moved toward the main hall that led out of the dormitory, Damon''s senses picked up another familiar shadow moving toward the dining area. Discover stories with empire


    A young man with blue hair and tired, bloodshot blue eyes entered. His usually immaculate appearance was disheveled, with dark circles under his eyes betraying his sleepless nights.


    Marcus.


    The boy''s face lit up briefly when he spotted Xander, but his expression froze the moment his eyes landed on Damon. His entire body stiffened, his eyes widening in unmistakable fear. His hands trembled, and it was as if he were staring at a monster.


    Xander noticed Marcus''s state and quickly approached, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.


    "Marcus, are you okay? You''re staring off again. I know the deaths of Lark and Isaac are still bothering you, but you need to know that I''m here for you."


    The words seemed to snap Marcus out of his daze, though he continued to shoot fearful glances at Damon, as if expecting him to pounce.


    Damon observed the exchange with confusion. Why was Marcus, the same boy who had always sought to bully him, suddenly so terrified? Whatever the reason, Damon intended to find out. It was a risk, but he decided it was worth it.


    Xander guided Marcus to a nearby chair, speaking in soothing tones.


    Damon tilted his head slightly, signaling his shadow to follow Marcus and uncover the truth. The shadow moved fluidly, attaching itself to Marcus''s own shadow without anyone noticing.


    At least, no one but Sylvia. Her eyes widened as she glanced at Damon.


    "Wha... what... where did his shadow¡ª"


    She hadn''t noticed when his shadow moved but she noted it''s sudden absence.


    Damon suppressed a smirk, maintaining his composure. He needed to be cautious. His shadow couldn''t stray beyond a two-kilometer range without draining his energy. Moreover, he had to ensure no one else noticed its absence.

 Chapter 91 Finally Caught

    The sun hung high in the sky, its rays filtering through the classroom windows. Damon, however, avoided the light, seated comfortably in a dark corner at the back.


    His head drooped slightly as drowsiness weighed on him, though his fingers toyed with a small notepad Sylvia had given him. The notepad contained summaries of books on beast taming, with meticulous instructions Sylvia had crafted for training the raven she''d practically forced him to adopt.


    He sighed, recalling how she''d strong-armed him into taking the bird.


    Something brushed against his foot, snapping him from his thoughts. Glancing down, he spotted Croft, the raven, dragging a rolled-up piece of paper in its beak.


    Damon leaned down, retrieved the paper, and rewarded Croft with a piece of meat. The raven eagerly snatched it and devoured it in no time.


    Unrolling the paper, Damon noticed it was another letter from Sylvia. He glanced toward the front of the class, where Sylvia was seated beside Evangeline. She caught his eye and nodded subtly.


    The letter itself held no meaningful content; it was just part of an ongoing training exercise. Sylvia had been teaching Croft how to deliver messages, and they''d been practicing since morning, even during classes. Initially, the group had been seated together, passing pens from one side of the table to the other to test the raven''s intelligence. Croft had performed admirably, impressing them with its near-human wit.


    After lunch at the cafeteria, their group split up to escalate the training. This time, the goal was for Croft to deliver letters discreetly without disturbing the professor. That''s why Sylvia and Evangeline weren''t seated near Damon anymore.


    The only ones beside him now were Leona and, surprisingly, Xander.


    Damon tried to focus on Sylvia''s notepad, committing its contents to memory. Yet, his attention kept drifting to Marcus Fayjoy, who sat alone in a distant corner, muttering under his breath. Normally, Damon wouldn''t have been able to make out the words, but he had taken the liberty of attaching his shadow to Marcus. This allowed him to hear and see everything as though he were sitting beside him.


    What he discovered at first left him pale, but soon a cunning smile crept onto his face.


    Marcus was paranoid¡ªterrified, even. The boy had convinced himself that Damon was some kind of monster from beyond the barrier, a dark creature from the Evil Forest masquerading as Damon Grey.


    ''He couldn''t be more wrong,'' Damon thought, suppressing a chuckle.


    ''That''s fine, though. I''ll just feed his madness.'' His smile widened as an idea formed.


    ''Good thing I bought some Attrax. I can use it to drive him over the edge. Even better, I''ll use my arrows made with cursed ore to fray his mind slowly.''


    Damon leaned back, his smile fading into a look of resolve. He had made peace with the idea of killing if necessary, but now he saw a different path. Why waste effort targeting innocents when scum like Marcus Fayjoy existed?


    He had an apprentice now¡ªIris. That meant he needed to act like a proper role model, didn''t it?


    With his shadow latched onto Marcus''s, Damon had a clear view of the notes Marcus was scribbling. Since morning, he''d been using Sylvia''s notepad to practice imitating Marcus''s handwriting. Now, he could replicate it perfectly¡ªdown to the smallest curve and flourish.


    Damon sighed, closing the notepad.


    Damon straightened, brushing his hair back with a practiced motion.


    "It was burned to ashes by the flames of the dragon Ashergon. Thirty-five million people perished, and the Holy Empire deployed its army to repel the dragon."


    The professor''s expression faltered for a moment before she nodded. "Very well, then."


    But she wasn''t done yet.


    "What is the base herb for healing potions, excluding verdant leaves and flowers?" she asked, her voice dripping with challenge.


    Damon''s smile grew sharper. He recognized the trap¡ªverdant leaves and flowers were the most common ingredients, and she was fishing for an alternative to catch him off guard.


    "The base herb, if not verdant leaves, would be moringa," he said confidently.


    "Or you could use Hermes, vitali grass, Milana stems... there are a few others as well. Shall I name them?"


    Professor Emeralda blinked, clearly taken aback by his knowledge.


    "T-That... is correct," she stammered. "You may sit down."


    Damon sat with a satisfied smirk, his confidence undented.


    But his composure was short-lived.


    The classroom door swung open, and a familiar figure entered. A red-haired woman with piercing green eyes scanned the room until her gaze landed squarely on Damon. Her cold smile sent a shiver down his spine.


    She approached Professor Emeralda, whispering something in her ear before turning to address the class.


    "Damon Grey," she called out, her voice ringing with authority. "Come with me. You must answer for your crimes against the academy."


    Damon''s face paled, his heartbeat quickening.


    ''Crimes? What crimes?''


    But before panic could take hold, his skill, Remorseless, activated, washing over him with a wave of calm. His mind sharpened, analyzing every possible scenario. Each path led to ruin, save for one.


    With a steady breath, he stood, his expression neutral as he prepared to face whatever awaited him.

 Chapter 92 Deny, Deny, Deny..

    The class buzzed with whispers as Lilith Astranova, the student council president, spoke in her commanding tone.


    "What crimes did he commit?" someone murmured.


    "I knew that commoner was suspicious from day one," another scoffed, their voice dripping with disdain.


    "What do you expect from trash like him?"


    "That guy always gives us commoners a bad name," came a spiteful remark.


    "I hope he pays for all his crimes," another added venomously.


    Damon remained silent, his face a carefully crafted mask of neutrality. He knew better than to speak now. Anything he said could risk revealing more than Lilith already knew.


    ''Whatever she''s found, it has to be just suspicion. I''ll deny, deny, deny...'' he thought, his mind racing.


    He was confident she didn''t have any real evidence. He had been careful¡ªpainstakingly so. No incriminating traces, no witnesses, not even a hint of suspicion pointing toward him.


    With [Remorseless] activated again, its calming influence settling over him like a blanket. It forced him to keep his composure, to calculate rather than react.


    Next to him, Leona''s golden eyes glared fiercely at Lilith, her cat-like ears twitching with agitation. Damon sensed the change in her posture, her readiness to pounce. The sentiment stirred something in him.


    ''She''d really jump to my defense?'' he thought, touched by her loyalty. Still, he knew better. Going against Lilith, someone in the Third Class Advancement, was suicide.


    Lilith''s sharp green eyes bore into him, cold and unyielding.


    "I won''t repeat myself," she said, her voice cutting through the room like a blade.


    "Confess your crimes, and I''ll at least get you a plea deal."


    Damon clenched his jaw, his lips pressing into a thin line.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Student Council President," he said evenly.


    "I haven''t committed a single crime. Aren''t you just accusing an innocent man?"


    Her glare intensified, her piercing green eyes making him feel as though ice was crawling down his spine. Yet she didn''t unleash her aura¡ªshe didn''t need to.


    "I''m giving you a chance," she said coolly. "But if you won''t take it, so be it."


    She stepped forward, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished.


    No ripple of space, no visible distortion. It was as though the distance between them simply ceased to exist. She reappeared inches from Damon''s face, her presence overwhelming.


    Damon followed Lilith Astranova in silence, his mind working tirelessly to analyze every possibility. He could try to escape, but that would only make him look more suspicious. Besides, escaping from someone at her level¡ªa Third Class Advancement¡ªwas nearly impossible. At that level, breaking the sound barrier was as easy as taking a step.


    Lilith was even worse than most. Her Void Attribute magic set her apart from the rest. Not Space Attribute¡ªVoid. The distinction was terrifying, and Damon didn''t want to dwell on the implications of it.


    ''If she knows what I''ve done, why did she come alone? She should''ve brought investigators from the academy... unless she didn''t need to. No, it''s not about her needing help. It''s about how weak I am compared to her.''


    The thought stung, but it was true. Arresting him was probably an effortless task for her, whether she had evidence or not.


    He tightened his grip on the notepad in his hand, its edges creasing under the pressure.


    ''Of all the crimes I''ve committed, which one does she have evidence of?''


    Lark''s death had been attributed to a monster attack. Isaac was missing but officially declared dead.


    ''But Isaac''s death wasn''t ruled a monster attack... They might suspect me. I had every motive and reason to hate him.''


    The thought made his stomach churn. If they searched him now, they''d find him armed to the teeth. Daggers, arrows, and even hidden vials¡ªeach item incriminating on its own.


    For a moment, Damon almost smiled. The absurdity of the situation was hard to ignore. Was this the end of the line?


    Lilith didn''t say a word as they walked, letting him stew in his thoughts. She moved a few steps ahead, her presence commanding yet silent.


    Damon kept his calm demeanor, his expression serene. In fact, he faintly smiled and shook his head, as though dismissing some private joke. A raven perched on his shoulder, its dark feathers gleaming, but her focus remained squarely on the boy.


    Most eye catching was the blindfold over his eyes.


    Her voice finally broke the silence. "What do you find so funny?"


    Damon shook his head, his tone light. "Nothing. I just think it''s absurd to pull me out of class while I was learning."


    Lilith''s sharp green eyes flicked to him. "You were sleeping."


    "It looked that way," Damon replied, unfazed.


    Lilith stopped walking, turning to face him. Her cold gaze bore into him, sharp enough to make most people falter.


    "You''re awfully calm," she said, her tone dripping with suspicion.


    She let the silence stretch for a moment before speaking again, her words like a dagger.


    "Carmen Vale. Does that name ring a bell, Damon Grey?"


    Damon''s calm mask remained intact, but internally, his thoughts froze.


    ''What does she know?''

 Chapter 93 Terrifying Woman

    Damon took a measured moment before responding, his voice calm and even.


    "Yes, it does. I believe he is a hunter in Athor''s Sanctuary. He''s particularly well-regarded in town."


    Lilith''s green eyes studied him intently, her expression unreadable.


    "Is that so? You''ve met him, then?"


    Damon nodded. "I have, before I entered the academy."


    Lilith allowed a faint smile to cross her lips, though it held no warmth.


    "Not recently?"


    Damon shook his head, keeping his tone steady.


    "No. I haven''t left the academy since I enrolled here. It''s common knowledge that first years aren''t allowed into town."


    Lilith''s smile grew, but there was something sharp in her expression now.


    "Is that so? You''ve never been in town since you got here?"


    Damon shook his head again, adding a faint, self-deprecating chuckle.


    "I''m a failing student. I have to study. How could I possibly have time to go into town?"


    Lilith tilted her head slightly, her gaze unwavering. She couldn''t see his eyes beneath the blindfold, but she had to admit he was a masterful liar. He carried himself as if he had nothing to hide, crafting a perfect facade of innocence.


    But Lilith knew better. She remembered chasing him through the streets of Athor not long ago, with Leona Valefier in tow. To her frustration, the two had eluded her.


    She let out a quiet sigh, her expression neutral once more.


    "I see. Let''s go, then."


    Without waiting for a reply, Lilith turned and resumed walking, her posture regal and composed. Damon followed silently, his mind continuing to turn over every possible scenario. If she had proof, she hadn''t shown it yet.


    ''She''s fishing for something,'' Damon thought. ''I just need to keep playing along.''


    He followed Lilith down the wide corridor until they reached a set of imposing double doors. With a firm push, she opened them, revealing a bustling office filled with members of the student council. Papers were being shuffled, filed, and stamped with practiced efficiency, the sound of work blending into a symphony of productivity.


    Damon''s eyes darted to the scene briefly, noting the meticulous order, but he didn''t have time to dwell on it.


    Lilith walked with purpose, ignoring the council members as she led him to the end of the hall. She opened another door, revealing a spacious and neatly organized office.


    The room exuded authority. A large desk occupied the far end, its surface immaculate save for a few neatly stacked papers. A pair of guest sofas surrounded a small coffee table in the center, and another table near the window bore an assortment of carefully arranged documents.


    Lilith strode to the desk and sat down, her piercing gaze fixed on Damon as he entered.


    She didn''t mince words.


    Tired of following her rhythm, he decided to shift the dynamic. Acting rigid and defensive was mentally exhausting.


    Lilith''s brow arched. "Excuse me?"


    Damon scratched the back of his head, feigning nervousness.


    "It''s just... you''re really amazing, President. I''ve always looked up to you. You''re kind, beautiful, and always looking out for your juniors."


    ''Though in my case, you''re just trying to ruin me, you two-faced witch.''


    He gulped dramatically, pretending to hesitate.


    "It''s just... I''ve always loved you. I mean..."


    He trailed off, pretending to stumble over his words.


    "I''m sorry, forgive me."


    Lilith stared at him, wide-eyed, momentarily thrown off balance. She couldn''t tell what had inspired this sudden declaration of love, but it had worked. Once again, Damon had managed to disrupt her composure.


    ''There''s no point in pressing him further,'' she thought, frustration mounting.


    ''He''s just going to act like a lovesick fool to avoid my questions. But that''s fine. I''ll still uncover the truth about Damon Grey.''


    She sat back down, regaining her composure.


    "That''s fine and all, but did you forget why you''re here? You''re here because of your crimes."


    Damon nodded, his voice tinged with faux embarrassment.


    "Ah, sorry, I got carried away. But I didn''t do anything wrong."


    Lilith sighed, her patience wearing thin.


    ''Figures. He''s really playing the part of the lovesick fool. This man has no shame, toying with the heart of a maiden. He''s more deplorable than I thought, and he''s not letting anything slip.''


    She shook her head. "Very well, then. It seems you''ve forgotten your crime. Let me remind you."


    She pulled out a form and placed it on the table.


    "Didn''t I tell you to fill out paperwork for the academy equipment you took to the forest to train with? That is considered theft, Damon. You took it without permission and refused to fill out the paperwork even after I gave you grace. I''ll have to punish you for that."


    Damon clenched his fists, his mind racing.


    This bitch... so that''s what this was about. She wanted to put pressure on me, bring up Carmen Vale, and act vague to trick me into confessing to my other crimes. It was all part of her scheme.


    Relief and dread washed over him simultaneously. One slip-up, and it would have been over.


    ''This woman is terrifying. She almost ruined me.''

 Chapter 94 Punishment For His Crimes

    Lilith kept her sharp gaze on Damon, her expression composed but clearly calculating. Despite his blindfold, which hid his eyes, she could tell he was still on guard, refusing to let his defenses slip for even a moment. She had to admit, his sheer shamelessness in faking a love confession was something she hadn''t expected.


    ''What gave him the audacity to try such a ridiculous ploy?''


    Lilith suppressed the urge to click her tongue. She had dealt with many suitors, each more polished than the last, but none had been so bold¡ªor so insincere. The fact that he didn''t mean a word of his flattery was an unexpected sting to her pride.


    ''He''s just too interesting,'' she thought with a faint smile, though irritation simmered beneath her calm exterior.


    "Now for your punishment," she said, her tone laced with authority.


    "I was going to let you go if you confessed, but seeing how you didn''t, I have no choice but to punish you."


    Damon maintained his composed expression, though his mind was spinning.


    "I understand, President. Although I hope you can be lenient and overlook my negligence."


    Lilith shook her head, her crimson locks swaying lightly.


    "That''s fine. Forgetfulness is a human flaw, after all. I can''t blame you for being fallible."


    Damon offered a polite smile. "I am grateful."


    ''Although I didn''t forget. I just didn''t want to meet you again, you snake.''


    Lilith raised two fingers, her sharp gaze unwavering. "I''ll give you two options. The first¡ªone week of house arrest."


    Damon''s heart sank, though his face remained calm.


    ''One week of house arrest is as good as a death sentence. My shadow needs to feed, or it''ll turn ravenous. After that, I''ll start losing health until we both die.''


    He hoped the second option was better. It had to be.


    Lilith watched him intently, noting the slight tension in his shoulders.


    "The second option is for you to assist me. You''ll help with the responsibilities of the student council president. In simpler terms, you''ll be doing chores for me."


    Damon bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a groan.


    ''That means I''ll have to spend time around this woman. Damn it. House arrest is starting to sound appealing.''


    Lilith caught the flicker of frustration in his otherwise stoic demeanor and smirked.


    "You''ll also earn credits for your efforts," she added.


    "It''s a chance to make up for your failing grades in the quarter-semester evaluation. I understand you only enrolled recently and haven''t had time to adjust. The mid-semester evaluation is only a week or two away."


    Damon nodded reluctantly. "I see. I understand."


    Damon tilted his head, his brow furrowing. "Erm... Why would you need that?"


    "Don''t be silly," she replied with an innocent smile. "How can I contact you if I don''t have your number?"


    Damon sighed. He couldn''t refuse, and even if he tried, she''d insist. Reluctantly, he handed her his pager and exchanged numbers.


    As he sat down to work, he thought bitterly, ''What misfortune...''


    He glanced at the arrows in his pouch and paused.


    ''Wait. Could my bad luck be because I''m carrying cursed ore? No... The arrows are encased in shells Anvil made. As long as the shells cover them, the effects shouldn''t spread.''


    Shaking off the thought, he turned his attention to the documents. His task was straightforward¡ªorganize them into categories¡ªbut the sheer volume was overwhelming.


    Damon got to work, his movements careful and deliberate as he sorted through the stacks of documents on the table. Across the room, Lilith settled into her own desk, her eyes scanning papers with the precision of someone accustomed to power. The room was quiet for a while, the only sounds the occasional rustle of paper and the faint scratch of a pen.


    Lilith''s gaze flicked up from her work, landing on him with a faint smirk.


    "I hope you can see under that blindfold," she remarked, her tone casual but tinged with curiosity.


    Damon shook his head slightly but kept his voice neutral. "I can see just fine, thank you."


    Lilith nodded, her expression unreadable. "Would you like some tea?"


    He shook his head again, this time more firmly. "I''d rather not trouble you."


    Her attention returned to her work, and the room fell silent once more. Damon, however, was anything but calm. His mind churned with thoughts as he methodically sorted the documents, considering how he might turn this seemingly insignificant chore into an advantage.


    After an hour and a half of quiet labor, an idea began to take shape. He remembered the notepad he''d received from Sylvia, a useful tool for crafting plans and misdirections. It might just help him weave a convincing narrative to mislead Lilith while plotting his next steps against Tobias.


    As he reached for another document, his hand froze mid-motion. The title on the page caught his eye:


    Details and Premise for First-Year Academic Mid-Semester Evaluation


    Explore more at empire


    Report by Professor Keal Blackthorn


    Damon''s breath hitched, but he quickly suppressed any outward reaction. Through his Shadow Perception, he subtly focused on Lilith, checking for any sign that she had noticed his momentary lapse. She remained engrossed in her work, her pen gliding across the paper with effortless elegance.


    "Did she leave this here on purpose?" Damon wondered silently, his mind racing. "What''s her angle?"


    A sly smile crept onto his lips as he considered the situation. ''Well, I still have to open it if I want to organize it, don''t I? If I accidentally catch a glance at the evaluation details, it can''t be helped.''


    He carefully unfolded the document, making sure to appear nonchalant, though his senses were sharp and his focus unwavering. This could be a rare opportunity to gain insight into the academy''s plans¡ªif he played it right.


    As he worked, he couldn''t shake the feeling of being a fly caught in a spider''s web.

 Chapter 95 The Far Seeing Eye

    Damon stealthily perused the document while Lilith appeared engrossed in her work. His eyes scanned the pages carefully, and he had to consciously suppress the urge to gasp as the contents unraveled before him.


    The plan for the mid-semester evaluation was unsettling in its simplicity.


    The academy intended to expand the barrier that protected its grounds, pushing it deeper into the forest. This expansion would temporarily drive the monsters in that area further into the Evil Forest, creating a buffer zone.


    As he read further, the document listed the catalog of monsters inhabiting the outskirts of the Evil Forest. Damon''s chest tightened with every name: Wendigos, great spiders, dire wolves, iron honey badgers, and other murderous creatures he wouldn''t dare encounter.


    ''Thank the goddess they aren''t making first-years fight these things,'' he thought grimly. ''Even with a full party, we''d die in droves.''


    It became glaringly clear why this area was infamously called the Evil Forest.


    Since the monsters would be displaced temporarily, the evaluation itself wouldn''t involve direct combat with them. Instead, Damon focused on the details. The first years were tasked with gathering a limited number of points scattered throughout the designated zone.


    However, the twist was cruel¡ªpoints could be stolen by other students within the time limit.


    ''It''s going to be bloody,'' Damon concluded, his mind already calculating how this evaluation would devolve into chaos.


    He scanned for any additional details. The draft, while comprehensive, was still pending approval. A few signatures, including the headmaster''s, were missing, suggesting there was room for revisions.


    Once he memorized the important parts, Damon carefully closed the document and resumed organizing the files, his expression neutral despite the storm in his mind.


    His thoughts turned toward strategy. If the evaluation zone was accessible before the barrier expansion, he could scout it to gain an edge. The monsters might be driven out, but the flora itself could still pose significant risks.


    Pulling out his notepad, Damon began scribbling ideas, tearing off pieces to keep in his pocket. Half an hour passed before he finished organizing the documents. With time on his side, he decided to work on a backup plan¡ªone that involved misdirection.


    He started writing a letter in Marcus''s handwriting, crafting it carefully. If executed correctly, it could serve as a distraction or shift focus away from him.


    Lilith, meanwhile, leaned on her desk, her left hand covering her eyes. Her posture was uncharacteristic of the ever-composed student council president.


    Damon''s gaze lingered on her. ''She''s tired... probably forgot I was here,'' he speculated.


    But then, something didn''t sit right. Why cover her left eye?


    His unease deepened as he glanced at the notepad holding his forged message, which he intended to "accidentally" let fall from his pocket for her to discover.


    Shifting his focus, Damon extended his Shadow Perception to probe the room. At first, he found nothing, the shadows undisturbed. Yet, the nagging feeling persisted.


    "You shouldn''t keep trash in your pocket. Why don''t you throw it away?"


    Her words were casual, but her gaze was sharp as she gestured toward a small bin by the door, already half-filled with crumpled papers.


    Read new adventures at empire


    Damon froze, pretending to be nervous, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.


    ''She must think she''s got me.''


    He swallowed hard, shaking his head with a feigned stammer.


    "Yes... Presid¡ªI mean, Lilith, sure. I''ll throw it out when I leave."


    Lilith tilted her head, her smile deepening. "Why not throw it here?"


    Biting his lip, Damon hesitated. "I just didn''t want to fill your bin with my trash..."


    "It''s all the same to me. Throw it away now."


    Her stern tone left no room for negotiation, and Damon felt the pressure mounting.


    "Yes, ma''am."


    He stepped toward the bin, turning his back to her. Reaching into his pocket, he produced the torn pieces of paper. But instead of throwing them away, he slyly ripped a fresh page from his notepad, tearing it noisily before tossing it into the bin. Meanwhile, he clenched the original bait tightly in his hand.


    Lilith, of course, was watching. From behind her desk and through the portal-eye perched in the ceiling, she observed his every move.


    She smiled faintly, her expression triumphant. ''He thinks he''s clever, but I''ve already seen the contents.''


    Damon didn''t linger. As soon as the paper hit the bin, he exited the office, briskly navigating past the bustling student council officers and into the hallway.


    A sly grin crept onto his face.


    ''She thinks she''s won. But once again, she''s fallen for my trap. Hats off to Shadow Perception¡ªalways one step ahead.''


    ''I win this round Lilith and to think I got you with another bait and switch.''

 Chapter 96 Gold To Dirt

    As soon as Damon stepped out of the range of the student council office, the Remorseless skill deactivated. The moment it did, the blood rushed back to his head, his heart pounding in his chest. Fear and tension crashed over him like a wave, reminding him of just how close he had come to disaster.


    ''Hah, that was way too close. One mistake, and I''d have been finished. Thank the goddess...''


    He placed a trembling hand over his chest, trying to steady his breathing. The memory of everything he had done and said in Lilith''s office replayed in his mind, and when he recalled the fake love confession, his ears turned red with embarrassment.


    ''I can''t believe I said something so ridiculous. So embarrassing.''


    He glanced down at his shadow, which was animatedly shaking its head in mock disapproval while giving him a thumbs up. The gesture made it clear: it didn''t approve of his methods, but it still supported him. Croft, perched silently on his shoulder, broke the quiet.


    "Caw, caw. Evil, evil."


    Damon reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of dried meat, holding it up to the raven.


    "Here, your reward for keeping quiet. Stay silent, and you''ll get more."


    Croft snatched the meat eagerly, its beak snapping shut as it focused on its treat.


    Damon rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    ''Classes are still ongoing, and with the limited time I have, there''s only one thing left to do. The date I set in the false letter is three days from now, which means I need to take out Tobias tomorrow. Lilith will expect me to move in three days, but she''ll never anticipate an earlier strike on a completely different target.''


    A grin spread across his face as the plan solidified in his mind.


    ''That''s why killing Tobias is the most optimum and unexpected move.''


    His shadow writhed erratically, growing and shifting in response to the surge of killing intent emanating from him. Reaching into his uniform jacket, Damon felt the cold, smooth edges of the hollow arrows tipped with crushed ore.


    The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow, though it wouldn''t be long before it dipped below the horizon.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''I need to sneak into Marcus''s dorm room.''


    He failed the obstacle course.


    He failed at dueling.


    He failed at non-attribute magic.


    He failed at magic combat.


    He failed, he failed, he failed, again and again.


    Failure became a constant companion, and resentment festered in his heart. To make things worse, Marcus and his group ganged up on him, adding insult to injury. Damon had held so much poison in his heart during those days.


    The golden ticket that had once made him popular and admired now became a source of mockery. His spectacular fall from grace was a spectacle for others to enjoy. And thus, Damon earned the humiliating title:


    The Academy''s Weakest.


    The shame of the academy.


    But no matter how hard things got, Damon never bowed his head to them. He never submitted. He endured the ridicule and humiliation with clenched fists, waiting for the evaluation results. Though he already knew he had failed, he still had to see the rankings with his own eyes.


    Taking a deep breath, Damon muttered to himself,


    "Well, I can''t blame Marcus for all of it. Just the theoretical part. The practical exams were all me¡ªI just sucked."


    He glanced at his shadow, its movements erratic as if mirroring his turbulent emotions.


    "But I''ll change that this mid-semester evaluation. I swear it... I''ll show them all."


    With those words fueling his resolve, Damon finally arrived at his destination after his reflective walk down memory lane.


    The War Halls were mostly empty, save for the maids and the terrifying head maid, Matilda. Her mere presence was enough to make most students hesitate to linger. Damon took a deep breath, steeling himself. The next step of his plan awaited.

 Chapter 97 Laundry Pick-up

    The War Halls, as usual, stood pristine¡ªa testament to the wealth and power of its inhabitants. Lavish decor adorned every corner, the kind of luxury only afforded to the best and wealthiest students. These halls were not merely a place to reside; they symbolized the prestige and influence of their occupants.


    The students of the War Halls were both powerful and influential, and such individuals required someone capable of managing their whims and excesses. That''s where the Head Maid came in. She didn''t just oversee the upkeep of the dormitory; she maintained order with an iron will. Even the most arrogant nobility dared not defy her authority.


    "Perhaps because she''s a noble herself," Damon thought, his lips curling into a small smirk.


    The Head Maid ensured that everyone in the War Halls received equal treatment. Despite his status as a commoner, Damon had always been treated no differently than the rest. Her fairness was undeniable¡ªunder her care, every student was equal, regardless of birth.


    And that was precisely why Damon had never crossed her. She wasn''t someone you trifled with lightly.


    "Nothing happens in the War Halls without her knowing," he mused, recalling the rumors whispered among the students.


    Today, however, he planned to test that theory.


    Crossing the grand double doors, Damon entered the War Halls, his steps light yet deliberate. The grand entrance led to a sprawling staircase that curved upward in a show of opulence. The halls were eerily quiet, save for the distant shuffle of maids. Their presence didn''t concern him. His target was someone else entirely.


    Ascending the stairs to the second floor, Damon navigated the corridors with precision, his shadow perception expanding and contracting as he moved. The bright, clean halls were lined with extravagant decorations¡ªpaintings, vases, and sculptures that probably cost more than an average person''s annual income. He briefly considered how much he could make selling one of these treasures on the black market but dismissed the idea.


    "Too much trouble."


    Stopping in front of a door, he spread his shadow perception across the area, scanning for any signs of movement. The coast was clear. The door itself, however, posed a problem.


    Doors in the War Halls were state-of-the-art, outfitted with magical security measures imported from the Magic Continent. They required an authorized fingerprint, a pager, a personal key, or one of the maids'' key cards to unlock.


    He''d considered stealing a key card from a maid but decided against it. The cards left records, and their absence would raise alarms.


    "That''s just gonna draw in the Head Maid," he muttered.


    That left him with one other option. Dangerous? Yes. But necessary.


    Damon made his way up to the next floor and stopped in front of another door. Unlike Marcus''s, this one opened without resistance.


    A maid was heading straight for the room, and her steps had already reached the door.


    With no time to spare, Damon slid under the bed, pressing himself flat against the floor.


    The door creaked open, and a young blonde maid stepped inside, carrying an empty basket marked with a number.


    ''Laundry pick-up,'' Damon realized grimly.


    His heart sank as he remembered the hollow arrows still nestled in the bed frame. The cursed ore''s subtly influence gnawing at his thoughts, amplifying his panic. He felt like a fool for putting himself in such a precarious position.


    The maid moved toward the bed.


    "Hmm. Something is wrong..."


    Damon''s breath caught in his throat. He could see her polished black shoes and the hem of her pristine white apron.


    "This bed hasn''t been made properly," she muttered. "Was I careless?"


    Damon''s blood ran cold as she adjusted the bedding. The cursed arrows were just inches above him, separated only by a thin piece of wood. The effects weren''t strong because it usually took time...he did not want to be here any longer than he had to.


    The maid sighed contentedly. "There, much better."


    She turned away and disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of the door clicking shut echoing in the room. Damon didn''t waste a second. He rolled out from under the bed, sweat dripping down his forehead, and bolted for the door.


    Opening it gently, he slipped out, taking care not to make a sound. Once outside, he walked briskly down the hallway, his senses focused on the maid''s presence behind him.


    Just as he rounded a corner, he collided with something soft, the impact sending him sprawling to the floor.


    "Ouch, what the hell¡ª" Damon''s words trailed off as he looked up, his face paling instantly.


    ''Head maid Matilda''

 Chapter 98 Worse Luck

    Damon was really starting to wonder if the cursed ore on the hollow arrow tips he carried in his jacket was affecting his luck. Otherwise, how could he explain such a streak of misfortune?


    He''d been so focused on his Shadow Perception tracking the maid in Marcus''s room that he''d neglected his immediate surroundings¡ªan oversight that had led him straight into the person he least wanted to encounter.


    ''My brain can only process so much information at once,'' he thought bitterly as he stumbled back, looking up to meet the piercing amber eyes of the head maid.


    Her expression was composed, as always, exuding the dignified authority she carried like a second skin. Damon''s heart sank.


    "Well, hello there, Miss Matilda..." he greeted hastily, brushing himself off. "Apologies¡ªI didn''t see you there."


    He tried to sidestep her and make a quick escape, but her calm, commanding voice halted him.


    "Hold on a moment, Damon. What are you doing in the dorms while your peers are still in class?"


    ''Crap... exactly what I was trying to avoid.'' Damon bit his lip, forcing a smile as he turned to face her.


    "I was in class," he lied smoothly, "but my pet raven flew towards the dorms. I came to get him and was just about to head back."


    Matilda''s cold, imperious gaze studied him for a long moment before she gave a curt nod.


    "And where is this pet of yours now?"


    Damon''s mind raced. He couldn''t very well tell her Croft was sitting comfortably in his dorm after he''d snuck into Marcus''s room to plant cursed ore.


    "I think it flew to the upper floors. I was about to go check there," he said, trying to sound as earnest as possible.


    Matilda nodded, though her expression remained unreadable.


    "It seems you''ve had some trouble with the student council," she remarked.


    ''How did she know.''No?v(el)B\\jnn


    Damon gave a half-shrug. "Yes, but I''ve worked it out, ma''am."


    Her sharp eyes lingered on him before she gestured towards the elevator.


    "Well, shall we?"


    Damon blinked in surprise.


    ''Is she trying to help me, or is this some kind of interrogation?''


    Reluctantly, he followed her into the elevator.


    As they ascended, Matilda broke the silence.


    "How are you feeling? Has your body recovered from your duel with Xander?"


    Damon hesitated, caught off guard by the unexpected question. Then he remembered that Matilda was impartial to all the students under her care. Perhaps this was just part of her duty.


    Leona nodded, relief evident on her face.


    "I''m glad you''re okay. I thought she might''ve held a grudge because you fooled her once..."


    Sylvia and Evangeline joined them, with Xander trailing behind, a frown etched on his face.


    "I''m glad it was nothing," Evangeline said, exhaling in relief.


    Sylvia crossed her arms. "It was bound to be nothing. I knew that."


    Evangeline raised a skeptical eyebrow.


    "Did you? Because I distinctly remember you worrying he might be sent to the Inquisition, even though I told you that was a ridiculous assumption."


    Sylvia chuckled nervously. "Yes, well, I suppose you were right."


    She couldn''t admit to Evangeline that her fear had stemmed from spotting Damon without his shadow earlier, but at least it had all turned out fine.


    Xander''s sneer broke through the conversation.


    "I think the real mistake was sending this wretch back."


    Damon sighed, shaking his head. Despite Xander''s harsh words, he hadn''t forgotten that Xander had actually stood up for him when it mattered.


    "Can I sit down now?" Damon said with a tired look. "Lilith, that slave driver, made me do a mountain of paperwork. I need a break."


    As he walked to his seat, Marcus, sitting nearby, immediately grabbed his belongings and moved to a seat further away, his face pale with fear.


    Damon smirked coldly, his thoughts sharp. ''Run, Marcus. Where will you run? It''s too late for you.''


    Once seated, his classmates bombarded him with questions, and for the first time, Damon found himself answering them generously.


    Professor Kael didn''t even glance their way, his focus on the board as though the commotion existed in another realm. But when he finally turned around, his sharp gaze silenced the room instantly.


    Class ended soon after, and as Damon prepared to leave, exhausted from the day, his pager vibrated. Pulling it out, he sighed heavily at the name displayed.


    ''I knew she wasn''t done with me,'' he thought grimly.


    Leona peeked over his shoulder and read the name aloud. "Lilith Astranova? What does she want now?"


    Damon sighed again, shrugging. "Who knows?"


    He answered the call, and her voice came through, firm and commanding.


    "Meet me by the academy gates. Now."


    Damon hung up, running a hand through his hair.


    ''My luck has definitely gotten worse.''

 Chapter 99 Lavish Mode Of Transportation

    The sun had long set, casting a cool, bluish glow over the academy grounds. Damon tried everything he could to buy more time¡ªexcuses, delays, even pretending to be busy¡ªbut Lilith Astranova wasn''t someone who took no for an answer. And so, he found himself reluctantly making his way to the academy''s gates.


    The gates of the academy were nothing short of magnificent. A towering metallic structure crafted from rods of unknown origin, they glistened faintly under the moonlight. Damon had no clue what material they were made from, but their presence alone was intimidating. It was said that Athor the Sage, the legendary founder of the academy, had created the gates himself.


    ''He must have been quite the artist,'' Damon thought wryly, staring up at the intricate patterns etched into the metal.


    Then again, what else could one expect from a man who had supposedly reached the seventh class advancement? Athor''s power was said to have been so immense that it dwarfed the entire world. Stories claimed he had fought the Dominator, Ashcroft, in a battle so intense that he had vanished without a trace.


    Damon sighed, using the myths as a way to distract himself.


    ''But can I really afford to be distracted, considering who I''m meeting?''


    Lilith Astranova. The mere thought of her sent a shiver down his spine. If there was anyone who could rattle him, it was her. She was clever, cunning, and persistent. Damon knew she likely had schemes and plots ready to ensnare him. But if today''s earlier encounter proved anything, it was that she didn''t actually have any concrete evidence against him.


    ''She''s operating on instinct,'' he realized.


    And yet, that didn''t comfort him. If anything, it made her more dangerous. Intuition like hers was rare and often unnervingly accurate. He suspected she had an agenda beyond whatever the academy''s rules dictated, but speculating on her motives wasn''t going to help him now.


    Damon shook his head. It was better to stay sharp and avoid getting caught in her web.


    As he neared the gates, he reminded himself of another inconvenient truth: he couldn''t actually leave the academy grounds. As a first-year student, his movements were restricted, and the only times he had managed to leave were through sneaky, less-than-legitimate methods.


    ''Why does she want to meet here, of all places?'' he wondered.


    He stopped just short of the imposing gates, their cold metal almost seeming to hum with power. Now he just had to wait. The question was: for what?


    Damon scanned the area and immediately spotted Lilith Astranova seated by the grand marble fountain near the academy gates. The fountain''s shimmering water reflected the warm glow of the nearby lamps, casting a soft radiance over her. Her striking red hair seemed to glow like embers, accentuating her already breathtaking beauty.


    Most men would have been entranced by the sight, but Damon remained unfazed. To him, Lilith might as well have been a siren luring sailors to their doom.


    He approached her cautiously, his steps deliberate.


    "President," he greeted curtly.


    Satisfied, she stood, her commanding presence making it clear she expected him to follow.


    "Excellent. Let''s get moving. While we''re there, you''ll help with patrol. If you spot any first-years out of bounds, apprehend them or contact me or another council member for backup."


    He nodded reluctantly. "I don''t have the contact numbers of the others."


    Lilith gestured to the brooch in his hand. "The brooch contains a sound stone. Sound stones connect only to others from the same source. They were common before pagers, though flawed since each stone works with only its pair and disintegrates after a while."


    Damon nodded absently, filing the information away. As she spoke, an idea began forming in the back of his mind, but he kept his face impassive.


    The two of them reached the gates, where they underwent a brief security check. The guards barely glanced at Lilith¡ªit was a mere formality¡ªbut she insisted on the process since Damon, a first-year, was accompanying her.


    Once cleared, they boarded a waiting carriage. Damon''s eyes widened slightly as he took in the luxurious interior. The polished wood, soft leather seats, and faintly glowing comfort spells were a stark contrast to the rickety wooden carts he was accustomed to.


    "Tch," he muttered under his breath.


    Lilith, catching the sound, raised an eyebrow.


    "Is something the matter? Is the carriage not to your liking? I apologize¡ªthese are of lower quality. Next time, I''ll ensure a better arrangement."


    Damon shot her a sideways glance, his thoughts racing.


    ''Low quality? What could be better than this? An airship?''


    He couldn''t help but think of the famed airships of Vuldren, said to glide between the floating continents. Of course, he''d never even seen one in person, let alone boarded one.


    ''Maybe teleportation gates are better,'' he mused. But those were far too expensive, especially for someone like him.


    Lilith, mistaking his silence for dissatisfaction, seemed to take his reaction as a personal critique. Damon sighed inwardly.


    ''Damn nobles and their deep pockets.''


    The carriage ride was smooth and uneventful, and it wasn''t long before they arrived at Athor''s Sanctuary.

 Chapter 100 He Can

    "Hey, how long do you intend to make us do this? We''ve been walking all over town for two hours now," Damon grumbled, his irritation breaking through his usually guarded tone.


    Lilith turned to him with a teasing smile.


    "I''m a delicate lady, but you don''t see me complaining about taking a little walk. Or is it that you just hate my company?"


    Damon regarded her impassively.


    ''Actually, I do,'' he thought but refrained from saying it aloud.


    Instead, he replied dryly,


    "I wouldn''t compare someone who''s reached the third-class advancement to someone like me, who''s barely scraping by."


    Lilith chuckled softly. She found his sarcasm amusing, though Damon''s patience was wearing thin. The walking itself wasn''t the issue¡ªit was the constant mental strain of staying on guard around her.


    They had arrived in Athor''s Sanctuary two hours ago, and in that time, Lilith had patrolled the town diligently, helping anyone who appeared to be in need. Damon, however, had been roped into assisting her with various menial tasks, from carrying supplies to repairing a vendor''s stall.


    The townspeople seemed to think highly of her. Even adventurers, who were typically rough around the edges, treated her with a mix of respect and caution. It wasn''t surprising¡ªfew would dare to cross someone at the third-class advancement.


    Damon, however, found it all incredibly tiresome. Helping others for no personal gain felt like a pointless waste of energy.


    "Why are we even doing this?" he finally asked, unable to hide his exasperation.


    Lilith shook her head with a bemused expression.


    "I suppose you wouldn''t understand. We''re being good Samaritans."


    Damon frowned, unconvinced. He decided to be blunt.


    "I hate to be rude, but you don''t strike me as the type of woman who would do something that has no tangible benefit to her."


    Lilith sighed, her smile turning faintly exasperated.


    "You don''t seem to hate being rude, but fine. Think of it this way¡ªbuilding a good reputation is a form of power. We call that influence."


    Damon nodded slowly, though his skepticism was evident.


    "I see. That''s under the assumption that the so-called public doesn''t stab you in the back. The only person you can truly trust is yourself."


    Lilith''s smile returned, a hint of amusement in her eyes.


    "You''re quite the pessimist. But you''re not wrong. Still, I never said I trusted them. I''m only building potentially useful connections. Humans are not as one-dimensional as you think. Try to keep an open mind."


    Damon sighed, his voice laced with reluctant agreement. "I see. I''ll keep that in mind."


    Lilith noticed his tone and tilted her head slightly. "You don''t seem to believe me," she remarked, her voice light yet probing.


    Damon had expected such a remark. "No, not at all."


    He gestured to Croft, the raven perched silently on his shoulder. "It''s just that Croft can get aggressive if strangers sit too close."


    The raven, hearing the blatant lie, let out an indignant caw. "Caw! Liar! Liar!"


    Damon swiftly smacked the bird with just enough force to silence it. Croft quickly changed its tune. "Caw! Evil!"


    Lilith laughed, clearly amused by the entire exchange. "It seems your familiar doesn''t quite agree with you."


    Damon sighed, his tone laced with feigned regret.


    "I should have eaten him when I had the chance."


    Lilith chuckled. "I highly doubt a raven would taste good."


    Before Damon could respond, Iris returned, carrying a tray. She set it down gently before serving them tea. Damon poured himself a cup, his movements refined, almost automatic, as though he were used to such rituals. Experience tales at empire


    Lilith observed him briefly, noting his manners but choosing not to comment. Instead, she turned her attention to Iris.


    "I apologize for not coming earlier."


    Iris shook her head, stealing quick glances at Damon as she responded. "It''s fine."


    Lilith nodded solemnly. "I didn''t want to come until I had at least a lead on your father''s death."


    At the mention of her father, Iris bit her lip, her face contorting with pain.


    Damon kept his expression neutral as he sipped his tea, though he could feel the tension in the room rising.


    Lilith continued, her tone steady but serious. "I''m sorry, Iris, but I haven''t made much progress. In fact, I can''t help you at all."


    Damon felt a wave of relief wash over him.


    ''Of course, she has nothing on his death,'' he thought, almost letting out a sigh.


    But then Lilith''s gaze shifted to him, and his relief evaporated.


    "But while I can''t tell you who or what killed your father..." she said, pausing for dramatic effect.


    "I know someone who can."


    She gestured toward Damon.


    "He can."


    Damon, who had just started to relax, froze. The words hung in the air, registering slowly. His brows shot up, and before he could fully react, he choked on his tea, the hot liquid burning his throat as he sputtered in disbelief.

 Chapter 101 Trouble In Paradise

    Iris''s expectant eyes watched him, her gaze unwavering. Damon froze for a moment, caught off guard by the intensity of her expression. He turned to Lilith, only to find a sly smile playing on her lips. For a brief moment, he felt his breath hitch and his heart pound, but right on cue, the Remorseless skill activated, forcing him to calm himself.


    Damon frowned, carefully placing his teacup down with a faint click.


    "I''m sorry, Lilith, but I think there''s been some misunderstanding."


    Lilith raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening slightly. "A misunderstanding?"


    Damon nodded slowly, maintaining his composure.


    "Yes. You seem to believe I''m some sort of expert on the matter. But as much as I''d love to bask in the glow of your faith in me, I''m afraid I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    Iris''s blue eyes darted toward him, her voice trembling slightly. "You... really don''t know anything?"


    Damon turned his gaze to her, his tone softening.


    "No, Iris. I don''t. I wish I did¡ªif only to help you find some peace. But I''m as in the dark about your father''s death as anyone else."


    Iris lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "I see."


    Lilith tilted her head, her smirk turning sharper.


    "Really? You mean to tell me you, of all people, have absolutely no insight into what happened to Carmen Vale?"


    Her gaze flicked back to Damon, her tone teasing yet probing.


    "Are you sure about that?"


    Damon shook his head slowly, his voice steady.


    "That''s exactly what I''m saying. I''m just a student trying to get through the day without being dragged into anyone else''s schemes. If someone''s led you to believe otherwise, I''d suggest reevaluating your sources."


    The jab was subtle but unmistakable, and Lilith caught it. Her smirk faltered briefly before returning, more calculated than before.


    "Hmm, I see. Perhaps this was a misunderstanding on my part. But I''m sure someone with your... unique perspective would be willing to help me, wouldn''t you, Damon?"


    Damon kept his expression calm, though he recognized the trap. She was baiting him, but with Iris watching him with such a hopeful, pleading gaze, he knew he couldn''t refuse.


    "Yes," he said evenly. "I''ll try my best to assist however I can."


    His hand clenched tightly at his side. Lilith Astranova had crossed a line¡ªthere was no reason to involve Iris in any of this.


    "Very well," Lilith said, her tone triumphant. "I''m glad to have you on board."


    She glanced at Iris, who was still looking at Damon with a mix of hope and longing.


    Before either of them could act, the sound of delicate footsteps echoed through the stillness, followed by a voice dripping with mockery.


    "Well, well, well. What do we have here? The pristine student council president messing around with a boy in a secluded area in the dead of night..."


    The voice paused for dramatic effect.


    "What a sight."


    Damon immediately released Lilith''s collar and turned to face the source of the interruption. Standing a short distance away was a woman with violet hair tied into a sleek ponytail, her eyes matching the vivid hue of her hair. She wore the academy uniform, but her confident posture and the curve of her body gave her an aura of nobility. Her beauty rivaled that of Lilith Astranova, though her aloof expression and the subtle smirk on her lips grated on Damon''s nerves.


    In Damon''s perception, the shadows surrounding her seemed... off. There was something strange, something unnatural about her presence.


    He knew exactly who she was.


    Renata Malcrist.


    She wasn''t just any student. Ranked number two among the second years, she lived in the War Halls and had a reputation for unmatched power. Renata had already reached her second class advancement¡ªa feat that placed her on par with Lilith Astranova. Her unique magic attribute, Zero, made her even more dangerous.


    Rumors of her exploits circulated widely. She was known to take down monsters at the level of those who had reached their third class advancement, and she herself was just a step away from crossing that threshold.


    Lilith immediately stepped between Damon and Renata, her stance a mix of caution and hostility. Her cold, calculating eyes locked on the violet-haired girl.


    "What do you want?" she demanded.


    Renata''s smirk deepened as she crossed her arms, her gaze flickering between Lilith and Damon.


    "Now, now," Renata said, her tone light but laced with amusement. "No need to get defensive, Astranova. I was just passing by and couldn''t help but notice the tension. What''s the matter? Trouble in paradise?"


    Damon felt a vein pulse in his temple, but he held his tongue, watching the exchange with wary eyes. He knew better than to underestimate someone like Renata.


    Lilith''s voice dropped, her tone sharp and biting. "This doesn''t concern you. Leave."


    Renata chuckled softly, taking a leisurely step closer. "Oh, but I think it does. You see, when someone like you¡ªAstranova herself¡ªgets so worked up over a mere boy, I can''t help but be curious."


    Her eyes shifted to Damon, her gaze lingering. "And him... there''s something different about him, isn''t there?"


    Lilith''s posture stiffened, her body tensing like a coiled spring.


    "I said leave," she repeated, her voice colder than ever.


    Renata''s smirk didn''t waver as she raised her hands in mock surrender.


    "Relax, I''m just observing. But if you''re so keen on hiding something..." Her gaze grew sharper, almost predatory. "...it must be interesting."


    Damon clenched his fists, his instincts screaming that this encounter was far from over. Whatever Renata''s intentions, it was clear she wasn''t leaving anytime soon.

 Chapter 102 Renata Malcrist

    Lilith glared at Renata, her mind racing. She couldn''t afford to let Renata develop any interest in Damon. That would complicate everything. Damon was already infuriatingly unpredictable¡ªcautious one moment, reckless the next. Adding Renata into the mix, someone as cunning as Damon but infinitely crueler to those beneath her, would spell disaster.


    Renata wasn''t just a rival; she was Lilith''s antithesis. They had known it from the very first day they met, an instant recognition of mutual disdain. It was almost like lovers discovering a soulmate, but in their case, it was fire meeting water¡ªdestined to clash.


    Renata''s violet eyes were locked on Damon, who stood silently behind Lilith. Despite the weight of Lilith''s glare, Renata didn''t so much as glance her way.


    "Leave. Now, Renata," Lilith ordered, her tone sharp and unyielding.


    Renata sighed dramatically, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.


    "You''re not going to fight me here, are you? I''d really hate to destroy this entire neighborhood."


    Her gaze drifted back to Damon, a playful smile tugging at her lips.


    "He''s quite the cutie. I can see why you were fooling around with him. He has all the makings of a perfect boy toy..."


    She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as they lingered on Damon''s blindfold.


    "A shame he''s blind." Experience tales at empire


    Damon stood still, silent, his body tense as the air grew heavier with unspoken tension.


    Renata''s smile widened. "If you could see, you''d realize you''re dealing with an ugly, two-faced bitch."


    Damon''s jaw tightened, his anger at Lilith momentarily eclipsed by his growing dislike for Renata. His voice was calm but laced with contempt.


    "I don''t need to see to know you''re one yourself. I guess it takes one to know one."


    His words weren''t a defense of Lilith; they were a declaration of disdain for both of them.


    Renata''s laughter rang out, light and mocking. "Oh, my goddess, your boyfriend is so honest and cute. I think I like him."


    Lilith''s glare darkened. "You''ve had your fun. Leave now."


    Renata chuckled softly, ignoring the command. Her eyes returned to Damon with an amused gleam.


    "What''s your name, cutie? I''m Renata Malcrist."


    Damon''s tone was curt and dismissive. "My name is none of your business."


    Her smile didn''t falter. "No need to be shy. I just want to steal you away from this bore."


    The sensation was unbearable¡ªlike carrying the weight of the heavens on his back. His knees trembled, and his shoulders creaked under the strain. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth as the weight threatened to crush him entirely.


    Even with Remorseless active, his mortal heart was gripped with terror.


    And yet, Damon refused to kneel. He stood firm, his body screaming in agony as seconds stretched into an eternity. He endured, unmoving, his resolve unshaken.


    But he didn''t have to endure for long.


    Lilith raised her hand, her own aura flaring, and with a single wave, she canceled out Renata''s pressure entirely.


    Renata''s expression twisted in displeasure. "Get out of my way, Astranova."


    Lilith glared at her rival, her voice sharp as a blade.


    "Picking on a first-year who hasn''t even reached the first class advancement... You have no shame."


    Damon stood silently, his face calm despite the cold sweat soaking his body. Every instinct told him that if he got caught between these two, he''d die before he even realized what was happening.


    He made the logical choice.


    Turning on his heel, Damon walked away, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Each step felt heavier than the last, but he refused to look back.


    As he moved further from the confrontation, the sound of astral winds roaring and the ground rumbling reached his ears. The sheer power behind it was terrifying, but Damon didn''t stop or even glance over his shoulder.


    Instead, he clenched his fists harder. His stomach growled faintly¡ªa reminder of how much shadow energy that defiance had cost him. And yet, he hadn''t knelt. He couldn''t.


    Something deep within him told him that if he knelt before Renata Malcrist today, he''d never be able to rise again.


    It wasn''t logical, but it was the only choice.


    With his shadow''s hunger gnawing at him, he realized he could no longer wait for tomorrow night. His plans had to move forward. He had no choice but to kill Tobias Margan tonight¡ªespecially while Lilith was busy dealing with Renata.


    The timeline would be tight. Between the time it would take to return to the academy, set traps, and bait Tobias, he had roughly three hours to execute his plan. But he couldn''t afford to wait any longer.


    Renata had reminded him of an undeniable truth.


    The world belonged to the strong. The weak were nothing more than prey.


    "I will get stronger," Damon muttered under his breath, his voice cold and resolute. "I will return the favor, Renata Malcrist."


    One soul at a time. One prey at a time.

 Chapter 103 Critical Mistake

    Damon took a long, deep breath. All his preparations were as complete as they could be under the circumstances, though the rushed setup left much to be desired.


    His shadow coiled at his feet, restless and hungry, though not yet to the point of taking over.


    He opened his system panel, scanning the familiar stats with a frown.


    [HP: 50/50]


    [Mana: 90/90]


    [Strength: 9]


    [Agility: 17]


    [Speed: 35]


    [Endurance: 10]


    [Class: ¡ª]


    [Shadow: 60]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 40%]


    [Shadow Level: 2]


    [Condition: Shadow is Mildly Hungry]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception]


    [Locked]


    ---


    Damon clicked his tongue. The incident with Renata earlier had taken its toll, forcing him to use his shadow just to survive her aura.


    "Using my shadow to resist her was a waste," he muttered bitterly.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    His shadow pool, initially around 100, had increased to 200 upon reaching level 2. But he''d noticed something strange: his Shadow Hunger only kicked in once the pool dropped below 100.


    "So, as long as my energy stays above 100, hunger won''t rise. It just glitches between 2% and 3%," he observed, recalling how it had stabilized before the depletion.


    "Marcus..." he croaked, barely able to stand.


    The figure stepped closer, his expression cold.


    "Actually, no," came the flat response.


    Tobias''s eyes widened as he recognized the voice. "Damon Grey... it''s you... why?"


    Damon shrugged casually, his bow already in hand.


    "Why not? It''s only fair," he said, his tone as sharp as the arrow he prepared to notch.


    Tobias coughed harder, his head swimming. "Is this... revenge? Did you kill Isaac?"


    Damon shook his head, a faint smirk curling his lips.


    "No, and yes. It''s not about revenge, Tobias. It''s about survival. The law of the fittest. And right now? You don''t look very fit."


    He raised his bow, his voice turning icy.


    "Let me help you on your way."


    Tobias staggered, his knees buckling under the weight of the poison coursing through him. Damon''s shadow flickered in the pale light as he drew the bowstring taut.


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    But before the arrow could fly, Tobias laughed weakly and stood upright. His hand glowed with a swirling orb of water, and with a burst of energy, he launched it at Damon, sending him flying into a nearby tree.


    Damon groaned as he hit the ground, his body soaked and his bow slipping from his grip.


    "You almost had me, Grey," Tobias said, straightening his posture.


    "But you made one critical mistake." He sneered, his voice laced with contempt.


    "You didn''t know I''m half-merfolk. Poison doesn''t work on me¡ªit''s temporary at best."


    Tobias''s sharp glare locked onto Damon as water droplets slid from his hands.


    "Now, I''m going to drag you back to the academy and make you confess to your crimes, you bastard."


    Damon scrambled to his feet, clutching his bow as he disappeared into the shadows once more.


    Tobias clicked his tongue in irritation.


    "You can''t hide from me. Merfolk live in the depths¡ªwe see perfectly in the dark. You''re dead, Damon Grey."

 Chapter 104 The End Of The Line

    Damon coughed as he retreated deeper into the cover of the trees. The shadows embraced him, cloaking his form from sight, but he knew that wouldn''t be enough.


    He bit his lip, frustration and adrenaline coursing through him.


    ''I thought Tobias was just a regular human,'' he fumed silently, ''but that bastard had to turn out to be half-merfolk.''


    Half-merfolk¡ªresistant to non-magical poison and capable of seeing in the dark, though not as well as Damon. The illumination crystal Tobias carried proved his night vision wasn''t perfect, but it was still better than most humans.


    ''Good thing I dragged him into the forest,'' Damon thought.


    If Tobias returned to the academy, he''d expose everything. But Tobias didn''t seem interested in leaving. Damon understood why¡ªTobias knew he was stronger, and capturing Damon was his best chance at clearing his name. Sneaking out of house arrest would likely make the academy suspect Tobias of trying to flee, which only added to his desperation.


    ''He''s only half-merfolk, so he''s resistant, not immune,'' Damon reassured himself. ''The poison is affecting him, even if it''s slower. He''s not at full power.''


    Gripping his bow tightly, Damon gritted his teeth.


    ''This is my killing field. He''s the prey. What kind of hunter can''t take down something stronger than himself?''


    "Tobias," Damon called out, his voice carefully laced with mock desperation, "please, let''s talk about this. We can work out a deal."


    Tobias chuckled, standing firm in the clearing. Around him, human-sized balls of water floated ominously, the liquid gleaming faintly under the moonlight.


    "Finally want to talk, huh?" Tobias taunted, his tone mocking. "So you do know fear after all. I knew your tough-guy act was just that¡ªan act. Fine, come out. I won''t kill you."


    Damon forced a smile, masking his frustration.


    "I''m scared," he said, his voice trembling just enough to sound convincing.


    "You still have those water spells. I can''t use magic well... You might accidentally kill me."


    Tobias smirked, feeling a surge of confidence despite the faint dizziness creeping through him. The rustling of the trees and the sound of his moving water spells made pinpointing Damon''s location difficult. Even his enhanced vision seemed useless against the darkness, which felt almost alive, concealing Damon''s every movement.


    "Fine," Tobias said, waving his hand. The floating orbs of water condensed into a single large one, reducing his offensive options but making him feel less threatening.


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    Damon stepped into the clearing. Tobias expected to see him trembling in fear, but instead, Damon raised his bow with practiced precision.


    "[Water Jet!]"


    From Tobias''s position, high-pressure jets of water erupted in every direction, cutting through the surrounding trees like blades. Damon barely managed to avoid the brunt of the attack, sliding under one of the jets, though the sharp spray of water grazed him. The shrubs he passed through tore at his clothes and skin, leaving bruises and scratches across his body.


    Clicking his tongue in frustration, Damon decided it was time to change tactics. He wasn''t going to win this from a distance.


    Reaching for the omnidirectional gear strapped to his arm, Damon fired the hook into a nearby tree. With a quick tug, the mechanism pulled him forward at high speed. He disengaged the hook mid-air, letting it retract into its brace as he landed deftly closer to Tobias.


    ''The poison should be working by now,'' Damon thought, glancing at Tobias''s faintly trembling hands. The hollow arrows had been laced with a powerful toxin, but being half-merfolk gave Tobias an unfair edge. Resistance wasn''t immunity, though¡ªDamon just had to press harder.


    Tobias raised his hands to attack again, but Damon was ready. Drawing his magisite daggers, he infused them with mana, sharpening their edges until they glimmered dangerously in the moonlight.


    Tobias fired a blast of water, but Damon slashed through it with the enhanced daggers, rolling aside to avoid the follow-up attack. Planting his feet firmly against a tree, Damon kicked off, propelling himself straight at Tobias.


    He closed the distance in an instant, his dagger poised for a decisive strike.


    But Tobias grinned.


    "Got you."


    Water from the ground surged upward, forming a sphere around Damon in an instant. The sphere engulfed him completely, trapping him in a barrier of swirling liquid.


    Damon thrashed against the crushing weight of the water, struggling to move his arms to strike at the barrier''s edge. His lungs burned as he tried to hold his breath, his strikes growing weaker with each attempt.


    Through the muffled pressure of the water, Tobias''s voice reached him, smug and calm.


    "Don''t bother trying to break it. This is a barrier of water. You''ll drown, and when you do, I''ll take you back to answer for your crimes."


    Damon''s daggers sliced through the barrier''s edge, but it repaired itself almost instantly, the liquid reforming seamlessly. The air in his lungs was slipping away, replaced by the heavy weight of water pressing against his chest.


    Darkness began to creep into the edges of his vision as his movements slowed.


    "Damn it..." Damon muttered weakly, his voice barely audible as the water consumed him.


    Tobias stood outside the barrier, watching with satisfaction as Damon''s struggles diminished. A slow smile spread across his face.


    "This is the end for you."

 Chapter 105 Fed Not Full

    Damon''s lungs burned, his muscles screamed in protest, and the crushing weight of the water pressed against his mind, threatening to pull him into unconsciousness. Yet, despite the odds, he wasn''t about to let himself lose¡ªnot here, not now.


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    He snapped his eyes open, glaring at the watery prison. Clenching his jaw, he thrust his dagger into the edge of the barrier, and as soon as the blade disrupted the water''s integrity, he acted. Using the opening, he fired the arrowhead hook of his omnidirectional gear. The sharp hook tore through the water and struck a nearby tree.


    With a sudden pull, Damon yanked himself free of the barrier, gasping as he collapsed to his knees, coughing violently and spitting out water. His body trembled from the exertion, but he didn''t have time to recover.


    Tobias wasn''t going to let him escape so easily. The water barrier swirled ominously, reforming and lunging toward Damon like a tidal wave, aiming to engulf him once more.


    Without even looking, Damon reached into his jacket and flung three white crystals into the air. The moment the crystals made contact with the water, they exploded into freezing shards, solidifying the liquid into jagged ice.


    The sudden shift in terrain caused Damon to roll to the side, narrowly avoiding the frozen shards. In one fluid motion, he grabbed another crystal and hurled it toward Tobias.


    Tobias raised a water barrier instinctively, but the crystal detonated on impact, turning the barrier into an icy shell. The explosion left glistening frost spreading over the surrounding ground.


    "Explosive ice crystals?" Tobias scoffed, his voice tinged with disdain. "How pathetic. Can''t even use your own magic."


    Damon ignored the jab, rising shakily to his feet. His lips moved in a silent command.


    "[5x to Speed]."


    A surge of energy coursed through Damon''s body, amplifying his speed fivefold. In a blur, he dashed into the forest, leaving Tobias behind.


    Tobias''s expression twisted in anger. He had been so close to capturing Damon, and now the slippery rat was running again.


    "You think you can run? Get back here, Grey!"


    With a sweep of his hand, Tobias summoned water beneath his feet, forming a smooth, flowing slide.


    "[Water Movement]."


    The makeshift slide propelled Tobias forward at incredible speed, allowing him to give chase.


    Damon bit his lip, his face remaining calm thanks to the dulling effects of Remorseless. He had no intention of stopping, not until this fight was over.


    This was why he hadn''t used [5x] from the start. Even with the boost, he wasn''t going to beat Tobias in a fair fight.


    ''But I never planned to fight fair.''


    Using the omnidirectional gear strapped to his right arm, Damon maneuvered through the forest with uncanny precision, narrowly dodging jets of water magic fired by Tobias. His movements were erratic¡ªhopping, rolling, and darting in unpredictable patterns.


    As Tobias closed the distance, Damon turned suddenly, hurling his last explosive ice crystal. The resulting blast created a wall of frost where Tobias blocked it with water magic, leaving slick, icy patches in his path.


    "How pathetic can you be?" Tobias growled, his voice dripping with contempt.


    "Relying on those useless trinkets instead of your own magic. No wonder you''re nothing but a failure."


    As Tobias''s body lay motionless, a notification flashed before Damon''s eyes:


    [You have slain Tobias Margan.]


    Damon sank to his knees, exhaustion finally catching up to him. His plan had worked, but it had taken everything he had.


    He cast a glance at the remains of Tobias. "Devour him," he ordered.


    His shadow rippled unnaturally, spreading out like an inky darkness. Just as it began to move toward the dismembered body, a sudden flutter of wings caught Damon''s attention.


    Croft, the raven, swooped down, landing on Tobias''s corpse. The bird pecked at the remains, tearing out an eye and carrying it to a nearby branch.


    "You bastard," Damon growled, glaring at the bird.


    "You followed me all this way just for human flesh? He''s my prey."


    Croft tilted its head, cawing mockingly. "Caw! Caw! Help... help!"


    Damon sighed in exasperation. "Fine. I suppose you did help."


    His gaze softened, turning melancholic as he stared at the bloodied remains.


    "If you behave, there''ll be many more to come," he murmured.


    "Because my path has just begun. My living shadow will devour everything that stands in my way."


    He clenched his fists tightly. "Not even Renata will be able to stop me. No one will."


    The shadow crept forward like a growing pool of darkness, swallowing Tobias''s remains completely.


    [You have acquired the skill: Water Celebration.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [Your shadow is fed.]


    Damon''s brow furrowed at the last notification.


    "Fed, but not full..." he muttered. "Is this another change in the system?"


    As he pondered, a low, guttural growl rumbled from behind him. Damon froze. Slowly, he turned, his breath catching in his throat.


    Beyond the barrier, red eyes glowed ominously in the darkness. Long, skeletal claws scraped against the ground, and its gaunt, horrifying frame seemed to radiate malice.


    Even with Remorseless dulling his fear, Damon felt his knees buckle, his heart pounding in his chest.


    There it stood¡ªa creature of nightmares.


    "Wendigo," he whispered, the word barely escaping his lips.

 Chapter 106 Monsters Of The Evil Forest

    Beyond the barrier of the academy lay a region of infamy the Evil Forest.


    This forest was not merely a patch of wilderness surrounding the academy. It spanned vast swaths of land across the continent of Soltheon, stretching relentlessly until it met the shores of the Centros Sea. A domain of death, it harbored countless monsters of varying strengths, with their power and danger increasing the deeper one ventured into its shadowed depths.


    The Evil Forest was one of the many unexplored regions in the mystical world of Aetherus, brimming with untapped dungeons and ancient ruins. It was a place teeming with peril¡ªand promise.


    The forest''s monstrous inhabitants bred uncontrollably, often triggering catastrophic monster stampedes when their populations outgrew their territories. These stampedes unleashed hordes of creatures onto the lands of mankind, destroying everything in their path.


    To counter this ever-looming threat, the heroes and wise men of the goddess races in ages past came together. With divine guidance, they constructed a massive barrier to confine the Evil Forest. This barrier, powered by multiple nodes scattered across the continent, acted as a bulwark against the encroaching chaos. Among these legendary figures was Athor, the founder of the academy itself, who devoted his life to fortifying one of these critical nodes.


    The presence of the barrier was the very reason the academy and the capital city of Valerion stood so close to the forest. The empire''s strategy was clear: establish its military at the heart of danger, ready to confront any creatures that breached the barrier. This proximity allowed adventurers, scholars, and soldiers to venture into the forest to cull the monster population, keeping it in check.


    It was also a proving ground for senior students of the academy, who honed their skills in outposts and garrisons built to monitor and suppress the forest''s influence.


    This responsibility wasn''t Valerion''s alone. Every nation bordering the Evil Forest contributed to its containment, recognizing it as a shared burden¡ªa hideous gift.


    Why such a grim name? Because, despite the endless perils, the Evil Forest tempted adventurers and kingdoms alike with its vast riches. Hidden within its depths were treasures beyond imagination: ancient relics, magical mines, rare herbs, monster parts, and enchanted tomes. Dungeons within the forest promised unimaginable rewards for those brave¡ªor foolish¡ªenough to enter.


    The deeper one ventured, the greater the rewards, but the price was steep. Millions of lives had been lost to the forest, their dreams of fame and fortune shattered in its unforgiving embrace.


    Yet still, the call persisted.


    For some, it was the promise of glory. For others, it was the lure of unimaginable wealth. But for all who entered, the forest whispered the same challenge:


    Come, if you dare.


    Of course, Damon couldn''t afford to focus on such thoughts, not while staring at the antlers of the monstrous creature before him. Its thin, bony claws twitched as its crimson eyes glowed with a menacing light. The hairy, towering form of the wendigo loomed, its jagged fangs glistening with thick, viscous saliva that dripped onto the ground like acid.


    Instead, he kept his eyes locked on the wendigo, his shadow perception extending outward like radar, monitoring the creature''s every move.


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    The wendigo''s shadow was strange. It lacked the same reactive energy as human shadows, a muted thing that barely triggerd his shadow''s hunger. It wasn''t worth the risk of hunting, not that he could hunt a wendigo even if he tried.


    ''Fleeing is the only choice,'' he concluded.


    He encased the cursed arrows in their shell, erasing any traces of their aura. Keeping his shadow perception stretched to its limits, Damon slowly retreated, never taking his focus off the wendigo.


    In a few minutes, he returned to the area where his skirmish had begun, carefully collecting his belongings and ensuring no evidence remained. His eyes scanned the tattered uniform he wore¡ªripped sleeves, sliced edges. It wasn''t his uniform, which gave him some relief.


    ''Marcus''s uniform,'' Damon mused with a faint smirk. ''He''ll be the one in trouble if the academy investigates.''


    Still, Damon wasn''t careless. He erased what evidence he could but left subtle traces that only a professional investigator might notice. His days surviving in the capital''s backstreets and working with smugglers were proving useful once again.


    With everything handled, Damon retracted his shadow perception and walked out of the forest, pulling his blindfold over his eyes as he disappeared into the night.


    ---


    By the time he reached his room, the perfect crime had been completed in under 15 minutes. Enough time to take a bath and maybe enjoy a midnight snack with Leona.


    But first, Damon needed to check his new skill. He hadn''t felt its effects, not like [Remorseless]. There was also the strange sensation of his shadow feeding yet not feeling full.


    Avoiding detection, he snuck into the war halls. Moving through the laundry basket, he switched the uniforms, slipping back into his own. Satisfied, he returned to his room and brought up the system panel.


    [Water Celebration]

 Chapter 107 Lost History

    [Water Celebration]


    [Description]


    "Cheers, the rain has come!"


    After years of relentless drought, the heavens finally wept, quenching the parched earth. But the rain, once a blessing, did not cease. It poured without end until the vast continent was submerged, leaving only scattered islands. The people, lost in the rapture of their joy, drowned beneath the overwhelming weight of their own celebration.


    [Effect]


    Fear not, thou shalt not drown.


    [Type]


    Passive.


    [Cooldown]


    0 seconds.


    ---


    Damon leaned back against the edge of his bed, staring at the skill description displayed on the translucent system panel before him. He let out a frustrated sigh, his hand raking through his disheveled hair.


    ''I went through all that trouble to kill Tobias... and this is what I get?''


    The skill''s effect was clear enough¡ªit was meant to prevent him from drowning. It was practical, sure, but hardly the combat-oriented skill he had been hoping for.


    "And all things considered, Tobias did almost drown me with his water barrier spell," Damon muttered, his voice tinged with resignation. "So, I guess it''s not completely useless."


    What truly caught his attention, though, was the vivid description. A drowned continent, lost to unending rain. Damon''s thoughts wandered to Tobias''s origins.


    ''Tyrvelia,'' he recalled. The Voyage Islands, a southwestern region often referred to as a continent but was, in reality, a scattered archipelago.


    "It''s also the world''s foremost naval power," Damon murmured, more to himself than anyone else.


    Tyrvelia''s history was shrouded in mystery. Most of its landmass had been submerged beneath the sea, and no one truly understood why. The skill''s description, however, offered a grim revelation.


    ''So that''s why.''


    Of course, the knowledge was useless to him in the immediate sense. Yet, he couldn''t help but feel that having even scraps of forgotten history at his disposal might prove valuable one day.


    The monsters in Tyrvelia were mostly aquatic, but the most horrifying among them were the Drowned¡ªbipedal monstrosities that inhabited the submerged ruins of ancient Tyrvelia. The region was also rife with pirates and had grown into a massive trade hub.


    Damon exhaled sharply, shaking his head.


    "Hmm, so my shadow is only considered ''full'' if the hunger level reaches 0%," Damon muttered to himself, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    He bit his lip.


    "I need to increase the number of my hunts to keep it full... but this isn''t necessarily a bad thing. If the energy is high enough, it''ll take longer to get hungry. As long as it stays above 100, it shouldn''t start affecting me."


    He sighed, the weight of responsibility settling on him like a cold shroud.


    "I need to wash up. Might as well test out Water Celebration while I''m at it."


    Another thought crossed his mind as he stripped off his torn uniform, grimacing at the scrapes and bruises marking his skin. His HP had dropped to 42 from his encounter with Tobias.


    "I really need to work on increasing my HP," he muttered, flexing his sore arm. But there were so many other things demanding his attention.


    His immediate goal was boosting his mana. He had so much to learn¡ªtraining Iris, mastering the magic blast spell he''d witnessed her use, and figuring out how to use the omnidirectional gear with more precision.


    And then there was his next reckless plan.


    The Wendigo he''d seen earlier wasn''t a deterrent; if anything, it fueled his determination.


    "I''m going beyond the barrier," he declared under his breath, his dark eyes glinting with resolve.


    "I''ll rig the entire place before the mid-semester evaluation begins. I''ll map every inch of it."


    His fingers clenched into fists as he stared at the wall, as if envisioning his goal etched into the surface.


    "I''m not just planning to scrape my way into the top ten... I''ll be number one. The only one."


    He smiled coldly, his mind already scheming. Damon wasn''t just planning to win¡ªhe was planning a betrayal. Nothing too elaborate, just enough to ensure his dominance.


    The sound of the bath filling snapped him back to the present. The posh bathroom still felt excessive to him, a stark contrast to the rough streets he''d grown up on. He submerged himself, his body sinking into the warm water.


    To his surprise, when he dunked his head fully underwater, he felt no discomfort. No water entered his lungs. He could breathe as if he were still on land.


    Damon stayed submerged for several minutes, testing the limits of the skill. Each attempt confirmed the same result¡ªhe could remain underwater indefinitely without any sensation of drowning.


    The skill''s description echoed in his mind.


    "Fear not, thou shalt not drown."


    Still, he quickly abandoned any fantasies of living underwater like a fish. The skill didn''t negate other dangers, like cold temperatures, water pressure, or hostile creatures. Drowning was only one of many threats.


    Satisfied, he finished bathing, his body and mind refreshed. He dressed quickly and headed out, the faintest smirk playing on his lips.


    He had plans for the night. A midnight snack with Leona¡ªand the death of his next prey to finalize.

 Chapter 108 How To Keep His Hands Clean

    Lilith tossed and turned on her oversized bed, the warm afternoon sun streaming through the windows and bathing the room in a golden glow. She sighed heavily, letting the book in her hands fall onto the mattress.


    As the student council president, she shouldn''t have been lounging in her dorm at this hour. Yet here she was, confined under house arrest. Continue reading stories on empire


    She groaned, her voice muffled against the pillow.


    "I''m so bored... Damn it, Damon, what are you plotting right now?"


    It had been like this for the past two days. The punishment had been swift but relatively light, considering the scale of her offense. She and Renata had been reprimanded for starting a fight in town¡ªnot just a petty squabble, but a clash between two formidable individuals who had already achieved second and third class advancements.


    Although they had held back, the aftermath had left the neighborhood in ruins. Thankfully, no one had been hurt or killed, a fact Lilith attributed to the unusually wide streets of the area.


    "I guess we owe it to town planning," she muttered dryly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.


    The academy, eager to avoid bad press, had punished them with only a symbolic slap on the wrist. As the top two students of their year, their battle had inadvertently showcased the strength of academy students, turning what could have been a PR nightmare into a demonstration of power. The damaged properties had already been repaired, and the residents compensated generously¡ªenough to leave them smiling despite the chaos.


    But Lilith wasn''t smiling.


    Her confinement meant Damon had free rein to act without her interference. Worse, he had taken advantage of the chaos she''d caused. While the academy''s attention was focused on her and Renata, Damon had gone after Tobias Morgan.


    And succeeded.


    Lilith clenched her fists, her nails digging into the bedsheets. She didn''t have all the details, but she knew Damon had lured Tobias out of house arrest and killed him. By the time the academy realized Tobias was missing, they assumed he had run away.


    But Lilith knew better.


    "What in the name of the Goddess are you doing, Damon? Why can''t I predict you? What are you planning? Why are you injured like this...?"


    Her cheeks flushed slightly as her mind wandered to the bloodied image of him. Her hand instinctively brushed her shoulder, the spot where Damon had grabbed her once in a moment of calm fury. Even in his anger, he had denied her accusations with a chilling conviction.


    "You''re definitely not innocent," she chuckled softly to herself.


    Lilith knew Damon was killing his targets methodically. They all shared one thing in common¡ªthey had all crossed him in some way.


    "He didn''t have a reason to kill them before... but now, something''s changed. He sees a benefit in their deaths, a tangible one," she mused.


    "How will he solve this if the academy discovers the commonality."


    ''I am certain he has a sure fire way to keep his hands clean.....''


    Sitting by her mirror, her red hair cascading over her dress, Lilith considered the names of those who might be next Rein Ambridge, Elmont Garnier, Malcolm Tatarstan, Marcus Fayjoy.


    "Who will it be?" she whispered, a small smile playing on her lips.


    "He''s unleashed now... A predator I can no longer suppress. One more will die today¡ªor tomorrow, but soon. His attacks follow a pattern, and I''m close to deciphering it."


    Her gaze fell back to the papers he had left as bait, her smile widening. Damon''s cunning was undeniable, but she didn''t need to win every battle. She only needed to win the war.


    Lilith''s pulse quickened as a sudden idea took hold.


    Reaching for her pager, she dialed Damon Grey''s number. The device felt cold against her palm as she brought it to her ear, the faint hum of the line connecting filling the silence.


    "Let''s hear it from the murderous horse''s mouth," she said with a smirk, anticipation flickering in her eyes.

 Chapter 109 Magic Bullet

    Damon ignored the relentless buzzing of his pager, his focus unwavering. Sweat dripped from his face, soaking his already-drenched clothes as he stood amidst the oppressive silence of the forest. The pager lay forgotten in his jacket beneath a nearby tree, shaded and safe from the sun''s harsh rays.


    Pain coursed through his body, radiating from his shattered fingers. His left hand was in ruins, its five fingers broken and charred, the blackened remains of flesh barely clinging to the splintered bone.


    His right hand, trembling but steady, was poised in the shape of a gun. At the tips of his fingers, a swirling ball of shadow magic coalesced, thin astral winds flickering around it as it compressed. With a calm, controlled breath, Damon fired.


    The recoil was devastating. His flesh seared, and his finger bones cracked audibly under the strain. He gritted his teeth, his sharp breath escaping as he steadied himself, ignoring the dull throb that pulsed through his hands.


    The dummy in front of him bore the brunt of his relentless training. It was riddled with scorch marks and puncture holes¡ªhundreds of them. Each was a testament to his determination.


    "Almost there... I''ve almost perfected it," Damon muttered, his voice strained but resolute.


    He summoned another sphere of shadow magic, ignoring the fresh surge of agony that accompanied it. He fired again. Then again. Each shot burned away more of his flesh, revealing the stark white of cracked bone beneath.


    By now, his distal phalanges were little more than skeletal remains. His intermediate phalanges were no better, scorched and brittle. Only his proximal phalanges, closer to his palms, retained some semblance of flesh, though they too were blackened and blistered.


    But Damon didn''t stop. After two days of relentless effort, he felt on the verge of a breakthrough. His shadow seemed to whisper encouragement, its otherworldly presence spurring him on as he pushed through the pain.


    The genesis of this grueling training was a simple spell¡ªMagic Blast¡ªa basic technique Damon had seen Iris use. It was common knowledge, a rudimentary ability everyone, including Damon, could perform.


    The spell required the user to form a ball of their magical attribute and fire it. Its simplicity was its strength, but also its weakness.


    ''My enemies won''t give me the luxury of time to charge up a spell,'' Damon had reasoned.


    Worse, the spell consumed a fixed 50 mana per shot, a cost Damon couldn''t afford with his limited reserves. Through relentless practice, he had reduced its cost to 40 mana, a significant improvement.


    But his analytical mind couldn''t stop there. Why was Magic Blast always fired from the palms or the surrounding environment? What if it could be compressed and shot from the fingers? It would cost less mana, travel faster, and hit harder.


    He had shared his theory with Sylvia, who immediately shot it down, citing the risks and dangers. But Damon''s determination was unshakable. He delved deeper into the mechanics, running countless simulations in his mind before committing to a plan.


    The response had not gone over well.


    "I''ve never seen a group of people unite in their collective hatred for my methods," Damon muttered, recalling how they had all chewed him out for his recklessness.


    But their protests didn''t stop him. He continued, enduring what felt like an eternity of punishment and progress.


    Now, standing under the forest canopy, his determination bore fruit. He sent the last of his mana into his ruined fingers, forming the familiar gun-like gesture. With a steady breath, he fired.


    For the first time, there was no pain. No recoil.


    Damon froze, staring at his hand in disbelief. Could it be that his fingers were so damaged that he simply couldn''t feel anymore?


    Then the notification came.


    [Ding]


    [You have created the spell: Magic Bullet.]


    [Mastery: 4%. @%^#^#&?????]


    [You have yet to unlock the Mastery mechanic.]


    [Unable to track progress.]


    A slow smile crept across Damon''s sweaty face. He had done it. After all the pain and near-death experiences, he had created something entirely new.


    The journey wasn''t over¡ªfar from it. But this was a victory, however small, and it meant he was one step closer to the power he sought.


    Although he was curious about the notifications.

 Chapter 110 Deadly Training

    Damon opened the system panel, half-expecting something new to appear¡ªa change, an update, anything. His shadow energy was nearing 100, but beyond that, the interface remained frustratingly unchanged.


    "Hmmm, I suppose it''s locked..." he muttered.


    He already figured as much. The system''s locked mechanics were features he had yet to unlock. He recalled vague mentions of quests and challenges from when the system first activated, but none had ever come his way.


    "Probably because my level is still too low," he reasoned.


    Not that he was eager for quests. The system already demanded enough of him¡ªlike consuming others to grow stronger. The mere thought of the kind of quests it might generate made his stomach churn.


    Damon sighed, flexing his mangled fingers. The numbness was his only reprieve from the agonizing pain.


    "At least I''ve created my own unique spell..."


    Still, calling it "perfected" was a stretch. The system''s mastery mechanic had teased him with a brief glimpse¡ª4% before disappearing. There was still a long road ahead, and he looked forward to unlocking the mastery feature to track his progress.


    But there were more immediate concerns. Today''s objective loomed over him like a shadow: killing Rein Ambridge. At least he wasn''t doing it alone. Marcus Fayjoy, a now mad man disturbingly eager to help, was his pawn. Convincing Marcus had been alarmingly easy¡ªafter all, Marcus believed he was doing "God''s work."


    "That fool..." Damon shook his head.


    Still, his training wasn''t over yet. There was one final thing to attempt.


    Walking toward the forest, Damon ignored the sharp pangs from his broken fingers. Remorseless activated, dulling the fear and steadying his nerves.


    Taking a deep breath, he glanced at the contraption hidden beneath his sleeves¡ªthe omnidirectional gear. With practiced precision, Damon shot the arrowhead-like hooks into a tree, propelling himself upward. The thin wires, taut as steel, allowed him to swing freely. He maneuvered between trees with dizzying speed, each swing more controlled than the last.


    Two days of trial and error had honed his movements, turning pain into a relentless teacher. But now, he wanted to test one of the more challenging maneuvers.


    He aimed his hooks at the tallest tree, their tips biting deep into the bark. With a snap, the gear launched him skyward, propelling him above the canopy. Sunlight struck his face, the wind howled in his ears, and for a fleeting moment, he was weightless, staring down at the endless expanse of forest below.


    It was exhilarating.


    Damon quickly fired the hooks back toward the trunks below, intending to yank himself downward with equal force.


    "Uh-oh... damn it!"


    His aim was off. The hooks missed their mark, embedding into the ground instead. The resulting force doubled his descent speed.


    At this rate, he''d be a bloody smear on the forest floor.


    Thinking fast, Damon released one hook and shot another toward a nearby tree. The sudden recoil yanked him sideways, the momentum smashing him into the trunk.


    "We almost didn''t make it! One mistake and you''d be dead!"


    Damon nodded, entirely unbothered.


    "It was a calculated risk. Besides, I had a healing potion on me. Just in case."


    Both women froze. Then, in unison, their glares intensified.


    "Then why didn''t you drink it?" Leona demanded, her voice rising.


    Damon shrugged, his expression nonchalant.


    "A waste of money. Why drink an expensive potion when I have a free healer? I''d rather die."


    Leona''s entire body stiffened, her golden eyes twitching with barely suppressed rage.


    "You... you...! I don''t... it''s just a damn potion!"


    Sylvia nodded, equally furious.


    "What if we''d been late? It''s just a potion, Damon!"


    Damon shook his head, undeterred by their outrage.


    "No. It''s an expensive potion. Not all of us have endless money to throw around. Some of us actually work for it."


    He sat up with a wince, glancing at Sylvia''s unfinished healing.


    "Now, enough with the nagging. I''d like to go to a proper healer and get fixed up."


    Leona''s jaw dropped, her fury momentarily leaving her speechless. Sylvia groaned, her hands glowing as she finished closing his wounds.


    "You''re impossible, Damon," Sylvia muttered under her breath, though her tone betrayed a hint of reluctant amusement.


    Leona crossed her arms, glaring daggers at him.


    "You better pray I don''t throw you out of a tree next time."


    Damon laughed softly, brushing dirt off his tattered clothes.


    "I''d really like that, as long as you''re willing to pay a hefty sum in compensation."

 Chapter 111 The Day I Became God

    Damon returned to his room, accompanied by the shifting form of his shadow and the ever-watchful raven, Croft. As the door shut behind him, he let out a long, weary sigh. The sting of Leona Valefier and Sylvia Moonveil''s scolding was still fresh in his mind. Both had vehemently opposed his reckless training, and to his dismay, Evangeline had joined in as well.


    He smirked faintly at the memory. They care too much.


    It had taken every ounce of his wit to slip away from their collective fury. He found their concern for his well-being both unsettling and ironic, especially with the mid-semester evaluations looming on the horizon.


    "Naive," he muttered, collapsing onto his bed. His body ached, his fingers still stinging despite the healers expert care. He stared at the ceiling, thoughts churning.


    "If they think what I''m doing now is dangerous, wait until they find out what I''m planning beyond the barrier..."


    Pushing himself upright, Damon''s expression darkened. His mind wandered to his shadow, the ever-present manifestation of his strange new power.


    "Hey..." he began, his voice tinged with hesitation.


    "Am I making the right choice? If I want to win, I have to crush them all."


    The shadow''s response was simple: it shook its head, then gave him a thumbs-up.


    "Jeez. Thanks for nothing," Damon muttered, rolling his eyes.


    He gazed at his shadow for a moment, his expression softening.


    ''Not like I ever had a choice, did I?'' he thought bitterly.


    The paths before him had always been dirty, unforgiving. He couldn''t afford to let their kindness weaken his resolve. He bit his lip, recalling an old saying from a elven smuggler he''d once known in Valerion.


    "There are no eternal friendships, only eternal benefits."


    The words echoed in his mind, drawing his thoughts to the elf.


    Before he could dwell on it further, a faint hum emanated from under his pillow.


    "Lord God... Lord God, can you hear me?"


    A sly grin spread across Damon''s face. He reached beneath the pillow and retrieved the sound stone hidden there, the voice of Marcus Fayjoy trembling with anxiety on the other end.


    Damon cleared his throat, adopting a grave, divine tone.


    "My child, I hear you. I am all-seeing and all-knowing. Fear not¡ªI shall protect you from the monsters lurking in the academy."


    The absurdity of the situation almost made him laugh. Somehow, Marcus truly believed Damon was a god. As for how that came to be, Damon recalled it vividly¡ªunsurprisingly, since it had only happened yesterday.


    ---


    It had started with the cursed ore arrows Damon had hidden under Marcus''s bed frame. The corrosive energy from the ore had steadily eroded Marcus''s sanity, preying on his paranoia. Coupled with Marcus''s lingering suspicions that Damon was a monster in disguise, the effects had taken root quickly, fraying his already unstable mind.


    But Damon hadn''t wanted a raving lunatic¡ªhe needed something controllable. Remembering Lilith''s offhand comment about sound stones, he had purchased two through Carl''s connections. Then, with Anvil''s help, he had one of the stones shaped into the likeness of a religious totem.


    That totem had been carefully placed in Marcus''s room.


    "Then let me show you my power, Marcus. Let me help you destroy the monsters¡ªespecially the one masquerading as Damon Grey."


    Marcus froze, his breath hitching.


    "D-Damon Grey... so you know! You know he''s dead, and some monster from the Evil Forest is pretending to be him..."


    The voice from the stone confirmed, "Yes, Marcus. I am aware. I am God, after all. I also know that Lark, Isaac, and Tobias are dead. Their bodies weren''t found because they were devoured."


    Marcus trembled, the grotesque images forming vividly in his mind. He fell to his knees, clutching the stone.


    "Oh God... what do I do? Please, save me!"


    The voice paused for dramatic effect, letting Marcus''s fear fester.


    "It''s too late for the others, Marcus," Damon said finally.


    "The friends you have left are no longer your friends. They are the monsters'' thralls, masquerading as your allies. Rein Ambridge, Elmont Garnier, and Malcolm Tatarstan have all been taken. We must kill the vessels before it''s too late."


    Tears streamed down Marcus''s face as he clung to the stone.


    "God, please... you have to help me..."


    Damon''s voice grew softer, almost coaxing.


    "From heaven, my power on Earth is limited. But I can assist you. First, we must destroy the vessel of Rein Ambridge."


    Marcus nodded shakily but stopped, his face scrunching as if fighting off insanity.


    "No... no, what if we''re wrong? I can''t kill my friends..."


    In his room, Damon clicked his tongue in irritation.


    ''Of all times for him to have a shred of intelligence,'' he thought. ''Fine. Time to give him a little show.''


    "Very well, Marcus," Damon said smoothly.


    "While my power here is limited, I can lend you enough to deal with the main host¡ªthe monster pretending to be Damon Grey."


    Marcus''s eyes lit with hope. "Lord God, how?"


    A sly grin spread across Damon''s face as he whispered into the stone.


    "Tomorrow, during breakfast in the dinning, touch him with this sacred stone. It holds my power. Watch as he screams in pain, revealing his true form. If you''re lucky, you might even see the monster emerge."


    Marcus clutched the stone tightly, nodding with newfound determination. He spent the rest of the night talking to Damon, fully convinced he was communing with a deity.


    Meanwhile, in his own room, Damon sighed, exhaustion creeping in.


    ''Just how far gone is this idiot? He can''t even recognize my voice...''

 Chapter 112 Gods Chosen Apostle

    Damon remembered that day vividly¡ªthe day Marcus truly lost himself to his delusion of divine purpose. It was the day he became utterly convinced that the voice in the stone was the voice of God.


    That morning, Damon was seated with his usual companions: Leona Valefier, Xander Ravenscroft, Sylvia, and Evangeline. The cafeteria buzzed with the chatter of students, oblivious to the storm brewing in Marcus''s mind.


    Marcus stood in a shadowed corner, clutching the so-called sacred stone¡ªa common sound stone crudely carved into a semblance of divinity. His eyes were bloodshot, and dark bags hung beneath them, evidence of a sleepless night spent conversing with his "God."


    "I am God''s chosen apostle... I will rid the world of evil..." he muttered, his voice low and feverish. The jagged look in his eyes betrayed both fear and resolve.


    To Marcus, this was his destiny. He envisioned himself cleansing the ancient ruins, bringing the world of Aetherus into a bright and shining epoch. He gripped the stone tighter, feeling the silence of his God, which he interpreted as preparation.


    "Yes, He''s gathering energy to destroy the monsters..." Marcus reassured himself.


    Despite his self-conviction, fear lingered in his heart. God had assured him the plan would work, and even if it failed, the monster masquerading as Damon Grey wouldn''t dare attack him in public.


    "I just need to have faith... I am God''s chosen apostle."


    With those words echoing in his mind, Marcus moved. He broke into a sudden sprint, roaring as he charged toward Damon''s table, stone in hand.


    Damon, who had orchestrated this entire scenario, allowed himself a faint smile behind his blindfold. He had been waiting for this.


    As Marcus reached the table, he slammed the stone against Damon''s neck. Damon leaped out of his chair in an exaggerated motion, letting out a guttural groan as he fell to the floor, writhing and clutching his throat.


    He made sure to sell the act, rolling on the ground in mock agony. Though embarrassing, it was necessary to further unravel Marcus''s fragile psyche.


    Marcus froze for a moment before his lips curled into a deranged grin. "Reveal your¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Leona''s fist smashed into his face, sending him stumbling backward.


    "You bastard!" she growled, her eyes blazing with fury. "You dare sneak attack Damon when he''s not fully recovered?"


    Xander quickly restrained her, grabbing her arm before she could land another blow.


    "Calm down, Leona! He didn''t actually hurt Damon. Relax."


    Meanwhile, Evangeline and Sylvia had rushed to Damon''s side, their expressions frantic. Damon, still leaning into the performance, coughed weakly, one hand clutching his chest. He looked at Marcus with an almost pitiful gaze.


    And then, just loud enough for Marcus to hear, Damon rasped a single word:


    "God..."


    Which should have been meaningless to others but to Marcus...


    The effect was instantaneous. Marcus, blood dripping from his split lip, stumbled to his feet, clutching the stone like a sacred relic. He broke into a wild laugh, his voice echoing through the cafeteria as he bolted out the door, laughing like a man possessed.


    "What do I do? I don''t want to die, Lord God!"


    "Fear not, my apostle. I used the last of my power to grant you divine grace. The monster can no longer harm you. But... cough... we must act swiftly. We must destroy its thralls before it regains its power."


    Marcus''s tears fell freely now, mixing with the dirt on his face.


    "But my friends... my friends..."


    The voice grew sterner, the usual calm replaced by a sense of urgency.


    "Forgive me, child, but those are no longer your friends. And I can prove it. Go to them¡ªsecretly observe their shadows. You will see... cough... their shadows move without the consent of their bodies. Vile creatures have taken their forms."


    The voice paused, clearing its throat for dramatic effect.


    "They are gone, my child. Their souls must be saved."


    Marcus clenched his jaw, his tears turning into quiet sobs.


    "Why? Why did this happen to them?"


    "Cough... I am weakened now, Marcus, but I have you. My noble apostle. You are destined to be a great hero for the Goddess races. We will save this world together."


    Marcus gritted his teeth, wiping his face. A spark of resolve began to shine through his despair.


    "What do I do, Lord God? Tell me."


    The voice lowered, adopting a tone of quiet calculation.


    "You must pretend, my apostle. Pretend they are still your friends. Lure them to sacred sites where my power is strong, and I will purge them."


    Marcus nodded, tears still trailing down his cheeks.


    "Lord God... I have deep faith in you, especially after seeing you weaken that monster. But these are my friends. Please... let me see for myself. Let me confirm that they are truly gone."


    The voice sighed, as though disappointed.


    "Very well, Marcus. Go. Look at them and see the truth. Let this be the final goodbye. But... if even after this you still hesitate, I will have no choice but to leave you and find another apostle to save the world."


    Marcus''s grip tightened around the stone, his knuckles white.


    "I understand, Lord God. Thank you... for your divine favor."


    With those words, he stood, his legs shaky but filled with purpose. Clutching the stone close, Marcus set off to find his friends, his heart heavy with dread. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 113 Burn It All

    Marcus met up with Rein Ambridge at a pavilion just before class. To Rein, it was supposed to be a casual meeting between friends. The sun filtered through the wooden beams of the pavilion, casting long shadows across the stone floor.


    Rein stepped into the pavilion, his fiery red hair catching the light, his expression warm. He froze when he saw Marcus, a haggard young man with unkempt blue hair and deep bags under his eyes.


    "Marcus..." Rein''s voice was cautious, concerned.


    Marcus''s jaw tightened, his face a mask of suspicion. His fingers gripped the sound stone in his pocket.


    "Take a seat, Rein," he said tersely.


    Rein hesitated but sat across from Marcus, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. His gaze softened, trying to assess his friend''s strange demeanor.


    Marcus exhaled sharply, his mind racing. He wanted to talk about old times, to cling to the hope that Rein was still the same. But as he opened his mouth to speak, his gaze flickered to the ground¡ªand froze.


    Rein''s shadow, stretched long by the morning sun, rippled unnaturally. Marcus''s heart skipped a beat. The shadow seemed to move independently, its edges curling as though it were waving at him.


    A cold dread washed over Marcus. His lips trembled as his eyes widened in horror.


    "Ahhh! Heathen!" Marcus screamed.


    Without thinking, he threw himself off the chair, rolling onto the grass. Rein shot to his feet, stunned.


    "Marcus, what''s wrong?"


    But Marcus wasn''t listening. He scrambled to his feet and bolted, his panicked screams echoing through the courtyard.


    "Stay away from me!"


    Rein blinked, unsure whether to chase or be alarmed. He took a step forward.


    "Marcus, wait!"


    When Rein began to follow, Marcus''s panic grew tenfold. To him, Rein''s pursuit was proof of his monstrous nature.


    "Get away, demon!" Marcus shouted, running even faster.


    "The noble families will come here seeking answers for the deaths of their children," Damon murmured to himself, smiling, "and poor Marcus will be too dead to defend himself."


    When they searched Marcus''s room, they would find the incriminating evidence. The Fayjoy family, not wanting to be associated with heresy, would try to handle the matter discreetly.


    "This means they''ll compensate the other families for my killing spree," Damon thought, his grin widening.


    The noble families would likely agree to avoid involving the temple and the inquisition. No one wanted the holy order poking around their affairs, especially those residing in Soltheon.


    The academy would cooperate as well, desperate to salvage its reputation. Having a heretic under their roof would be catastrophic. Damon planned to walk away clean, his crimes buried under layers of deception and noble politics.


    Biting his lip, Damon considered the aftermath. Once his revenge was complete, where would he find people to feed his shadow? Preying on innocent people without necessity didn''t sit well with him anymore. Criminals were the next logical target, but most of them ran in gangs.


    He shook his head, dismissing the thought for now.


    The mid-semester evaluation was his priority. It would take place in the Evil Forest, and Damon had a plan to rig the results in his favor.


    "But to do that, I''ll have to cross the barrier," Damon muttered.


    The memory of the Wendigo he''d seen beyond the barrier''s edge sent a shiver down his spine. Who knew what other horrors lurked out there?


    The Evil Forest was infamous for its danger, a hell of ancient ruins and dead zones that could swallow even seasoned adventurers whole.


    "Whatever''s out there has to be worse," Damon said to himself, steeling his nerves.


    He didn''t have the means to set elaborate traps, but he could map out the exam site and exploit the rules he''d glimpsed in the student council office. A conventional approach wouldn''t work¡ªTobias had nearly killed him in a direct confrontation.


    "I''ll need to think outside the box," Damon mused.


    A risky idea crossed his mind.


    "If I let my shadow hunger grow high enough, I might get a stat boost..."


    The thought was tempting, but he knew the dangers. The hunger could make him lose control, turning him into a ravenous beast, which would defeat his objective of taking down all the first years.


    His lips curled into a grin.


    "Fine, then," Damon said, his voice a low whisper. "I''ll just burn the forest to the ground."

 Chapter 114 Into The Badlands

    A small carriage emerged from the shadows near the academy''s walls, its wheels creaking softly against the uneven ground. Hidden beneath a canopy of trees in the dim moonlight, a young man with shifty blue eyes and brown hair leapt down, his long cloak billowing as he landed. He patted the horses gently, their restless movements quieted by his touch.


    "Where is he..." he muttered under his breath, scanning the dark surroundings.


    Before he could say another word, a calm voice spoke from behind him.


    "Did you bring everything?"


    The man jolted in alarm, clutching his chest as his heart raced.


    "Goddess, Damon! Don''t do that!" he exclaimed, his voice barely above a whisper. "You almost gave me a heart attack. Goddess forbid, I thought it was one of your professors sneaking up on me."


    Damon stepped closer, his expression as unreadable as ever. His blindfolded eyes, hidden from view, gave him an otherworldly air. To Carls, the blue-eyed youth, Damon looked different¡ªmore tired, perhaps even haunted.


    "You okay?" Carls asked hesitantly, tilting his head. "You look... ah, different."


    Damon''s lips tightened as he glanced away.


    "It''s nothing," he replied, his tone flat. "Just a little hungry is all."


    Carls raised a skeptical brow but didn''t press further.


    "Don''t they feed you in the academy?" he asked, attempting a lighter tone.


    "I heard students there eat like nobles¡ªthe fat kind. Boy, that''d be a dream for street rats like us, eating like kings."


    His awkward laugh faded when Damon didn''t respond. He glanced at his companion, his gaze lingering on Damon''s pale features.


    "Well, you already look the part of a handsome noble... a little gloomy, though."


    "That''s enough, Carls," Damon interrupted sharply. "Help me move everything closer to the waterway."


    "Arson is so much work these days," Damon muttered under his breath.


    And he had to do it all tonight¡ªbefore returning in time to kill Rein Ambridge.


    With a determined look, Damon ventured beyond the barrier.


    ---


    Crossing the barrier was deceptively simple, though it didn''t ease his unease. His path took him past the ravine where he had once been left to die and where the entity that fused with his shadow had revealed itself.


    The memory clawed at his mind, filling him with dread and deepening his resolve to kill Marcus and his friends.


    As he moved cautiously, his tension peaked when he reached a small river¡ªthe true border of the academy''s protection. If he crossed it, he would enter the Evil Forest, leaving the safety of the barrier behind.


    Damon spread his shadow''s perception to its full two-kilometer radius, drinking in every detail. But the sheer volume of sensory information overwhelmed him, and he quickly pulled it back. The kaleidoscope of fragmented images was more distracting than useful.


    Taking a deep breath, he removed his blindfold and tucked it into his pocket. Armed with a small digger, a shovel, and the weapons concealed beneath his uniform, Damon pressed forward.


    He stepped carefully across the river, using a few stones to avoid making noise. The moment his feet touched the opposite shore, the air shifted.


    It grew colder, and an oppressive, sinister magic energy weighed on him. The trees loomed taller, their gnarled branches stretching like skeletal fingers. Shadows lengthened unnaturally, and Damon felt a chill crawl up his spine.


    Every fiber of his being screamed at him to turn back. His instincts, sharper than ever, warned him he was in real danger.


    Grinding his teeth, Damon forced the fear down, silently cursing the fact that his Remorseless skill wasn''t activating.


    He narrowed his eyes, fists clenching tightly.


    ''This is the only way,'' he told himself.


    And so, with resolve burning in his heart, Damon stepped into the darkness of the woods, knowing he had to risk it all if he wanted to win.

 Chapter 115 Death Is Near

    The Evil Forest was a place where light dared not tread. The dense canopy of ancient trees blocked out the sky, plunging everything below into an oppressive darkness. For Damon, it wasn''t a problem¡ªhis shadow-enhanced sight allowed him to navigate easily.


    He moved with measured, silent footsteps, his senses on high alert. His objective was clear: map out the area and identify locations where fires could start and spread effectively while staying hidden enough to avoid detection.


    More pressing, however, was the need to avoid the creatures that called this forest home. Being on the outskirts of the Evil Forest meant the monsters here were likely weak¡ªrank one, akin to someone of the first class advancement. But even those were more than capable of killing him.


    Damon''s shadow perception constantly expanded and retracted, scanning the area like a sonar.


    The ground beneath his feet was uneven, the soil dark and almost oily. The flora was an unsettling harmony of the forest''s sinister aura, with twisted roots and jagged undergrowth. The air itself felt heavy, thick with moisture and carrying a faint, metallic tang of blood.


    Damon wrinkled his nose in disgust.


    ''What the hell is that smell?''


    His gaze shifted, and soon he found the source of the sickly stench.


    "Corpsebloom flowers."


    The large, crimson flowers had wide, fleshy petals that seemed to glisten in the dim light. They exuded a sweet, rotting aroma that was sickeningly alluring. Damon knew their reputation too well: the flowers lured prey close, then released hallucinogenic spores that caused vivid, horrifying visions. Once their victim was incapacitated, the plant''s roots would wrap around them, slowly draining their mana until they died.


    Damon immediately took several cautious steps back, unwilling to get anywhere near the death trap.


    Just as he began to retreat, he felt something slick and cold wrap around his ankle.


    He froze, glancing down.


    "Venomfang vines..." he whispered, his stomach sinking.


    The thick, green-black vines were covered in glistening thorns that oozed toxic secretion. Reacting to vibrations in the air, they moved like serpents. And if they managed to lash out and inject their venom, paralysis was guaranteed.


    Thanks to his Water Celebration skill, Damon held his breath for the entire hour the Nocturne Stag lingered by the stream, searching for its prey. When it finally departed, Damon surfaced, soaked and trembling, but alive.


    The ordeal was far from over. Damon narrowly avoided being consumed by a massive Venomous Flytrap, escaping through its razor-sharp teeth at the last possible moment. Several other brushes with death followed, each testing his luck and resolve.


    Despite the constant danger, Damon made significant progress. He identified areas where fire would spread easily, discovering clusters of Oil Vines and hollow trees¡ªideal ignition points. One hollow tree housed a hive of Killer Bees, and approaching it nearly cost him his life.


    He also carefully mapped the terrain, pinpointing monster lairs and even stumbling upon the den of the Wendigo he had narrowly escaped from during his last venture into the forest.


    By the end of the night, Damon had achieved his objective. Exhausted and battered, he hid his tools in an empty hollow tree surrounded by Ignis Vines. His body ached all over, covered in black soil to mask his scent. Even after taking healing potions, he remained injured, and his vitality was dangerously low.


    "Only 30 HP left," he muttered, wincing as he moved.


    Eager to leave, Damon made his way toward the academy barrier, his body screaming for rest. But as he neared the small river that marked the boundary, a low, guttural growl froze him in his tracks.


    His shadow perception extended, and dread washed over him as he sensed the unmistakable presence of a monster.


    It was the Wendigo.


    The creature loomed just at the edge of his half-kilometer perception radius, but Damon knew it could see him with unnatural clarity. The Wendigo''s bloodlust pierced through the air, an oppressive weight bearing down on him.


    He wished he had spread his perception futher.


    Without hesitation, Damon bolted. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath ragged as his Remorseless skill activated, sharpening his focus and pushing his body to its limits. He used his [5x to Speed], his movements a blur as he raced for the barrier.


    But the Wendigo was faster. Its monstrous speed easily outpaced that of any human, and it closed the distance with terrifying ease.


    Damon could feel its presence bearing down on him, the primal fear of death clawing at his mind.


    For all intents and purposes, Damon Grey was about to die tonight.

 Chapter 116 Evil Forest Wendigo

    Damon didn''t dare look back as he sprinted toward the river, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. With [5x] Speed Boost, his legs carried him at five times his normal pace, his surroundings blurring as he tore through the forest. The Remorseless skill sharpened his mind, analyzing every possible option with cold, brutal efficiency. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    The first option: fight.


    It wasn''t even worth considering. Every scenario he envisioned ended the same way¡ªhis death. The Wendigo was faster, stronger, and more vicious, a predator that outclassed him in every conceivable way. Even if he fired arrows at it, the outcome would remain unchanged.


    Of all the grim possibilities, running was the only choice that offered even a slim chance of survival. And even that seemed unlikely.


    ''I haven''t died before. I''m not dying now.'' Damon bit his lip, suppressing the rising fear that threatened to overtake him.


    His survival hinged on making every second count, and he had one advantage left the Omnidirectional Gear.


    But even with it factored into his escape, the odds weren''t in his favor. His calculations were bleak¡ªhe''d barely make it, if at all.


    The forest blurred around him as he tore through the underbrush, his breathing labored but controlled. Behind him, the Wendigo closed the gap with terrifying speed. Its claws gouged deep grooves into the blackened soil, its guttural growl echoing through the forest like a death knell.


    Damon didn''t need to look back. Shadow Perception gave him a clear sense of how close it was¡ªless than seven meters behind him now. Its oppressive aura bore down on him, a palpable reminder that this was no ordinary predator.


    As he broke through the treeline, the river came into view. The clearing was a brief reprieve from the suffocating darkness of the Evil Forest, but Damon knew better than to hope. The Wendigo was right behind him, so close he could feel its murderous intent pressing down on him like a physical weight.


    It struck.


    The beast''s long claws slashed through the air, aiming to cleave Damon in half. But the attack missed by inches.


    Damon fired the hook of his Omnidirectional Gear toward a sturdy tree across the river. The mechanism roared to life, yanking him through the air and out of the creature''s reach. He hit the ground hard on the other side, tumbling through branches and shrubs before skidding to a stop. Pain shot through his body, a dull ache spreading across his head and limbs.


    Groaning, he forced himself upright. There was no time to dwell on the pain. He staggered forward, resuming his desperate flight.


    The Wendigo didn''t hesitate. It leapt onto a jagged rock in the middle of the river with an effortless grace, then sprang forward again. In two bounds, it had crossed the river, landing silently on the opposite bank.


    "I... I''m not... gonna die here..."


    With trembling fingers, he reached into his jacket, fumbling for a potion. His other arm hung uselessly at his side, broken from the impact. Gripping the vial with all his remaining strength, he brought it to his mouth, biting down to shatter the glass. Shards tore into his gums, and blood mixed with the potion, but he swallowed it all.


    Warmth spread through his body as the potion''s magic took effect, sealing his wounds and knitting torn flesh back together. He could feel the life returning to him, but slowly¡ªtoo slowly.


    The Wendigo snarled, its glowing eyes locked on him with unbridled hatred, but it could do nothing. Damon lay just beyond the creature''s reach.


    After two agonizing minutes, he managed to stand, though his legs wobbled beneath him. His HP had crawled back up to a measly [20/50]. His vision was still hazy from the blood loss, but his anger burned clear and bright.


    He glared at the Wendigo with a mixture of rage and indignation.


    "That potion... cost me 100 thousand zeni..." His voice was hoarse, his breathing heavy, but the venom in his tone was unmistakable.


    The Wendigo growled in response, its body tense, daring him to step beyond the barrier. Damon narrowed his eyes, his fury bubbling over.


    "You''ll pay for this, with interest" he hissed.


    "An eye for an eye... You''ll regret the day you took something precious from me."


    The creature''s low snarl seemed to mock his threat, but Damon didn''t flinch. He had no intention of fighting it now¡ªhe knew he couldn''t win. But he also knew where its den was, and more importantly, he remembered something critical: the cache of offspring he had sensed earlier but left untouched.


    ''I didn''t attack them before because I didn''t want to provoke it,'' he thought darkly. ''But now? Now it''s personal.''


    Damon clenched his fists, the gears in his mind already turning. He would finish setting his traps and return to that den. He would kill its young, one by one, and use the opportunity to test how his Shadow Hunger reacted to consuming monster flesh.


    An eye for an eye. A potion for a life.


    Revenge was an ancient law, and for a noble man, even ten years wasn''t too late.


    "I''ll make sure you know that I was the one who did it..."

 Chapter 117 The Long Awaited Payback

    Damon left the Wendigo behind after a long, tense stare-down. He wasn''t in a rush to settle things now¡ªpatience had always been his greatest weapon. If he couldn''t act without consequences, he would wait until he could. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    This mindset had served him well countless times, like when he spoke his mind to professors who looked down on him. He knew they wouldn''t dare commit acts of violence against a student.


    ''I can''t respect people who show me none,'' he thought as he trudged through the dense woods, his back still aching from the Wendigo''s claws.


    By the time Damon reached the academy, dawn was creeping over the horizon. But instead of heading to his dorm, he changed direction, walking toward a secluded spot on campus. He had arranged for Marcus to bring Rein Ambridge, then leave him drugged and ready, for Damon to kill.


    The rendezvous point was a bench in a quiet part of the academy, not far from one of the entrances to the underground dungeons. Few people came here, making it an ideal spot for what he intended to do.


    When Damon arrived, he spotted a red-haired young man sprawled on the ground, unconscious. He stopped, retreating into the cover of nearby trees, his stomach growling faintly. His eyes scanned the area.


    Marcus was nowhere to be seen.


    Damon''s gaze flicked to the scorch marks on the pavement. Some sections of the ground were warped, as though superheated before cooling. He frowned.


    "Did they fight?" he muttered, stepping cautiously closer. Then he shook his head.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "No, that''s unlikely... There''s no sign of ice magic or a real struggle."


    Lowering himself to one knee, Damon inspected Rein''s body. A wave of irritation surged through him.


    "Damn it, Marcus... You better not have killed him."


    If Rein was dead, Damon wouldn''t be able to claim his soul. Eating his flesh would still nourish his shadow, but the loss of a soul''s essence felt wasteful. He pressed two fingers to Rein''s neck and let out a sigh of relief.


    The young man was alive.


    Damon''s eyes hardened as he studied the unconscious figure. The scorch marks still puzzled him, but he dismissed the thought with a shrug.


    "Fire attribute," he murmured. "Probably got drunk and fired off a few blasts."


    "I''ll have Sylvia heal me later," he muttered, "or I''ll just head to the academy healers..."


    With a weary sigh, he made his way back to his dorm, the weight of the night settling heavily on his shoulders.


    The following week, Damon had eliminated two more of Marcus''s friends, leaving Marcus himself as the final target.


    The best part? Marcus was unwittingly helping him do it.


    With Lilith Astranova under house arrest, Damon had free rein to execute his plans without interference. Though she occasionally tried to reach him via pager, he never answered.


    Time had flown by. Over the course of the week, Damon claimed two more souls, feeding his shadow and carefully conserving his energy for the mid-semester evaluation, which was now only two days away. His plan was to let his shadow''s hunger grow just enough to grant him a stats boost, but not so much that it reached 80% hunger, where control would become an issue.


    During this time, Damon made significant progress with his magic. He finally mastered the Magic Blast spell, reducing its mana cost to a mere ten points. Additionally, he refined his self-created Magic Bullet spell, increasing its speed and accuracy.


    The most drastic improvement, however, was his control over Shadow Perception. After countless hours of practice, he had finally mastered the ability to turn it on and off at will. Moreover, he could now integrate it seamlessly with his normal vision, merging perspectives without disorientation.


    ''Finally,'' he thought, relieved to no longer need the blindfold that had become a staple of his training. Though he still carried it just in case, it was now a relic of his struggles, a reminder of how far he''d come.


    Most of Damon''s time was spent in the Evil Forest, laying traps, mapping out the terrain, and training Iris. Tonight, however, marked his final visit to the forest.


    The past few days had been harrowing. He''d survived numerous brushes with death, often due to the forest''s dangerous flora, though a few close calls with roaming monsters had tested his wits and reflexes.


    But none of that compared to the Wendigo.


    His grudge against the creature ran deep, festering with each passing day. Tonight, however, would be the night he settled things once and for all. The final Dragon''s Breath trap was almost ready.


    Damon wiped the sweat from his brow, his body covered in a thick layer of mud paste he''d crafted to mask his scent. The oppressive air of the forest clung to his skin, and the faint hum of unseen predators filled the air.


    With a heavy exhale, he plunged his shovel into the earth one last time, finishing the final trap. He slung the tool across his back and pulled out his daggers, their edges gleaming faintly in the moonlight that filtered through the dense canopy.


    It was time for payback.

 Chapter 118 Infanticide

    Revenge was an ancient law. Damon knew it well. He had plenty of reasons to be vengeful, more than he cared to count. His entire village was a glaring example, filled with those who turned their backs on him. Then there were his so-called relatives who betrayed him for their own gain. And how could he forget the noble in Valerion who forced him to sell his father''s house?


    But Damon hadn''t always harbored the concept of revenge in his heart. There was a time when survival had been his only priority. Back then, he would have surrendered to any injustice, carried no thought of vengeance, and simply endured.


    That had only made people see him as weak, a pitiful figure to exploit. To escape that perception, he embraced the path of absolute payback. It was a harsh lesson learned from the unforgiving streets of Valerion, where weakness was a death sentence.


    Perhaps that was why so many thought him recklessly foolish¡ªor perhaps outright insane.


    He dared to call the Boss of Quick Hand a bastard straight to his face when he refused to pay Damon his ten zeni fee for running an errand. He even had the audacity to refuse an extra bribe to the district sergeant. Somehow, despite his defiance, Damon was still alive, still standing, and still carrying every grudge as if it were carved into his bones.


    "If someone crosses you, no matter how powerful they are, you must pay them back. Or they''ll just keep doing it," he had once said.


    Vengeance required patience too. Some grudges couldn''t be settled immediately, no matter how strong the desire burned. But he would pay them back, all of them, in due time. Kindness could fade, fleeting and forgettable, but malice? How could anyone dare forget that?


    Tonight was a night for vengeance. He couldn''t kill the wendigo outright¡ªit was far too strong¡ªbut that didn''t mean he couldn''t leave it a scarred memory to carry.


    That was why Damon was crouched in a tree, gazing down at a small, half-buried cave surrounded by bones. The scattered remains of past meals were likely meant to ward off intruders. Deep claw marks etched into the entrance warned of the creature''s fury.


    Damon let his shadow perception stretch out, its sight creeping into the cave like a living mist. Sure enough, the wendigo was inside, nestled among its young¡ªthree creatures roughly the size of normal wolves, but with far deadlier auras.


    ''Those things will be hard to kill,'' Damon thought, ''but I have the element of surprise.''


    He had been perched there for two hours, patiently waiting. He knew it wouldn''t be long before the mother wendigo ventured out in search of prey. Likely a nocturne stag, something large enough to feed her young.


    Too bad her infants wouldn''t be alive to eat anything.


    Damon waited patiently. He was willing to ally with enemies if it meant achieving revenge¡ªwaiting two hours was nothing in comparison. His vengeance demanded patience, and so he remained still, his eyes fixed on the wendigo''s cave. Soon enough, the creature emerged.


    Its grotesque form stepped into the moonlight, sniffing the air cautiously. Its head jerked from side to side, eyes scanning for any sign of danger to its young.


    Pulling out his dagger, he decapitated the second wendigo''s corpse. Then he turned to the wall, where his shadow stretched unnaturally, awaiting his command.


    "Eat them," he ordered.


    To his surprise, the shadow surged forward without hesitation, enveloping the carcasses in a swirling mass of darkness. It devoured them completely, leaving only the severed head behind.


    [You have gained 3 attribute points.]


    [You have gained 3 attribute points.] Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon frowned.


    "Is that it?" He had expected more¡ªperhaps some indication that his shadow was finally sated. But no, the hunger remained the he same. His shadow only seemed to feed properly on humans, elves or other higher races.


    "Three points... that''s less than I get from killing a classmate," he muttered bitterly.


    There was no time to waste. Damon kicked the last pup, waking it with a start. Its eyes flew open, and it released a deafening growl that echoed through the night.


    "Good. Call your momma," Damon sneered.


    He stabbed its head, ending its life instantly.


    [You have slain Infant Evil Forest Wendigo.]


    His shadow surged forward, devouring the last pup''s body in moments.


    [You have gained 3 attribute points.]


    Satisfied, Damon grabbed the severed head, tying it to his waist. He bolted from the cave, darting into the forest just as a furious roar echoed in the distance. The mother wendigo had heard the call. She was coming.

 Chapter 119 Blood Feud

    The Wendigo tore through the forest in a frenzy, its erratic movements driven by the primal instincts of a mother desperate to protect her young.


    Its powerful limbs carried it swiftly to the den, where it skidded to a halt, the heavy scent of blood saturating the air like a cruel omen.


    A low growl escaped its throat, lacking its usual menace, replaced instead by a tinge of fear. With a blur of motion, it bolted into the cave, its glowing eyes scanning every corner.


    There was nothing.


    Only three pools of blood marked the ground where its offspring once rested. No bodies. No signs of a struggle. Just the unmistakable evidence of loss.


    The creature crouched down, letting out a mournful whimper as its claws scraped against the stone floor. It sniffed at the blood, its desperate cries echoing softly within the cave.


    Whimper. Whimper.


    But the cries were met with silence.


    Raising its head, the Wendigo caught faint traces of scent in the air forest mud and something else¡ªhuman. A scent it recognized.


    Its mournful whimpers turned into a guttural roar that reverberated through the forest, a chilling declaration of its rage and sorrow. Its menacing eyes burned with murderous intent as it bolted from the cave, a blur of fury charging through the trees.


    ---


    Far off in the distance, Damon sprinted through the forest, the straps of his Omnidirectional Gear taut as he propelled himself forward. His body enhanced moved with precision, his speed boosted with [5x].


    He had left a wide berth between himself and the Wendigo, but even with his head start, he knew it wouldn''t be long before the enraged creature caught up.


    He was halfway to the river when the Wendigo''s desperate, bone-chilling roar echoed across the forest. The sound sent a shiver down his spine, but Damon''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    "Now you know how I felt losing my potion," he muttered under his breath, his dark eyes narrowing with grim satisfaction.


    Swinging through the trees, Damon moved swiftly, the wind rushing past him as his Shadow Perception activated. The river''s shimmering surface came into view ahead, but then he felt it¡ªthe Wendigo entering the edge of his range.


    Damon''s smirk faltered as he sensed the sheer speed of the creature closing in.


    "By the goddess, that monster is fast..."


    The difference in power was staggering. A first-rank creature like the Wendigo was leagues beyond anything Damon had fought before. It was like comparing a human to a charging bull elephant¡ªthere was no contest in raw strength.


    Magic might level the playing field, but monsters like the Wendigo were no strangers to magic. Many had natural defenses against it, and some could wield it themselves.


    "Croft... I was in the middle of something." His tone was both exasperated and resigned.


    "You didn''t help at all this time, so why are you getting a reward?"


    The raven ignored him, happily feasting on its gruesome meal.


    Damon coughed, trying to regain his momentum. "Ahem. Where was I?"


    He turned back to the Wendigo, his voice colder now.


    "This is what happens when you cross me. I can''t kill you yet, but I''ll be back. When I reach my first-class advancement..."


    He pointed a dagger at the creature.


    "I''ll make you pay."


    With a flick of his wrist, Damon''s shadow extended toward the infant Wendigo''s head, enveloping it in darkness before devouring it completely. But no notification came from his system.


    The Wendigo howled in agony, its voice a guttural mix of sorrow and rage. It slammed its bloody stumps against the barrier, its visceral hatred palpable.


    Damon stared at the creature, his expression hard, though a flicker of doubt crept into his mind. Did I go too far... again?


    But he shoved the thought aside. Murder had become second nature since killing Lark. The brief guilt he''d felt back then had long faded. Now, the lives he took¡ªhuman or otherwise¡ªwere just stepping stones.


    "You started this, and I''ll finish it," he said, his voice steady. "Don''t forget my name, Damon Grey. I''ll be the last face you ever see."


    The Wendigo glared at him, its gaze burning with an intensity that promised it would never forget.


    Damon returned the look, committing the creature''s face to memory. This wasn''t just a fight anymore. It was a blood feud, a grudge that wouldn''t end until one of them was dead.


    After a long, tense silence, Damon turned and left. The Wendigo didn''t follow, remaining at the barrier, its rage simmering as it watched him disappear into the darkness.


    ''Fair enough,'' Damon thought as he made his way back. ''I did kill its kids, after all.''


    He smirked, though his body ached from the week''s grueling ordeal. Rest was his priority now¡ªhis mid-semester evaluation loomed on the horizon.


    "This is my chance to finally get rid of the ''weakest'' label," he muttered to himself, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice.


    Still, guilt nagged at the edges of his mind. Whatever he was planning next, it was bound to be even worse.

 Chapter 120 Mid-semester Evaluation

    For the next two days, Damon allowed himself to take things slow. He rested his weary body and mind, finally enjoying a brief reprieve from the chaos that had consumed his life. He studied at his leisure, delving deeper into his magic texts and refining his knowledge.


    During breaks, he trained Iris, honing her skills in the basics of magic blasts and teaching her archery, hunting techniques, and even a bit of pickpocketing¡ªthough he dubbed it "stealth training" to avoid the moral implications.


    "It''s not like I''m raising her into a criminal or anything," he mused aloud. "Awareness of your surroundings is a survival skill."


    Lilith Astranova remained under house arrest, leaving Damon far more relaxed than usual. He had devoured three infant wendigos, channeling all the attribute points he gained into his mana pool. As a result, he began dabbling in barrier magic and body reinforcement magic.


    Life felt oddly calm, but the undercurrent of tension was unavoidable. The mid-semester evaluation loomed on the horizon, keeping everyone on edge. Even with his traps and the forest terrain, Damon couldn''t shake the feeling that the academy had something unexpected in store.


    The academy''s reputation for brutal, Spartan-like tests was well-earned. Those who had survived the life-and-death gauntlet of the entrance exam knew that nothing was off the table. While the quarter-semester evaluation had been a mere aptitude test, this was shaping up to be something far more dangerous¡ªa real battle.


    "I wonder if this is one of those exams where we''re allowed to kill each other..." Damon muttered to himself. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    He shook his head, dismissing the thought.


    "Unlikely," he added. Most first-years didn''t face life-threatening situations until the end-of-semester evaluations or, in some cases, the second year itself.


    "Still, I wouldn''t put it past them," he murmured.


    He had seen a draft of the evaluation in the student council office, but it wasn''t finalized. There was always the chance for last-minute changes, especially when it came to something as unpredictable as the academy''s tests.


    Damon slipped into the combat uniform issued for the exam.


    The attire resembled military gear: a durable, magic-absorbent chest plate, a fitted inner layer, a jacket, and pants paired with sturdy boots. Additional knee and elbow guards added protection, and a hood could be used in extreme weather. The uniform was cleverly designed to accommodate additional armor, a hallmark of craftsmanship from the magical continent.


    Securing his usual weapons beneath the jacket, Damon took a deep breath.


    ''I was right,'' he thought grimly. His shadow only leveled up when it consumed the specific type of soul listed in its requirements.


    As for Shadow Hunger, devouring regular monsters had no noticeable effect.


    His stomach growled ominously, his shadows shifting erratically around him as if mirroring his frustration.


    "At least killing monsters gives me attribute points," he muttered, pouring those points into mana to bolster his reserves.


    Still, the gnawing sensation of Shadow Hunger was relentless. He bit his lip, a grim thought forming in his mind.


    ''I need a long-term solution for this. If I keep growing stronger and needing to feed more, I might as well devour the entire world...''


    Although he knew such an outcome was absurd, Damon couldn''t help but feel that it wasn''t entirely impossible. At some point, the hunger would consume him¡ªor worse, someone would catch on and put an end to him first.


    His stomach growled again, louder this time.


    He groaned, running a hand through his hair. He was growing accustomed to managing Shadow Hunger at a high level, but it was a dangerous game. In the past, such intense hunger would have left him blacking out, his shadows threatening to take full control.


    Professor Kael had gone out of his way to remind Damon of his "place" over the past few days, taunting him and promising to personally ensure Damon was kicked out of the academy when he inevitably failed.


    ''Don''t go deciding my possibilities just yet, Kael... I''ve got a few words for you when I win,'' Damon thought, his resolve solidifying.


    He closed his system panel, standing up.


    "No doubt. No hesitation. Just focus," he muttered to himself as he opened the door.


    The sight of his fellow students greeted him immediately. They were all geared up, clad in their combat uniforms, standing in line to receive bracelets that looked like artifacts. Wide, white bands with inscribed runes covered their surfaces, resembling wristwatches with glowing displays.


    Damon joined the line, waiting his turn before strapping on the cold, rune-covered bracelet. It hummed faintly against his wrist, a small but constant reminder of the academy''s power.


    He glanced around, spotting Leona and the usual gang approaching.


    Xander, as always, carried himself with the perfect air of a noble. His eyes, however, betrayed the same irritation he always held for Damon.


    The feeling was mutual.


    They exchanged polite greetings and brief small talk before their attention was drawn to the professors standing at the forefront. Professor Kael, his cold gaze sharper than ever, stood alongside several others, including Professor Chrome.


    Kael''s voice cut through the murmuring crowd like a blade.


    "First-year students. Your mid-semester evaluation is today, as you are all aware. However, the details of your evaluation have not been disclosed until now."


    He paused, his steely gaze scanning the sea of students.


    "For years, the goddess races have fought against the demon races. Long before any of you were born, we were all born into this ancient conflict. Although there is a truce now, we all know it is only temporary."


    His words settled heavily over the students, who stood silent and still.


    "That is why this academy exists: to raise the next generation of defenders for the goddess races in this war against the demons. And so, we must mold you into powerful warriors, tempered in the trials of fire. To that end, your mid-semester evaluation will be conducted in an open environment. Unlike the quarter-semester evaluation, which measured your aptitude, this test will assess your battle capabilities to their fullest."


    Kael let his words hang in the air for a moment, watching as students absorbed their meaning.


    "You are to set out for the venue immediately," he added.


    The students wore expressions ranging from determination to dread. The academy''s reputation for merciless challenges was well known, and many had already experienced the life-and-death stakes of the entrance exams.


    Kael''s next words, however, sent a chill through the group.


    "The exam will take place in the Evil Forest."


    Gasps and murmurs rippled through the students, and a few went completely pale. The Evil Forest was infamous¡ªa place teeming with monsters, dangers, and a suffocating aura that made even seasoned adventurers hesitant to enter.


    Damon clenched his fists, feeling the tension in the air. His eyes flickered with resolve.


    ''No turning back now,'' he thought grimly.

 Chapter 121 Weeding Out The Competition

    "The Evil Forest... isn''t that a death zone?"


    "I heard only seniors go there to train."


    "There''s no way we''ll survive..."


    "That place has countless rank-one monsters¡ªand even higher-ranked ones!"


    "We... we''re all going to die..."


    Murmurs of panic and despair spread through the students like wildfire, their faces paling as the implications of Professor Kael''s announcement sank in. Even the top students, usually brimming with confidence, wore uneasy expressions.


    Professor Kael, standing calm and composed, scanned the crowd. His cold, analytical gaze eventually settled on Damon Grey, who stood apart from the others. Unlike the rest, Damon looked calm, his expression firm, his dark eyes betraying no trace of fear.


    ''He''s unusually confident...''


    By Damon''s side, Leona clenched her fists, her teeth grinding audibly. They all understood the reputation of the Evil Forest¡ªnone of them had yet achieved their first class advancement, and facing a rank-one monster, let alone something stronger, was a death sentence.


    Out of habit, Leona turned instinctively toward Damon, searching for reassurance. Seeing his unshaken demeanor, she couldn''t help but ask,


    "Do you think we stand a chance against a rank-one monster... if we all teamed up?"


    She was referring to their friend group of five, but Damon, knowing the real situation, didn''t bother sugarcoating his response.


    "If we fought a monster at the first class advancement, we''d all die. No doubt about that."


    His blunt answer made Evangeline, who stood nearby, pale. "What if we had a¡ª"


    "Not even with a good plan," Damon cut her off, his tone dismissive. "But who knows..."


    Sylvia, who had been silent, stroked her chin thoughtfully.


    "I doubt they''d actually make us fight monsters of the first rank. That wouldn''t make sense."


    Xander scoffed, his voice dripping with cynicism.


    Spreading his Shadow Perception, Damon caught glimpses of those who stayed behind, paralyzed by fear. He smirked inwardly.


    ''I see... this was the plan all along. They wanted to weed out the competition before even announcing the rules. A psychological game.''


    He withdrew his Shadow Perception, focusing on the path ahead. Despite the fear gripping the group, nearly 90% of the students decided to follow, their resolve hardening.


    The academy''s methods were truly insidious. They hadn''t explicitly stated that the students would face monsters but had heavily implied it, letting fear work its magic.


    ''Anyone with a shred of self-preservation wouldn''t dare face a rank-one monster without a first-class advancement. Even then, victory isn''t guaranteed,'' Damon thought.


    And this was only the beginning. He had no doubt the academy had more surprises in store.


    The group made their way to the forest in the crisp morning air. Damon glanced around as they walked, searching for Marcus. It didn''t take long to spot the boy, who looked disheveled and paranoid, his eyes darting suspiciously between the others. Marcus muttered to himself under his breath, clutching his arms as though warding off unseen threats.


    Damon smirked. During the past week, he had systematically broken Marcus down. He''d made the boy write nonsensical phrases, draw strange symbols in his own blood, and even leave behind a written record confessing to aiding a mysterious god in killing his friends. Damon had ensured his own name was never mentioned in the documents, leaving Marcus as the perfect scapegoat. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    ''It''s almost too easy now,'' Damon thought, suppressing a dark chuckle.


    A sudden growl from his stomach reminded him of his hunger. He held his head momentarily, shaking off the discomfort as they marched deeper into the forest.


    They passed the familiar boundary of the normal region and moved beyond the old barrier line. The terrain shifted noticeably, the air growing heavier with each step. Soon, they reached the river that marked the edge of the Evil Forest. The water glistened under the sunlight, but crossing it would mean stepping into the suffocating dread that permeated the forest''s boundary.


    Even standing on the edge, Damon could feel the oppressive atmosphere of the Evil Forest¡ªa silent promise of death to anyone who dared venture inside. And this was only the buffer zone, where most monsters had been driven back.


    Professor Kael stepped forward, his commanding presence silencing the murmurs among the students.


    "Congratulations to those of you who chose to continue. By making it this far, you have each earned 10 points."


    Damon''s bracelet buzzed, and a glowing "10" appeared on its surface. He glanced at it briefly before returning his attention to Kael, who raised his voice to address the crowd.


    "Now, I shall explain the rules."


    The students leaned forward, anticipation and fear mingling on their faces.


    "The most important rule," Kael said, his tone cold and unyielding, "is that everything and anything goes during the evaluation, except the use of magical artifacts.

 Chapter 122 Rules Of Engagement

    Damon suppressed a cold smile when he heard Kael''s words.


    ''They kept the most critical rule simple¡ªanything goes if it''s to win. Burning the forest might be suicidal, but I have an ace up my sleeve.'' His thoughts wandered to his skill, [Water Celebration], a unique ability that ensured he couldn''t drown in water. It might come in handy.


    Murmurs spread like wildfire among the students as the implications of the rules began to sink in.


    "Professor, if we can''t use magical artifacts, how are we supposed to defeat a monster?" one student asked, desperation creeping into his voice.


    Kael raised his hand, silencing the crowd.


    "Enough. Let me explain the situation. Do not interrupt," he said, his tone cold and commanding.


    His gaze swept over the group as he continued. "The rules of engagement are simple."


    Kael pointed to the bracelets on their wrists.


    "These bracelets serve multiple purposes. Most importantly, they store your total points. Destroying someone''s bracelet will transfer their points to you. Additionally, the bracelet contains a teleportation function that will activate if you surrender or if the bracelet is destroyed. This will remove you from the exam immediately."


    Damon''s cold eyes narrowed. The clause about destroying the bracelets stood out to him.


    ''So, they''re pitting us against each other,'' he thought, his lips curling slightly.


    Kael gestured toward the forest ahead.


    "Within the Evil Forest, there are crystals hidden. Each crystal holds a specific point value. Gold crystals, the rarest, are worth 1,000 points. On average, crystals are worth 50 points."


    The students'' murmurs grew louder.


    Kael raised his voice to drown them out.


    "To pass, you must obtain 3,000 points or more. Anything less counts as a failure. There are two main ways to earn points: finding crystals or defeating automata guarding specific areas. Automata are mechanical constructs, each with a point base."


    The murmuring turned into outright chatter.


    For the next few minutes, Damon deliberated on which weapon to choose but ultimately settled on a simple quiver of arrows. He had already armed himself extensively before arriving and didn''t want to resort to using his cursed or hollow-tipped arrows prematurely.


    Those were reserved for emergencies. Earlier, he had discreetly retrieved the rest of his arrows from Marcus''s room, ensuring there were no traces of his actions.


    His head felt heavy with hunger, but that very hunger granted him a certain clarity. The exam would last until midnight, which he believed he could endure. However, the risk of going ravenous by then loomed ominously.


    ''If I let it climb to 80%, I could overpower most of them,'' he thought, but immediately dismissed the idea.


    It was a reckless gamble. At that level, his strength would increase significantly, but his control would waver¡ªa risk he wasn''t willing to take.


    Around him, the other students had armed themselves. Leona chose a massive mace adorned with vicious spikes. She handled the weapon with ease, showcasing her brute strength.


    ''I''m definitely not giving her the chance to swing that at me,'' Damon thought grimly. One hit from that thing, and he''d be out of the exam¡ªor worse.


    Evangeline carried a long sword strapped to her waist, her movements calm and measured, a reflection of her disciplined demeanor.


    Sylvia, true to her elven heritage, selected a bow and quiver of arrows, complemented by twin curved blades secured at her hips. Aside from Damon, she appeared to be the most heavily armed.


    Then there was Xander, who hefted a massive broadsword onto his back. The weight of the blade seemed inconsequential to him, thanks to his ability to manipulate gravity. As usual, Xander shot Damon a glare filled with disdain.


    "Tch. Do you think you can win with just a quiver, you mongrel?" he sneered.


    Damon sighed, fully aware of why Xander might underestimate him. Most of Damon''s weapons were concealed beneath his uniform, leaving only the quiver visible.


    Xander''s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What dirty tricks are you plotting?"


    Damon shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows?" he replied, turning to walk away.


    "Wait, hold on," Sylvia called out, stepping forward. She glanced between Damon and Xander, her expression calm but firm.


    "The evaluation will be much harder this time, but since the rules allow it, we should form parties. No, we have to form parties," she said decisively.


    Damon''s eyes flickered with interest. Everything was falling into place. Sylvia, ever perceptive, had seen through the professors'' intentions.

 Chapter 123 Let Them Go

    Sylvia Moonveil was a scholar at heart. When something piqued her interest, she pursued it relentlessly, seeking to unravel every detail. Gaining knowledge was more than a habit¡ªit was her way of life. Damon had learned this much from spending time around her.


    He had also noticed her subtle intrigue in him¡ªor more accurately, in his abilities. As for why she found him so fascinating, he hadn''t yet figured it out. Sylvia had read countless books and was, for all intents and purposes, a walking encyclopedia. She took immense pride in her knowledge, seeing it as her greatest strength.


    However, knowledge didn''t always translate to experience. In truth, Sylvia was still woefully naive when it came to navigating the darker, more insidious aspects of life. To put it simply, she was a sheltered flower¡ªbook smart but lacking in street smarts.


    It was precisely her vast academic knowledge that led Damon to predict her next move. She would realize that the professors had designed the higher-point automata to be too powerful for a single student to handle, even someone as exceptional as Evangeline.


    ''To that end, she''s going to suggest we form a party,'' Damon thought. ''And I''ll just go along for the ride.''


    Sylvia''s gaze shifted toward him, her tone calm but insistent.


    "We need to form a party. And before you even think about refusing, let me make it clear¡ªwe won''t be able to gather enough points to pass without a strong team. The automata in the inner regions will undoubtedly be worth more points. Considering the fact that they''re giving us time to prepare before the exam begins, it''s obvious we need to work together..."


    Damon raised a hand, cutting her off mid-sentence.


    "That''s enough. There''s no need to convince me¡ªI wasn''t going to refuse. You''re right."


    Sylvia blinked, taken aback by how quickly he had agreed. She had fully expected him to retort with something arrogant, like I can handle it alone.


    "Oh, really?" she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.


    Xander, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Damon agreeing so readily didn''t sit well with him.


    ''Is the evaluation really so tough that even he is willing to cooperate?'' Xander wondered.


    Evangeline nodded curtly, cutting through the tension. "What''s the plan, then?"


    Sylvia placed a hand on her chin, glancing between the group.


    "We have five people at the moment, but a full party usually consists of seven. Still, with our current strengths, it should work... I think."


    Hesitant, Xander stepped forward, his expression tense.


    "Actually, I have a request... can we bring Marcus into the party?"


    Sylvia''s gaze shifted toward Marcus, who was standing in the corner muttering to himself. She frowned, her discomfort evident.


    "Erhm... if you want to, but I... what do you think, Damon?"


    Damon sighed, his patience already thinning due to his hunger.


    "Don''t throw the problem on me. If you want to say something rude, just say it. But fine, bring him in... assuming he even wants to join us."


    "Who wants to join Natch''s party?"


    "Need four more people here!"


    Damon pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing deeply. Marcus had unwittingly set off a chain reaction, and now the once-quiet field was abuzz with students hastily organizing themselves into groups.


    Xander returned to the group, looking despondent. "I''m sorry. I tried..."


    Sylvia shook her head. "It''s fine. I expected him to refuse anyway. I just wanted to spare you the disappointment."


    Leona clicked her tongue in irritation. "Tsk. Great job, Xander. Now everyone else has the same idea."


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    Xander bit his lip. "I apologize."


    Evangeline placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It''s not your fault."


    Damon smirked. "She''s right¡ªit''s not your fault. You''re just an idiot."


    Xander glared at him. "Fine. You''ve made your point."


    A loud growl interrupted their exchange as Damon clutched his stomach, prompting everyone to glance at him awkwardly.


    Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t you have a huge breakfast?"


    Damon turned away, clearly avoiding the question. "Don''t we have an exam to handle?"


    Evangeline nodded, steering the conversation back on track. "Should we add one more member?"


    "No," Damon said firmly. "Our lineup is fine as it is."


    His gaze flicked briefly toward the other students as he thought,


    ''I don''t want any more unknown variables.''


    With that settled, the group discussed their strategy. Before they could finalize it, Professor Kael stepped forward, his voice cutting through the noise.


    "Now then, your evaluation begins. You have until midnight to collect a limited number of points. You must meet the 3,000-point requirement to pass. Now go... and may the goddess be with you."


    Like a charging army, the students surged forward into the Evil Forest, their battle cries echoing in the crisp morning air.


    Except for Damon''s group. Damon, stubborn as ever, refused to move.


    "Let them go first," he said, leaning casually against a tree.

 Chapter 124 Automata

    Xander glared at Damon, who leaned casually against a tree, wearing his usual tired expression.


    "What is wrong with you? Why aren''t we heading in?"


    Damon sighed, his calm demeanor unshaken. "Calm down, airhead. Get your head out of the clouds for a moment."


    Evangeline brushed her hair aside, her gaze sharp. "Are you letting them head in first... to scout out the danger?"@@@@


    Sylvia tilted her head thoughtfully. "That''s a feasible idea, but won''t they gain more points that way?"


    Leona swung her mace over her shoulder, her eagerness evident. "Yeah, I''m ready to go. Let''s not waste time."


    Damon let out another sigh, raising his hand lazily as if to dismiss their concerns.


    "If the points were that easy to find, we wouldn''t be forming parties, would we?"


    He began a countdown, his voice calm but purposeful.


    "Three, two, one... and scream."


    As soon as the words left his mouth, an ear-piercing shriek echoed out from the forest, sending chills down their spines. The blood-curdling sound made everyone pale¡ªeveryone except Damon, who remained unaffected.


    ''That''s probably someone stumbling into a Dread Lily,'' he thought coldly, recalling his own harrowing experiences in the forest.


    He stepped forward, his tone even but sharp.


    "In the heat of the moment, those idiots forgot that even without monsters, it''s still the Evil Forest, not their mother''s garden. The flora there is just as deadly, and the safety bracelet doesn''t make them invincible."


    Turning to face the group, Damon continued,


    "We''ve settled on a strategy. Now, who''s going to be the leader? By adventurer rules of engagement, the person who built this party is Sylvia. So, by that measure, I nominate her as leader."


    The others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond to Damon''s calm proposal.


    ''That way, you wouldn''t be my responsibility... and I won''t feel guilty for what happens next,'' Damon thought to himself.


    Xander nodded after a moment. "Alright, I can accept that, as long as it''s someone trustworthy. Unlike you."


    Damon sneered, unfazed. "Whatever strokes your ego."


    Evangeline nodded as well. "Wise choice. She has a good head on her shoulders and is less prone to reckless decisions."


    Faint screams and the sounds of distant battles echoed from the students who had ventured ahead.


    Damon, who had only seen the forest at night before, found it unchanged. The oppressive atmosphere, the lurking danger¡ªit all whispered the same silent challenge.


    "Come if you dare."


    Xander swallowed hard, his nerves betraying him. As someone born and raised in the Valtheron Empire, he knew well the perils of this cursed forest. Every tale he''d ever heard about it resurfaced in his mind, feeding his anxiety. But a glance at Damon, who walked ahead with an unreadable expression, made him grit his teeth and push the fear aside.


    Losing to Damon, in anything, was unthinkable.


    Damon stepped into the forest''s deep shade, his movements steady and confident.


    "Well, what are you waiting for? Let''s go. Arm yourselves." Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    Though Sylvia was technically the leader, Damon carried himself as if he were in charge. His composed demeanor naturally drew attention, even from Sylvia, who hesitated before speaking.


    "Um... Damon, why aren''t you armed? You''re only carrying a quiver," she asked, glancing nervously at him.


    Without a word, Damon reached into his jacket and pulled out a compact, metal object. With a sharp snap, it unfolded into a sleek, metallic bow.


    "Trust me," he said coolly, "I''m armed."


    Sylvia nodded, her confidence in him momentarily boosted.


    They moved deeper into the forest, Damon taking the lead. His role was clear¡ªhe was the scout. If danger arose, his job was to fall back and provide support from the rear with his arrows.


    Xander was the group''s tank, standing at the front to absorb damage. Evangeline, a knight with healing abilities, played a dual role as both a combatant and support. Leona, with her immense physical strength and mace, was the group''s heavy hitter.


    Sylvia, as the leader and primary healer, carried the heavy burden of strategizing and keeping the group in sync during battle. This responsibility weighed on her¡ªit wasn''t just their skills or strength on the line, but their very lives, even with the safety bracelets as a backup.


    Their formation seemed solid on paper, but reality was about to test it.


    From the shadows of the Evil Forest, a hulking, fur-covered figure emerged. It was bipedal, with long claws that gleamed faintly in the dim light. Its appearance resembled an ape, but its glowing, robotic eyes betrayed its artificial nature.


    "An automata up ahead," Damon called out, retreating to stand beside Sylvia.


    ''That''s an automata? It looks so real... well, except for those eyes,'' he thought, his mind assessing its movements.


    Sylvia readied her bow, her hands steady despite the tension.


    "Take it down," she commanded, her voice firm.

 Chapter 125 Fight Or Flight

    The automata charged at them. Despite its imposing form and lifelike design, it lacked the feral instincts of a true monster.


    Xander moved first, stepping forward with his heavy sword raised to intercept its claws. From the rear, Damon and Sylvia unleashed a barrage of arrows and magical projectiles. The automata staggered under the combined assault, its movements faltering as Sylvia''s magic disrupted its internal mechanisms.


    Before it could recover, Leona lunged forward, her mace swinging in a brutal arc that shattered its head with a deafening crunch.@@@@


    The fight was over in seconds.


    Xander frowned, staring at the lifeless automata on the ground....if it was even alive to being with.


    "That was too easy. I expected more of a challenge."


    Leona smirked, resting her mace on her shoulder. "Weak, but hey, I got 10 points."


    Damon, standing a few paces back, nodded.


    "We''re still on the outskirts. Things will get harder the deeper we go. But..."


    He paused, glancing around.


    "Since there''s an automata so close, there should be a crystal hidden nearby. Spread out and look for it."


    He closed his eyes, activating his shadow perception. The faint trace of a crystal''s shadow led him to a peculiar plant growing in the shade. Its blue leaves shimmered faintly, while yellow flowers swayed gently, emitting soft, almost imperceptible whispers.


    "There," Damon said, pointing.


    Evangeline followed his gaze, frowning. "Are you sure?"


    Damon''s tone was icy. "Positive."


    Leona took a step forward, eager to claim the prize, but Sylvia darted in and tackled her to the ground.


    "Wait! That''s Whisper Weed!" Sylvia exclaimed. "You can''t just approach it."


    Damon raised an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the plant''s nature but recalling its nauseating effects from personal experience.


    Sylvia stood, brushing off the dark soil clinging to her clothes.


    His thoughts were interrupted by a flicker of movement in his shadow perception. A large group was approaching. He frowned as he counted.


    "We''ve got... huh, wait... 20¡ªno, make that 30 automata incoming."


    He turned to Sylvia. "So, what''s the plan? Fight or flight?"


    Sylvia''s brows furrowed. "How strong are they?"


    "From what I can sense," Damon replied, "about 25 points each for most of them. But there are at least five worth 50 points."


    Sylvia gritted her teeth, pulling out an arrow. "We fight."


    Damon held back a sigh. ''Let''s hope I live long enough to execute my plan.''


    He notched an arrow and prepared for the fight, glancing briefly at his teammates. They were some of the top students in the class. What could possibly go wrong?


    The automata that emerged from the trees were unlike the ones they had encountered earlier. These resembled wolves, their sleek metallic bodies glowing with elemental runes. Some bore fire attributes, while others radiated wind energy.


    ''Fire and wind... a dangerous combination in a forest filled with lots of wood,'' Damon thought, grimacing.


    His gaze shifted to the ground.


    ''Good thing I hid explosives and set up a makeshift pipeline beneath the forest floor.''


    Sylvia''s grey eyes were steely with determination as she called out orders.


    "Long-range attacks first! Don''t let them swarm us. Evangeline, take out the big ones with light magic!"


    Evangeline raised her hands, summoning a torrent of light magic that blasted toward the lead automata. The wolf-like creature roared as the magic hit, but instead of crumpling under the attack, the energy dispersed harmlessly across its shimmering body.


    Evangeline''s eyes widened in shock.


    "They''re magic-resistant! We''ll need to combine physical attacks with magic to break through!"


    Sylvia''s expression hardened.


    "Then we slow them down. Aim for the trees¡ªcreate obstacles!"


    Damon''s fingers tightened on his bowstring as he took aim. The battle was about to escalate, and the stakes had just been raised.

 Chapter 126 Ungrateful Scum

    Evangeline and Leona unleashed torrents of light and storm magic, shattering nearby trees and sending them crashing to the ground. Before the splintered trunks could settle, Xander activated his gravity magic, redirecting the falling trees toward the incoming wolf automata. The combination of their abilities created a chaotic barrage of debris and force.


    ''Tch, they''re really showing off their magic aptitude,'' Damon thought bitterly as he unleashed a dark arrow infused with shadow magic. The projectile streaked toward one of the weaker automata, piercing through its metallic body with ease.@@@@


    Sylvia loosed a flurry of arrows in tandem, each one striking the metallic bodies of the wolves, but their retaliation came swiftly. Wind and fire erupted from the wolves, the blasts carving paths of destruction through the forest.


    One of the wolves leaped over the fallen trees, aiming for the group. Before it could land, Leona swung her mace with precision, smashing its head mid-air and sending it tumbling into a tree. Xander followed up immediately, his sword imbued with gravity magic as he struck the creature''s head. The automaton''s mechanical eyes dimmed as its core shattered.


    Damon''s sharp gaze tracked the wolves closing in on them. He secured his bow to his back and drew a dagger. Sylvia mirrored his action, unsheathing her twin blades with practiced ease.


    "Move toward the fallen trees!" Sylvia ordered sharply.


    "Don''t let them surround us! Xander, Leona¡ªyou two hold the front. Evangeline, cover the middle. Damon and I will handle anything that gets past you. Don''t worry about your backs."


    Damon dodged a large claw swipe with a roll, muttering to himself,


    ''Easy for you to say... damn it.''


    His shadow hunger-enhanced stats allowed him to match their pace, though the effort was draining. As one of the wolves lunged, Damon thrust his dagger into its glowing red eye. The automaton collapsed, and his bracelet buzzed, signaling the points added to his score.


    "This isn''t sustainable..." Damon muttered, glancing at the battlefield. "I need a safer hunting spot."


    Without hesitation, he activated his omnidirectional gear, launching a grappling line to the nearest tree. The mechanism yanked him into the branches, giving him a vantage point over the chaos below.


    "They might have magic resistance, but this should work," he murmured, activating his [5x] skill. His mana surged, multiplying fivefold..


    He raised his hand, forming a gun-like gesture with his fingers, and took aim at a wolf automaton''s head.


    [Magic Bullet]


    He rolled through the dirt, dagger in hand, and cursed under his breath.


    "Just a few meters more..."


    Closing the distance, Damon skidded to a stop in front of a towering tree. He waved tauntingly at the automaton, its glowing red eyes narrowing as it charged.


    "Come on..." Damon muttered, gripping his dagger tightly.


    The automaton rushed at full speed, its metal body gleaming in the dim light of the forest. Damon waited until the last possible moment before swinging his dagger downward, slicing through a thin vine.


    A massive log, rigged as a trap, came swinging down from above. The automaton had no time to react as the log smashed into its side, sending it tumbling to the ground with a metallic crash.


    Without hesitation, Damon sprinted toward the fallen automaton and plunged his dagger into its glowing red eye. The automaton''s body went limp, and a soft buzz emanated from his safety bracelet.


    50 points added.


    "Phew..." Damon dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand.


    "Good thing I set that up earlier..." His stomach growled audibly, and he glanced down at his twitching shadows.


    "Yeah, yeah, hold on. Just a few more hours, and we''ll eat."


    He turned back to the automaton, muttering, "Too bad I can''t eat this..."


    Rising to his feet, Damon returned to where the others were finishing their battles. Xander had crippled his automaton by smashing its hind legs and raised his sword to deliver the finishing blow. Before he could strike, Damon raised his hand and fired a [Magic Bullet], shattering the automaton''s head in one clean shot.


    Xander spun around, glaring. "What the hell?! That was mine!"


    Damon sneered. "You ungrateful scum. Is this how you thank me for helping you?"

 Chapter 127 Stacked Against Him

    Xander glared at Damon, his fists clenched and trembling with barely contained anger.


    "You honorless mongrel... you stole my kill!"


    Damon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if dealing with a child.


    "I save you, and you insult me... and I''m the mongrel?"


    Xander''s teeth ground together, his fury barely held in check.


    "That''s enough you two, we''re supposed to be working together," Evangeline interjected, her voice firm yet calm as she stepped between them.


    She exhaled softly, her eyes filled with a mix of exhaustion and patience.


    Sylvia approached Damon with an impressed smile. Her gaze fell to his reddened fingers as she gently took his hand in hers.


    "Amazing... you must be insane. I can''t believe you actually did it," she said, awe lacing her voice.


    Damon glanced at her, his tone indifferent. "I did. So what?"


    Sylvia looked up at him, her expression shifting between astonishment and curiosity.


    "So what? You created a new spell¡ªor at least modified an existing one. Your fingers should''ve been blown off from the recoil. How are they only red?"


    Damon shrugged nonchalantly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but my fingers are still intact."


    Sylvia shook her head quickly, her voice flustered. "No, I didn''t mean it like that..."


    Her hands lingered on his as she continued examining his reddened fingers.


    "You''re amazing... I thought it wasn''t doable, but you actually made it work."


    Damon watched her with a calm expression before speaking.


    "Are you going to heal me, or are you planning to keep holding my hands forever?"


    Sylvia''s cheeks flushed slightly as she cleared her throat. "Ahem, sorry..."


    A soft stream of white lunar magic flowed from her palms into Damon''s fingers. The throbbing pain he''d been enduring began to ease, slowly fading into nothingness.


    When she was done, Damon pulled his hands back, her curious gaze still fixed on him.


    "How did you make it work?" she asked eagerly.


    Damon exhaled, glancing at the group. "We still have an evaluation to finish."


    Sylvia nodded, though her shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment.


    "There''s no need to look so glum," Damon added, glancing back at her.


    "It''s simple. I calibrated my mana and judged the distance between the attack and my fingers. The magic bullet spell is just a knockoff of the basic magic blast spell."


    Sylvia shook her head, smiling.


    "It''s not simple. It''s a massive improvement. Most people gave up on the idea because of the dangers and recoil, but you''ve revolutionized the most basic spell into something far more powerful."


    Xander clicked his tongue in irritation. "Lucky guess."


    Damon rose to his full height, maintaining his calm demeanor. He pointed at the deep claw marks near the entrance of the cave.


    "Judging by the depth and pattern of these marks, I''d say it''s a female. First rank. Probably has young."


    Evangeline looked at him with growing admiration.


    "You got all that from just looking at the claw marks?"


    Damon glanced at Xander with a smirk. "It''s a simple skill. Anyone can do it."


    Xander''s glare darkened, but he said nothing.


    The group cautiously approached the cave, greeted by the sickening stench of dried and decaying blood. Sylvia stepped inside first, her gaze scanning the interior.


    "There aren''t any point crystals here... or automata," she said, her voice tinged with unease. Her eyes fell on a dark pool of blood.


    "What happened here? It looks like..."


    Leona sniffed the air again, her expression softening with sadness.


    "Wendigo blood. Pretty young, too..." She lowered her gaze.


    Sylvia glanced at the dried pools of blood.


    "I can''t believe the professors would kill the wendigo''s infants. That''s just cruel."


    Damon kept his expression neutral, hiding the truth.


    ''Actually, I did. But I''ll let them take the blame for this one.''


    "Indeed," he said, his voice laced with mock indignation.


    "Who would do something so inhumane and unethical?"


    Xander scoffed, his glare sharp. "You would. I wouldn''t put it past you."


    Evangeline turned to Xander, her eyes stern.


    "I know you don''t like each other, but accusing him without evidence is unnecessary."


    Xander''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Did you all forget his philosophy? And besides, these are monsters, not people."


    Sylvia shook her head firmly. "That''s beside the point. This is different."


    Xander''s glare shifted back to Damon, who met it with a mocking smirk.


    "Let''s go," Damon said casually, his tone laced with subtle mockery.


    "I can''t stand this atrocious sight. We can take a break outside and come up with a strategy."


    The group exited the cave, stepping into the fresh air. However, their respite was short-lived. A party of students stumbled toward them, their bodies battered and bloodied. The faint smell of fresh blood mixed with the lingering stench of the wendigo''s den.


    "Hey... help us..." called the leader of the group, his voice weak.


    Damon''s eyes narrowed as he recognized the speaker. Natch Wuta, ranked sixth among the students.

 Chapter 128 Against All Odds

    The young man''s group was in bad shape. Their combat uniforms were slashed and torn, and their original party of seven had been reduced to just three battered survivors.


    Damon''s sharp eyes took in the injuries. Those look like sword wounds...


    Natch, the least injured of the three, was trying to steady himself as he leaned against a rock. Damon wasn''t sure what had attacked them, so he expanded his shadow perception to its full two-kilometer range. His senses swept through the area, but he didn''t detect anything significant. No signs of large threats, no lurking automata, not even the faint presence of their inanimate shadows.


    "Were they attacked by other students?" Sylvia muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Damon''s gaze shifted to her.


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    "Unlikely. The sword wounds look like they came from someone much taller."


    Sylvia nodded, her face tense.


    Evangeline glanced between Sylvia and the injured group.


    "We should help them," she said, her voice filled with concern.


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. "Are you forgetting this is an evaluation? Those guys are our competitors."


    Sylvia bit her lip, torn between her empathy and the harsh reality of their situation.


    "You''re right... but we could get information about what did this."


    Damon sighed, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface.


    ''We could also just threaten them for information... these girls are so nai?ve.''


    He turned away, a wave of lightheadedness washing over him as his hunger gnawed at his mind.


    "Do as you please," he muttered, walking toward the wall of the cave.


    Leaning his back against the cold stone, Damon glanced at his shadow flickering nearby.


    ''I have to end this before midnight... or better yet, a few hours after sunset.''


    He moved further away, creating some distance as Sylvia and Evangeline began tending to Natch and his group. Pulling out a sound stone, Damon activated it and sent a message to Marcus, giving him a set of precise instructions.


    ''I better have him drop out of the exam soon...''


    His gaze drifted back to Sylvia and Evangeline. They worked diligently, their expressions soft with concern as they patched up the injured students. Damon bit his lip, a pang of something uncomfortably close to guilt stirring within him.


    ''These girls... and even Xander, for whatever reason, decided to team up with me. For a while, I actually enjoyed their company... though I hate admitting it.''


    "I pride myself on having no pride."


    Natch blinked, momentarily thrown off by the response. His confusion quickly turned to fury.


    "Are you people blind?" he barked, gesturing at Damon.


    "This guy is the weakest of us all! He''s at the bottom of the rankings and is literally wearing a probationary student''s brooch!"


    Xander chuckled. "Finally, someone other than me said it."


    Damon ignored the escalating insults, biting back the rising anger as the shadow hunger gnawed at his restraint. I need to conserve my energy, or I might not make it to nightfall.


    Leona clenched her fists. "Hey, Number Six¡ª"


    Before she could finish, Damon''s leg shot out in a blur of motion, a lightning-fast kick landing squarely on Natch''s crotch. The red-haired boy''s eyes bulged, and he crumpled to the ground with a strangled gasp.


    His two remaining companions rushed to his side, panic on their faces.


    Sylvia''s eyes widened in shock. "Wha... what...?"


    Damon brushed the dust off his hands, his voice calm but firm. "He was talking too much. It''s annoying."


    ''At least I saved my energy.''


    He turned to Sylvia, ignoring the groans from Natch on the ground. "What did you find out from them?"


    Sylvia hesitated, glancing at Natch, who was still writhing in pain. "Do... do I need to heal that?"


    Damon grabbed her arm, pulling her aside. "No. It''s better if you don''t."


    He led her back to the others, keeping his focus sharp despite the growing haze of hunger clouding his thoughts.


    Sylvia and Evangeline quickly explained what they had learned from Natch''s group. Apparently, all the normal crystal points in the forest¡ª10,000 in total¡ªhad already been found. Most of the automata had also been destroyed. The only points left were tied to the elusive golden crystal, guarded by a powerful automaton and its minions.


    Sylvia pointed in the direction of the jagged hill where the crystal was rumored to be. Damon recognized it immediately. It wasn''t far from a stream that twisted through the forest¡ªa place he remembered all too well. Dire wolves had once made their den there, and Damon had narrowly escaped death in that area more than once.


    He grimaced at the memory, but his mind quickly shifted to the bigger picture.


    ''If there were only 10,000 points to begin with... this really puts things into perspective.''


    Kael Blackthorne had designed this exam to ensure his failure. Damon was sure of it now.


    ''The points system will eventually force everyone into a brutal free-for-all. In the end, only the top five will pass. No room for me in that ranking... not when everyone else is fighting for their merit.''


    His jaw tightened as he stared toward the distant hill. ''If Kael wants me to fail, I''ll just have to prove him wrong. No matter what it takes.''

 Chapter 129 Great Automata

    Damon coughed, wincing as Sylvia''s healing magic worked to stabilize his injuries. His HP had risen to [40/50], but the damage sustained during their attempt to defeat the guardian of the gold crystal still lingered. It had been a futile effort. Damon had warned them it was a bad idea, but Xander, emboldened by misplaced confidence, had charged ahead. Even with Natch''s party joining forces, the outcome was a devastating failure.


    One member of Natch''s team didn''t make it back. Damon had learned something chilling during the skirmish: those who fell to the automata had their accumulated points absorbed, making the guardian even stronger.


    Now, evening shadows stretched across the forest, the sun casting a fiery glow over the scene. Damon glanced around the encampment at the base of the hill. They weren''t the only ones who had failed. Multiple groups had tried to conquer what they were now calling the Great Automata, only to return battered and broken. One team, led by the formidable Rank Five¡ªa black-haired fae¡ªhad lost half their members in the process.


    Time was slipping away. Midnight loomed closer, and with it, the looming threat of failure for everyone involved. No one had come close to the 3000 points required to pass.@@@@


    Damon''s shadow twitched sporadically, a sign of the barely-contained hunger that threatened to overwhelm him. It was the only thing keeping him standing, but he knew the price he''d pay if he let it consume him fully.


    The other students seemed unaware of the impending chaos. They clung to the naive hope that the top of the hill held enough points for them all. Damon knew better. Even if they managed to defeat the automata, the real nightmare would begin when everyone turned on each other to claim the spoils.


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    ''Betrayal never comes from your enemies,'' Damon thought grimly.


    Sylvia, standing nearby, scanned the various parties with a furrowed brow.


    "Your plan worked for the most part. All the teams are here," she said softly.


    Damon nodded, his gaze fixed on the hill. He''d convinced Sylvia and Evangeline to gather the remaining parties, knowing no single group could defeat the Great Automata on their own. Of course, they wouldn''t have listened to him¡ªa probationary student at the bottom of the rankings. So, he had enlisted the help of the top two students to rally everyone.


    In the time it had taken to gather the teams, Damon had quietly set up traps around the area, ensuring they had some form of advantage. Now, everything was in place. Sylvia''s voice pulled him from his thoughts.


    "What is it now?" he asked, noticing her troubled expression.


    She hesitated before replying, "It''s just... the exam feels strange. Like we''re being set up to fail."


    Damon''s expression remained impassive. Sylvia lacked the experience to fully understand the sinister nature of their situation, but she was perceptive.


    Back at the starting point, Professor Chrome sighed, his gaze settling on the growing group of students who had been eliminated from the evaluation. Their expressions ranged from disappointment to outright despair, a testament to the brutal nature of the exam.


    "Professor Blackthorne," Chrome began, addressing his colleague, "are you sure you aren''t being too hard on them? With this setup, the likelihood of everyone failing is uncomfortably high. Even if they pass, I''d estimate no more than five students making it through."


    Professor Alfred shook his head, the faintest hint of amusement in his expression. "That''s an optimistic guess, Chrome. I''d wager three at most."


    Kael, the third professor observing the proceedings, let out a long sigh as his eyes scanned the disheartened students. His attention lingered on one particular individual still in the field.


    ''It seems he hasn''t dropped out yet,'' Kael thought. ''That boy is more stubborn than I gave him credit for.''


    Professor Alfred, noticing Kael''s contemplative look, broke the silence. "And you, Kael? Which candidate do you think has the best shot at passing?"


    Chrome smiled faintly, leaning back in his chair. "It''s hard to say. I like to believe in every student''s potential, no matter how bleak things look."


    He glanced at Kael, raising an eyebrow. "What about you?"


    Kael frowned, his tone sharp as he replied, "I''ll tell you who isn''t going to pass. After this exam, he''ll be leaving the academy for good."


    Chrome sighed heavily. "Damon Grey, huh? That one''s a persistent little troublemaker.....I quite like him."


    Professor Alfred chuckled, clearly enjoying the exchange.


    "You''ve got a soft spot for that kid, don''t you, Kael?"


    Kael clicked his tongue in irritation, but his narrowed eyes betrayed the truth.


    "Don''t read too much into it. The boy just doesn''t know when to give up."


    The conversation trailed off as they turned their attention back to the screens, watching the chaos unfold in real time. Somewhere in the field, Damon Grey continued to fight tooth and nail against odds that even the professors deemed insurmountable.

 Chapter 130 Starved Shadow

    Damon rolled across the damp ground, shadows flickering around him as he conjured a protective barrier. He glanced up the hill, where a cluster of knight automata unleashed a relentless barrage of magic. Below, a group of students stood firm, their multi-colored barrier shimmering as it absorbed the onslaught.


    "Barrier group, pull back!" Damon''s voice cut through the chaos. "Left flank, fire now!"


    The designated group immediately responded, launching torrents of water and ice magic uphill. Though the attack barely scratched the automata, it served its purpose. The forest floor was now slick with water and melting ice, creating a treacherous surface.


    The automata, humanoid in design, appeared almost lifelike. Towering over two meters tall, their metallic forms were etched with glowing runes, and their blue visors pulsed with light. Each carried weapons imbued with elemental attributes. These advanced versions were leagues above their predecessors, with near-impenetrable magic resistance. Damon couldn''t shake the thought that the earlier versions had merely been scouts, gathering combat data for these monstrosities.


    "Evangeline, give the signal!" Damon called, urgency lacing his voice.


    Evangeline nodded, raising her sword high. A flash of radiant light illuminated the forest, signaling the next phase of their plan.


    Halfway up the hill, Xander, Natch, and Sylvia sprang into action. Hidden among the foliage, they pulled thick vines taut. The charging automata stumbled, their heavy forms toppling like dominos as they slid down the slick hill. The crashing of metal against metal echoed through the forest.


    "Third flank, now!" Damon barked.


    Leona and a group of students stepped forward, pressing their hands into the muddy ground. Streams of electricity surged through the wet terrain, striking the automata. The smell of ozone filled the air as sparks flew, and the automata convulsed under the electric assault.


    Evangeline stepped forward, her voice commanding. "Fire!"


    From all directions, an array of magical blasts¡ªfire, wind, ice, and earth¡ªconverged on the automata. Even with their magic resistance, the sustained assault began to take its toll, leaving the mechanical knights battered and smoking.


    Pushing the thought aside, Damon tightened his grip on his weapon. The time for speculation was over. The battle for survival¡ªand the crystal¡ªhad begun. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    They reached the top of the hill just as the sun sank below the horizon, its dying light giving way to the oppressive darkness of the forest. Damon wasn''t bothered; the shadows welcomed him as one of their own. However, the others wouldn''t fare as well in the pitch-black environment.


    Evangeline waved her hand, summoning floating orbs of light that hovered in the air around them. The orbs bathed the area in a warm glow, banishing the deep shadows left by the sunset. The group let out a collective sigh of relief as visibility returned, though Damon noted the drawback¡ªit had also announced their arrival to the enemy.


    The great automata''s hulking form stirred in the distance, its heavy metallic body emitting a rhythmic clanging as it moved across the forest floor. The area around it was devoid of the dangerous flora characteristic of the Evil Forest, save for a few scattered trees. Behind the automata, the gold crystal shimmered faintly, encased in a thin protective barrier.


    Damon knew the barrier wouldn''t fall until the automata was defeated.


    The great automata loomed over them, a towering figure clad in metallic armor that gleamed faintly in the artificial light. Standing over three meters tall, it wielded a massive sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Its silver visor revealed glowing red eyes, devoid of malice yet brimming with an aura of relentless menace. Its frame was etched with barely visible runes, designed to neutralize magic and amplify its resistance.


    As they stared it down, the automata raised its sword in a deliberate motion, pointing it directly at them. Damon felt the atmosphere shift. Before his eyes, the world seemed to bleed of its colors, turning into a monochromatic world of black and white. Shadows stirred unnaturally in the faint light, moving as though alive.


    A familiar chime echoed in his mind.


    [Ding]


    [Shadow Hunger: 80%]


    Damon''s body tensed as the presence within him stirred. His shadow was starved.

 Chapter 131 My Prey

    Damon felt himself black out momentarily before regaining control. As he steadied himself, his Shadow Perception expanded, spreading across a vast area under the influence of the now-starved Shadow Hunger. The sensation was overwhelming yet familiar, a testament to his relentless training.


    Through the shadows, Damon could sense everything¡ªthe ongoing skirmishes down the hill, where students fought tooth and nail to destroy the lesser automata. He felt the faint light of eliminations as more students fell. Beyond them, he perceived the dense canopy of the forest, an intricate web of darkness and life that appeared to him in fragmented images.


    Gripping his head, Damon forced himself to focus on the threat before him¡ªthe great automata. Its presence was oppressive, but the flood of information from his perception didn''t paralyze him. If anything, it sharpened his resolve.


    Behind him, his companions shifted nervously under the automata''s unrelenting gaze. The tension was palpable.


    Evangeline''s expression remained calm and composed. Sylvia glanced her way and nodded, her voice steady but firm.


    "As we discussed¡ªit has magic resistance, so you''ll need to mix in physical attacks."


    Evangeline turned to the others. "Everyone, get into formation!"


    Sylvia expected Damon to nod or acknowledge her instructions, but instead, he just stood there. His eyes widened as though witnessing something terrifying. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward her, a shadowy aura clinging to his frame. His expression changed¡ªit was dark, primal, and almost ravenous.


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes, uneasy. She''d only seen Damon wear that expression once before, and it had left a brief impression.


    "Is he alright?" she muttered under her breath.


    But there was no time to investigate further.


    The automata wasted no time, swinging its massive sword with a devastating arc. Xander, Leona, and the front-line fighters from Faram and Natch''s groups rushed forward, their weapons and magic meeting the automata''s blade head-on.


    The impact was catastrophic. The first student to make contact disappeared into a burst of sparks, eliminated instantly. The force of the strike sent others flying, colliding with one another as they struggled to maintain their footing.


    The automata absorbed the points, and its aura intensified, growing visibly stronger.


    Sylvia clenched her fists, her voice tinged with urgency.


    The automata retaliated with another area-of-effect stun attack, a burst of electricity that rippled through the battlefield. The jolt knocked Leona back, disorienting the others and preventing them from rising. Evangeline, still regaining her footing, raised her sword to block as the automata''s blade swung toward her. Though her blade absorbed the brunt of the attack, the force pushed her several paces back.


    Before she could recover, the automata''s fist came down like a hammer, slamming her into the ground with a resounding thud. Evangeline coughed, her vision swimming as she struggled to move.


    The automata raised its massive sword, aiming to eliminate her. Her eyes widened in horror as the blade descended. At the last moment, a familiar white figure leapt into the fray, creating a hastily conjured barrier between her and the automata''s attack.


    The automata''s sword met the barrier with a deafening crash, shattering it instantly and sending both Evangeline and her rescuer rolling across the ground.


    As the automata raised its shield to crush them, Sylvia closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable. But the impact never came. Instead, she heard the dull sound of metal meeting flesh.


    Opening her eyes, she was stunned to see a dark-haired figure¡ªDamon¡ªstanding between the automata and the fallen pair. With his bare hands, he held the massive shield at bay.


    His voice was low, almost a growl, but she caught the words.


    "My prey..." Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon pushed the automata back with sheer physical strength. The shadows at his feet deepened, writhing like living things. He struck the automata''s shield with a single punch, leaving a massive dent in the enchanted metal.


    Sylvia''s breath hitched.


    "No way... how does he have that much power?"


    She felt no trace of magic emanating from him, only raw, overwhelming physical force. It was as if he were the automata''s natural enemy, unaffected by its magic resistance. Damon''s dark eyes flicked toward them briefly, burning with an intensity she had never seen before.


    Without hesitation, Damon launched himself forward. His second punch forced the automata back several steps, the earth beneath its feet cracking from the impact.


    The opening gave the others a chance to recover from the stun. Fighters scrambled to their feet, gripping their weapons and preparing to re-engage.


    But Damon didn''t wait. With shadows swirling around his feet, he charged straight at the automata, ramming his body into its chest with the force of a battering ram. The automata staggered, its mechanical form groaning under the relentless assault.

 Chapter 132 Never From An Enemy

    It took Damon a moment to regain control of himself. The hunger of his shadow, now at 80%, gnawed at him, pulling his attention to the glow of souls. Among them, Evangeline and Sylvia''s souls shone the brightest, practically begging to be devoured.


    As the automata barreled toward them, Damon''s shadow surged uncontrollably. For a split second, it consumed him, and when he came to, he found himself charging¡ªnot at the automata¡ªbut at the girls. At the last moment, he veered off course, redirecting his momentum to block the automata''s massive attack instead.


    He braced himself, expecting to be sent flying, but to his surprise, the boost from his shadow''s hunger placed him on par with the three-meter-tall metal knight. The collision didn''t throw him back¡ªinstead, it merely pushed him slightly as he dug his feet into the ground.


    He didn''t need to look back to see their expressions. His shadow perception painted a vivid picture of their glowing souls behind him. His eyes throbbed with an insatiable hunger, and a low, guttural whisper escaped his lips.


    "My prey..."


    Damon clenched his fists. He needed to end this quickly¡ª90% hunger was a dangerous threshold, one he had crossed before, and it had nearly consumed him entirely. Back then, he had hesitated, torn between his doubts and his need to feed. Now, he understood that hesitation was a luxury he couldn''t afford. He had learned to weaponize his hunger, pushing to 80% for the boost it provided while remaining in control.


    He shoved the automata back, its massive frame groaning under the force.


    ''Alright, buddy, let''s work together. Fifty-fifty¡ªyour brawn, my brain. That way, we eat sooner.''


    He felt an eerie acceptance from his shadow, like a whispered agreement in his own voice.


    "Foooood..."


    Pulling out his daggers, Damon launched himself at the automata. At the same time, Xander, Leona, and Faram crashed into its back, distracting it.


    Evangeline, her sword of light in hand, took position beside Damon. Sylvia, standing just behind, notched a glowing lunar arrow into her bowstring.


    The automata raised its sword arm, unleashing a wave of lightning that swept across the battlefield. Xander stepped forward, conjuring a gravity barrier to absorb the brunt of the attack. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    "That won''t work this time!" he roared.


    Leona slammed her mace into the ground, creating a crackling sheet of ice and lightning that surged toward the automata''s legs. Before the electricity could reach, the automata planted its shield firmly into the ground, grounding the voltage.


    Evangeline darted forward, her blade of light slashing across the automata''s visor, sending a cascade of sparks flying. The automata reached for her, but Damon kicked her aside, throwing her clear of danger. He vaulted upward, burying both daggers into the automata''s remaining eye.@@@@


    If the automata had been a living creature, it would have been blinded. Instead, it proved that the visors weren''t essential for sight¡ªit had another means of perceiving its surroundings.


    The automata collapsed to its knees, its movements sluggish and erratic. Sylvia''s arrow, now fully charged with radiant energy, glowed like a miniature star. She released it, the arrow streaking through the air in a blinding arc of white light. It struck the automata''s exposed core with unerring precision, piercing through its center and shattering it.


    The automata froze, its red glow dimming as its body fell with a metallic thud.


    Natch, panting heavily, stood up with a grin. "We won... we actually beat it! Ha!"


    He glanced around at the others. Most of them were battered and bruised, except for Damon, who stood eerily untouched, his expression unreadable.


    Sylvia approached the now disabled barrier, her gaze fixed on the golden crystal inside. She carefully reached for it, her fingers trembling slightly from adrenaline.


    "We did it," she said softly, glancing at Damon with a triumphant smile.


    He didn''t respond, his dark eyes locked on her.


    As her hand closed around the crystal, the points it contained transferred to her bracelet, the bar on her display shooting upward. She turned back to face the group, her victory evident.


    But before she could speak, she froze. A cold, sharp pain bloomed in her stomach. She gasped, looking down to see the glint of Damon''s dagger buried deep in her abdomen.


    Her wide, tear-filled eyes met his. His gaze was cold, devoid of emotion, but beneath the surface, a primal hunger burned.


    "W...why..." she whispered, her voice trembling.


    Damon tilted his head slightly, his expression as calm as his words were cutting.


    "You''re so naive, Sylvia. You''re smart¡ªI''ll give you that much. You could even be considered a walking encyclopedia. But knowing things and having wisdom are not the same. You can read a thousand books, but that won''t change the fact that, at your core, you''re nothing more than a sheltered little princess who doesn''t understand how the world works."


    Sylvia coughed, her tears falling freely as his words tore into her just as deeply as his blade. Her legs weakened, but he leaned in, speaking softly, his voice a knife of its own.


    "I didn''t need you to save me from my solitude."


    Her body began to dissolve into a cascade of white sparks, her points flowing into Damon''s bracelet. The bar on his display surged higher, marking his victory.


    He turned to face the others, who stood frozen, their expressions a mixture of shock, disbelief, and horror. The silence was deafening, the weight of his actions sinking in as the battlefield grew eerily still.

 Chapter 133 Every Man For Himself

    Damon took a deep breath, suppressing the bitter taste of regret that threatened to rise. He hadn''t meant for things to go this far. His original plan was to simply smash Sylvia''s bracelet, but his shadow¡ªthe darker part of himself¡ªhad overridden his intention, guiding his blade instead.


    The cruel words he''d spoken to her had been deliberate. They weren''t born of malice but necessity. If she''d resisted or fought back, her healing magic would''ve made things infinitely more difficult, especially since he hadn''t prepared any poison to ensure her defeat. Still, the sting in his chest lingered, a sour reminder of what he''d done.


    He pushed the feeling aside and turned his gaze to the others.


    Evangeline stumbled back, her light sword trembling in her hands, its radiant glow flickering unsteadily.


    ''Damon... what have you done?'' she whispered, her voice trembling, barely audible against the crushing silence.


    Her teeth clenched as anger replaced her initial shock. "Why? What is wrong with you?"


    Damon raised his hands in mock surrender, his tone calm, almost dismissive.


    "Calm down. Hear me out."


    Before he could explain, a group of other students appeared at the crest of the hill. They had evidently dealt with the automata stationed there and were now ascending, drawn by the tension above. They stopped in their tracks, their eyes locking on the scene.


    Damon raised his voice, addressing everyone at once.


    "The exam has a single objective. But let''s not fool ourselves¡ªit''s an objective that not all of us can meet. There''s only one way to pass, and that''s to gather 3,000 points. As you can see, there are no automata left and no more crystals to be found."


    The students exchanged uneasy glances, the reality of his words settling in.


    He narrowed his eyes and gestured to the desolate battlefield around them.


    "Look around. The crystals had a finite number of points, and the top scorers are the only ones who''ll make it out of here. If we don''t act now, none of us will. You''ve all worked hard to get here, but this is where survival kicks in."


    Evangeline stepped forward, her blade steady now as her eyes burned with defiance.


    "We''ve fought side by side all this time, Damon. If we tear each other apart now, what was the point of everything we''ve done together?"


    The murmurs of agreement among the group grew louder, their unity shaken but not broken.


    Damon''s lips curved into a cold smile.


    ''I can''t beat her influence outright,'' he thought, watching Evangeline rally the others. ''Then I''ll just have to take her title and break it down.''


    "And you," he said, pointing at her, "the top student. Do you care about them? No. You''ve been hogging the points from the start. Let''s see if any of you even have half the points she does."


    The tension thickened as Damon raised his voice, addressing the entire group.


    "I''m not saying kill anyone. I''m saying let''s have a free-for-all. May the best students win."


    The group wavered, the bonds of trust they had built now fragile.


    Leona tightened her grip on her mace, stepping into a defensive stance. Her eyes darted suspiciously at everyone around her, distrust and fear overtaking her reason.


    Faram hesitated, glancing between the others. His instincts screamed self-preservation, but he wasn''t sure who to side with.


    Damon''s sharp eyes caught their uncertainty. He raised his hand, summoning a magic bullet, and fired it at one of the weaker students. The student''s bracelet shattered, and he disappeared in a burst of sparks.


    That was all it took.


    Leona roared, swinging her mace at those near her. Faram, now completely overcome by doubt, unleashed earth spikes in every direction, targeting anyone who got too close.


    Natch gritted his teeth, his voice lost in the chaos. "What are you doing? Stop this madness!"


    But his cries were drowned out by the deafening cacophony of violence.


    Evangeline raised her light sword, her voice rising above the fray.


    "Stop! Wait! Let''s think about this!"


    Her plea was ignored as the group descended further into chaos.


    Desperate, Evangeline deactivated her magic. The radiant light illuminating the battlefield vanished, plunging the area into shadowy darkness. But the absence of light didn''t stop the fighting. Explosions of magic lit up the gloom in flashes of violent brilliance, and the sounds of clashing weapons and cries of pain filled the air.


    With no other choice, she reignited her magic, flooding the battlefield with light once more.


    When the glow returned, Xander''s eyes darted to where Damon had been standing moments before. The spot was empty. Damon Grey had vanished into the forest, leaving behind only chaos.


    Xander clenched his jaw, fury burning in his eyes. "That honorless, spineless mongrel..."


    He tightened his grip on his weapon, glancing at the destruction Damon had caused. He could feel it in his gut¡ªthis wasn''t over. Damon Grey was just getting started. And someone would have to stop him.

 Chapter 134 Know You Enemy

    Damon moved through the darkness of the evil forest with an unnerving grace. The oppressive gloom of the night, coupled with the dangerous flora, was of no consequence to him. He swung effortlessly from tree to tree using his omnidirectional gear, navigating the treacherous environment as though it were a well-trodden path.


    Yet, amidst his confident progress, two things gnawed at him.


    The first was the maddening hunger clawing at his very being. It whispered insidiously in his mind, urging him to turn back and slaughter Evangeline, to let his shadow feast on her flesh and soul. The mere thought brought an involuntary shudder.


    The second was far more haunting¡ªthe lingering image of Sylvia''s expression as he eliminated her.


    Damon shook his head violently, as if the act could rid him of such thoughts.


    "Stop thinking about her," he muttered to himself, his voice a harsh rasp.


    He wanted to banish all unnecessary emotions, to let cold logic guide him. But the human heart was a complicated thing, and no amount of mental discipline could erase what he had done. Earlier, his Remorseless skill had dulled his conscience, but now that it had deactivated, he was left with the crushing weight of his actions.


    "What an unreliable skill..." he grumbled, though a part of him accepted it. Facing his emotions was perhaps necessary, but now wasn''t the time.


    He had a task at hand¡ªa forest to burn and a mission to ensure that all the other students forfeited in the ensuing inferno. Midnight was fast approaching, leaving him with only a few hours to execute his plan.


    --- Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon landed gracefully by a narrow stream, its trickling water reflecting faint silver streaks of moonlight. The stream connected to the river ahead, but it was deep enough for him to submerge himself in once the flames consumed the forest. His plan was clear: use the Water Celebration skill to remain underwater while the fire and smoke drove out, or eliminated, everyone else. The burning toxic flora would make escape nearly impossible for anyone who lingered.


    He smirked to himself.


    "The first rule of the evaluation said ''anything and everything goes,'' except the use of magical artifacts."@@@@


    ''Bet they didn''t expect the entire forest to go up in flames.''


    Crouching, Damon scooped up a handful of the forest''s black soil, letting it sift through his fingers. The faint breeze scattered the particles, confirming the wind direction. Perfect. The airflow through the dense canopy would carry the fire swiftly and mercilessly.


    Nearby, his preparations were ready. A makeshift pipeline led to a dense cluster of sap-rich trees and oil vines. For extra measure, he''d smeared honey over the most flammable sections and laced them with dragon''s breath. Hidden barrels filled with volatile mixtures were rigged to explode. Once he ignited a major ignition point, there would be no stopping the inferno.


    "And I''ll do it while they''re too busy fighting each other," he murmured, the corners of his lips curling into a dark grin.


    "Excuse me?" Damon raised an eyebrow.


    "You agreed to form a party too quickly," Xander explained, his voice brimming with suspicion. "You were unusually cooperative all day long."


    A faint smirk played on Damon''s lips. "I see. That was unusual of me. Normally, I wouldn''t have. Xander, are you that obsessed with me?"


    Xander''s jaw clenched in frustration. "No! I just don''t trust you. I don''t know what you''re planning, but I''ll stop you."


    Damon remained calm, raising his fingers to his mouth and letting out a sharp whistle.


    ".... Ravenscroft..."


    Xander stiffened, his eyes narrowing further. "What do you want? Are you surrendering?"


    Damon shook his head, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "I wasn''t referring to you, Xander Ravenscroft. I was referring to that Ravenscroft."


    Before Xander could respond, a raven swooped down from the darkness, its wings cutting through the air with a ghostly grace. It snatched one of the burning twigs Damon had prepared and disappeared into the night.


    Damon smiled faintly. "It''s fine if you want to stop me, but you''re too late."


    Xander''s eyes darted to the sky, his nose twitching as he caught the faint but distinct scent of dragon''s breath. "What are you planning, you mongrel?"


    Damon''s expression remained impassive. "Nothing much. But if you must know... I''m going to burn this whole place to the ground. If I were you, I''d start running."


    Xander hesitated, his gaze sweeping the area. "No wonder this place reeks of dragon''s breath... but you wouldn''t set fire to a forest you''re in. You''re bluffing."


    Damon''s smirk deepened. "Try me."


    At that moment, in the distance, the raven dropped its flaming twig into one of the ignition points. Flames erupted instantly, surging upward and spreading rapidly along the laid-out path. The wind carried the inferno, igniting tree after tree, until the dark forest was consumed by a sea of red.


    Damon raised his hand, watching the fire spread with a sense of grim satisfaction.


    "I just did."

 Chapter 135 The Ant And The Giant

    In the year 456 of the Doom Calendar, Emperor Rasnet of Valtheron ordered the burning of the Evil Forest, a decision that divided his imperial cabinet. The forest, infamous for its dangers and perceived economic value, was set aflame during the summer. While the outer regions burned with little resistance, the flames failed to penetrate the inner sanctum of the forest.@@@@


    This was only the beginning of a cascade of disasters. Toxic smoke from the burning flora condensed into acid rain, devastating crops and triggering a food shortage. Monsters from the forest''s edges, displaced by the inferno, swarmed into nearby human settlements. The immense death and destruction summoned the ancient dark spirit Rashi Ignath, whose rampage cost thousands of lives before it was subdued.


    Adding insult to injury, the scorched regions of the forest regenerated within days, now teeming with fire-attributed flora, as if mocking the empire''s efforts. The Evil Forest once again whispered its timeless challenge "Come if you dare."


    ¡ªSigned, Imperial Scholar Caiem van Wladimir


    Damon smiled faintly as he watched the inferno consume the forest around him. The Valtheron Empire''s historical misstep had ironically paved the way for his plan. If not for the fire-attributed flora introduced after the forest''s rebirth, such a blaze would''ve been impossible.


    As for the potential fallout? Damon wasn''t concerned. The barrier surrounding the forest ensured the flames¡ªand the consequences¡ªremained contained. Valtheron, a powerful empire, had long since developed methods to manage the forest''s volatile nature, learning from their ancestors'' mistakes.


    Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    The knowledge Damon relied on came from second-year study material, something he had covered early thanks to Marcus'' schemes. For someone like Xander, a noble, such stories should have been common knowledge.


    ''The Valtheron imperial family wouldn''t let such a blunder enter the public record unless they had a way to spin it to their advantage,'' Damon mused.


    ''The fact that it''s in a textbook at all means it''s part of their propaganda machine.''


    It was their way of showing the world they now had ways to contain the forest.....


    He shook his head at the thought, while Xander stood in stunned silence, his gaze fixed on the sea of red flames devouring the darkness around them. Explosions echoed through the forest as fire spread in all directions, creating a fiery ring that boxed them in. The oppressive heat and glowing embers painted the night in chaos.


    Xander turned to Damon, his expression one of disbelief and growing anger.


    "You madman... you did all this just to win?"


    Damon''s calm demeanor didn''t waver, even as the heat became oppressive.


    Xander''s voice rose. "How? When? Why?"


    "For being the same deplorable scum I thought you were."


    Damon chuckled, raising his daggers in response.


    "Coming from the man who attacked me unannounced," he retorted.


    Damon wasn''t worried about Xander. Under normal circumstances, he might have fled, knowing the fight was unwinnable. But today was different. Today, the odds were in his favor.


    His Shadow Hunger was high, boosting his stats significantly. In this state, he was at his strongest, though his sanity frayed at the edges. Not that it mattered. Who needed reason when brute strength could crush any opponent?


    He gritted his teeth, memories of his past with Xander flashing through his mind like a storm.


    All the times he''d been disregarded. All the times he wasn''t even worth acknowledging. And the time he''d been called an insect.


    But now, he had power.


    An insect couldn''t overcome a giant, true. But a hungry shadow could topple one.


    "This isn''t the magic artillery, Xander," Damon said, his voice low and venomous.


    "This time, I''ll show you. I''ll show you that you''re the insect¡ªby breaking every bone in your body. After today, you''ll never forget me."


    Xander''s eyes narrowed as he met Damon''s glare. There was a cold menace in Damon''s gaze, as if Xander embodied every grudge, every slight Damon had ever suffered.


    But Xander wasn''t without his own grudges. He despised commoners.


    And his hatred wasn''t baseless¡ªit had roots. He had reasons to feel scorned.


    How dare this man, this mongrel, vilify him, when Damon was the one who had stabbed a friend in the back without honor or remorse?


    "Fine by me," Xander growled, stepping forward, sword raised.


    "I wanted to fight you anyway. You want my bones? I''ll crush yours instead and put you in your place, you honorless, arrogant mongrel!"

 Chapter 136 Blinded By The Light

    Far off in another region of the forest, a hill stood not too far from the inferno Damon had sparked. The hill was sparsely populated with trees, the area resembling a messy battlefield illuminated by the radiant orbs of light created by Evangeline. The orbs banished the darkness of the evil forest, bathing the battlefield in an artificial daylight despite the late hour.


    Evangeline''s sword still glowed with the aura of her light magic. Her forehead was slick with sweat, her breathing labored from the effort it took to keep her magic active. This was supposed to be a free-for-all, a chaotic melee where every student vied for their own victory. But somewhere along the way, the dynamics had shifted. The remaining students¡ªthose who had proven their worth in the brutal entrance exam¡ªhad set aside their differences to target her.


    The number one student.


    "Is this part of your plan too, Damon?" she muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with exhaustion and frustration.


    The battle had been brief but fierce. Her opponents weren''t weaklings; they were the best of the academy''s students. Evangeline had held her own against them, her magic and skills carrying her through the onslaught, but even her strength had limits. She glanced down at her bracelet. Despite her efforts, she still didn''t have enough points.


    "How many people do they actually expect to pass this?" she wondered aloud, frustration evident in her tone.


    The academy had designed the evaluation to be ruthlessly unforgiving. To pass, a participant needed 3000 points¡ªa threshold that practically guaranteed only a handful would make it. Points could only be gained by destroying other participants'' bracelets, making any form of alliance fleeting at best. The structure of the test wasn''t just a measure of strength but also strategy, cunning, and survival.


    "Only two, maybe three people will pass at this rate," she thought grimly.


    By the time a participant had smashed enough bracelets and accumulated the necessary points, they would have far surpassed the required threshold. The system encouraged absolute domination, and Evangeline realized now that Damon had seen this from the start.


    "Since when did he figure this out?" she muttered, her grip tightening on her glowing blade.


    While everyone else had focused on the automata and the immediate threats, Damon had been looking at the bigger picture. He had played them all, positioning himself for the ultimate advantage.


    Evangeline shook her head, unwilling to believe Damon had done this without reason.


    "Sylvia wouldn''t have turned on her comrades like this," she murmured, her voice soft but filled with conviction.


    The memory of Sylvia''s betrayed expression, contrasting sharply with Damon''s actions. She bit her lip, the weight of betrayal settling heavily on her shoulders.


    "Even so... what he did was horrible," she whispered, anger and sadness mixing in her voice. Her fists clenched, her magic flaring briefly as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.


    "He has to apologize."


    But even as she said it, she knew Damon wasn''t the type to regret his actions¡ªnot unless there was a deeper reason behind them. And that thought, more than anything, left her conflicted.


    She dodged an attack and unleashed a slash imbued with light magic. Her opponent vanished instantly, consumed by her radiant power.


    Evangeline sighed, lowering her sword momentarily. She had long since abandoned the idea of reasoning with them.


    Damon had shattered the framework of trust completely.@@@@


    Before she could strike again, something caught her attention¡ªa faint, acrid smell carried by the wind. She turned her gaze upward, noticing black flecks floating gently down from the sky.


    She touched one of the specks, feeling its strange warmth.


    The students'' panic grew as the smoke thickened, filling the air with a suffocating heaviness. The flora''s combustion had released a toxic cloud, and the barrier above them ensured that it would only rise so far before spreading.


    Evangeline bit her lip, her mind racing. Then, with a decisive motion, she raised her sword, its radiant glow cutting through the darkness and drawing all eyes to her.


    "Listen to me!" she called out, her voice firm and commanding.


    "A fire has begun in the forest, as you''re all aware. The smoke is toxic, and while we could try to fight the fire with magic, most of us don''t have water or ice attributes. After our long battles, our mana reserves are already running low. If we stay, we''ll suffocate!"


    She paused, her expression grim.


    "There''s only one thing we can do. We must give up. We must use the safety bracelets and teleport out of here to safety."


    "Teleport out? Give up?"


    "What is she talking about?"


    "She''s just trying to hog all the points!"


    "These top students think they''re better than us!"


    Damon''s manipulations had poisoned their minds. He had sown seeds of resentment, using their jealousy of the top students to divide them. Evangeline knew this all too well. The academy''s hierarchy¡ªits segregated dorms, superior facilities, and exclusive benefits for top students¡ªhad fostered this resentment over time.


    Evangeline would have been at a loss if not for the clarity she had gained earlier. Standing so close to her class awakening, she saw the world differently. Damon''s words echoed in her mind, his philosophy unsettling yet undeniable.


    "Justice must be strong to be right."


    That was his counter argument to her philosophy. He subtly twisted how she saw justice as something beautiful.


    If she wanted to pursue justice, she needed strength¡ªthe strength to act, to do what others wouldn''t, to make the hard choices. Justice wasn''t just blind, it could be cruel.....it was cruel.


    Her resolve hardened. She raised her sword, holding it high before plunging it into her chest. Her magic burned as it surged into her heart, pain searing through her body. Yet she stood tall, unwavering.


    "We must forfeit the evaluation," she said, her voice steady even as her body began to dissolve into countless sparks of light. "Or else..."


    The bracelet activated, teleporting her to safety. She hadn''t needed to stab herself; a simple surrender would have sufficed. But she wanted them to see¡ªher resolve, her justice.


    She was ruthless to herself as well....


    One of the students watched her vanish, then glanced at the encroaching inferno. Tears of frustration welled in his eyes.


    "I... I surrender," he muttered.


    One by one, they followed suit, each vanishing into sparks of light as they accepted their defeat.

 Chapter 137 No Escape

    No more words were exchanged. In the forest now painted red by the raging inferno, smoke spread like a sinister veil, staining everything with an ominous hue. The two boys stood amid the chaos, their eyes locked, their ideals blazing just as fiercely as the flames around them. With everything on the line, they charged at each other, carrying the weight of their convictions, using them as fuel to sharpen their blades.


    With a powerful swing, Xander''s sword clashed against Damon''s dagger in a deafening explosion of steel on steel. The impact echoed through the forest, amplified by the gravity magic that enhanced Xander''s blade. But to Xander''s surprise, Damon stood unmoved, his stance unbroken.@@@@


    Damon shifted fluidly to the right, exploiting an opening in Xander''s guard, and slashed with his other dagger. The blade cut shallowly across Xander''s lower ribs, drawing blood. Xander winced and instinctively pulled back, raising his hand as he activated his spell.


    "[Gravity Magic: Repulsion!]"


    A shimmering field surrounded Xander, creating a force that repelled anything in its vicinity. It was a spell he had perfected in their last encounter, specifically for moments like this.


    Unfazed, Damon raised his hand in a gun-like gesture.


    "[Magic Bullet.]"


    A flurry of shadowy projectiles shot toward Xander, each one pulsing with dark energy. However, the repulsion field absorbed the impact, deflecting the bullets harmlessly to the sides. Damon narrowed his eyes, his frustration barely visible beneath his cold demeanor.


    ''So, it''s brute force then,'' he thought.


    Xander''s voice cut through the tense silence.


    "I don''t get you, Damon. When we train, it''s obvious you''re weak. You can barely keep up. The only thing noteworthy about you is your swordsmanship. It''s well-structured... I''d even dare say it''s beautiful. But now... how? How do you have this much power? And if you can fight with a sword, why stoop to using these dirty dagger arts?"


    He surged forward, slashing with his blade in a blur of motion.


    "Your dagger style has no form, no technique, no beauty! It''s just violence, brutality, and endless trickery¡ªwithout honor!"


    Damon ducked under Xander''s strike, his dagger flashing upward in a quick counter aimed at Xander''s head. At the last moment, however, he shifted the trajectory, pulling back slightly.


    Xander skidded to a stop, his expression filled with confusion.


    "I can''t understand it," Xander said, his voice strained as he caught his breath. "If you have such a formal understanding of the sword, why rely on these filthy tricks?"


    Damon remained silent, his hunger-enhanced aura swirling around him. The hunger of his shadow gnawed at his mind, making it harder to think clearly. He didn''t care for Xander''s questions.


    Swordsmanship? Sure, he knew a little. His father had taught him the basics¡ªa foundation that he had practiced to perfection. But it was never meant for combat.


    As he stood, his bracelet vibrated violently, signaling a massive influx of points. However, Damon''s bracelet vibrated at the same time, the light from it illuminating his smirking face.


    "It seems the others gave up," Damon said with a dark grin, brushing ash off his shoulders as he steadied himself. "You''re the last one left."


    Xander chuckled bitterly, swaying slightly from exhaustion.


    "If you think you can have at it, knave," he replied, raising his hand with a weary smirk.


    "[Weightless!]"


    The ground around them shifted as all the flaming trees, shattered rubble, and debris began to levitate, floating eerily in the air. Damon''s eyes narrowed, his body instinctively moving to dodge as pieces of rubble began hurtling past him. His head felt light, hunger gnawing at his mind, but he forced himself to focus.


    But Xander wasn''t aiming for him.


    The debris surged toward the small stream nearby, slamming into it with a thunderous crash. Trees, boulders, and shattered fragments clogged the waterway, cutting it off entirely. The stream stopped flowing, its calming trickle replaced by a dam of rubble and smoke.


    Xander fell to his knees, panting heavily, his chest heaving as he coughed against the toxic, smoke-filled air. Even so, he grinned like a madman.


    Damon''s eyes widened in shock as he looked at the ruined stream.


    "What... what have you done, you fool?" he roared, his voice trembling with fury.


    The stream had been Damon''s fallback plan, his escape route from the inferno with his water celebration skill. It was supposed to be his sanctuary, his ace in the hole. And now, it was gone.


    Xander''s grin widened, blood staining his teeth as he laughed weakly.


    "Hahaha... I knew it. You were planning to use that stream for something," he rasped.


    He coughed again, his voice hoarse but triumphant.


    "Now it doesn''t matter... win or lose... I still make sure you don''t get what you want."


    Damon''s body trembled with rage, his fists clenching so tightly his nails bit into his palms. Even with the cold detachment of Remorseless dulling his emotions, the sheer audacity of Xander''s defiance lit a fire in him. He turned toward the bloodied, smirking figure before him, his shadow swirling ominously.


    "I''m going to make you wish you were never born," Damon growled, his voice low and dangerous.

 Chapter 138 Underestimated

    The students teleported out of the inferno with bitterness etched on their faces. Some had tears in their eyes, while others felt a fleeting sense of relief. They were out of the burning forest, away from the brutal, chaotic free-for-all that had pushed them to their limits.


    They appeared beyond the river, far from the blazing forest. The professors stood waiting with solemn expressions, their presence heavy with unspoken judgment. Gathered alongside them were the students who had already been eliminated, but all eyes were fixated on one thing¡ªthe floating screens that displayed the unfolding chaos within the forest.


    In one corner, Professor Emeralda moved between the students, checking for injuries. Fortunately, the safety bracelets had done their job. Most were unharmed, save for a few scrapes and bruises.


    Kael Blackthorne narrowed his eyes, his expression a mixture of disbelief and anger.


    "He actually did it... he set the forest ablaze," he muttered, his voice sharp with frustration.


    He wasn''t the only one shocked.


    Professor Alfred chuckled bitterly, shaking his head.


    "We underestimated him after the quarter-semester evaluation... Judging him by how much mana he had¡ªthat was short-sighted. But this? The cunning, the ruthlessness... How did he even set this all up?"


    Professor Chrome stroked his beard, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.


    "It''s not how. It''s when."


    Alfred''s eyes widened. "You don''t mean... No way. He wouldn''t have survived that."


    Kael''s gaze darkened as realization dawned on him.


    "I see no other explanation. He must have set it up before the barrier was expanded¡ªwhen the forest was still crawling with monsters."


    The professors'' discussion wasn''t as quiet as they thought, and fragments of their conversation reached the nearby students.


    "No way... He''s insane."


    "How is he even still alive?"


    "The monsters should''ve killed him!"


    But the professors weren''t concerned with the murmurs of disbelief. Their focus remained on the bigger picture.


    But even knowing all this, Kael''s eyes didn''t waver from the floating screen.


    "The evaluation is not over."


    Sylvia looked down with a somewhat forlorn expression, her heart heavy as if burdened by a weight too great to bear. She had tried her best to understand Damon, to uncover all the mysteries surrounding him. More than that, she genuinely saw him as her friend. He was her friend.


    Or at least, she thought so.


    She had believed Damon enjoyed their time together, but now, the gnawing doubt in her chest whispered otherwise. What if it had all been one-sided? What if he had merely tolerated her company rather than cherished it?


    Her mind drifted to the countless hours they spent together¡ªtalking about books, passionately debating the works of different scholars, dissecting historical events, or marveling at the properties of rare herbs and plants. Those moments had been precious to her, a meeting of minds that she thought was mutual.


    She had believed she knew him. She did know him¡ªor at least, she thought she did.


    "It''s just... I never really understood him," she muttered softly, her voice tinged with regret.


    "Knowledge isn''t the same as wisdom. I''m still just a greenhouse flower¡ªa sheltered princess."


    Her lips trembled as she bit down on them, trying to suppress the tears threatening to escape. She had come all the way to Soltheon, joined the academy, and fought to carve out a life of her own¡ªall to escape the suffocating label of "sheltered princess." She had yearned for freedom, for a chance to breathe the outside air and see the world beyond her cloistered upbringing.


    But now, to hear her own friend¡ªsomeone she trusted¡ªutter the very words she had worked so hard to escape... it stung deeper than any blade could.


    And yet, the doubt clawing at her heart whispered an even crueler possibility. Had her lack of experience hurt him instead?


    ''Was I the only one who actually enjoyed our time together?''


    Damon''s betrayal wasn''t just physical. When he stabbed her, he hadn''t only left a gaping wound in her gut¡ªhe had pierced her heart as well. Sylvia had once been full of righteous conviction in her pursuits, confident that her intentions were pure. But now, all that remained in her chest was doubt, an aching emptiness where her certainty used to be.


    ''Was I just being self-righteous this whole time?''


    Her gaze drifted to the screen in front of her, where Damon and Xander faced off. Damon''s face was twisted in rage, his movements sharp and unrelenting.


    Around her, faint whispers from the gathered students reached her ears. Most were cheering for Xander to win, their voices rising with fervor. But a few among them watched Damon with flickers of fear in their eyes, unease creeping into their expressions as they observed the dark-haired boy on the screen.


    Damon moved with terrifying precision, his first strike snapping Xander''s arm as if it were a twig. The brutal display sent a hush over the crowd, and Sylvia''s heart sank further.


    That was only the beginning. The brutality had just begun.

 Chapter 139 Too Far Gone

    He was so hungry. He was so angry. All he could think about was the need to devour, to consume, to sate the gnawing hunger clawing at his insides.


    ''I must kill him. I must eat him. I''m so hungry.''@@@@


    Damon''s thoughts spiraled, consumed by the primal instincts of the shadow festering within him. His gaze locked on Xander¡ªthe arrogant noble who had done nothing but get in his way, mocking him at every turn. A twisted grin spread across his face as his body moved like a blur, a half-deranged predator closing in on its prey.


    Before Xander could react, Damon grabbed his arm with bone-crushing force. With a savage knee strike, he shattered it.


    "ARGHH!" Xander screamed in agony, blood trickling down his lip as he gritted his teeth, trying desperately to resist.


    But Damon gave him no reprieve. With a forceful kick to the chest, he sent Xander hurtling backward, crashing into the forest floor.


    The air reeked of smoke, and the blazing heat of the spreading fire turned the surroundings into an unbearable inferno. Trees groaned and cracked, falling in fiery heaps as the chaos intensified.


    Xander coughed violently, lowering himself to the ground, trying to draw in the precious little oxygen that remained. Before he could rise, Damon pointed his fingers at him in a gun-like gesture and unleashed a barrage of magic bullets. Each one struck true, piercing Xander''s leg and drawing another anguished cry from him.


    "ARGH!"


    Damon advanced, his steps slow and deliberate, his eyes void of any humanity. He loomed over Xander like a predator savoring the fear of its prey. Without a word, he raised his foot and slammed it down onto Xander''s wounds, eliciting another groan of pain.


    Xander''s teeth clenched, his face contorted in defiance.


    "Is that all you''ve got... you mongrel..." he spat through the blood pooling in his mouth.


    But Damon didn''t respond. His cold, predatory stare bore into Xander, and for a fleeting moment, there was a glimmer of struggle in his eyes¡ªa battle between the man and the shadow.


    Xander seized the moment.


    "[Wave]!"


    A surge of gravity magic erupted from Xander, blasting Damon backward toward the flames.


    Damon''s body sailed through the air, the blazing trees rushing to meet him. But with a flick of his wrist, a thin, almost invisible wire shot out, hooking into the ground next to Xander. With a sharp tug, the wire yanked Damon back, pulling him away from the inferno and flinging him toward Xander.


    Xander barely dodged to the side in time as Damon crashed into the ground.


    "ARGHHHH!"


    The groan didn''t come from Xander¡ªit came from Damon. He slowly raised his head, his eyes glowing with an unnatural, predatory light.


    "You should forfeit now... or I might accidentally kill you..." Damon''s voice was cold, devoid of emotion.


    But beneath the surface, there was a hint of struggle, as if he were fighting to maintain control over himself.


    The shadow consuming him didn''t care for mercy or competition. It only knew hunger. It only knew how to break its prey.


    Kael Blackthorne, his expression dark, narrowed his eyes at the unfolding battle. His fist was clenched tightly, his knuckles white. Deep down, he felt that the clash between Xander and Damon was his fault. And yet, he made no move to call it off.


    When Emeralda''s fiery gaze fell on him, Kael''s voice came, heavy with pain but resolute.


    "No... we won''t."


    Emeralda stared at him in disbelief, frustration boiling over.


    "What?! Why not?! It''s already over! Damon''s won¡ªhe''s proven his point! All he has to do is crush Xander''s bracelet, but he''s not doing it. He just wants to torture his opponent! That''s... that''s cruel. It''s inhumane. That boy... that boy is a monster!"


    Chrome, leaning against a tree, sighed heavily before speaking.


    "While it''s true Damon could crush Xander''s bracelet, it can also be argued that Xander hasn''t chosen to forfeit either. He has the option to surrender, yet he hasn''t done so."


    Emeralda''s eyes welled with tears as she shook her head.


    "You know he can''t. He won''t. The Ravenscroft house is a house of warriors. Xander would rather die out there than face the humiliation of surrender. He''d rather die than admit defeat..."


    Her knees buckled as she fell to the ground, her voice cracking with desperation.


    "I''m begging you! Stop them! End this now! I know the academy has its methods, and death isn''t unusual here, but subjecting first-years to this kind of cruelty so early is just... unfair."


    Kael clenched his jaw, the weight of her words pressing on him. He finally spoke, his voice firm but tinged with reluctance.


    "I will not. This ends the moment Xander sustains a lethal wound or chooses to forfeit."


    Emeralda glared at him, her eyes blazing with fury and despair.


    But Kael continued, softer this time. "I can, however, remind them of their options..."


    He pulled out a small artifact, a communication device. As his voice echoed through the forest, it carried an almost mournful tone.


    "Xander, please keep in mind that this is an evaluation, not a battle to the death. You are free to forfeit at any time. And Damon¡ªyou''ve won. You''ve proven your point. You can crush Xander''s bracelet to secure your victory."


    But his words made no difference.


    Damon was too far gone, his eyes glinting with the manic satisfaction of a predator who had cornered its prey.


    Xander, too proud, too bound by his family''s honor, ignored the pain and the humiliation. The burning forest, the screams of the fallen trees, and the searing agony of his wounds only dragged him deeper into his memories.


    Memories of a time he could never forget.


    Memories that forever changed how he saw commoners.


    How could I lose... to a commoner?

 Chapter 140 Little Gratitude

    It was during the final days of the Demon Wars, in the heart of the Ravenscroft territory. The Duke Xander''s father and older brother had marched off to the front lines, leaving behind only Xander, his infant sister, and their mother to manage the domain. It was a dire time¡ªmany men had been conscripted for the war, and resources were scarce. The prices of food and everyday commodities had soared to unprecedented heights.


    He remembered it vividly¡ªhe never forgot.


    His mother was a kind woman, compassionate and selfless. Whatever little resources made it to their household, she personally distributed among the commoners. Despite the shortages, she tried her best to ease their suffering.


    It was on one such day that she decided to take medicine, food, and what meager supplies were available to a nearby town. She refused to bring knights along, reasoning that armored men with swords would only intimidate the already distressed townsfolk. It was wartime; people lived under constant tension, and she wanted to bring them solace, not fear.


    The small caravan included her and her two children: Xander, who was only seven, and his toddler sister. He remembered the destitution of the town they visited, the palpable tension in the air. As the convoy entered, he noticed the way people looked at them¡ªnot with gratitude, but with something darker. Even as a child, he could sense it.


    Those were not welcoming eyes.


    They stopped at the town square, hoping to distribute the resources. But with a single voice, everything unraveled.


    "Down with the nobility!"


    The cry erupted, and with it came chaos. The people did not meet them with thanks or relief but with fury, hate, and violence. Rocks flew, pitchforks were raised, and Molotov cocktails lit up the town.


    Xander remembered the red glow of the flames and the searing heat as everything burned around them. He remembered his mother forcing his infant sister into his arms, shielding them both with her body. He remembered her blood flowing as she bore the brunt of the rioters'' wrath.


    The warmth of her blood. The fishy scent of it. The metallic taste that lingered in the air.


    And the deafening cries of his baby sister.


    But more than anything, he remembered the helplessness. How powerless he had felt.


    From that day, he hated the commoners. Ungrateful wretches. He despised them with every fiber of his being. But above all, he loathed the powerlessness they had made him feel.


    They survived¡ªall three of them. Rescued just in time. The war eventually ended, and his mother, ever forgiving, held no grudges. She understood the desperation that had driven the mob to such madness.@@@@


    But Xander could never forget.


    Now, here he was, once again surrounded by flames and blood, feeling that same powerlessness before a commoner.


    It was the call of the first-class advancement.


    Gripping his sword tightly, Xander raised it once more, his determination shining brighter than ever.


    "Fight me," he demanded, his voice steady despite the torment wracking his body.


    He knew the odds were stacked against him. Damon was faster, stronger, a monster in both physique and ruthlessness. That ridiculous magic bullet spell of his had already left Xander''s body in ruins.


    But Xander didn''t care. If Damon was willing to embrace insanity, then so would he.


    "Fine then," Xander muttered to himself, his voice shaking with both pain and resolve. "I just need to do something crazy myself."


    Closing his eyes, he drew every ounce of his mana inward, compressing it into a dense field. This wasn''t a defensive barrier¡ªit was something far more dangerous. He enveloped his body in a thin veil of compressed gravity, the force distorting the air around him.


    With the barrier crackling around him, he charged.


    The ground beneath his feet crumbled with each step, flames and debris rippling apart in his wake. The world blurred as the pain grew unbearable, his vision reduced to a haze of red and white. But he didn''t stop. He couldn''t stop.


    Reaching Damon, he swung his sword down with all his might. The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, smashing into the ground and creating a small crater.


    Panting heavily, Xander opened his eyes, desperate to see his opponent defeated.


    But Damon was still there, standing just a few inches out of reach. The boy smiled, his calm demeanor untouched by the chaos around them. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    "You missed," Damon said with a smirk. "Should''ve used a spear from the start."


    Before Xander could react, Damon drove his dagger into Xander''s chest. The pain vanished instantly as the safety bracelets activated, signaling his defeat. Xander''s body began to dissolve into sparks of light, his form fading from the battlefield.


    As his consciousness dimmed, he thought he heard Damon mutter something under his breath.


    "Thanks... for pulling me back."


    And then Xander was gone, the battlefield silent except for the crackle of flames and the faint echoes of his unyielding resolve.

 Chapter 141 My Possibilities

    Damon fell to his knees, coughing violently from the thick, choking smoke that filled the air. His chest heaved, desperately trying to pull in what little oxygen he could find. He hadn''t felt the effects before¡ªhis shadow had consumed all his focus, battling Xander and vying for control of his body.


    Half the time, Damon had been locked in a mental struggle with his insidious shadow. His shadow was almost ravenous, its hunger a constant threat to his sanity.


    He''d known the risks from the start. Without the power granted by Shadow Hunger, he wouldn''t have lasted long in the evaluation. It had been a gamble¡ªa dangerous one. But luck, or perhaps sheer will, had turned things in his favor. Xander''s final, desperate attempt to rise had given Damon just enough clarity to seize control, eliminating Xander from the evaluation before the shadow could kill him outright.


    The shadow''s methods had been cruel, dragging Xander''s defeat into a slow, agonizing process. It hadn''t just been about winning; it had been about making sure Xander couldn''t escape its grasp.


    Damon coughed again, his movements sluggish as he crawled toward the stream. Rubble and debris littered the water, making it impossible to simply dive in and swim to safety. But that didn''t matter.


    He considered using his safety bracelet to teleport out. It would be the easy way¡ªbut Damon hesitated. He didn''t trust Kael Blackthorne not to use it as an excuse to fail him after everything he had done.


    "No way I''m taking any chances now," he muttered hoarsely.@@@@


    Shrugging off his jacket, Damon transferred his quiver of arrows to his waist. He leaned over the edge of the stream, scooping up water and pouring it over his face and chest. The cool sensation was a brief relief from the suffocating heat, but it wasn''t enough.


    His head swam from the smoke, and without a second thought, he plunged his head into the water. The sensation was immediate¡ªcalming and grounding. His [Water Celebration] skill kicked in, ensuring he could hold his breath indefinitely without fear of drowning.


    "Too bad I can''t swim through all this rubble," he muttered, pulling his head back out.


    The heat was becoming unbearable. Thinking quickly, Damon soaked his jacket in the water, wringing it out just enough before wrapping it around his head, covering his face completely. With his shadow perception and heightened spatial awareness, he didn''t need his eyes to see.


    The burning forest was a maze of falling trees, shifting debris, and thick smoke. The fire distorted the shadows, making them flicker and waver, but Damon could see where they widened¡ªthose were his pathways, his escape routes.


    "It''s all or nothing," he growled, steeling himself.


    Xander had destroyed his planned escape route, leaving Damon to forge his own way through the inferno. But so what? He''d walk through hell itself if it meant victory.


    Wrapping his jacket tightly, Damon started to run, trusting the shadows to guide him. His shadow itself was useless now¡ªtoo consumed by its own hunger to provide any aid. Activating his [5x Speed] skill again, Damon surged forward, ignoring the protests of his battered, aching body.


    The flames danced all around him, scorching the air and blistering his skin, but he didn''t slow. He dove through a gap where the blaze thinned, landing on the other side just as a tree came crashing down.


    He skidded to a halt, his instincts kicking in. Firing his omnidirectional gear, he latched onto a burning tree and swung over the flames, the heat licking at his legs.


    The goal was clear: reach the side of the stream untouched by rubble. Each leap and swing carried him closer, though not without cost. Burns seared his skin, and his muscles screamed in protest. But Damon pressed on, clearing obstacle after obstacle until finally, he reached his destination.


    Without hesitation, he dove into the stream, the dark, cool waters swallowing him whole. Above, the forest continued to burn, trees crashing down in a chaotic symphony of destruction. But Damon was gone, disappearing into the depths as the world above him burned.


    Back on the other side of the forest, far from the inferno, the tension in the air was palpable.


    Her words were firm, but her expression betrayed her worry. Unlike the others, who seemed relieved at the thought of Damon''s absence, Leona wasn''t afraid of him. She knew what he was capable of, but she also understood him in ways the others didn''t. Damon wasn''t someone who admitted his true feelings¡ªnot to anyone.


    In one night, he had done the impossible: helped destroy the great automata, betrayed a friend, manipulated the entire class, brutalized a peer, and set the forest ablaze. He had taught those who once looked down on him to fear him.


    And just when everyone thought he was gone for good, a ripple appeared in the river before them.


    Damon emerged from the water, his injuries severe but his eyes cold and resolute.


    The professors froze. Emeralda hesitated, biting her lip as she debated whether to approach him. Despite everything he had done to Xander, she couldn''t ignore the state he was in. She took a tentative step toward him, but Damon walked past her without a word, his steps heavy and deliberate as he stopped in front of Kael.


    His body trembled, the shadows around him darker and twitching erratically. With the flames behind him, he cut a menacing figure.


    "Someone like me should never have been allowed to cross the gates of the glorious Aether Academy, yet here I am." he began, his voice low and gravelly.


    Kael stiffened, recognizing those words. He had said them to Damon once, and now, the boy stood before him, keeping his promise to respond.


    Damon raised his head, his pitch-black eyes locking onto Kael''s.


    "You were right, Professor. I am someone lowly."


    He paused, the weight of his words hanging in the air.


    "With all due respect, you were right about that. But you have no right to tell me I wouldn''t amount to anything."


    His voice grew colder, each word cutting like a blade.


    "I am a failure. I am a traitor who betrayed everything I could have stood for. I have no pride. But I didn''t need you to tell me that. I may be a failure, but I''m self-aware...."


    The students and professors were silent, his voice carrying through the clearing.


    "Who the hell are you to decide my possibilities? Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can''t achieve? That''s where you were wrong."


    Damon''s lips curled into a bitter smile.


    "And with all due respect, Professor... screw you."


    His final words were quiet yet laced with venom. Damon turned on his heel and walked away, his battered frame disappearing into the night.


    No one tried to stop him.


    All eyes turned to Kael, who stood rooted in place, his expression unreadable. He didn''t move. He didn''t speak. And he offered no response.

 Chapter 142 Hurt Feelings

    "Hehehehe... hahahaha... behold the power of God... heheheh ha! God is with me..."


    The deranged laughter echoed from an old, abandoned training room tucked away in a secluded corner of the academy.


    Inside, a blue-haired young man knelt on the dusty floor, carving symbols into the ground and walls with his own blood. The markings were bizarre, intricate, and unmistakably heretical by temple standards. Despite this, he continued with manic enthusiasm, clutching a small, well-carved stone tightly in his trembling hand.


    "God is coming... I will finally see God... hahahaha!" His voice grew louder, nearly unhinged as his laughter turned into shrill giggles.


    The room''s massive wooden doors creaked open suddenly, their age betraying a groaning protest at the disturbance. The boy froze, his carving halted mid-stroke.


    A young man stepped into the room, his boots leaving faint imprints in the dust as he limped forward. The sharp scent of blood and smoke followed him, lingering in the stale air. His jacket was torn in several places, and faint traces of burns marred his skin. He looked half-insane, his gaze distant, yet behind the haze of exhaustion, there was an unsettling clarity in his eyes.


    His stomach growled audibly, but he ignored it. His focus was entirely on the figure before him.


    "Marcus..."


    The blue-haired boy flinched at the sound of his name, his manic expression flickering briefly with fear. He fidgeted with the stone in his hand, gripping it tightly as his lips trembled.


    But then, as if remembering something, Marcus straightened his back, his confidence returning.


    "God! He''s here! Destroy him now!" Marcus screamed, holding the stone aloft as if expecting divine wrath to descend upon his intruder.


    Damon sighed heavily.


    Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them, grabbed the stone, and twisted Marcus''s wrist with ruthless precision. The boy let out a bloodcurdling scream as his hand gave way under the pressure. Damon pocketed the stone without a second glance and shoved Marcus backward, sending him sprawling to the floor.


    "Marcus," Damon muttered, his tone as cold as the air in the room. "There is no God. Don''t you know that?"


    Marcus struggled to stand, clutching his broken wrist as tears pooled in his eyes.


    "D-demon... liar... heretic! God is with me!" he shouted, his voice shaking as much as his body.


    Damon crouched down to meet Marcus''s gaze, his expression indifferent.


    "It seems you''ve already gone too far," he murmured, almost to himself.


    "Marcus, it was me. I was the one talking to you. All those ''monsters'' you saw¡ªyour friends¡ªthey were never real."


    Marcus froze, his crazed demeanor faltering as doubt crept into his features.


    "None of them..." he whispered. "No... you lie. I saw their shadows..."


    Damon shook his head, his voice steady and unrelenting.


    "No, you saw my shadow, Marcus. Your friends¡ªthey all died hating you. The last one, he even begged me to make sure you suffered for what you did."


    Then, with a blur of motion, it vanished.


    Marcus didn''t even see it coming. In the blink of an eye, the shadow was behind him, its claws gripping him tightly before slamming him into the bloodstained ground. Marcus gasped in pain, his blood pooling into the ritualistic marks he had carved earlier.


    "No... no..." Marcus groaned, coughing up blood. His vision blurred as he staggered to his feet. With the last remnants of his strength, he summoned his magic.


    [Ever Frost]


    The air shifted violently. The temperature plummeted, frost forming on the ground as a freezing wave of destructive ice magic erupted outward. The shadowed Damon moved on all fours, evading the deadly attack with unnatural agility. The ground froze beneath its limbs, but it didn''t matter¡ªthe ice barely grazed it.


    Marcus, now desperate, screamed, "Die, fiend!"


    But the ravenous shadow was done playing. Before Marcus could conjure another spell, it closed the distance in an instant. Its claws plunged into his stomach, warm blood gushing out as Marcus''s body went limp. His pale face was a mask of horror as blood spilled from his lips.


    The shadow slowly lifted him to eye level, its monstrous gaze boring into him. Marcus''s life flickered like a candle in the wind. With his final breath, he whispered,


    "Forgi...ve... me... my friends..."


    His body went limp, his eyes losing their luster.


    [You have slain Marcus Fayjoy]


    [You have leveled up]


    [You have gained 20 attribute points]


    [You have awakened the skill Sacrifice]


    The shadow opened its maw, ready to devour its fallen prey. But just as it leaned forward, a slow, deliberate sound cut through the tension. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Clap... clap... clap...


    The sound of clapping echoed across the secluded area, accompanied by the steady rhythm of approaching footsteps.


    Then, a voice¡ªsmooth, feminine, and laced with amusement¡ªrang out.


    "My goodness... well done. What a show. I was watching from a distance, and I must say, I''m thoroughly impressed."


    The voice struck Damon like a lightning bolt. The fog of the shadow''s hunger lifted slightly as he regained clarity. His heart began to race, cold dread washing over him. He knew that voice.


    "Didn''t anyone ever tell you not to ignore a lady''s calls and messages? That really hurt my feelings."


    Emerging from the darkness was none other than Lilith Astranova, her emerald eyes glinting with mischievous intent. Her presence was suffocating, her aura dominating the area with ease.


    Before Damon could even formulate a coherent thought, his shadow reacted instinctively. It discarded Marcus''s lifeless body like a broken doll and lunged at her, claws extended, ready to kill.

 Chapter 143 Lost

    It moved like a black blur, striking Lilith with ferocious speed. She barely reacted, her palm rising to meet the attack with a dull thud as the force collided against her.


    She smiled.


    "Your strength is at the first-class advancement... No wonder they all died against you."


    Her voice carried an edge of mockery as she grabbed the shadow''s dark claws and hurled it aside with a casual flick of her wrist.


    "Although..." she added, her thin smile widening, "you aren''t actually at the first-class advancement, are you?"


    The shadow landed on all fours, its blackened form undulating like a liquid in motion. It seemed to learn quickly, its claws morphing into a single, elongated blade that gleamed with a sinister sheen. Without hesitation, it lunged again, the blade swiping at her with deadly precision.


    Lilith''s green eyes glimmered with intrigue.


    "You can morph your physical form as well..."@@@@


    She took a single step backward, vanishing and reappearing behind it in an instant. Yet, the shadow reacted unnaturally fast, its blade swinging backward with a fluid motion, nearly slashing her face.


    "You either have excellent hearing, heightened mana sensitivity..." she mused, sidestepping as she analyzed her opponent,


    "or you can perceive your surroundings without needing eyes."


    With a sharp kick, she sent the shadow crashing into the nearby stone wall, the sound of impact reverberating through the old, abandoned training grounds.


    "I''d wager it''s the latter," she said, her smile sharpening.


    The shadow rose again, undeterred. Within the dark mass, Damon struggled desperately to take control.


    "Don''t attack her! She''s far too strong!" he shouted internally, his mind pounding against the shadow''s dominance.


    But the shadow didn''t care.


    It shed its bulky form, streamlining itself into a lean, agile frame. Damon''s system suddenly activated.


    [5x Speed Activated].


    The shadow''s speed multiplied, and it moved with such velocity that the very air around it rippled. Dust kicked up in chaotic waves as it dashed forward, its form now almost imperceptible.


    Lilith''s sharp gaze narrowed as she raised her hand, her fingers curling into a gesture of command.


    [Inversion].


    Space itself twisted. Up became down, and down became up, the entire room flipping in a dizzying distortion. The world seemed to collapse in on itself, reality folding into a strange and disorienting configuration.


    Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    Lilith smirked, expecting the shadow to falter, confused by the sudden shift in perspective. But she was wrong.


    The shadow moved without hesitation. It never saw the world as others did. Its kaleidoscopic perception of reality rendered her manipulation meaningless. Faster than she could react, the shadow''s blade slashed toward her with unrelenting momentum.


    Lilith''s expression shifted from smug confidence to fleeting surprise. At the last moment, she conjured a warped portal before her. The shadow vanished into it, reappearing across the room as space snapped back to normal.


    She flicked her wrist, summoning a spinning disk of destructive spatial energy. It sliced through the air with a shrill hum, narrowly missing the shadow as it dodged. Still, a thin slice cut through its chest, exposing a glimmer of the human inside.


    But his shadow didn''t listen. Empowered by its newfound strength, it lunged forward with reckless abandon, swinging a massive fist at Lilith Astranova. She sidestepped the attack with ease, her movements as graceful as they were taunting.


    "Hmmm," she mused, her tone dripping with amusement. "Did you get stronger... or is it just me?"


    Lilith raised her hand, unleashing a devastating wave of spatial energy. The slicing attack collided with the shadow, cutting through it like paper before slamming into Damon himself.


    "Dammit, you bastard... listen to me!" Damon snarled in frustration.


    His shadow growled in response¡ªnot in pain, but in defiance. It seemed to revel in its independence, even as it bore the brunt of the attack.


    Without hesitation, the shadow looked around, its gaze locking onto Marcus''s cold corpse. Dropping to all fours, it sprinted toward the lifeless body with primal speed.


    Lilith smirked, intrigued. "What are you planning to show me now?"


    In mere moments, the shadow reached Marcus''s corpse. With a single motion, it grabbed the body and opened its monstrous maw, devouring the remains in one grotesque gulp.


    Lilith blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Well, that''s... something."


    A notification echoed in Damon''s mind.


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [Your shadow is fed.]


    Damon narrowed his eyes as he felt the surge of shadow energy course through him. Slowly but surely, he began to regain control of his body now that his shadow was satiated.


    "All points to mana," he thought firmly.


    [Your mana pool has increased by 5.]


    He gritted his teeth. He needed one shot¡ªjust one shot.


    "Use the magic bullet spell," he commanded himself, his determination unwavering.


    As his shadow closed the distance, Damon conjured a magic bullet, pooling all his focus into the destructive spell. The plan was simple: unleash the bullet at close range and use the chaos to escape.


    His shadow clashed with Lilith, its claws slicing through the air with violent intent. Lilith, exuding confidence, parried its strokes with ease. In the midst of the melee, Damon raised his hand, his magic bullet charged and ready.


    With a sharp motion, the bullet of magical energy tore through the air, aimed straight for her head.


    But instead of shock or panic, Lilith merely smiled.


    "Ahh, there you are..."


    With effortless grace, she tilted her head, dodging the bullet at the last possible moment. Before Damon could react, her mana-infused elbow slammed into him, the impact forcing his shadow to retreat.


    The darkness receded, revealing Damon''s battered human form. He fell to his knees, blood dripping from his mouth and pooling on the ground beneath him.


    He smiled weakly, his vision blurring.


    "I... I lost."


    Those were the last words he spoke as the world faded into blackness.

 Chapter 144 Leverage

    The warmth of the sun streamed through the window of a lavish, immaculately decorated dorm room. Everything about the space screamed wealth and luxury, the kind of place only the ultra-rich could afford.


    On the grand bed lay a young man with dark hair, half his body draped in the covers as he slept peacefully. His physique was pristine, without a single scar to mar his lean, well-toned muscles. His face, though not strikingly handsome, carried a charm that many would consider appealing.


    He stirred gently in his sleep, his peaceful demeanor shattered as a jolt of realization caused him to wake abruptly.


    His dark eyes widened as he took in the unfamiliar room. The faint, delicate fragrance in the air triggered a sense of familiarity, though the room itself did not. The architecture was recognizable¡ªhe lived in the same building, after all. But this room was far superior to his in every way, from the de?cor to the furnishings. This was none other than the War Halls.


    Surprise mingled with suspicion as he sat up, scanning his surroundings. His arms were unbound, his movements unrestricted. There were no chains, no magical seals to hinder him.


    Spreading his shadow perception, he scoured the space for any threats. None were present. His eyes darted around, taking note of every detail¡ªuntil he noticed something unusual.


    He didn''t see his shadow.


    "Where is it... that damn..."


    His gaze snapped toward the corridor leading to what he knew was a large bath. There it was¡ªhis shadow¡ªleaning against the wall by the door. Its form, an inky silhouette with no tangible substance, appeared to be sulking.


    If ever a shadow could convey emotion, this one did so perfectly. It stood with crossed arms, its posture akin to that of a child denied its favorite toy.@@@@


    Damon''s expression darkened as irritation flared within him. The last time he had dealt with this thing, it had almost driven him to kill Xander Ravenscroft. Worse still, it had acted on its own attacking Lilith Astranova, a decision Damon hadn''t sanctioned.


    "Get over here, you bastard," he growled through gritted teeth.


    The shadow hesitated, throwing a balled fist toward the direction of the bath as if muttering inaudible curses. Then, begrudgingly, it slid across the room to his side, where it belonged.


    Damon glared at it coldly, his patience already worn thin.


    It was all a series of unfortunate events. He had operated under the assumption that Lilith was still under house arrest. But clearly, she had been released long enough to plot against him. She must have remained indoors, waiting for him to lower his defenses before striking.


    And strike she did. Now, Damon was left to navigate the aftermath.


    He had prepared himself for the worst. A convincing argument to pin it all on Marcus, an elaborate escape plan to become a fugitive, perhaps fleeing to another country or continent with his sister. Damon had imagined countless scenarios, all of them grim. Yet, never did he imagine that he''d simply wake up in a bed.


    The sheer normalcy of this outcome was unnerving, almost more terrifying than the alternatives. His instincts screamed at him to stay on guard.


    The real question lingered in his mind¡ªwhat did Lilith Astranova want? Why hadn''t she reported him? What was her endgame? These thoughts gnawed at him as his shadow quietly filled him in on the situation, confirming that he was, in fact, still alive and in her custody.


    Relief and terror warred within him. He didn''t know whether to feel grateful for this reprieve or dread whatever fate awaited him. The only certainty was that Lilith herself held the answers, and as if summoned by his thoughts, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor.


    The door swung open, and a figure stepped inside. Damon''s breath caught. A beautiful woman with fiery red hair walked into the room, her wet hair clinging to her skin. She didn''t so much as glance toward the bed where he lay, her demeanor calm, almost indifferent. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    But it wasn''t her composed attitude that startled him¡ªit was what she was wearing.


    Or rather, what she wasn''t wearing.


    A towel. That was all.


    Damon blinked, his gaze fixating involuntarily, his mind momentarily scrambling. The sight of Lilith Astranova in nothing but a towel was something he hadn''t prepared for in any of his imagined scenarios.


    As if sensing the weight of his gaze, her sharp, emerald eyes narrowed. Slowly, deliberately, she turned her head to look in his direction.


    Damon gulped, a lump forming in his throat. Her gaze dropped to meet his, and for a moment, silence hung in the air, heavy with tension.


    Then her eyes flicked downward, toward herself. Her expression shifted ever so slightly, a mix of realization and something unreadable crossing her face.

 Chapter 145 Sore Loser

    Lilith''s gaze locked onto Damon with a cold menace, though her lips curled into a faint, teasing smile that only heightened the allure of her feminine form. Her presence was captivating, dangerous, and almost otherworldly.


    "Do you like what you see?" she asked, her tone sultry and deliberate.


    Damon quickly regained his composure. This wasn''t his first time seeing a half-naked woman¡ªor even a fully naked one. He''d seen firsthand the lewd depravity of Valerion''s red-light districts, where temptation was on full display. But Lilith Astranova was in a league of her own. There was something about her that made it impossible not to look, and yet it was equally dangerous to do so.


    In the end, he was still a pure teenage boy, and even he couldn''t deny her allure.


    "Why am I here?" he asked, forcing himself to focus on anything but her appearance.


    Lilith''s smile deepened, her expression a blend of amusement and mischief.


    "Isn''t it rude to return a question with a question?"


    Damon scoffed, narrowing his eyes.


    "Isn''t it rude to drag someone into your bedchamber without their permission?"


    Her laugh was soft, almost melodic, but her words carried an edge.


    "You can stop leering at me now... unless, of course, you''d rather lose those eyes of yours."


    Damon stiffened and awkwardly averted his gaze, turning to face the other side of the room. His movements were sharp, almost defensive.


    Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lilith let out a quiet sigh of relief the moment his back was turned, the confident facade briefly slipping as she went about getting dressed.


    "If you peek," she warned, her voice dropping to a dangerous low,


    "you''ll wish I killed you instead."


    Damon snorted, though he kept his back to her.


    "There''s nothing to see. I''ve got no reason to peek."


    Even as he said it, the faint temptation crept into his mind¡ªa small urge to use his shadow perception to sneak a glance. But he crushed the thought as quickly as it arose. He had bigger concerns than indulging in whatever late sexual awakening was trying to surface.


    Still, the absence of his weapons gnawed at him. His bare chest and missing gear made him feel more exposed than his lack of a jacket or shirt ever could.


    More unsettling was the behavior of his shadow. It blatantly ignored Lilith''s threat, peeking at her through its fingers like a mischievous child while feigning modesty.


    ''This wretch...'' Damon thought, glaring at the shadow.


    His patience wore thin. "What do you want?"


    Lilith didn''t respond immediately. He could hear the faint rustle of clothing from her walk-in closet, where she was leisurely changing. She had definitely heard him but was clearly enjoying the power dynamic.


    "Fine," Damon muttered, his frustration mounting. "At least tell me where you''ve hidden my gear."


    "Yet here I am," he countered. "I''m not behind bars, not being tortured by the Inquisition, and not standing trial. Pray tell, why is that?"


    Lilith stepped closer, finally giving him the chance to get a good look at her. She was dressed impeccably in the academy uniform, the brooch pinned to her chest symbolizing her status as the student council president.


    "You''re confident. I like that," she said, her voice laced with amusement as she sat down next to him.


    "But how do you know I haven''t reported you?" She leaned closer, a knowing glint in her eyes.


    "Oh, wait... your shadow must''ve told you that. It''s been giving me hostile stares ever since I beat you."


    Damon tensed, his mind racing for an escape route. He wasn''t one to bow easily, even when cornered.


    Lilith''s smile widened as she continued.


    "If I were you, I wouldn''t be so confident. If you think I haven''t reported you to the temple..."


    She paused. The silence was deliberate, and it was enough to make Damon''s heart nearly leap out of his chest.


    "...then you''d be right," she finally said, her tone light and almost casual.


    Relief washed over him¡ªbut it was fleeting as her next words cut deep.


    "I have no intention of reporting you. Wouldn''t that be a waste? When I have uses for you," she continued, her voice turning cold.


    "I could report you. You''d be executed without a trial. Trust me, they''d skip the formalities for someone like you."


    The first half of her statement gave Damon a momentary sense of relief. But the second half tightened the knot of unease in his stomach. Still, he forced himself to think, searching for a way out of this web.


    Lilith leaned closer, her proximity making him feel more cornered than any threat could. She watched him with a smile that felt more predatory than amused.


    "Right now, let me summarize your life from this moment forward. Your life is in my hands. I''ve taken an interest in the power you have... as well as its origins... more importantly the one who gave it to you"


    Damon''s eyes widened.


    ''The one who gave it to me?'' he thought, his mind racing.


    ''Is she talking about my system? Or the shadow? No, those two things are connected... but what does she know about its origins?''


    Lilith''s smile deepened, as if she could see the thoughts scrambling in his head.


    "Which means you have to be a good boy and listen to me, okay?"


    Damon''s lips curled into a smirk. He decided to take a risk.


    "You haven''t reported me yet," he said, his voice laced with defiance.


    "If you had, back when I was killing Marcus, then we''d have a problem. But now..."


    He leaned back slightly, his tone shifting to one of mocking confidence.


    "The evidence is sparse at best. It''s your word against mine. I don''t have to do anything you say."

 Chapter 146 Karma With The Divine

    Lilith smiled, her expression dripping with amusement. Damon truly was a fascinating subject, so defiant even when the odds were clearly stacked against him. It all boiled down to her word against his, especially since she had meticulously erased any evidence of his involvement in Marcus'' death.


    But that was fine. Lilith always had her ways, and her clever junior, while impressive, still had much to learn about accepting defeat with grace.


    "Funny you should say that," she said casually. "I do have evidence."


    Damon paused, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.


    "No, you don''t," he replied firmly. "You would''ve destroyed any trace that could implicate me before dragging me into your little lair. If there''s one thing I''ve learned from our... interactions, it''s that you''re meticulous. You leave nothing to chance."


    Lilith''s smile widened slightly, a glint of approval shining in her eyes.


    "If you know that," she said softly, "then you should already realize you''re trapped."


    Damon''s jaw tightened, but he nodded slowly.


    "Then spring it," he challenged.


    Lilith''s gaze didn''t waver.


    "I could expose you at any moment," she admitted, "but we''ve already established that I won''t. That doesn''t mean you''ve won, though."


    Her tone shifted, growing sharper, more calculated.


    "All that nonsense about not giving a damn about anyone but yourself? It''s just bravado."


    Damon''s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing further.


    "What are you getting at?"


    Lilith sneered, taking a slow step closer to him.


    "I won''t report you. And I won''t turn you in¡ªnot because I can''t, but because I have no intention of doing so... for now." She leaned in, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper.


    "But don''t forget, Damon, you killed Carmen Vale. Should I tell his daughter that her beloved teacher was her father''s murderer?"


    Damon froze, his body going rigid.


    "Proving it wouldn''t even be difficult," Lilith continued, her tone like silk cutting through steel.


    "All I''d have to do is trap you in a confined space until you lose control and turn into that monster you''re so desperately trying to keep hidden. Evidence isn''t necessary when the truth can be dragged out of you with just time and the right circumstances."


    A muscle in Damon''s jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth. He knew she wasn''t bluffing. Lilith always meant every word she said. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "What do you want?" he finally asked, his voice low and strained.


    Lilith''s lips curved into a slow, victorious smile.


    "See? That wasn''t so hard, now, was it?"


    Damon glared at her, resignation and frustration burning in his eyes. He already knew this new twist would complicate everything, but he also couldn''t deny that her leverage was absolute. For now, all he could do was bide his time and figure out a way to turn this in his favor.


    He let out a heavy sigh, fixing Lilith with a weary stare.


    Damon''s eyes narrowed.


    "He was destroyed by the goddess. And that''s the same thing in my book."


    Lilith''s gaze hardened.


    "Ashcroft didn''t lose to the temple. He lost to the goddess. The goddess isn''t synonymous with the temple. She''s... well, she''s a god. The temple? They''re just mortals."


    Damon looked at her as if she''d lost her mind. "Yeah, mortals whose power and influence spread all over the world. So no thanks."


    Lilith''s lips curled into a faint smile, her patience thinning.


    "What do we have to be afraid of? Besides, with what you''ve done and the nature of your power, you''re already an enemy in their eyes."


    Damon nodded, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Thanks for reminding me. But I''m not trying to destroy them."


    Lilith sighed, stepping closer.


    "The temple isn''t perfect. Sure, they have diviners, but they''re not all-knowing. They haven''t defeated the demon lords of Centros. They haven''t banished the faith in the unknown god. And, frankly, the goddess doesn''t give a damn about us¡ªor them."


    Damon raised an eyebrow. "And what does that have to do with me?"


    Lilith scoffed, clearly unimpressed with his reluctance. "You don''t want to fight them, but I don''t need to convince you."


    Her tone shifted, growing colder, more calculating. Damon''s eyes narrowed, sensing the change. He didn''t like the direction this was heading.


    "We''re not fighting them as we are now," Lilith continued.


    "I''m not stupid. I know the reason you haven''t even considered it is because you''re worried about divination¡ªthat they''ll see us coming and destroy us before we have a chance. But you have nothing to fear."


    Damon frowned. "And why''s that?"


    Lilith''s smile turned sharper, more confident.


    "Because even if everyone else in this world can be divined by the temple, you and I are the exceptions."


    Damon''s confusion deepened. "What the hell are you talking about?"


    Lilith''s expression softened into something resembling amusement.


    "After all, we exist in a place their divination cannot reach. Our fates can''t be affected by ordinary means. We have our karma with the one who changed your shadow."


    Damon stared at her, his confusion turning into suspicion. "What the hell are you on about?"


    Lilith turned around slowly, her movements deliberate. She began to pull off her top, revealing her smooth, flawless back. She left her bra on, but even so, Damon felt a wave of heat rush through him.


    "Uh... nice bra," he muttered awkwardly, unable to stop himself.


    Lilith smirked over her shoulder. "That''s not what I''m showing you."


    As he watched, a mark began to appear on her back, slowly revealing itself like ink spreading across parchment. It was a crest Damon had seen before¡ªonly in books, as a great taboo.


    Lilith''s voice turned icy, her words heavy with meaning. "We have karma with the unknown god."

 Chapter 147 One Way Road

    The unknown god.


    No one truly understood what "unknown" meant in this context. It wasn''t that this god governed mysteries or obscurities, but rather that part of his divine domain had been made taboo by the Goddess of Doom within the world of Aetherus.@@@@


    The tale was as old as the ruins scattered across the land. Before Ashcroft''s destruction, the demon lord had reportedly said something blasphemous before the statue of the Goddess of Doom, an act that provoked her wrath. He was erased from existence. After that, it was said that part of the Unknown God''s domain became forbidden, its very mention an affront to the divine order.


    But Damon wasn''t entirely convinced.


    It was all speculation to him¡ªstories passed down through generations. Ashcroft was supposed to have been an ancient demon lord from an age long past, and Damon wasn''t even certain if he''d ever existed at all.


    Some legends claimed that the Unknown God would one day resurrect Ashcroft, bringing him upon the world again. But Damon doubted that, too. He wasn''t even sure if the Goddess of Doom, or the gods in general, were real.


    He remembered the works of certain scholars from his history lessons on the demon wars. Those writings claimed that the Goddess of Doom had created Aetherus, and for a time, lesser gods managed the world on her behalf. Things only spiraled into chaos when the Unknown God first appeared. Civilizations collapsed, leaving behind ruins that still stood as silent witnesses to their downfall. Among the goddess''s creations, some races had allegedly been corrupted, becoming the very first demons.


    And those demons had worshipped the Unknown God.


    To Damon, it all sounded like propaganda crafted by the goddess-worshipping races to justify their hatred of demons. History was written by the victors, after all.


    Even so, one thing was undeniable¡ªthe world of Aetherus was mostly unexplored. Travel between kingdoms and continents was limited to uniquely charted roads, sea routes, airways known as the Golden Roads, or teleportation gateways.


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    The ancient civilizations had been far more advanced than the present era. If a god had caused their collapse, it might explain a lot.


    Or perhaps it was just their own hubris.


    Damon''s gaze never left Lilith''s back. The mark etched into her skin was unlike anything he''d ever seen before. Carved in white and gold ink, it resembled a crest with four wings¡ªtwo black and two white. At its center was a swirling abyss, an eye blacker than night itself.


    Damon shuddered. The mark felt alive, like the abyss was staring back at him, peering into the depths of his soul.


    It was intricate, more terrifying than anything he''d seen in books. He felt an almost primal sense of reverence and fear. The symbol seemed to embody ultimate righteousness and ultimate evil at once. It was pure yet tainted, beautiful yet grotesque.


    He couldn''t tear his eyes away until his shadow coiled protectively around his feet, pulling him back. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead as he forced himself to look away.


    Lilith, sensing his unease, slowly adjusted her clothes, allowing the mark to fade from view.


    Damon straightened, meeting Lilith''s gaze.


    "I don''t know about you, but I didn''t get my power from a god," he said, his tone resolute.


    Lilith''s brow furrowed slightly, her curiosity growing.


    Damon bit his lip, debating whether to reveal more. Lilith Astranova had just shared one of her greatest secrets, and she already seemed to have a grasp on his own. What harm could there be in full transparency? Besides, he needed allies.


    "My shadow didn''t come from a god¡ªor any divine being. I don''t have faith in any god, even if I occasionally call on the goddess out of habit," he admitted, glancing down at the shifting darkness beneath him.


    "My power came from a creature¡ªa dark, viscous entity that fused with my shadow in the Evil Forest."


    Lilith shook her head, an uncharacteristic expression of doubt and disbelief crossing her face.


    "No, that can''t be it," she said firmly.


    "When I defeated you, my stigmata reacted to your shadow."


    She narrowed her eyes, her voice dropping into an almost dangerous whisper.


    "Your shadow... we can ask it directly."


    Damon frowned, but the curiosity in him burned just as fiercely. He sighed and knelt down beside her. Depending on the shadow''s answer, he might very well be in serious trouble.


    Lilith crouched, her breath shaky but filled with hope.


    She asked, her voice steady despite the tension in her clenched fists,


    "Do you share the same origin as my stigmata and my attribute? Are you from the same god?"


    The shadow beneath them shifted, its movements deliberate and measured as though considering the question. For a moment, it was still. Then, slowly, it nodded and gave them a thumbs-up.


    Lilith exhaled in visible relief, her shoulders relaxing.


    Damon, on the other hand, felt his blood run cold. His face paled as the realization sank in.


    It was official. He was royally screwed.

 Chapter 148 Got The Benefits

    Lilith seemed relieved. She had shared her greatest secret with Damon, not out of trust, but because of his shadow. Otherwise, no amount of persuasion, or even torture, could have made her reveal such information. Still, she held back certain details, only offering enough to secure his cooperation¡ªor at least to ensure he understood the inevitability of their shared collision course with the Temple of Doom.


    Damon had clearly realized the weight of her revelation. His pale, stricken expression betrayed his thoughts, and Lilith couldn''t help but smirk. If she didn''t despise the Temple as much as she did, she might have shared his fear. It was natural, after all.


    Unlike the devoted faithful, Lilith wasn''t bound by worship of this mysterious god. In truth, this boundless entity seemed indifferent to faith or adoration. It had granted her magic attribute and awakened her first class when she prayed for power, but there was no attachment, no obligation to serve.


    Damon, on the other hand, clearly hadn''t obtained his abilities in the same way. She didn''t know the exact method, but it didn''t matter. Both of them, by the nature of their power, stood as natural enemies to the Temple. There was no going back for either of them.


    Lilith had entertained the idea of fleeing¡ªto the demon continent, perhaps¡ªbut such thoughts were fleeting. Running wouldn''t help her achieve her goal of destroying the Temple. And beyond that, her status as a human would make adapting to life in the demon lands an uphill battle.


    Her musings didn''t last long, however, as she focused on Damon. He was clearly deep in thought, his mind cycling through options that, frankly speaking, weren''t many. In truth, he had only one viable choice. Like it or not, he was now entangled in her fight.


    She observed his face as it shifted through different shades of pale. The longer he thought about it, the worse his expression became. Finally, he clenched his teeth, as if bracing himself for the grim reality.


    "We are not going to live long..." Damon muttered, his tone heavy with resignation.


    Lilith''s lips curled into a wry smile at his words. He had said we. It might have seemed like a small thing, but to her, it carried a deeper meaning¡ªhis reluctant acceptance of their partnership in this dangerous endeavor.


    "I''d worry more about our enemies than our lifespan," she replied, her voice calm but laced with a dark edge. "They''ll have plenty of reasons to regret crossing us before this is over."


    The flicker of determination in her eyes met Damon''s cautious yet resolved gaze.@@@@


    He narrowed his eyes, staring around the room as if searching for answers in the shadows.


    "The same enemies with armies, kings, and nations under their thumb," Damon began, his voice low and bitter. "They also have money¡ªlots of it."


    He glanced at her, his expression a mix of resignation and defiance.


    "Between the two of us, all we''ve got is some poor guy with his shadow and a young noble lady merely at third-class advancement."


    Lilith met his gaze, her lips curling into a faint smile. Despite his sarcasm, she felt a strange satisfaction in his words. He had accepted, in his own roundabout way. For so long, she had struggled alone, unable to make any real progress. But now, with Damon at her side, the odds¡ªhowever slim¡ªseemed to tilt in her favor.


    She knew their shared connection to the unknown god might provide some resistance to the temple''s divination. If they could create an organization or group, those affiliated with them would share in their karma, shielding them from the temple''s all-seeing eyes. It was a dangerous gamble, but it was their best shot.


    She nodded firmly.


    "Let''s create our own, then."


    Damon chuckled darkly, his expression twisted with irony.


    "I figured you need to feed it within a set interval," she continued.


    "Which would explain why you only killed people at fixed times. However, the more you feed it, the longer that interval becomes. And if you don''t meet the requirements... that''s when you turn into a monster. Am I right?"


    His eyes twitched.


    She had figured it out. There was no point in hiding it anymore.


    "Yeah, that''s right," he admitted, his tone cold.


    "I gain power from feeding on people. If I kill them, I obtain their souls, and their flesh feeds my shadow. It makes me stronger, gives me new abilities."


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    She nodded, her expression thoughtful.


    "I see. You got something different from me. I assumed your attribute had changed as well."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. "So what, you turn into a monster too?"


    Lilith shook her head.


    "No. I don''t need to kill anyone either," she replied calmly.


    "I got a gift¡ªno strings attached. At least none that I''ve seen yet. I can even hide my stigmata."


    Damon''s eye twitched. This unknown god was starting to sound incredibly unfair. He had been cursed with a system and a shadow that forced him to feed on people to survive, while Lilith had been granted blessings and power with seemingly no cost. Her void magic was a gift from the same god.


    "Why do you look so sour?" she asked, a teasing edge to her voice.


    He shook his head, frustrated. "Nothing. I just think it''s unfair."


    Lilith chuckled softly. "If you think my power came easily, you''re wrong. I suffered to get it. I..." She trailed off, her smile fading as her eyes clouded with a painful memory.


    "Well, it doesn''t matter," she said finally, brushing the thought aside.


    Her gaze hardened as she looked at him.


    "New rules," she declared. "You are no longer allowed to prey on academy students. Got that?"

 Chapter 149 You Can See

    Damon had no issues with the arrangement. He wasn''t planning on feeding on the students in the academy anyway. Perhaps in the past, he would have killed innocents to satiate his shadow, but after meeting Carmen Vale and making his promise to Iris, he realized it was better to avoid taking the lives of unrelated people. The guilt, though manageable, was something he''d rather not pile onto his already complicated existence.


    He glanced at Lilith, who sat calmly next to him. Her presence brought an odd sense of relief, now that everything was out in the open¡ªor at least, the parts he had chosen to reveal. They both held secrets, things kept locked away, but that was to be expected. He trusted her intentions to a degree, but that didn''t mean he wouldn''t use her to his advantage. After all, she was likely thinking the same about him.


    "I wasn''t planning to..." Damon said, his tone measured.


    Lilith nodded at his words, her piercing gaze unwavering. "I see. Then how do you plan to feed your shadow going forward?"


    Damon went quiet for a moment, glancing at the distant trees as though they held the answer.


    "I was going to hunt in Athor''s Sanctuary..." he admitted finally.


    Lilith tilted her head, her curiosity evident. "Have you tried eating monsters?"


    He nodded.


    "Yeah, but it doesn''t do anything for the hunger. Although..." he paused, tapping his fingers lightly against the table,


    "I can still get stronger from them."


    She gave a thoughtful nod. "Alright then. I''ll help you procure some food."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed as he looked at her.


    "Some food? You''re acting like you''re buying meat from a butcher. These are actual human lives we''re talking about."


    Her expression didn''t waver.


    "You need their flesh to feed your shadow, don''t you?"


    He nodded reluctantly, the weight of his situation pressing heavily on his mind.


    Lilith leaned forward slightly, her voice steady but probing.


    "Tell me what you''ve learned about your power. Maybe I can help. We need to know all our options. I need you to get stronger as soon as possible."


    Damon studied her for a moment, unsure of her exact motives but recognizing the urgency in her tone. She wasn''t wrong. His power was growing, but the hunger was a problem he couldn''t ignore. If he didn''t figure out a sustainable way to feed his shadow, it wouldn''t just weaken him¡ªit could consume him entirely.


    He exhaled, leaning back slightly as he began to speak. "It''s not just about eating. The shadow... it''s like a living thing. It''s tied to me, but it has its own will. The more I feed it, the stronger we gets, but the hunger never goes away completely. It''s like pouring water into a bottomless pit."@@@@


    Lilith listened intently, her sharp eyes analyzing every word. "And what happens if you starve it?"


    Damon''s jaw tightened. "It grows restless. At first, it''s just an itch in the back of my mind. But if it goes on too long, it starts to... take over.


    ''Talk about living next to the devil,'' he thought, suppressing a smirk.


    Lilith gestured to the door.


    "You''re still wearing your combat uniform, which might be a bit odd. I used healing potions to patch you up, but it''d be better if you change into your academy uniform. You can use my bath."


    Damon raised an eyebrow. "And my uniform?"


    Lilith closed one eye and waved her hand. With a faint shimmer of magic, a neatly folded uniform appeared in her palm.


    "I''m glad that worked," she said with a satisfied smile. "Fails most of the time, though."


    Damon couldn''t help but smirk. "There''s something you fail at?"


    She nodded with mock humility. "I''m only human, after all."


    She handed him the uniform. "Take a bath and change into this. Your gear is in the closet. You can grab it after you''re done."


    As Damon took the uniform, Lilith paused, her gaze sharp.


    "And my advice? Only an insane person keeps cursed ore on their person."


    Damon sighed. "That doesn''t sound like advice. More like an observation."


    "Just hurry. We don''t have all morning¡ªI am still the student council president, after all."


    Damon stepped into her bath, grateful for the opportunity to clean up. As he showered, he couldn''t help but focus on the new skill he''d gained after reaching level three. His pool of shadow energy had grown again, increasing from two hundred to three hundred. Though it wasn''t full, the difference was noticeable.


    Stepping out with damp hair and his new uniform, he reflected briefly on how Lilith had used healing potions on him without asking for payment. If the roles had been reversed, Damon would have demanded repayment with interest.


    He walked to the closet and began equipping his usual gear¡ªhis omnidirectional gauntlets strapped to his wrists, daggers secured at his waist, and arrows tucked into his jacket. Emerging from the closet, he didn''t see Lilith but could sense her moving deeper into her room.


    Curiosity getting the better of him, Damon opened his system panel and began examining the specs of his new skill.


    [Sacrifice]


    ''Let''s see... Sacrifice... what does this do?'' he thought to himself.


    A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hmm. Sacrifice... what''s this?"


    Damon froze, his eyes widening in shock. That hadn''t been him¡ªit had come from Lilith. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    He turned slowly, finding her standing behind him, staring directly at the black-and-white system panel floating before him.


    "You... you can see this?" Damon stammered, frozen in disbelief.

 Chapter 150 New Rep

    "Am I not supposed to?"@@@@


    She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. Damon''s eyes widened in disbelief. Ever since he got the system, no one¡ªabsolutely no one¡ªhad been able to see it. The system sent him prompts and notifications, but they were invisible to everyone else.


    But now, Lilith Astranova was standing there, calmly reading his skill description like it was just another textbook.


    Her eyes scanned the floating system panel, curiosity evident as she reached out to touch it. Her hand passed straight through the translucent display.


    "I can''t interact with it..."


    ''She can see it.'' Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon''s mind raced. She wasn''t bluffing, nor was this some elaborate trick. She could genuinely see the panel.


    ''I didn''t want that...''


    Lilith tilted her head, then said, "It vanished."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. It was still right there in front of her. He decided to test it. Moving the panel back into her line of sight, he willed it visible to her again. Her gaze followed it immediately.


    ''Hmm... is it like opening and closing it?''


    Lilith''s eyes darted to the panel before it flickered out of her view again.


    "Hey, are you doing that? What was that just now?"


    She turned to him with a mischievous smile.


    "I thought we were in this together, but you''re already hiding things from me."


    Damon sneered. "You haven''t told me everything, either. Don''t pry into my affairs."


    Lilith sighed dramatically, her tone teasing. "I showed you my deepest, darkest secret, and you repay me like this? How cold."


    Damon''s expression hardened, his patience wearing thin.


    "Let''s go. We don''t have all day."


    He glanced at the system panel one last time, a wave of relief washing over him. At least he still had control over its visibility. The fact that Lilith could see it when he allowed it had to be connected to her stigmata. The system and her stigmata shared the same origin¡ªhe was certain of it now, even though his shadow had confirmed the connection earlier.


    However, this also confirmed one crucial fact: Lilith Astranova didn''t have her own system. His system was unique to him alone.


    He turned to her and gestured toward the door.


    "I heard they finally put out the forest fire he started."


    "I heard he was trying to kill all the other first-years..."


    "I heard even the professors can''t control him."


    "Shh! He''ll hear you. You don''t want to end up like Xander Ravenscroft, do you?"


    Damon''s expression remained neutral, but inside, he didn''t know how to feel. It wasn''t long ago that he was the object of scorn, dismissed as unworthy. Now, he was feared. The shift was jarring, even if it came with its own set of annoyances.


    Lilith sat across from him, a sly smile playing on her lips. She was one of the reasons he was getting so much attention.


    "You''re really famous now," she teased, her tone dripping with amusement.


    "I''d say it''s more like infamy," Damon replied flatly.


    Her smile widened.


    "All publicity is good publicity."


    She took a sip from her glass, her eyes scanning the room before locking onto his.


    "Have you heard your new moniker? I think it suits you. ''Demon Grey.'' A nod to your name, Damon Grey. Change one letter, and you''ve got a demon. And what a bad demon you''ve been..."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "I don''t appreciate being called a demon."


    "Yes, I can imagine why," Lilith said, her smile not faltering.


    She leaned back in her chair, her gaze sharp and knowing.


    "The results of the mid-semester evaluation are being announced earlier than usual. Mostly because, well... everyone except you failed. No suspense there."


    Damon''s boredom was evident as he glanced at her, unimpressed.


    "You can check it, you know," Lilith continued, her voice taking on a slightly teasing edge.


    "Your new skill... it''s quite intriguing. Especially the description. But the real catch is the effect."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed further. "Tsk. You memorized it, didn''t you?"


    Lilith''s smile turned smug.


    He sighed, leaning back slightly. Since she had already seen it, there was no point in hiding it now. Besides, she couldn''t view his panel without his permission anymore. And there was no time like the present to face whatever awaited him.

 Chapter 151 Sacrifice

    [Sacrifice]


    [Description]


    The Children of Aetherus gave all they possessed¡ªand even what they could not¡ªto enigmatic Visitors from beyond their world. They sought knowledge, power, and truths hidden from their mortal grasp. Yet, no matter how much they surrendered, it was never enough. Their once-thriving world was left barren and broken, their sacrifices devoured, leaving them with nothing but despair and unfulfilled longing.


    Permanent sacrifices for temporary promises.


    This cursed legacy lingers still, feeding on the ambitions of those desperate enough to give everything for a fleeting taste of the unattainable.


    [Effect]


    You may permanently sacrifice any stat point to empower your shadow, keeping its insatiable hunger at bay. The shadow remains fed with each offering, but what is given cannot be reclaimed.


    [Type]


    Active


    [Cooldown]


    None.


    Damon narrowed his eyes at the skill description, scanning the text carefully. The system had a habit of dropping cryptic fragments of ancient knowledge, pieces of a forgotten time woven into the mechanics of the world''s existence. How relevant this particular history would be to him, he didn''t know¡ªbut knowing was always better than ignorance.


    ''You can never tell when it might become useful...''


    Yet beyond the lore, what truly caught his attention was the effect. Poetic, just the way the system liked it. Deliberately vague, much like how it demanded "souls and flesh" without specifying whose. It never told him outright to devour people, only implying it. At least, he didn''t need to track down an appraiser to decipher his own abilities.


    The skill''s function, however, was simple¡ªperhaps deceptively so. Damon felt both exhilaration and irritation as he grasped its full implications.


    In essence, Sacrifice allowed him to permanently give up a portion of his stats to momentarily empower his shadow and suppress its endless hunger. It was a trade. A choice. Give up a piece of himself to retain control.


    He resisted the urge to click his tongue, especially with Lilith Astranova watching him. She still wore that same thin smile, observing him like a researcher watching an experiment unfold.


    Testing was the only way to confirm the details.


    He opened his system panel, his eyes drifting toward his highest stat¡ªMana.


    [Mana: 124/124]


    He hesitated, biting his lip. A brief pause. Then, finally, the thought.


    ''Sacrifice one mana to shadow.''


    Almost instantly, he felt it. A minuscule yet undeniable shift within him¡ªa piece of his mana pool, gone, as if something had chewed off a tiny portion of his existence. A cold tingle crept into his veins in return, a thread of shadow energy weaving itself through his body.


    Glancing at his system screen, he noted the results. His overall shadow energy pool hadn''t grown, but his mana had permanently decreased by one point. The only way to regain what he lost was through additional attribute points.


    ''It truly is a sacrifice...''


    Damon mulled over the implications. Giving up his strength to keep his shadow in check. On the surface, it sounded like a terrible trade. Yet, the more he thought about it, the more the positives began to outweigh the negatives.


    For one, he no longer needed to feed on people if he didn''t want to. Instead, he could consume mana stones, monsters, or anything that granted him raw stat points¡ªthen sacrifice those instead.


    He needed to kill seven people.


    His gaze flickered upward, meeting Lilith''s knowing stare. A thought crossed his mind.


    ''This would have been a problem before... but not with her help. She most likely wants me to get as strong as possible... her assistance would make this easier.''


    Yet a shiver ran down his spine as he considered the implications. What would the future requirements be? Would the system demand he slaughter an entire city someday?


    And if it did¡ªwould he do it?


    How far was he willing to go?


    A memory surfaced¡ªa distant image of a man with dark hair, standing with his back to him. His father.


    Would his father even recognize him now?


    Would he be able to look him in the eyes, knowing the kind of person he had become?


    How far would he fall?


    He let out a slow, weary sigh.


    He had already given up so much¡ªhis pride, his honor, his morals, his dreams, his ideals... even his very life.


    What more would he have to sacrifice?


    How much more would he give, just for a sliver of happiness?


    He wasn''t asking for much. Just a chance¡ªa small, fragile chance to hold onto something, to carve out a future where he and his sister could live.


    Was that so selfish?


    Was it so wrong to want to survive?


    Yet it felt like it was always him against the world.


    For the first time in a long while, he felt like crying.


    But he didn''t.


    Because Lilith Astranova was watching, and it would be embarrassing.


    So instead, he smiled. A sharp, knowing grin.


    "Looks like I''m only going to need seven meals to reach the next phase of my power..." His voice was light, almost teasing. "How well can you cook?"


    Lilith smiled in return, her fingers tracing the rim of her wine glass as the hum of the lavish dining hall surrounded them. The faint voices of the other students barely seemed to register to her.


    Her gentle smile did not reach her cold, calculating green eyes.


    "As many as it takes..." she murmured, her voice like silk laced with poison.


    "I''ll give you a feast."

 Chapter 152 Them

    "What are they talking about...?"


    Xander''s soft whisper was barely audible as he leaned slightly toward Leona, who had her eyes closed, her beastkin ears twitching as she strained to pick up the conversation happening across the dining hall.


    Damon hadn''t been seen since yesterday, and now, when he finally resurfaced, he was seated with none other than Lilith Astranova¡ªthe student council president. Naturally, curiosity ran rampant, especially when Leona had immediately speculated that Damon might be in trouble for setting the Evil Forest ablaze.


    At first, Xander had dismissed her nosiness, trying to play the role of a noble knight, upholding honor and all that nonsense. But the moment she started eavesdropping, his curiosity got the better of him. Who would have thought their self-righteous, princely classmate was just as desperate to get the scoop?


    "Hmm... she said something about cooking for him," Leona murmured, her brows furrowing in confusion.


    Xander blinked. "Cooking for him? Are you serious? What the hell is going on right now?"


    He turned to Evangeline, who sat there, arms crossed, her expression fierce as she stared daggers in Damon''s direction.


    "What do you think?" he asked, his voice skeptical. "Leona must''ve heard wrong."


    Evangeline stole a quick glance at Sylvia, who was absently pushing her food around with her fork, completely lost in thought.


    Biting her lip, she huffed.


    "I really don''t care right now. So what if he gets in trouble with the student council president? It''s his fault."


    Leona, however, remained focused on her eavesdropping efforts, despite how difficult it was with the entire dining hall buzzing with whispers. Damon''s sudden reappearance with the student council president had the first-years on edge, and speculation ran wild.


    "I don''t think he''s in trouble..." Leona muttered, tilting her head. "He''s still wearing his usual gloomy expression."


    Xander sneered. "You mean his edgelord expression?"


    Leona smacked his arm, making him wince.


    "Didn''t you lose to him?"


    Xander scoffed. "We all did... and I would have won¡ª"@@@@


    "Sounds like a sore loser to me." Leona smirked. "You might be an even bigger sore loser than Damon."


    She turned to Sylvia. "Isn''t that right?"


    Sylvia, who had been in her own world, slowly blinked as she realized Leona was addressing her.


    "Hmm? Ah... yes. Sorry, did you say something?"


    Evangeline''s expression grew colder. "We were talking about how Damon is a sore loser."


    Sylvia paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah... he is."


    If Damon was losing, he never accepted it quietly. Especially against Xander. He always pulled something ridiculous, whether it was flipping the entire game set or coming up with some convoluted excuse to avoid admitting defeat. Even in a simple card game, he had knocked over the deck and claimed it was an accident.


    He was a sore loser... but she had always found it amusing. Seeing him sulk or pout over a loss had been strangely endearing. A childish side of him he probably didn''t even realize he showed.


    A small, thin smile tugged at her lips.


    But just as quickly, it faded. Her expression darkened as her gaze drifted toward Damon, seated with Lilith Astranova.


    She flicked her fingers subtly, weaving a spell that cut off the surrounding noise, isolating them from the rest of the dining hall.


    Still unsatisfied, she stood from her chair across from him and sat down right beside him.


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    "What the hell are you doing?"


    Lilith shook her head, leaning in slightly.


    "It''s nothing. I just find the whispering annoying. Now we can talk freely."


    Damon exhaled in mild irritation but didn''t push her away.


    "Fine. Then what''s the first move? One slip-up, and we die."


    Lilith nodded, her demeanor turning serious.


    "For now, let''s refer to our great enemy as ''Them'' or use some kind of code. We have some resistance against divination, but who knows what They are capable of?"


    Damon took a slow bite of his food, chewing carefully before putting his fork down.


    "Where do we start first...?" He let out a bitter chuckle. "Not to sound like I''m whining, but we''re not going to last long at this rate."


    Lilith smirked.


    "You are whining."


    Damon shot her a glare, but she ignored it.


    "We start by building up funds¡ªclean money that can''t be traced. We need a base of operations, tangible power, personal power. We need to stay under the radar. Only after securing these things can we begin recruiting."


    Damon sighed, leaning back slightly.


    "That''s assuming we even find recruits who''d be suicidal enough to join us."


    Lilith''s smile took on a cold edge.


    "We will." She tapped the table lightly with her nails. "You don''t reach the top of the world without making enemies... and They have too many."


    Damon ran a hand through his hair.


    "So we really are going to die after all..." He exhaled, staring at the ceiling before shaking his head. "But since we''re not dead yet... wouldn''t it be better to join Them instead?"


    Lilith''s expression shifted, intrigued.


    "Think about it," Damon continued. "We can''t destroy a force that big from the outside. But what if we joined them? Got close enough to learn how they operate? It''d be easier to dismantle them from within."


    Lilith paused, considering his words carefully.


    "...That''s actually a really good idea," she murmured. A slow, calculating smile crept onto her lips.


    "Join them, huh?"

 Chapter 153 Fraud

    "Huh... I see. So this is the outcome."


    A gloomy young man stood in front of the large notice board, his dark eyes scanning the names with an almost detached expression.


    "After everything I did..."


    His gaze landed on his name.


    Damon Grey.


    There it was, right at the top of the rankings. Number one.


    It was undeniable now¡ªhis dominance over the mid-semester evaluation had been absolute. No one could dispute his victory. No one could claim it was luck. Yet, despite this, Damon didn''t smile. There was no rush of joy, no satisfaction. Just a quiet weight lifting off his shoulders. He had secured his place at the academy. No more probationary status. No more risk of expulsion.


    He had risked everything for this one chance, pushing himself beyond his limits. But life was funny that way¡ªjust when he thought he had cleared a major obstacle, a thousand more loomed ahead.


    He scanned the rest of the rankings. Apart from him, the overall positions hadn''t shifted much. The top students had merely moved down by one rank to make room for him at the summit. The gap between him and the others was staggering.


    Damon sighed, pulling himself away from the board and tuning back into the murmurs of the bustling hallway.


    "That monster... is number one now."


    "I heard the trees in the forest he burned are already growing back."


    "I heard he got Professor Kael reprimanded by the headmaster."


    "Even the professors can''t stop him now..."


    "Someone should challenge him for the top spot."


    "Are you insane? I don''t want to die!"


    The whispers surrounded him, but Damon didn''t even spare them a glance. A month and a half had passed since he first arrived at the academy. At the start, he had suffered setback after setback, scorned and belittled by both students and faculty alike. But now, after six grueling weeks, he was number one¡ªand an object of fear.@@@@


    He had crushed those who had once mocked him. He had killed Marcus, the arrogant fool who set him up at the beginning. He had silenced his professors with sheer results.


    Damon had made a choice back then¡ªnot to cower, not to submit. He had refused to accept grievances forced upon him, even if it meant blood on his hands.


    But his immediate problems hadn''t disappeared. If anything, they had multiplied. He needed money. He needed power. And more than anything¡ªhe needed souls and flesh to feed his shadow.


    Because whatever insane scheme Lilith Astranova was planning for him, he needed to survive it.


    As he turned away, the first-years crowding around the rankings quickly scattered, clearing a path in terrified silence. No one dared to make a sound. It was as if they were all holding their breath, waiting for a monster to pass by.


    And that in itself was a problem.


    Because Damon was a fraud.


    Yes, he had won the mid-semester evaluation. Yes, he had crushed the top students. But it was all because of his shadow''s hunger. That power boost had been the deciding factor. Without it, he was still weak. Even now, despite his recent advancements, he was only Level 3.


    Before he could even process it, she grabbed him, pulled him forward, and delivered a crushing blow to his gut. His body jerked, and then¡ªBAM¡ªanother punch to the face, knocking him flat on the ground.


    "ARGH! Ouch!"


    Damon groaned, his back hitting the dirt. He wasn''t even mad yet¡ªjust surprised.


    ''Since when did she get this physically buff...?''


    He struggled to lift himself, only to be met with Evangeline''s piercing gaze.


    Despite the pain, he smirked, his eye already starting to bruise.


    "Hey, it was a fair evaluation... aren''t you breaking some rule here?"


    She bit her lip, her body trembling with frustration.


    "I don''t care about that, you bastard!"


    Damon blinked, rubbing his sore jaw. He had been on the verge of fleeing, wanting no part in this fight.


    "Huh... then why the hell are you messing me up?"


    She gritted her teeth.


    "You didn''t even dodge," she accused, eyes narrowing.


    "So you do feel guilty... Good. At least you still have a conscience."


    Damon remained silent, suppressing his growing anger.


    ''No, I just couldn''t react fast enough.''


    Evangeline stepped forward, towering over him.


    "Listen up, you bastard... You hurt Sylvia."


    Damon raised an eyebrow annoyed.


    "Sylvia? Then why the hell are you the one messing me up? Bitch, aren''t you doing too much?"


    She clenched her teeth in fury, then suddenly straddled him, using her weight to pin him down. He felt the pressure of her body against his, the heat of her anger almost tangible.


    Her face moved inches from his, her golden eyes burning with fury.


    "You will apologize," she growled, her voice low and dangerous.


    "And until she goes back to her usual self... I''ll be here to ruin you."


    Damon could feel her soft body pressing against him, even though his mind was more occupied with the lingering pain.


    "Okay, sure, you win," he sighed. "Can you get off me now?"

 Chapter 154 Quick Hand

    Lilith stood by the gate of the academy, arms crossed, waiting longer than she had expected for Damon to show up. The cool evening breeze rustled the edges of her uniform, but she barely noticed.


    ''Don''t tell me he''s not coming... Do I have to blackmail him further?''


    She already had several ideas on how to do so. She doubted it would come to that, though. He wasn''t foolish enough to refuse her offer, not when she was promising to feed his shadow and make him stronger.


    Besides, he wasn''t naive enough to think he could get away with everything on his own. Not with his meager power and resources.


    Lost in her thoughts, she finally noticed a young man with dark hair approaching. His expression was grim, and he looked slightly haggard. One of his eyes was swollen black, and faint bruises marred his face.


    Of course, it was Damon.


    She gave him a once-over, raising an eyebrow.


    "What happened to you?"


    He scowled.


    "I tripped and fell on the pavement."


    Lilith glanced at the flat, even ground beneath them before looking back at his bruised face.


    "And I assume the pavement gave you that black eye? It must have had quite the right hook."


    Damon shot her a glare.


    "Enough of that. Can we go now? Did you get me permission to leave, or do I have to sneak out?"


    She smiled.


    "I''m the student council president. I''m the one who gives permission. Come, let''s go."


    Damon followed her outside, where a carriage awaited them. This one was even more lavish than the one they had ridden in the first time. The sleek, polished frame gleamed under the soft glow of the academy''s lanterns, the symbol of her house etched onto its side in intricate gold detailing.


    "You really enjoy showing off your wealth, don''t you?"


    Lilith''s smile didn''t falter. "Thank you for being so tactful."


    He sneered.


    "You''re welcome. I try my best to be a piece of shit every chance I get."


    She sighed, stepping into the carriage.


    "How are you even still alive with that horrible personality of yours?"@@@@


    He chuckled, settling into the seat across from her.


    "What happens if we feed it past its hunger? Can it devour other things besides magic crystals? What happens if it eats the mana core of a monster?"


    Damon nodded. He understood where she was coming from. If anyone wanted to explore the limits of his wretched shadow, it was him.


    "There''s also your skill... That sacrifice ability of yours is interesting. I reckon it''s not your only one." She studied him intently.


    "Normally, only someone who has reached the first-class advancement can use a skill like at all. But the rules don''t seem to matter to you."


    She crossed her legs, her voice taking on a smoother tone.


    "Apart from eating people and monsters, let''s keep some magic crystals on hand. But I''ll make sure you have a feast every time we go out."


    Damon nodded. This was part of the reason he had agreed to work with her in the first place. This vixen would help him get more food for his shadow.


    "Where are we going exactly?"


    Lilith smiled. "Athor''s Sanctuary."


    Damon frowned. "Okay, then. Who do you intend for me to kill and eat? If it''s innocent townsfolk, I''ll pass. Unless it''s absolutely necessary."


    She raised a brow. "So you will if there''s necessity? Isn''t that the same thing?"


    He shook his head.


    "It''s not. The world has no end to scum. There''s no need to feed off those who are already trying their hardest when people like that exist."


    She scoffed. "All I hear are excuses from the man who killed an innocent hunter."


    Damon bit his lip.


    "More reason not to repeat my mistakes..."


    Lilith sighed. "Fine, then."


    "Today, we''re targeting a small part of a certain smuggling ring."


    Damon nodded, waiting for her to continue.


    "They''re mainly based in the capital city, Valerion, a few kilometers away. But they have a small branch in Athor''s Sanctuary. Nothing too big."


    Damon could think of a few smuggling rings in Valerion¡ªsome big, some small. Some even had ties to nobles, giving them a certain level of protection. He knew them well. After all, he used to work for one.


    Lilith pushed her hair to the side, studying his reaction.


    "Not sure if you''ve heard of them, but they call themselves Quick Hand."


    Damon''s eyes widened.


    Quick Hand.

 Chapter 155 Old Friends

    Quick Hand.


    How could Damon not recognize the name? Even now, he carried a dagger that marked his membership in the organization, a silent testament to his past.


    His history with Quick Hand began long before he ever set foot in the academy.


    After arriving in the capital, he''d been forced to sell his father''s house to a noble. With no other options, he had taken what little money he had and bought a rundown home through the war banks¡ªa decrepit place barely standing, nestled within a slum controlled by gangs and corrupt law enforcement.


    At the time, it had just been him and his sister. They were alone, unfamiliar with the capital, and completely unprepared for the brutal reality of their new lives.


    Food was scarce.


    Damon could still remember the gnawing hunger in his stomach, the hollow pain of going days without eating. But no matter what, he wasn''t about to let his sister starve¡ªnot after what they had escaped from back in their village.


    Survival came first.


    He had already picked up a few dirty tricks from the caravan they''d traveled with, so naturally, he took to the streets. He started small¡ªstealing food, barely escaping with his life when a furious mob caught him in the act. They had no qualms about lynching a starving child.


    It was then that he noticed how the other street kids operated. They weren''t reckless like him. They were subtle. Pickpockets. Shadows in the crowd. He observed them, learned their ways, mimicked their techniques.


    But Damon had one fatal flaw¡ªhe didn''t know the inner workings of the system.@@@@


    The street kids weren''t just independent thieves; they paid off the right people. They stole just enough to survive, handing over a cut of their earnings to Quick Hand, the gang that ran the show. That was why they were allowed to keep their scraps.


    Damon, on the other hand, had been too successful.


    He was adaptable, clever, and unrelenting. In just a short time, he had stolen enough to feed both himself and his sister, even managing to buy rare commodities like meat.


    Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    He had smiled at the taste, almost convinced for a moment that things were getting better¡ªthat maybe, just maybe, he could return to the days when food was abundant, when his parents were still alive.


    But Damon had made a mistake.


    He hadn''t paid protection money.


    His gloomy, outcast nature didn''t help either. The other street kids didn''t like him, and he had no allies among them.


    So they turned him in.


    He was captured and dragged before Quick Hand''s leader, the one who controlled the slum''s underground economy.


    He could have begged for mercy. Any sane person would have.


    But Damon was stupidly stubborn about the most ridiculous things.


    They beat him. He refused to yield.


    They beat him again. He still wouldn''t give in.


    They threw him back onto the streets, half-dead.


    The next day, they caught him again. The process repeated itself for an entire month.


    "Yeah, I know them... Quick Hand is a smuggling ring. They work for the Chakata family, which is actually funded by Viscount Darkanoff."


    She blinked, surprised he knew so much.


    "The last part is news to me... you¡ª"


    "I was with them before," he interrupted casually.


    She nodded slowly, studying him.


    He smirked. "The boss of Quick Hand bailed me out of a lot of problems¡ªor rather, was forced to bail me out. All things considered, if I wasn''t useful, he would''ve wanted me dead too."


    Damon chuckled, a knowing glint in his eyes.


    "Luckily, I made sure he always had a reason to keep me around¡ªfor his own interest, of course. Having leverage is always a good thing."


    She nodded again, then asked, "We''re going to kill them. Don''t you feel any solidarity with them?"


    Damon''s expression grew distant, his smile slowly twisting into something cold.


    "I do," he admitted. "That''s why I''ll kill them."


    Lilith raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate.


    "In Quick Hand, it''s every man for himself. Some of those bastards made my life a living hell... even worse than it should''ve been," he continued. His grin widened.


    "I swore to some of them that if I ever made it big, they were going to die. The flay powder on their clothes was just the appetizer."


    She touched her own garments with a thin smile.


    "Flay powder on their clothes... How are you still alive?"


    Damon chuckled darkly.


    "Who knows? I''m here, aren''t I?"


    She sighed as the carriage came to a stop by a narrow alley. They stepped out, moving silently through the dimly lit passageways, navigating the labyrinth of backstreets with practiced ease.


    Eventually, they emerged onto a wider road, where a large, worn-out sign greeted them:


    Murmansk Pawn Shop ¨C We Pay, You Pawn.


    Damon exhaled, shaking his head.


    "They still use the same fronts as always," he muttered.


    The pawn shop''s old building had clearly seen better days. Its exterior was dimly lit, and the lack of foot traffic suggested it was more of a cover than an actual business.


    Damon closed his eyes briefly, extending his shadow perception into the building.


    "Hmm... not many of them inside for me to devour, but I do spot a familiar face."


    Lilith glanced at him. He seemed almost eager now¡ªmore than before.


    She smirked. "Let''s go greet your old friends, then. Hello... and goodbye."

 Chapter 156 Makia The Fairy

    Damon and Lilith strolled toward the door with an air of complete indifference. Normally, Damon would be more cautious, but with Lilith beside him, caution felt unnecessary. She was in the third class advancement¡ªpractically untouchable.


    What could a bunch of lowlifes possibly do to her?


    He was the fox borrowing the might of a tiger.


    And this tiger was terrifying.


    With her by his side, Damon''s confidence surged, and he walked toward the entrance like he owned the place.


    "Hey! Stop right there. We''re closed¡ªcome back some other time," a gruff voice called out.


    Damon smirked, glancing at the speaker¡ªa man with a gaudy Mohawk and a fashion sense so horrendous it was almost offensive.


    ''This guy''s a newbie. Too flashy, trying too hard to prove himself,'' Damon thought, barely suppressing his amusement.


    Still, he came to a halt, tilting his head slightly.


    "I''m here to see Makia. Tell him an old friend''s here to fuck him up."


    The man''s expression hardened immediately. His gaze flickered to their academy uniforms, and he instinctively reached into his jacket, his fingers itching for a weapon.


    He never got the chance.


    Before he could react, Damon made a simple gun gesture with his hand. A magic bullet materialized at his fingertips and shot forward, piercing the man''s skull with lethal precision.


    The thug collapsed, lifeless.


    [You have slain Hao of Grey Village.]


    Damon barely acknowledged the notification before his shadow zipped forward, tendrils of darkness latching onto the corpse. Flesh and bone disintegrated into nothing as the shadow devoured its prey.


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [Your shadow is fed.]


    Damon raised an eyebrow.


    "Well, that was easier than I expected."


    Lilith chuckled.


    With no hesitation, she stepped forward and kicked the door open. The heavy wood slammed against the wall, revealing a spacious interior that resembled a large shop. A man stood behind the counter, his eyes widening in alarm.


    Damon didn''t waste time. He raised his hand, forming another magic bullet, and fired.


    But the man was quick¡ªunnaturally so. He ducked behind the counter, narrowly avoiding the shot.


    Unfortunately for him, speed meant nothing when space itself was against him.


    The moment he moved, he found himself teleported directly in front of Damon''s outstretched finger. His pupils shrank in horror. The last thing he saw was a spark of energy before the bullet tore through his skull.


    His body crumpled to the ground.


    Feigning awkwardness, he planted a hand on his head.


    "Geez, Makia... I didn''t know you cared so much, especially after that little prank I pulled with the flay powder on your clothes."


    Makia''s expression darkened.


    Damon chuckled, his voice teasing.


    "Hehe, that prostitute you were with really helped me out. If she hadn''t taken off your clothes, I never would''ve gotten the chance."


    Makia''s eyes bulged with rage, his wings flaring erratically.


    Damon smirked. "At least you had a taste of ecstasy before pain. Be grateful."


    Makia took a deep breath, forcing himself to keep a level head. Phantom was crazy, but he wasn''t stupid¡ªand there was a difference.


    His gaze flickered toward the girl standing beside Damon. Lilith''s vibrant red hair caught the dim light, her deep green eyes filled with something unreadable. She was beautiful¡ªirritatingly so. And she wore the same academy uniform as that bastard.


    "Didn''t know you had what it takes to join that fancy academy," Makia muttered. "So that''s where you were hiding..."


    His eyes slid back to Lilith, and a sleazy grin spread across his face.


    "Who''s your girlfriend?" His tone was laced with something predatory.


    "Mind if I take her for a spin?" His grin widened. "How about a quickie?"


    Damon shivered with disgust.


    "Be my guest," he said, voice dripping with mockery. "Though, I think your situation just went from bad to worse."


    Makia glanced at his ten-man crew, then back at Damon and Lilith. After a brief pause, he burst into laughter.


    "The boss isn''t here to bail you out," he sneered. "And after running away, Phantom, I think he''d want you dead."


    He turned his gaze to Lilith, his smirk widening.


    "As for your girl, the academy wouldn''t notice if one or two students went missing, right?"


    The crew joined in his laughter, their confidence swelling.


    Damon merely sighed.


    Makia grinned, dragging the moment out for unnecessary drama.


    "You probably thought you had the upper hand by bringing some rich girl here, but guess what..."


    His aura surged, filling the room with pressure. The air trembled as an oppressive force radiated from him.


    "I''ve reached First-Class Advancement."


    Damon felt the shift in energy ripple through the room, but his attention flicked to Lilith¡ªwho was clearly holding back her fury.


    He sighed again, shaking his head.


    "You really shouldn''t have mouthed off," he muttered. "Stuff like that... is my specialty." Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 157 Sparkle

    The pressure of facing someone in the First-Class Advancement was overwhelming, especially for someone without a class of their own.


    Yet, Damon ignored the suffocating aura pressing down on him and simply smiled at the fairy, Makia.


    "Makia... before you kill me¡ªor rather, charge to your death¡ªI just want to ask you a question."


    Makia narrowed his eyes at Damon. He couldn''t tell if the man was genuinely confident or just bluffing. However, the young woman standing beside him looked rather young¡ªlikely a first-year student as well. If that were the case, at most, she could only be in the First-Class Advancement... nothing he couldn''t handle.


    Still, curiosity made him pause.


    "What question? If you''re thinking of begging, it''s too late."


    Damon shook his head. "You know I''d never do that. But fine... you''re new to town, right? Just curious¡ªhave you ever heard of Lilith Astranova?"


    Makia scoffed. "Only tales. I heard she''s the student council president at the academy, already in the Third-Class Advancement. People say she''s a real beauty¡ªlong red hair and..."


    He trailed off, his eyes widening as they locked onto the young woman next to Damon¡ªthe same girl who had remained eerily quiet the entire time.


    "Red hair... green eyes..."


    His face paled. He took a step back and shook his head, forcing a nervous laugh.


    "Heh... you almost had me with one of your tricks. There''s no way this is Lilith Astranova¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Damon took a step behind her.


    And then the world shifted.


    The space around them warped as the warehouse was suddenly sealed from the outside. Then, an overwhelming pressure filled the air¡ªdense, suffocating, absolute.


    A Third-Class Advancement aura crashed down upon them, heavy as an ocean, impossible to resist.


    Makia instantly collapsed to his knees, his fairy wings trembling uncontrollably in sheer terror. Even Damon, who wasn''t even her target, felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. His fingers stiffened. His breath caught in his throat.


    This is the power of a Third-Class Advancement...


    And just as suddenly, the aura vanished.


    Makia gasped for air, weakly rising to his knees.


    "L-Lilith Astranova... but how... why would... how could someone like you associate with him?"


    Damon chuckled. "What can I say? I have a way with women."


    Lilith gave him a sidelong glance when he said that, and his smirk wavered awkwardly.


    Makia, still stiff with fear, looked desperately at Lilith.


    "My lady, don''t be deceived by this wretch! He may look like a noble, but I assure you, he is nothing but a lowborn commoner. Worse, he is a traitor''s wretch! You can''t trust someone like him¡ªhe would sell you out just to save his own skin!"


    Lilith turned her gaze toward Damon.


    He simply nodded. "Yeah, I totally would. He''s telling the truth."


    Lilith chuckled. "I see. But I already knew that. Besides..." She smiled, teasingly placing a hand on her hip.


    [You have slain...]


    That made five kills tonight. He only needed two more to level up. Raising his hand, he fired off a magic bullet, effortlessly taking out two more targets.


    [You have slain...]


    [You have slain...]


    [You have leveled up.]


    [You have gained 30 attributes points]


    [You have awakened the skill: Shadow Control.]


    Damon barely acknowledged the notifications as he waved his hand, unleashing another volley of magic bullets. The remaining five men collapsed like puppets with severed strings, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground in eerie silence.


    "Hmm... That was the easiest kill I''ve ever gotten," he muttered, flicking the blood from his dagger.


    His eyes flickered toward Lilith Astranova. She was still tearing Makia apart, his agonized screams reverberating through the warehouse. Damon exhaled, shaking his head.


    "I should really remember not to get on her bad side... That woman can hold poison in her heart."


    He approached Lilith, watching as she methodically broke Makia, her movements slow and cruel.


    "So, can I kill him now, or are you going to keep torturing him?"


    She paused, her gaze unreadable before she gave a casual wave of her hand.


    "Of course. Carry on."


    Makia''s screams had finally stopped, leaving only the thick stench of blood and the scattered corpses littering the warehouse floor. Damon''s shadow, despite its usual hunger, remained still. It was full¡ªfor now. But it lingered, waiting, as if anticipating his command.


    Damon wanted to observe its progress first, to see what his new skill was capable of. But before that... he needed to finish Makia.


    He turned to the broken fairy, who lay in a trembling heap, his small body barely clinging to life.


    "Makia... remember when I told you guys that if I ever made it big, I was gonna kill you all?"


    Damon crouched beside him, tilting his head.


    "And you laughed at me?"


    Makia couldn''t even form words. He just shivered, drowning in his own blood.


    "Well, I haven''t made it big... just yet," Damon admitted with a smirk.


    "But I''d hate to keep you waiting."


    He raised his hand, unleashing several magic bullets into Makia''s body. The fairy''s fingers twitched, his body convulsing¡ªbut he still wouldn''t die.


    Damon groaned. "Is your class tortoise, bitch? Just die already."


    Irritated, he leaned in and drove his dagger into Makia''s chest. The fairy''s glowing eyes dimmed, his final expression one of fear and anguish.


    [You have slain Makia Sparkle.]

 Chapter 158 The Lost

    ''Sparkle... his surname was Sparkle... well, Makia certainly had a vibrant personality...''


    Damon couldn''t help but think of the fairy''s foul mouth and hot temper. He glanced at his corpse¡ªhis mangled fingers, his broken body... Damon''s heart was calm, even without Remorseless to keep his emotions in check. It had only been about two weeks or so since he started killing people, and now his heart was becoming unmoved by the lives he took.


    He didn''t even feel the weight that was supposed to be there... He wondered if he would become numb to it soon...


    He glanced at Lilith.


    "I leveled up, and now I need¡ª" He glanced at the system panel. "Huh... argh... come on..."


    He looked at her and chuckled.


    "I got stronger, but now I need ten more... but I''ve already gotten six here, so make that four more souls..."


    She chuckled at his words it was as if the death of a few more people didn''t bother her much.


    "That wouldn''t be a problem now, but if you only devour the souls of members of the goddess races... will your shadow eventually demand you kill the whole world?"


    He bit his lip with mild irritation, his eyes narrowed slightly.


    He had thought about that too... He shrugged.


    "I hope it never comes to that..."


    It was a concern he had already considered before... if it ever came to that he would without a doubt get killed by the noble and righteous heroes of the world...


    ''Even the villain would want me dead...''


    He looked at his system panel. He had 40 attribute points¡ª10 from those he devoured outside and 30 from leveling up. His shadow pool was at four hundred... He glanced at the new skill and decided to check it out first.


    [Skill: Shadow Control]


    [Description:]


    "The lost abound, hunger in their souls as they steal shadows, replacing their stolen forms with the essence of those they take. Those whose shadows vanish become like them¡ªlost, wandering, forever chasing what was stolen. In their absence, the shadows once lost now bend to your will, shaped by desire, lingering and intangible, as though they were never meant to be seen."


    [Effect:]


    The user can control intangible shadows¡ªthose not bound to physical form¡ªmanipulating them with will and essence. Masterless shadows now bend to your command, a force under your control.@@@@


    [Type:]


    Active.


    "Yes. This skill allows you to control the lost. Those horrible creatures steal people''s shadows, but they themselves are shadows. This is a skill that can control them¡ªall masterless shadows."


    Damon held his chin. "That makes sense... although that doesn''t help me now."


    He glanced at the corpses in the warehouse. "Although, I can still get a skill from one of them if I get lucky."


    He ordered his shadow to move, and it began devouring the corpses.


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [Your shadow is full.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    ...


    As his shadow feasted, he paused. An idea struck him. Stopping his shadow, he willed all the shadows in the warehouse toward the corpses, commanding them to devour. A flood of notifications followed.


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    He smiled. The skill wasn''t useless after all.


    Now, all that was left was Makia''s body.


    Lilith watched with a thin smile. He had no idea what she was thinking, and frankly, he wasn''t bothered. His focus was on Makia''s corpse. The others hadn''t given him a new skill, and honestly, he was disappointed. It had been a while since he last gained one.


    Lowering himself to the ground, he picked up the glowing dagger Makia had wielded. A magical artifact. He smiled¡ªit would fetch good money. But he dismissed the thought. It could also be traced.


    He glanced at his shadow.


    "Devour him."


    The darkness moved and swallowed Makia whole.


    A notification appeared.


    [You have gained 15 attribute points.]


    [You have acquired the skill: Parkour.]


    He smiled. At last, another skill.

 Chapter 159 Bandits

    The more he looked at it, the more Damon couldn''t help but sigh. The system really didn''t want to let him become powerful too easily... Had he not suffered enough for power?


    The skill in question was this.


    [Skill: Parkour]


    [Description:]


    "Flight is not always defeat¡ªsometimes, it is the art of movement itself. To run, to leap, to flow like water through obstacles is to master the rhythm of escape and pursuit. Running away is a skill¡ªdo so with grace."


    [Effect:]


    The user moves with exceptional agility and fluidity, effortlessly navigating terrain with swift reflexes and precise footwork. Climbing, vaulting, and maneuvering through obstacles become second nature.


    [Type:]


    Passive.


    [Cooldown:]


    0 seconds.


    Damon wondered if the system was mocking Makia for not trying to run... though how could he have escaped when Lilith had sealed the entire space?


    The skill was good, all things considered. It was a skill he needed¡ªeven with this, he wouldn''t have to worry as much about mastering the omnidirectional gear.


    Which was why he felt so despondent. He had risked his life to learn how to swing around, and now the system just handed him a skill that made all motor movements easy? He let go of the magic artifact in his hand, staring blankly as it slowly fell onto his shadow.


    The moment it touched the dark mass, his shadow rippled and devoured it.


    [You have gained +5 Mana, +10 HP.]


    Damon blinked.


    Huh...


    He looked down. The dagger had disappeared. His body quivered. That dagger was a magical artifact... one he had taken from Makia. He had planned to find a way to sell it for some cold, hard zeni.


    He had already been thinking about how to spend the money¡ªbuying something nice for his sister, maybe even getting her some extra gifts.


    Then, realization hit him.


    "M... my... my money..."


    He clutched his head.@@@@


    "Ahh¡ªno! No, not again! Give it back, you bastard! My money!"


    His shadow zipped behind Lilith, who seemed momentarily stunned by his outburst.


    "What... is it?" she asked, eyeing him warily.


    Damon glared at her.


    "Hand over that bastard! He took my money! He ate my money! That dagger could have been worth a few hundred thousand¡ªmaybe even a million zeni after appraisal!"


    He pointed a trembling finger at the shadow, his voice practically shaking.


    "And he¡ªhe ate it!"


    Lilith blinked, watching him with mild amusement. She hadn''t expected him to fuss over zeni of all things.


    His shadow clenched its fists, opening its mouth as if hurling silent insults at him.


    "Fine, fine. Sorry, you win. It''s just the zeni..." Damon grumbled feeling a sting in his heart...


    Lilith sighed.


    "Why are you worried about such a small amount of money when there''s an entire warehouse full of smuggled materials?"


    She glanced around at the blood-soaked surroundings, the thick scent of death and something fishy hanging in the air.


    "That fairy mentioned a crate of magic crystals. You can use that to boost your mana."


    Damon followed her gaze. The place was a mess, but she was right¡ªthey had gained far more than expected tonight.


    "We can take the excess and add it to our funds for future operations," she continued.


    "Although... we need a base. Hmmm..."


    She fell into thought, and Damon understood her concerns. He had gained 105 attribute points in total¡ªfrom devouring and leveling up.


    They searched the crates, eventually finding the stash of magic crystals along with other ores. Damon experimentally fed some of the ores to his shadow, but nothing happened. It only cared for magic crystals.


    Not all ores were edible, apparently.


    Then, they found something far more interesting¡ªa chest full of zeni, containing 12 million in total.


    The moment Damon saw the pile of cash, he put on his best puppy-dog eyes. He was practically on the verge of going feral before Lilith, with an exasperated sigh, finally let him keep all of it.


    As for the magic crystals...


    Damon was almost drooling at the thought of selling them, but Lilith reminded him that he couldn''t¡ªfor two reasons.


    One, they were contraband stolen from smugglers.


    Two, he needed them. They could boost his mana and serve as emergency energy for his shadow using the Sacrifice skill.


    The crystals were of low purity, meaning most people wouldn''t be able to absorb them directly. Only monster mana cores were stable enough for direct absorption, and even then, most of the energy would be lost.


    But that wasn''t a problem for Damon.


    His shadow devoured them all, and his mana skyrocketed to 1,384. Each crystal only provided 5 mana, but with enough of them, the numbers added up quickly.


    As for his other stats, he decided to distribute them later.


    Lilith waved her hand, and the rest of the ores and his 12 million zeni vanished into a spatial pocket she created.


    "We''ll decide where to keep them later," she said.


    With that, she unsealed the space, and they stepped out of the pawn shop.


    As they did, a thought struck Damon.


    "Hey... are we bandits?"


    Lilith smiled. "We stole from thieves. That makes us¡ª"


    "Yeah, we''re still bandits."


    She chuckled at his words.


    "We start small," she murmured. "One day, we''ll be a great force in this world... together."

 Chapter 160 Eternal Rivals

    The shop was exquisite, with lavish de?cor and marble flooring. It had high ceilings and fancy chandeliers, exuding an air of wealth and refinement.


    In one of the rooms, a young man with a gloomy expression stood in place, wearing garments made from high-level fabric that would cost more than just a few zeni.


    The material was grey, with a black jacket adorned with an expensive brooch on the side of his chest. His black hair framed his face, giving him the appearance of a rich noble young master.


    Damon glanced at the seamstress, who was fitting his clothes. This was the fifth set Lilith had selected and bought for him.


    Naturally, he appreciated free stuff as much as the next person¡ªit wasn''t like he was the one paying for it.


    Though, just to confirm...


    "Hey, you''re not buying all these expensive clothes with my money, right?"


    He was referring to the 12 million they had gotten from killing Makia and the other members of Quick Hand.


    Lilith smiled.


    "Oh? How did you know? What kind of man would let a woman pay for him? Someone as proud as you, I know, would never¡ª"


    Damon narrowed his eyes.@@@@


    "I''ll stop you right there. I pride myself on having no pride, and so what if a woman pays for me?"


    He glanced at the clothes.


    "Ma''am, how much are these?"


    The seamstress smiled lightly.


    "Oh, my lord, these aren''t expensive¡ªonly fifty thousand zeni."


    Damon almost choked on his spit.


    "Fifty¡ªI am not your lord! Get this off me!"


    Lilith shook her head, smiling.


    "Relax. I''m paying for it."


    Damon paused, then looked at the seamstress.


    "Can I get some higher-quality cufflinks? As for this brooch... get me one with black serpim. All on her, of course."


    Lilith looked at him. He really had no shame.


    He glanced at her.


    "What? I like good stuff too, especially on someone else''s dime."


    The seamstress returned with a brooch adorned with a black-reddish jewel.


    "Yes, but what about the other students?"


    Damon came to a realization.


    "You don''t mean... ahhh, that would be annoying."


    She agreed. "It would be, especially since the imperial capital is their territory."


    Damon chuckled.


    "Haven''t the imperial academy students lost to us in every tournament? Especially the one where the academies decide the slots for who gets to enter the world dungeon and send the most candidates?"


    He snapped his fingers.


    "What''s it called again?"


    "The War Games."


    Damon nodded. "Right. Can''t believe anyone would put the words ''war'' and ''games'' together."


    She sipped her tea.


    He continued.


    "We don''t really care about the imperial academy. They''re not even considered our rivals or equals. The real contest has always been with the students of Eldoria Academy or the ones from the Magic Academy in Aerona."


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    She sighed.


    "That''s true. We''re number one, pulling in talent from everywhere. That''s why the imperial crown created the imperial academy¡ªto compete and obtain the best talents. But students in the imperial academy are segregated based on noble lineage, with only commoners being allowed to join in the past decade."


    He scoffed. "So, it''s the same everywhere. Big deal."


    She shook her head. "In our academy, it''s a cruel meritocracy. Take yourself as an example¡ªa commoner in the War Halls. The professors don''t really discriminate against you based on your birth but on your strength. And after slapping them in the face as of late, I think you won that merit."


    She sighed. "On the other hand, the royal academy is a bit different. Lineage is more well-regarded. And it''s younger than our academy¡ªit wasn''t founded by a great sage, and it doesn''t attract talent from other continents. Mostly homebred talents. And being so close to us, they live under our shadow, constantly getting compared to us. They don''t have the diplomatic immunity or the great fame we do."


    "So naturally, they see us as eternal rivals. They''ll do anything to win against us."


    She smiled coldly. "But they never will."


    Damon got chills when she said that.


    "Okay, that explains why we aren''t wearing uniforms... but why are we going to the capital exactly?"


    She looked at him calmly, a bit of teasing in her eyes.


    "We''re going to pick up the mother of your good friend, Tobias Margan."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. Tobias¡ªthe guy he killed.

 Chapter 161 The Road To Ruin

    Damon and Lilith walked out of the shop, both clad in their academy uniforms. They hadn''t been able to talk freely inside with the seamstress present.


    He sighed, wearing a gloomy expression.


    "This isn''t fair, you know..."


    Lilith paid him no mind.


    "You should at least have the decency to meet the mother of the man you killed."


    He shook his head.


    "Not that... What''s unfair is how you can just store things in a separate space. I don''t even see a spatial artifact on you."


    Lilith glanced at him, shaking her head at how unconcerned he was about meeting Tobias Margan''s mother. She wondered if he even had a conscience.


    "It''s not unfair. I used my attribute. The spell stores what I want inside my..."


    She paused, a bit hesitant.


    "My fancy tattoo."


    He knew what she was referring to¡ªher stigmata from the unknown god. She was treating it like a glorified pocket.


    Damon sighed finding his situation to be highly on fair, if he got a power like that no strings attached he would be leaping for joy.@@@@


    "I would appreciate a special pocket space too..."


    He glanced at his shadow with mild irritation.


    "Can you tell upper management to send over a skill that lets me have my own spatial storage?"


    His shadow, which had been acting like a normal shadow, gave him a thumbs-up.


    Damon smirked not sure if his shadow could even contact anyone, much less a god but who knew his shadow was quite mysterious afterall.


    Lilith scoffed. "You really should count your blessings. At least your powers get explained, even if it''s intentionally vague. I, on the other hand, didn''t get any explanations. No handbook, no guide on how to use mine."


    Damon rolled his eyes at her ungratefulness.


    "And I don''t suppose you have to eat people to survive?"


    She remained quiet.


    "That''s what I thought."


    He stuffed his hands into his pockets.


    Damon agreed with her reasoning.


    "So, what do we do then?"


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    Lilith smiled coldly.


    "For now, we do nothing but keep our wits about us. It could be a student, or a faculty member... Regardless of who it is, we will eliminate them."


    Damon nodded.


    "If they know, they''ll eventually act on their intentions. If they don''t, we don''t need to do anything. No use overthinking things..."


    His heart throbbed.


    "Unless... they''re planning to expose my plans when the noble families of the deceased gather."


    Lilith shook her head.


    "I doubt that. But even if they did, the evidence would be weak¡ªespecially since you framed Marcus for heresy. They wouldn''t want to involve the temple. They''d want things handled quietly."


    She stepped forward, taking his hand in hers.


    "Don''t fret about our new player. We''ll kill them together. When they show their ugly head, they will die."


    Damon nodded. He felt a bit more at ease. With Lilith''s power, she was comparable to the professors¡ªso even if one of them was involved, he was confident they could kill them.


    As for his crimes, they would never see the light of day. He just needed to be smart and cautious¡ªhide his fears behind a mask of confidence and a remorseless heart.


    She smiled gently.


    "Let''s go. We still have patrol duty... wouldn''t want any wayward first-years wandering about."


    She walked forward, her green eyes turning cold¡ªthe warmth she had when she held his hand now completely gone. She was plotting something.


    Damon smirked. It had only been a day, but he was already starting to rely on Lilith Astranova a bit too much.


    It was about time he started pulling his weight. This was a give-and-take relationship, after all. And she was being especially generous. Damon understood¡ªnothing was free in this world.


    Lilith wanted something from him as well.


    And the future she promised him was, without a doubt, one of carnage and blood. Pain and misery would follow them everywhere.


    They would walk hand in hand with death and deceit.


    Truly, the two of them were walking the road to ruin.

 Chapter 162 New Sheriff In Town

    A green-haired youth sprinted through the town''s alleyways, sweat trickling down his forehead. His breath came in ragged gasps as he cast frantic glances at the rooftops, his expression filled with dread.


    He pushed himself harder, channeling body enhancement magic to move faster.


    After running a little more, he leaned against a wall, panting, his eyes darting up to the rooftops and the sides of the buildings. His opponent was terrifying.


    His academy uniform was already soaked with sweat. The person chasing him was inhumanly fast¡ªvaulting over walls, gliding through buildings with cat-like reflexes, moving effortlessly along the sides of structures. Worst of all, he could swing around faster than he could run, cutting off any chance of escape.


    The youth gulped hard. He had only been messing around... and then they showed up. Seeing the two of them together had horrified him. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Hah... I escaped... I''m never coming to town again..."


    "Really now? What a good student."


    A voice echoed around him. He stiffened, looking around frantically, but saw no one. Then, slowly, his eyes drifted upward¡ª


    A young man, his age, was hanging upside down, barely half a meter from his face, staring straight into his eyes.


    Dark hair. Equally dark eyes.


    Like a spider, the young man slowly descended. As he reached the ground, he flipped midair and landed gracefully, like a feline.


    The student''s face instantly paled.


    "D-Damon Grey... p-please... I... Please don''t hurt me... I just¡ª"


    Damon regarded him with a thin smile.


    Which only made him pale further.


    The more he looked at Damon, the more he recalled how he had shattered Xander''s bones during the mid-semester evaluation.


    If Damon could do that to one of his friends, what would he do to him?


    He had heard the rumors¡ªeach one worse than the last.


    They said Damon was insane. That he loved pain. That he loved taking it and giving it. That he enjoyed bathing in blood, reveling in the sensation of his opponents'' lifeblood soaking his skin.


    Worse, he had somehow tamed most of the academy''s top students through force, coercion, cunning, and blackmail.


    He wasn''t just a monster¡ªhe was a cunning monster.


    Damon took slow, deliberate steps forward, his silent footfalls echoing in the empty alley.


    The student shuddered as a single thought rang in his mind.


    Demon Grey. The academy''s problem child.


    He still hadn''t distributed his latest stat points yet. He was used to pouring everything into Mana, but now, there was no need¡ªhe could just get magic crystals.


    Any points he gained from now on would go toward Strength, HP, Endurance, and Agility.


    He needed to reach his First-Class Advancement as quickly as possible.


    Damon turned to Lilith, who stood beside him with an amused expression.


    "It''s been a long night. Now that we got them all, can I get some alone time?"


    Lilith shook her head.


    "I can''t be biased¡ªat least not openly," she said, folding her arms.


    "If there''s somewhere you want to go in town, we can go together. You are still a first-year, after all."


    Damon bit his lip, hesitating for a moment before nodding.


    "I want to go pick up Croft."


    Lilith raised an eyebrow. "The raven?"


    He nodded.


    "Yeah. I sent him to monitor Iris. Maybe you''ve forgotten, but I do have a student to train."


    Then, a thought struck him.


    Croft had a habit of eating eyeballs. If he found out Damon had gone on a killing spree without bringing him a souvenir, the damn bird would never shut up about it.


    Damon sighed.


    ''Let''s hope he doesn''t get wise to me...''


    Lilith walked ahead into the distance while Damon stood there, lost in thought.


    She turned back, her vibrant red hair shimmering under the moonlight.


    "Well, shall we go see her? I''d love some of her tea... Who knows, maybe I could give her a few pointers."


    Damon smirked.


    "I''d appreciate that... as long as you don''t forget she''s my student."


    She snickered, brushing her hair aside.


    "Wouldn''t dream of it."

 Chapter 163 Relentless Training

    Damon walked through the gates of a house in a quiet part of town as if he owned the place. He strolled past the front yard with uncharacteristic familiarity, while Lilith walked beside him, her expression unreadable.


    He made his way to the door, opened it without hesitation, and walked straight through the living room and adjacent doors, finally arriving at the kitchen. Without pausing, he grabbed an apple from the fruit basket before pushing open the door to the large backyard.


    As he stepped outside, his gaze fell upon a lone figure struggling under the weight of oversized, heavy armor. The person, clad in an enormous helmet with a thin visor, moved with difficulty¡ªclearly, the armor wasn''t meant for someone of her size. However, the grueling training was made even more punishing by the task she had been given: chasing hares while weighed down by the cumbersome suit.


    The training area was enclosed, littered with large obstacles, wooden training dummies, and weapons racks lined with practice swords. Scorch marks marred the ground, remnants of previous sessions.


    The armored figure panted heavily, sweat dripping from her body, but she pressed on, determined. Five hares darted across the enclosure, far too fast for someone in such restrictive gear, yet she refused to give up.


    Damon watched her with a small smile. A raven suddenly took flight from one of the training dummies, landing gracefully on his shoulder. It cawed once, then paused as if taking in his scent.


    "Caw... blood... caw... death... caw... caw..."


    Damon''s smile twitched.


    ''So Croft found out about my little kill spree after all...''


    Before the raven could cause a scene, he produced a piece of dried jerky and offered it.


    But Croft ignored it, hopping off his shoulder and landing next to his shadow.


    "Caw... share... caw... share..."


    Damon frowned.


    As if expecting this, his shadow shifted slightly. Then, in a slow, unsettling movement, it raised a thumb¡ªan eerie imitation of a human gesture. Moments later, the darkness rippled, and two small eyeballs emerged, rolling onto the ground beside Croft.


    Damon stiffened. Even lifeless, he recognized them.


    The dead fairy, Makia.


    His eyes widened in shock. Lilith, standing nearby, narrowed her gaze and glanced at him.


    He shook his head immediately. He hadn''t known about this.


    "Huh... how did you¡ª"


    He quickly looked up to check if Iris had noticed the bizarre exchange, but she remained entirely focused on her training, too absorbed in chasing the hares to acknowledge their presence.


    Damon crouched down as Croft eagerly devoured the eyes.


    "What the hell was that?"


    His shadow only shrugged.


    Damon shot it a glare. The inky form hesitated, then raised an arm and mimicked a silent coughing gesture before finally explaining.


    Apparently, it had made a deal with Croft¡ªto always save an eye or two after every ''meal.''


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    Damon bit his lip.


    "In that case, prove it. Catch the rabbits."


    Damon stroked his chin.


    "Fine. But they''re hares, you stupid apprentice."


    Lilith, who had been quietly observing from the side, tilted her head slightly. She watched Damon with a surprised expression.


    He was actually playing with someone.


    His smile was genuine. He was teasing Iris in a way that showed actual warmth¡ªan affection that was rare coming from him.


    Damon was always so guarded. Even when he smiled, it never quite reached his eyes.


    But now?


    Now, she could sense it. Even in his dark eyes, there was a flicker of something real.


    Iris, noticing Lilith for the first time, immediately struggled to get up. The armor clanged as she hastily straightened herself.


    She attempted a curtsy, though it was clumsy at best.


    "Good evening, Student Council President."


    Lilith gave a small nod.


    "Good evening, Iris."


    Before anything else could be said, Damon stepped between them.


    "Alright, girl, you''re on. But if I win... I have a condition."


    Iris was still flustered by Lilith''s presence, so she simply nodded.


    "Okay... What''s your condition?"


    Damon smirked.


    "If I catch them within the time limit... you have to call me Master from now on."


    She scoffed. "And what if you lose?"


    "I''ll give you a million zeni as your allowance this month."


    Iris''s eyes lit up.


    "You''re on."


    Damon grinned.


    Once again, his victory was guaranteed.


    This was the perfect opportunity to distribute his stat points while showing off to his hot-headed apprentice.

 Chapter 164 The Way Of The Master

    While Iris was taking off the bulky armor she had been using for training, Damon took the moment to distribute his attributepoints.


    He had 105 in total.


    This time, he didn''t allocate any to mana. His focus was purely on physical strength.


    After getting beaten up by Evangeline Brightwater earlier, he realized the gap in his physical power.


    As for why she was so strong... he only figured it out after sensing Makia''s first-class advancement aura.


    Evangeline must have gotten stronger.


    She was just a fine line away from her first-class advancement, which explained the sudden boost in her physical abilities.


    In fact, she might have even received a general boost to her stats all around.


    But so did he.


    Damon distributed his points.


    "The moment I return... I''ll mess her up a bit..."


    He held that thought, shaking his head. There was no need to provoke her when his shadow was full.


    ''Let''s see her take me on when I''m hungry.''


    His body heated up as power coursed through his veins. He felt his joints become nimbler, his muscles explode with strength.


    His system panel displayed his updated stats:


    [HP: 60/60]


    [Mana: 1384/1384]


    [Strength: 79] +50


    [Agility: 27] +10


    [Speed: 60] +25


    [Endurance: 30] +20


    [Class: ¡ª]


    [Shadow: 400]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%]


    [Shadow Level: 4]


    [Condition: Shadow is Full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour]


    [Locked]


    His shadow was full.


    The sight almost brought a tear to his eye.


    He had been living frugally all this time, but one night out with Lilith Astranova and he was completely satisfied.


    As for his level-up requirements...


    Level Up Requirements


    Souls Consumed: [6/10]


    Damon sighed.


    He still needed to kill four more people to level up.


    But on the bright side, his pool of shadow energy had grown, so he wasn''t really complaining.


    A dull clang echoed behind him.


    He turned around to see Iris watching him, a small but menacing smile on her face. Her body was drenched in sweat, but her eyes were burning with determination.


    Damon nodded.


    "Fine. Five hares. I''ll have them to you in two minutes tops."


    Iris snickered in disdain.


    "Looks like I''m getting a million zeni today."


    Damon smirked and shrugged off his jacket.


    She had been training hard, and her physical strength had improved significantly.


    He had also taught her the basics of swordsmanship¡ªnot because he used it much himself, but because it was valuable to know.


    Swordplay was something he had learned from his father.


    Something he used more for stress relief than real combat.


    Still, he had guided her through striking, parrying, and even helped refine her magic casting.


    She had pushed through every challenge he threw at her.


    Now, she was ready for the next step.


    "You''ve done well," Damon admitted. "Your effort hasn''t gone unnoticed."


    Iris gave a firm nod.


    Training was all she did.


    Since Damon declared himself her master, she had stopped relying on the townsfolk entirely.


    She lived off the allowance he gave her, dedicating herself fully to her training.


    Damon crossed his arms.


    "I''ll teach you my self-created spell." His tone was matter-of-fact.


    "It''s dangerous, so learn it at your own risk."


    Iris didn''t flinch.


    Her usual hot-headed resolve burned bright in her eyes.


    Lilith, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow.


    She already knew what spell Damon was about to teach.


    And yes¡ª


    It was dangerous.


    But it was also powerful with lots of potential for growth.


    Damon smirked.


    "But first..."


    He tilted his head slightly.


    "You may call me Master."


    Iris scoffed, crossing her arms.


    "Sure. Whatever." She narrowed her eyes. "Let''s see your spell first. If it''s worth it, I''ll consider it."


    Damon chuckled at her defiance.


    Then¡ª


    Without even looking at one of the hares, he raised his hand.


    His fingers formed a gun gesture.


    BANG!


    A magic bullet shot from his fingertips, piercing the hare''s skull.


    The creature collapsed instantly, its blood soaking into the dirt.


    Damon casually pulled his hand back¡ª


    And blew away the faint wisp of smoke from his fingertip.


    Iris''s eyes widened in shock.


    "H-Huh?! What the hell kind of spell was that?! Damon¡ª"


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    "Ahem, ahem."


    Her awe immediately turned into a scowl.


    She gritted her teeth.


    "...Master."


    Damon grinned.


    And with an exaggerated flourish, he soaked in the moment.

 Chapter 165 Different Attributes

    While Damon reveled in the glory of making a teenage girl call him Master, Croft landed beside the freshly dead hare. Without hesitation, the bird pecked at its lifeless eye, plucking it out and swallowing it whole.


    Damon barely noticed.


    His expression shifted, turning serious as his gaze flickered toward Iris.


    He hesitated.


    Teaching her the Magic Bullet spell... Was this really a good idea?


    Learning it had been dangerous for him¡ª


    Because he had created the spell from scratch.


    He had to figure out everything himself¡ª


    The mana output, the distance from his fingertips, the recoil, the strain on his body...


    All of it.


    And he had paid the price.


    Blowing his fingers off.


    Burning them to a crisp.


    Mangling his hand beyond recognition.


    Before he finally¡ª


    Finally¡ª


    Mastered it.


    But was it worth it?


    Absolutely.


    With the right accuracy and against an opponent with low defense, it was a guaranteed kill.


    More importantly¡ª


    It was fast.


    Perfect for surprise attacks.


    That said¡ª


    It had its drawbacks.


    It was loud.


    Each shot always came with a bang.


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    It would wreck his fingers.


    Damon had a theory to counter that¡ª


    By trapping the expanding mana inside a sealed formation to stabilize the bullet before firing¡ª


    But he wasn''t reckless enough to test it yet.


    He needed Sylvia''s help for that.


    ''I really need to apologize and get back on her good side...''


    Iris, of course, had no idea what was going through his head.


    All she saw was his usual brooding expression.


    And she knew.


    She was about to be put through hell again.


    She inhaled sharply, bracing herself.


    "This spell is called Magic Bullet." Damon finally spoke, voice cold and steady.


    "I wouldn''t even call it a proper spell. It''s simple, direct, and brutally efficient."


    He turned, walking over to Lilith, who was now seated on a chair that she must have fetched from the house.


    Damon hadn''t even noticed her leave.


    Which meant she had used magic.


    That thought briefly crossed his mind¡ª


    But he didn''t let it distract him.


    "If you''re familiar with the Magic Blast spell, you can learn this too." He glanced at Iris. "Although... expect to lose your fingers."


    Iris paled slightly.


    "I... I will do it..."


    Her voice trembled slightly¡ª


    But the determination was still there.


    Damon sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "I get it... but you don''t have to worry." His voice was calm, steady.


    "I''ll be here to guide you. Losing a finger is just a cautionary tale so you understand the risks. But with my experience, you''ll be fine. At worst, you''ll fracture your fingers if you fail or maybe burn up your skin¡ª"


    "Actually," Lilith interjected, strolling over. "You overlooked something."


    Damon tilted his head.


    "What''s that?"


    Lilith shifted her gaze to Iris.


    "All of this is based on your attributes, Damon," she pointed out. "But you forgot to consider the tyrannical nature of Iris''s fire attribute."


    Damon blinked.


    Lilith crossed her arms.


    "Her fire isn''t normal. It''s far more destructive than standard fire magic. If anything¡ª" she paused, giving Iris a meaningful glance, "¡ªthis could be worse for her."


    Damon turned to Iris.


    Forced a smile.


    "...."


    Iris gulped.


    Damon quickly waved his hand dismissively.


    "Relax, Iris! It''ll be fine. I got this. Our attributes aren''t so different¡ª"


    His words were not reassuring.


    Iris shot him a flat look.


    "Fire and shadow attributes couldn''t be more different, Master."


    Lilith smirked and nudged Damon in the side.


    "Don''t worry, Iris," she said lightly. "While yours will be more painful and a lot more destructive... you''ll have way more firepower than Damon because of it."


    Iris forced a smile, glancing at her hands before biting her lip.


    But then¡ª


    She hardened her resolve.


    "I will do it."


    Lilith turned to Damon, watching Iris with an appraising gaze.


    "This girl''s a real spitfire, isn''t she? Much different from her father."


    Damon nodded.


    "Yeah... she''s made of tough stuff."


    Iris''s eyes steeled at the mention of her father.


    Her grip tightened.


    "I will learn it. Teach me."


    Lilith locked eyes with her.


    "Don''t worry," she assured her. "I''ll make sure you don''t get hurt. I''ll act as your assistant teacher today."


    Iris''s eyes widened slightly.


    She glanced at Damon.


    He simply shrugged, stepping forward.


    "Let''s start now," he said. "I want us to cover as much as possible before midnight."


    Then¡ª


    He placed a hand on her head.


    His expression was unreadable.


    "Sorry in advance, Iris."


    His voice was calm. Too calm.


    It sent a chill down her spine.

 Chapter 166 Raising Ones Killer

    A luxurious carriage rolled smoothly out of Athor''s Sanctuary, leaving behind the bustling town and the lone statue of the goddess. The rhythmic clatter of hooves filled the air, but inside the lavish carriage, the atmosphere was far from peaceful.


    Lilith sat across from Damon, her gaze fixed on him.


    His expression was unreadable¡ªimpassive as ever.


    But after what he had put Iris through...


    It was no surprise.


    Teaching her the Magic Bullet spell had been brutal.


    The first shot hadn''t blown off her fingers¡ªthanks to Damon''s precise guidance¡ªbut her skin had turned an angry red, trembling from the recoil. Yet before she could even catch her breath, Damon had ordered her to fire another.


    And she had.


    Everything had been going well¡ªuntil her focus slipped.


    One mistake.


    A single moment of distraction¡ª


    And her fingers were gone.


    Lilith could still remember the miserable shriek that tore from the girl''s throat.


    Damon had stood over her, his face cold, unyielding, as Iris clutched her burning stump¡ªtears of agony welling in her eyes. His voice had been merciless.


    "Get up."


    Lilith had rushed to her side, uncorking a high-level healing potion in seconds. It had taken five of them¡ªfive expensive, powerful potions¡ªbefore Iris''s fingers slowly regenerated.


    And still¡ª


    Damon hadn''t let her stop.


    Iris had seemed on the verge of giving up.


    But she hadn''t.


    They had kept going.


    Despite Damon''s cold demeanor, Lilith had noticed¡ª


    The subtle way his fist clenched.


    The minute tremble in his fingers.


    He was worried.


    He did care.


    Their training had continued, and through sheer suffering, Iris had learned.


    She stopped losing her fingers.


    She adjusted the distance between her fingertips and the magic bullet, mastering the technique.


    But she hadn''t accounted for the recoil.


    Her shoulder had snapped out of place.


    Another time, she had broken her elbow¡ªcompletely shattering the ball-and-socket joint.


    It had been gruesome.@@@@


    And yet¡ª


    Despite her inhuman teacher.


    Despite the agonizing training.


    The girl had never faltered.


    Lilith sighed.


    "Alright then. If that day comes¡ªlet me kill her."


    Damon''s head snapped up instantly, his gaze sharp, a chill settling in the air. His eyes darkened, laced with an unmistakable killing intent.


    "If you kill her¡ªI will kill you."


    Lilith met his glare without flinching, then exhaled in resignation.


    "Very well," she murmured. "This is your choice. All I can do is accept it."


    But in her heart, she knew¡ª


    Damon''s affection and guilt toward Iris Vale ran deep.


    If anyone harmed that girl¡ªDamon would go to the ends of the world to destroy them.


    Yet, at the same time¡ª


    He himself was one of the enemies Iris sought to kill.


    The day she discovered the truth¡ª


    Would she even consider that he was the one who trained her? Who helped her?


    Or would she see him as nothing more than a monster¡ªthe murderer of her kind father?


    Lilith leaned back, her lips pressing into a thin line.


    "You might want to see the mental health quartermaster," she muttered dryly.


    Damon let out a sharp breath, leaning his head against the window.


    "I don''t believe in therapy. I don''t see the point in telling some stranger my problems, hoping to get cured."


    Lilith smirked slightly. "The first step¡ª"


    He cut her off with a sigh.


    "I know what you''re about to say. ''A burden is half-solved when shared.'' But I''d rather keep my burdens to myself. No one''s going to help me carry them anyway."


    Lilith''s smirk faded.


    "I will."


    Damon glanced at her.


    "As long as you help me carry mine."


    For the first time in a long while, a small chuckle escaped him.


    "What''s the scheme this time?"


    Lilith pulled out her pager.


    "No scheme."


    Damon raised an eyebrow, waiting.


    She continued, her fingers typing swiftly.


    "I''ll send the twelve million from earlier to your war bank account. Since it''s coming from my account, it''s clean money¡ªno need to worry about money laundering or raising suspicion."


    His pager buzzed.


    Damon checked the notification. His lips curled slightly.


    "Isn''t receiving twelve million from a noble lady a bit suspicious?"


    Lilith smiled mischievously.


    "You could always tell them you''re my paramour."

 Chapter 167 Unlady Like Vocabulary

    Damon walked behind Lilith as they made their way back to the war halls, his expression still somewhat sour. He wasn''t angry that Lilith Astranova had called him out about Iris¡ªhe was angry that she even considered killing the girl.


    He had crossed many lines¡ªserial killer, cannibal, and worse¡ªbut he wanted to have that one sanctuary called redemption. He had regrets.


    But as the philosophy behind the Remorseless skill had quoted:


    "No pause for regrets."


    All he could do was keep moving forward.


    His gaze drifted to his pager, and his mood lifted slightly at the sight of the 12 million zeni transferred from Lilith. She had probably given it to him as a way to make peace.


    He smirked. "Do noble ladies just casually have 12 million zeni sitting in their accounts?"


    Lilith shook her head. "12 million isn''t chicken change. Naturally not."


    She paused for a moment before continuing, "I''ve been preparing all these years, gathering funds and running a few business operations, so I have some savings."


    Damon immediately understood what she was saving up for. If she planned to go against the temple, she would need funds¡ªa lot of them. He figured the loot they got from Quick Hand would most likely go into illegal or hidden accounts she had.


    "Is that why we attacked Quick Hand? So we could steal from them?"


    She nodded as they neared the dorms. "Yes, that was part of the reason... but I also didn''t want them moving their activities to Athor''s sanctuary."


    The war halls dorm was as imposing as ever, even at night, its grand structure bathed in faint illumination. Lilith strode toward the front doors while Damon instinctively stepped toward the hedge wall¡ªuntil he remembered he wasn''t sneaking out. He was with the student council president, after all.


    He smiled wryly and followed her to the grand entrance, which was sealed shut¡ªit was midnight, after all.


    Lilith swiped her pager across the security panel, and the heavy doors unlocked with a soft click. She pushed them open and stepped inside, with Damon following close behind.


    He hesitated for a moment before biting his lip. "...Sorry. About my outburst earlier."@@@@


    Lilith didn''t even look back as she nodded. "Good night. We''ll talk tomorrow evening when we head for Valerion."


    Damon gave a small nod as she stepped into the elevator. He sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle in. But there was still one last thing to do.


    He had to make a midnight snack for Leona.


    Damon made his way to the dorm kitchen, noting that the lights were already on. That meant Leona was probably waiting for him¡ªthere wasn''t even a need to use Shadow Perception.


    He pushed the door open.


    Leona forced down her food with an exaggerated gulp. "She''s right, you know. You were a jerk. Make it right."


    Evangeline nodded, clenching her fist.


    "Even Leona is calling you out," she added. "Despite always being on your side, even she thinks you''re being callous."


    She leaned in closer, her gaze cutting through him.


    "Sylvia is a gentle girl. You knew that. You took advantage of her trust, and now she spends the day moping over some asshole."


    Damon raised an eyebrow. "You have quite the unladylike vocabulary."


    She narrowed her eyes. "I picked that up from you."


    Damon nodded. "Fair enough."


    Evangeline''s expression darkened. "Look, Damon, I don''t care if you want to act cool and mysterious, pretending you don''t give a damn¡ªbut I do. So listen, and listen well. I don''t care how you do it¡ªget Sylvia back to normal."


    She slammed her hand on the table, her aura flaring with pressure. It wasn''t just anger¡ªshe was close to First-Class Advancement.


    ''She really is about to advance,'' Damon thought as she glared at him.


    "Or else," she warned.


    Damon met her gaze, unflinching. "Or else what?"


    She scoffed. "We''ll see, won''t we?"


    With that, she turned and left the kitchen.


    Damon sighed, running a hand through his hair. This was getting annoying.


    Not that he was eager to fuck around and find out.


    If he wanted to avoid more trouble, he''d have to spend the whole day with Sylvia tomorrow¡ªat least to get back on the elven girl''s good side.


    Evangeline Brightwater was loyal, he had to give her that.


    ''Though she could show that without beating me up...''


    Tomorrow was bound to be a long day.

 Chapter 168 Nice Visual Trick

    The war hall''s dining area was busy in the morning. Damon had somehow overslept, and as for why... well, he had spent the whole night contemplating how best to apologize to Sylvia¡ªrunning different scenarios in his head of her anger or, worse, her cold shoulder.


    Somewhere along the line, he had dozed off, and when he came to, it was already morning. He rushed down, and luckily for him...


    He wasn''t late.


    Sylvia was seated with everyone else, and as usual, they had saved him a seat.


    Damon let out a small sigh of relief. Croft perched on his shoulder quietly, sleeping despite Damon''s movements.


    Glancing at his shadow for some much-needed support, he made his way toward the table with his usual impassive expression.


    As he walked in, he heard the faint murmurs of some first-years in the distance but ignored them.


    He pulled out the seat next to Sylvia and sat down.


    His eyes swept across the table.


    "Morning..."


    He really hoped he didn''t sound awkward with that poor excuse for a greeting, but Leona was there to save him¡ªboisterous as always.


    "Hi, Damon. You''re late... Forget that¡ªdid you know Xander is close to first-class advancement?"


    Damon chuckled. "I do. His aura is different. Evangeline too."


    He tried hard not to look at Sylvia. He was hoping she would say something, but she didn''t.


    So, slowly, he turned to her.


    "What about you, Sylvia? I haven''t sensed any change in your aura..."


    Sylvia gave him a brief glance before looking away.


    "Hmm... I''m still a bit away, I think..."


    Damon kept his expression unreadable.


    ''Just great. Talk about her aura. Really smart... Is she giving me the cold shoulder?''


    His eyes drifted to the book next to her¡ªDungeons and Death Zones: Survival Probability Analysis.


    "That''s a pretty interesting book..."


    She looked up slowly, then back at it.


    "Oh, this... It''s..."


    She lowered her head as if coming to a realization, then shook it.


    "It''s nothing. You can have it if you like."


    Damon could feel Evangeline''s cold glare boring into him. At this point, they could all sense the awkwardness in the air. Normally, Sylvia would have already started telling him about the book.


    ''So she is giving me the cold shoulder...''


    Normally, Xander would have thrown an insult or a rude remark, but he decided to refrain¡ªespecially since Evangeline looked like she was about to explode. She was glaring at Damon so coldly that if looks could kill, he''d be dead.


    Damon shot him a cold glare, trying to recall his name.


    "What do you want, Ranma?"


    Ranma bit down on his lip, suppressing his nerves.


    "You... you think because you''re number one now, you can oppress all of us first-years?"


    Damon looked at him, completely lost. He had no idea what this guy was talking about.


    The others glanced between him and the trembling first-year but chose not to interfere. After all, Damon was the new number one¡ªdealing with challenges was his business.


    ''This isn''t good... I can''t let any random nobody throw the gauntlet. I can''t deal with this right now...''


    Ranma''s eyes were already shaking with fear. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "You attacked Falz. I''m here to avenge him!"


    Damon finally understood. Falz¡ªone of the first-years from town yesterday. Come to think of it, they were part of the same clique.


    This was his first challenge since securing the number one spot. He had to enforce his position.


    Fighting wasn''t even an option. If they thought he wasn''t undefeatable, more would come¡ªeven if he won this fight.


    So, Damon decided to feed on their fears.


    And luckily, he had just the skill for that.


    He stood, his dark eyes cold with menace.


    "You want to die? Fine... be my guest."


    As soon as he spoke those words, the shadows in the room moved toward him¡ªpools of liquid darkness creeping unnaturally. They gathered around Damon, dimming the morning sunlight in the large hall.


    Students scrambled away in fear as the shadows twisted to his will.


    Ranma paled, his body trembling.


    What made it even more terrifying was that they couldn''t sense a shred of mana from him.


    Sylvia''s gray eyes widened slightly, a flicker of interest sparking within them¡ªbut she slowly lowered her head.


    Damon, surrounded by writhing pools of darkness, leveled a cold glare at Ranma.


    "Scram."


    His voice was quiet, but it carried a weight that made the other boy''s breath hitch.


    Ranma staggered back, tripping over himself as he scrambled away in fear¡ªfalling flat on his face before scurrying out of sight.


    Damon let out a hidden sigh of relief.


    His shadow-control skill had proven useful¡ªeven if it was just for show.


    A nice visual trick.


    Even if it was completely powerless.

 Chapter 169 Shift In Mindset

    The spectacle Damon caused only reinforced his position as the new number one.


    As the saying goes¡ªkill the chicken to warn the monkey.


    The effect remained. The first-years were all staring at him warily, their previous arrogance replaced with caution. Even Evangeline, who had been glaring at him moments ago, had a faint trace of hesitation in her golden eyes. Leona, on the other hand, looked impressed.


    Normally, something like this would have at least piqued Sylvia''s curiosity. But she didn''t show much of a reaction at all.


    Of course, his little display had drained some of his shadow energy.


    As they exited the dorm building, Damon''s irritation flared.


    He had been trying to talk to her, but she kept brushing him off¡ªlike he wasn''t even there. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire@@@@


    Grinding his teeth, he reached out and grabbed her hand, forcing her to stop.


    She didn''t turn to look at him.


    He could already feel Evangeline''s aura pressing down on him, warning him to let go.


    But he ignored her.


    Instead, he pulled Sylvia back a little¡ªcausing Evangeline''s glare to intensify.


    Damon met it head-on, his patience wearing thin.


    He had enough of this.


    He hated beating around the bush more than necessary.


    "Can we talk?"


    Sylvia turned slightly, though she still avoided looking at him.


    "Hmm. We can."


    Damon''s eyes flicked toward the others¡ªespecially Evangeline.


    "Let''s go."


    Evangeline gave him one final look before turning on her heel, leaving with Xander and Leona.


    The latter mouthed a good luck before disappearing down the path.


    Damon didn''t want other people sticking their noses in their drama, so he led Sylvia away¡ªpast the hedge wall toward a small fountain.


    She offered no resistance.


    But as they stopped, and he finally turned to face her¡ªher expression was unreadable.


    More reserved than usual.


    Her eyes held a flicker of something¡ªlike she would rather be anywhere else.


    Damon bit his lip, his brow twitching slightly.


    "Look... I''m sorry, okay?"


    Sylvia finally raised her head.


    "What are you sorry for?"


    Damon exhaled sharply, feeling the weight of his own words.


    "I''m sorry about the evaluation... I didn''t mean to hurt you like that."


    He hadn''t planned to stab her. That had been him losing control for a moment.


    A small, forced smile tugged at her lips.


    "Here. You can have this."


    She pressed the book into his arms.


    "It''s a good read... although you might have some critiques for the author."


    Damon caught the book before it could slip from his grasp.


    She turned away with the same distant expression on her exquisite face.


    "Let''s go. We have class. Professor Kael has been suspended, so Professor Alfred is taking over."


    Damon held the book, his fingers brushing over the worn cover.


    But he couldn''t shake the pain tightening in his chest.


    That smile she gave him...


    It was wrong.


    He bit his lip.


    All of this...


    All of this was his fault.


    His hand pressed against his chest... realization dawned on him.


    ''Oh, I see now...''


    A self-deprecating smirk crossed his lips.


    He had started to care¡ªtruly care¡ªabout these people.


    At first, he wanted nothing to do with them.


    He had found their presence irritating¡ªhad only tolerated it because he intended to use them for his own ends.


    But now, seeing Sylvia wear such an expression, seeing her smile like that¡ªhe finally understood.


    Perhaps that was why he hadn''t even tried to fight back when Evangeline ambushed him.


    ''Hah... I really am a piece of shit, aren''t I?''


    But he didn''t need Evangeline to pressure him into fixing things.


    He was going to do it anyway.


    He would undo or make right whatever he had broken.


    This was his way of taking responsibility.


    The human heart was a complex thing.


    If his Remorseless skill was active right now, he would have probably found his actions illogical.


    But there was no room for logic here.


    He let out a slow breath and followed her, the morning sun casting a pale lilac glow over his dark eyes as he watched the forlorn figure of the white-haired elf walking ahead of him.


    He sighed.


    He didn''t need to beat himself up over this.


    Evangeline was going to do that for him anyway.

 Chapter 170 Loveless World

    Damon once again found himself trudging down the evening path, sporting a fresh black eye and a haggard appearance. He winced as he adjusted his gait.


    A raven glided silently above him, disappearing into the twilight.


    As he approached the academy gates, he spotted Lilith Astranova seated by the fountain. The evening sun cast a warm glow on her red locks, her porcelain skin almost luminous. She was an exquisite sight¡ªcurves in all the right places, full red lips that stood out like blood on snow.


    But Damon was in no mood to appreciate her beauty.


    Muttering faint curses under his breath, he stalked forward.


    Lilith glanced up at him.


    "You''re late again."


    Her gaze lingered on his bruised face.


    "What happened this time?"


    Damon scowled.


    "I ran into the same wall from yesterday."


    Lilith arched an eyebrow.


    "Wasn''t it the pavement?"


    He clicked his tongue.


    "Tsk. Same thing."


    She sighed, flicking her hand. A small vial appeared in her palm, which she tossed to him.


    Damon caught it and downed the contents in one go. The bruising faded instantly, the pain dulling to nothing.


    He let out a breath, still annoyed.


    Lilith smirked at him, feigning concern.


    "Poor thing. Are you being bullied? Tell me about it¡ªI''ll get justice for you."


    Damon scoffed.


    "Hah. Very funny, Lilith. The academy''s rules subtly encourage bullying, and no, I''m not being bullied."


    He paused, rubbing his chin.


    "At least... I don''t think I am. I just keep getting beaten up by a girl who wants me to do stuff."


    Lilith raised an eyebrow.


    "By a girl? Well, don''t you know? If a girl bullies you, it means she likes you."


    Damon adjusted his uniform with a dry look.


    "I highly doubt that. Evangeline is the farthest thing from having a crush on me."


    Lilith''s expression shifted. Her eyes narrowed slightly.


    "Evangeline Brightwater... Hmm. You''d best hope that never happens. Otherwise, I''m fairly certain you''d end up dead."


    Damon blinked.


    "Huh? Dead? I know nobles wouldn''t date commoners, but isn''t that a bit extreme for a school crush?"


    Lilith shook her head.


    "I said officially, but to those of us who stand on equal footing with the Brightwater Duchy... we know she didn''t die."


    Lilith''s voice was calm, almost indifferent, yet there was an underlying weight to her words.


    "Her father let her go with the man she loved and disowned her. She was declared dead because the duchy couldn''t bear the shame of marrying a commoner."


    Damon blinked.


    He was shocked by the outcome.


    He had been certain the knight would have been executed. No noble¡ªlet alone an Archduke¡ªwould allow something like that.


    "You''re joking, right?"


    Lilith shook her head.


    "I''m not."


    She gazed out of the carriage window, her expression unreadable.


    "That''s why it''s a secret. I''m sure Lady Brightwater is out there somewhere, living her life with the man she loves, in sickness and in health... but the Archduke? He changed. He became colder, distant. The man barely shows himself. In fact..." Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    She exhaled. "He hasn''t left the duchy in seventeen years¡ªnot since his daughter left."


    Damon sighed.


    "And why exactly is this story relevant to me?"


    Lilith turned to him with a knowing smile.


    "Oh, this is a cautionary tale."


    She leaned in slightly, her red lips curving into a smirk.


    "The Brightwater Duchy will not make the same mistake twice. If Evangeline Brightwater ever showed even the slightest interest in you¡ªa commoner¡ªtrust me..."


    Her voice dropped.


    "You will die."


    Damon swallowed.


    "Hehe... it will never come to that. But if it did¡ªplease inform Their Excellencies, the Archduke and Duke, that I am a man who can be bought."


    He straightened his uniform. "A few million, and I''d never look at her again."


    Lilith chuckled as the carriage came to a halt at Athor''s Sanctuary.


    "I''m afraid all they would offer you is a few thousand blades."


    Damon stepped out of the carriage, shaking his head.


    "Well, I suppose it''s a good thing I''m not a romantic, but a pragmatist." He glanced at her with a smirk. "Any girl who falls for me is bound to be disappointed."


    Lilith smiled.


    "I''m glad you''re not stupid." She leaned back, crossing her legs elegantly. "Most stories like this end in bloodshed¡ªwhole families and villages erased by an angry noble."


    She met his gaze.


    "This world doesn''t care about love. If you want love, you need the power to seize it."

 Chapter 171 Best Behavior

    The carriage rolled smoothly over the paved road leading to the capital.


    Their journey had briefly stopped at Athor''s Sanctuary, solely to change out of their academy uniforms. Now, both Damon and Lilith were clad in the formal attire of nobles, as was expected for their stay in the capital.


    Damon leaned back in his seat, unconcerned about potential dangers. This was the Golden Road, after all¡ªnot just any road, but the one connecting Athor''s Sanctuary to the capital.


    There were no monsters here.


    The only beasts in the region were from the Evil Forest, and that place was sealed behind a powerful barrier.


    There were also no dungeons nearby.


    Despite Valerion being a haven for adventurers, most only came to challenge the Evil Forest or to act as hired hands for nobles looking to throw money around.


    Simply put, this road was safe.


    No one in their right mind would dare cause trouble here¡ªunless they were suicidal.


    As the carriage continued its journey, Damon found his thoughts drifting back to the story Lilith had told him.


    ''Noble society sure had a lot of drama.''


    ''Good thing it had nothing to do with me.''


    He couldn''t help but think the Archduke''s daughter had been stupid.


    ''Who in their right mind would abandon the lap of luxury to run off with some poor guy?''


    He would never do that.


    Then again...


    His thoughts turned toward his own life.


    "What''s on your mind?"


    Lilith''s voice cut through his silence.


    She hadn''t even looked at him.


    She sat with perfect poise, wearing a long emerald-green dress adorned with large jewels¡ªa necklace, earrings, the works.@@@@


    The dress left her shoulders bare, barely managing to keep her ample cleavage contained. Her waist and hips were emphasized elegantly, yet the full-length gown still radiated an air of dignity and class.


    She looked stunning.


    Damon shook his head.


    "Nothing... much."


    Lilith''s gaze flicked to his outfit.


    A black suit jacket, a gray double-breasted vest, and a black dress shirt beneath. A brooch and glimmering cufflinks completed the look.


    He looked like a handsome young master.


    Lilith chuckled.


    "Aren''t you going to compliment me? A gentleman would."


    Damon glanced at her, trying not to stare.


    "Sorry... I''m not a gentleman."


    She rolled her eyes.


    "I suppose I don''t have to worry about any girl liking you with that attitude."


    "How much of my background did you look into?"


    Lilith shook her head.


    "Not much. I didn''t dig too deep... just your sister."


    Damon exhaled, mildly irritated.


    "Don''t even think about trying anything with her. Or there''s going to be hell to pay."


    Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    Lilith chuckled.


    "Wouldn''t dream of it."


    Damon turned toward the window, watching as the world blurred past.


    Tomorrow, he would have to meet Flora Estin when he saw Luna.


    A small smile tugged at his lips.


    Just the thought of seeing his sister again...


    But with that thought came a flicker of worry.


    How was she doing?


    The last time he saw her¡ªthe last time he spoke to her¡ªshe had been on the brink of death.


    He had been so afraid back then.


    So desperate.


    Now... time had passed.


    ''All things fade...''


    His mind drifted to the final lines of the epitaph he had followed all these years.


    He had survived the worst of it.


    Or perhaps...


    The worst had yet to come.


    Everything hinged on his plan to blame Marcus for everything.


    He had left irrefutable evidence¡ªevidence the academy must have obtained by now.


    As for the families of the others...


    They would make their way to the academy soon.


    His job was merely to deliver Lady Margan there.


    After a long journey across the world, traveling all the way from the Voyage Continent to Soltheon, she was eager to get an explanation for her son''s death.


    And the irony?


    She would be greeted by his murderer.


    Damon let out a quiet breath.


    It was almost funny in a cruel, cosmic way.


    He supposed he had best be on his best behavior with her.

 Chapter 172 Capital City

    Valerion was a sprawling city, its tall white walls and towering spires reaching toward the sky. A vast metropolis with wide roads and paved paths, it seamlessly integrated railroads into its design, a testament to its mastery of urban planning. The streets were alive with movement¡ªcarriages rolling past, merchants calling out their wares, and pedestrians bustling about their daily lives. It was a city that never truly slept, yet despite its ceaseless activity, its beauty remained undiminished.@@@@


    However, even this magnificent city had its shadows¡ªits slums.


    Damon knew this all too well.


    He had lived there.


    A rundown house, little more than a shelter from the cold. But most of his days had been spent on the streets.


    He knew exactly how cruel Valerion could be.


    If you could make it here, you could make it anywhere.


    But most people didn''t.


    This city had no mercy for those who couldn''t adapt.


    Damon gazed out of the carriage window, his mind drifting.


    The last time he had left Valerion, it had been in the dead of night, through the sewers, wearing rags.


    Now, he was returning to this mighty city dressed in luxury, adorned with wealth, seated in a carriage as he watched the bustling streets pass by.


    Yet... he could hardly call this a return in glory.


    His eyes softened as melancholy settled in.


    "Why the sour expression?"


    Damon sighed at the sound of Lilith''s voice.


    "It''s nothing... It''s just... when I came to Valerion the first time, I was looking for salvation," he muttered. "I wanted to be free from my oppressors... and I wanted to find a reason to keep living."


    Lilith narrowed her eyes slightly.


    "Did you find that?"


    He smiled faintly.


    "No. I didn''t. I only found new oppressors... and more reasons to wish I had just ended it all." His voice was steady, but there was something distant about it. "Or better yet... that I had never been born."


    Lilith sighed, finding his words far too grim¡ªeven though he wore a thin smile on his face.


    "You''re free from oppression now, aren''t you?"


    Damon shook his head.


    "I was free from the day I refused to lower my head and let someone trample on my dignity and self-respect."


    His tone was even, but there was a quiet defiance in his words.


    "If I was going to kill myself, wouldn''t it have been better to live without fearing my own death? I lived as if I was already dead¡ªso I dared to do anything."


    He was called Back to Back because he never missed his shot. He hit his targets back to back, his skills with a bow lethal.


    No one knew his class¡ªhe never told anyone. But even at the first class advancement, he was already powerful.


    Damon scoffed, a small smirk forming as he thought of that wretched elf.


    It was a dog-eat-dog world.


    The sheer number of times he had been used by Back to Back was insane. And each night after surviving, Damon would swear to kill him.


    Yet every time he confronted the elf, the answer was the same:


    "There are no eternal friendships... only eternal benefits."


    That was the kind of man Back to Back was.


    A mercenary who worked for Quick Hand¡ªnot out of loyalty, but solely for money.


    Damon hated him.


    And yet... he had learned a lot from him.


    For one, Back to Back was the one who had taught Damon archery.


    As for his dagger skills, the elf hadn''t trained him, but Damon had picked up a thing or two from observing how he fought.


    Damon had already been an introvert¡ªyears of trauma had ensured that.


    But Back to Back had made it worse.


    Their relationship was... strange.


    It was hard to tell if they hated each other¡ªor if they simply tolerated each other.


    Back to Back had put Damon''s life in danger countless times.


    Betrayed him even more.


    But on a rare few occasions... he had saved him too.


    Still, Damon had not forgotten.


    And after years of grievance¡ªhe would leverage the power of Lilith Astranova to kill Back to Back.


    It was ironic, killing one''s own mentor.


    But it fit perfectly with the elf''s own philosophy.


    "There are no eternal friendships."


    Damon''s lips curled into a thin smile, his dark eyes gleaming with chilling intent.


    The carriage slowly came to a stop.

 Chapter 173 Hide A Tree In A Forest

    They stopped at an exquisite lodge¡ªone that was obviously paid for by Lilith.


    If Damon had his way, he would''ve taken the money and found an inn favored by adventurers.


    Or, if he wanted to take his frugality even further, he would''ve just slept in the same run-down house he once shared with his sister.


    But alas¡ªLilith was paying.


    And as a high noble, she would never sleep in such a place.


    More than that¡ªshe had no intention of parting ways with him.


    So, naturally, she got him a suite.


    Too honest for his own good, Damon couldn''t help but point out how much money was being wasted.


    In fact, he would''ve preferred they shared a suite, considering the size of the damn thing.


    But Lilith had shut that idea down before he could even finish his sentence.


    He had to remind her that he''d already seen her bare back before.


    That earned him a chilling smile.


    Still, he wasn''t complaining.


    It was her dime.


    If she thought he was going to feel guilty about making her pay, she was about to be disappointed.


    As for a man''s pride in letting a woman pay?


    Damon had none.


    And so, he had the massive suite to himself.


    Standing by the open window, he overlooked the vast spires of Valerion, the city lights sprawling endlessly before him.


    But his focus wasn''t on the view.


    It was on his dagger.


    Or rather, on the vial of poisons he was pouring onto its hilt.


    Not one¡ªbut every poison he could.


    Each designed to kill.


    After all, his target was a first-class advancement.


    And Damon?


    Damon wanted to fight him fair and square¡ª


    By asking Lilith to pin him down while he stabbed him with a poisoned dagger.


    As his target slowly weakened...


    And when he was on the brink of death¡ª


    Their honorable duel would begin.


    This would be his revenge against Back to Back.


    Their relationship had never been one of mentorship¡ªit was built on utility.


    "It''s honorable to even the playing field. And so what? Honor doesn''t mean anything to me. You don''t win wars by being honorable¡ªyou win them by killing your enemies."


    Lilith sighed, shaking her head.


    "So pinning someone down and poisoning them is a war now? How avant-garde."


    She walked over to the bed and unrolled the paper¡ªa map.


    "I''ll keep that in mind."


    She gestured to him.


    "Come here."


    Damon finished arranging his arrows, then stepped forward, eyes scanning the map.


    It was a detailed layout of Valerion.


    "Whatever we do, we have to do it tonight," Lilith said. "You said you know a good place¡ªone where we can take everything they have... and feed your shadow as well."


    Damon nodded, pointing to a section of the map.


    "Right here. The place Quick Hand keeps a large portion of their funds¡ªnot just theirs, but their parent organization''s too. The Charkata Family. And by extension¡ªthe Viscount."


    Lilith''s eyes flickered with intrigue.


    "You''re sure you want to attack this place?"


    Damon met her gaze.


    "This place is..."


    "Surrounded by imperial organizations," he finished. "If you want to hide a tree, you do it in a forest. The place is guarded by very few people. But frankly speaking... they don''t need many guards."


    He traced his finger across the map, stopping at a symbol¡ªa sword and shield.


    "They have the Knights'' HQ right around the corner. No one would cause trouble there¡ªor even suspect that a criminal organization keeps their treasury in that area. Because of that, there are no magical defenses.


    "To the north, they have a high branch of the Temple Diocese."


    "To the west," Lilith added, resting her chin on her hand, "the Imperial Tax Office."


    Damon nodded.


    "No one would ever think to raid that place. No one would even suspect that a smuggling ring keeps their goods there. As for how they procured land in such a location... that''s the Viscount''s work." Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Lilith''s expression darkened.


    "And how do we get in? They have eyes everywhere. Walking or sneaking in would be difficult. If we mess up, we''d be swamped."


    Damon looked at her.


    "Exactly. So how do we do it?"


    Lilith smirked.


    "Walk there? Why would we do such a thing?"


    She tilted her head, a flicker of amusement in her emerald eyes.


    "They have no magical defenses¡ªso why not let ourselves in... by teleporting?"


    She leaned in slightly, her voice turning silky.


    "I am, after all, the Priestess of the Void."

 Chapter 174 Back To Back

    A young elf sat atop a tall pile of crates, his long blonde hair gleaming in the moonlight streaming through the mansion''s large windows. The place was somewhat dusty, but he had opened a window, allowing the cool night air to flow in. A wistful expression lingered on his sharp, handsome features.


    He wore a soft tunic reinforced with metal plates at the elbows and kneecaps. A finely crafted bow rested against his side, with a quiver slung across his back, containing only a few arrows. At his waist, two daggers lay strapped within easy reach. Around his neck, hidden beneath his collar, hung a silver pendant engraved with two short blades crossed together.


    A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he sensed the movements of five others scattered across the grand hall. The high ceilings and dim candlelight barely illuminated the figures engaged in a casual game of cards, but none of it affected his mood.


    ''Makia is dead...''


    A thin smile crossed his lips.


    ''Did you know that, runt? You never even got the chance to make good on your promise to kill him...''


    His thoughts drifted to a certain stubborn, defiant boy¡ªone who refused to lower his head, no matter the beating, no matter the odds. The icy blue of his eyes had always burned with untamed spirit, refusing to break.


    Back-to-Back sighed again. That boy had disappeared for more than a month and a half now. The rest of Quick Hand had already concluded he was dead¡ªafter all, where else did that little pickpocket have to run?


    But he wasn''t so sure.


    That runt wouldn''t die so easily. Not quietly, at least. If he had died, he would''ve left behind silent ripples of his struggles... or a big, bloody bang.


    A quiet chuckle escaped him.@@@@


    He first met Damon Grey after the kid went on a reckless pickpocketing spree¡ªwithout paying protection money. At the time, Back-to-Back hadn''t cared. Just another street rat who would either die or be forgotten.


    But Damon had been different.


    Even after getting beaten down, day after day, he never submitted. He never begged.


    ''What a tough little shit...'' Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    It was then that Back-to-Back realized the kid had something most didn''t¡ªfire, grit... and a little insanity.


    Intrigued, he used the boy whenever he could, pushing him, testing him. And somehow, the runt adapted. He learned fast. Too fast. Cunning, ruthless¡ªhe was turning into a real freak.


    ''If someone like him gets a taste for blood... a lot of people are going to die.''


    That was something Back-to-Back firmly believed.


    Maybe it was some twisted remnant of his past life as a guardian, or maybe he just didn''t want to see that boy become a monster. Either way, he made sure Damon''s hands stayed clean¡ªfor as long as possible.


    But it was inevitable.


    One day, that boy would be a problem.


    Back-to-Back had taught him archery, hoping it would temper his reckless nature. But the sword skills Damon practiced on his own were becoming increasingly vicious. Each day, the boy pieced together techniques, forcing his way past the basics with sheer, relentless will.


    So he convinced the kid he had no talent for the sword. That it was a waste of time. Slowly, but surely, he gaslighted him¡ªby showing off his own skill, planting doubt in Damon''s mind.


    The amount of wealth inside this place was staggering¡ªmillions of illegal zeni, magic crystals, rare ores, priceless art, jewelry, property deeds...


    A thief''s dream.


    Or a graveyard.


    Back-to-Back yawned again, hardly bothering to stay vigilant.


    Until¡ª


    A soft groan.


    A thud.


    The sound of a body hitting the floor.


    Before he could even react¡ª


    The world shimmered.


    A dark pulse rippled through the air as the entire mansion was sealed inside a space barrier.


    He looked up at the shimmering world beyond the barrier, now distant and unreachable. The outside had been cut off, leaving only the cold silence of the sealed mansion.


    Then, he heard it¡ªtwo sets of footsteps. Slow. Deliberate.


    His fingers tightened around his bowstring as he smoothly pulled back an arrow, his gaze fixed on the source of the approaching sounds. Around him, the others reacted as well, drawing their weapons in tense anticipation. One of them tried to signal the outside, but it was useless.


    Space was completely severed.


    Back-to-Back narrowed his eyes as the intruders finally revealed themselves.


    A young man and a woman stepped forward, walking side by side. The man''s presence was calm yet cold, and in his grasp, a dagger gleamed¡ªdripping with fresh blood.


    The other men in the room tensed, their grips tightening on their weapons. Caution filled their eyes as they studied the newcomers.


    Then, the young man raised his head, his gaze settling on Back-to-Back with a slow, deliberate motion.


    A cold smile touched his lips.


    "Hey there, Back-to-Back..."


    The familiarity in his tone sent a chill through the air.


    "I''m here to make good on my promise."


    He paused, his piercing eyes gleaming with lethal intent.


    "To kill you."

 Chapter 175 Old Accounts

    Back-to-Back held his bow steady, his expression eerily blank. The boy had changed. He could tell¡ªno, he felt it.


    Under the pale moonlight filtering through the shattered windows, the reflection in his eyes was unmistakable.


    His once-icy blue eyes were gone.


    In their place were pools of inky black, devoid of warmth, devoid of hesitation.


    Back-to-Back clenched his jaw, suppressing the cold sweat trailing down his spine. The boy''s clothes were no longer the ragged remnants of a street rat. He wore finely woven fabric, expensive and well-tailored, giving him the appearance of a noble. He had a slick, clean look¡ªhandsome even.


    But none of that mattered.


    What truly made Back-to-Back''s stomach tighten was the restrained aura of the woman beside him.


    She stood tall, long crimson hair cascading down her shoulders, her emerald eyes reflecting an almost casual disinterest. The jewelry adorning her clothing confirmed her status¡ªa noble, without a doubt.


    And worse, she was in the Third Class Advancement.


    A death sentence.


    Back-to-Back kept his focus on her. Fighting was pointless. If they fought, they would die.


    He needed time. Time to think. Time to escape.


    His gaze flickered toward the other men. They had already released their auras, readying themselves for battle. But it didn''t matter. Even they could tell¡ªtonight, they were going to die.


    He forced a smile despite the sweat trickling down his back.


    "A-Ah... runt, it''s been too long..." His voice wavered slightly, but he quickly steadied it. "Did you miss me? I knew you weren''t dead."


    Damon''s blackened eyes remained locked on him, unwavering.


    The presence of five First-Class Advancement warriors exerted a certain level of pressure, but it was meaningless. Lilith''s aura shielded him completely.


    His skill, Remorseless, was already active, numbing him to unnecessary emotions.


    Hatred? Bitterness? Regret? None of it mattered. The only thing that remained was purpose.


    And his purpose was to kill Back-to-Back.


    He scanned the grand hall, his gaze shifting over the stacks of wealth piled high. Crates of gold, magic crystals, rare gems¡ªthis mansion was filled with the fortune of a criminal empire.


    His eyes lingered on the remaining men.


    One was already dead.


    The rest?@@@@


    He would carve through them before he dealt with Back-to-Back.


    He exhaled softly. Not yet.


    There was something he wanted to show the elf. He needed him to see just how far he had come.


    Damon turned to Lilith.


    "Do you mind?"


    She gave a small, amused nod.


    "As you wish." Her lips curled into a smirk. "But you owe me a nice compliment for all this hard work..."


    He sneered.


    "You look lovely in that dress."


    Lilith scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Liar."


    She stepped forward, her emerald gaze sweeping over the five men, lingering on Back-to-Back and the bow he still held, drawn and ready to fire.


    "The rest of you can die first." Her voice was calm, unhurried. "The one called Back-to-Back will go last."


    Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    The first man, a knight wielding a massive greatsword, narrowed his eyes.


    "Do you have any idea who you''re offending? The Charkata Family¡ª"


    [You have awakened the skill: Shadow Armor.]


    [You have slain...]


    Screams filled the air¡ª


    "My legs¡ªAAGHHH!"


    "W-Wait! Don''t kill me! I''m with the Charkata Fa¡ª"


    Their pleas fell on deaf ears.


    Damon felt nothing.


    No personal vendetta. No lingering grudges.


    These men hadn''t tortured him.


    They hadn''t stabbed him in the back again and again.


    They hadn''t cut off his fingers.


    They were simply in the way.


    Damon''s hands and clothes were soaked in blood, the thick, metallic scent clinging to his skin. The stench of torn flesh and ruptured organs filled the air, a testament to the carnage he had wrought.


    Back-to-Back watched in suppressed horror.


    But this was only the beginning.


    "Devour."


    The boy''s cold, emotionless voice echoed through the bloodstained hall.


    To Back-to-Back''s utter shock, the shadows beneath Damon twisted and surged like a living entity, slithering toward the corpses. The inky darkness enveloped the lifeless bodies, swallowing them whole.


    It was not merely consuming them¡ªit was absorbing them.


    Damon remained still, watching with an impassive expression.


    [Your shadow is full.]


    [You have gained 15 attribute points.]


    [You have gained 15 attribute points.]


    [You have gained 15 attribute points.]


    [You have acquired the skill: Beholder''s Gaze.]


    [You have gained 15 attribute points.]


    Back-to-Back could barely breathe.


    Even as he remained bound by the young woman''s magic, unable to move, he couldn''t tear his gaze away.


    Dread clawed at his chest.


    The boy he once knew was gone.


    This was no longer some vengeful street rat seeking retribution.


    This was a monster.


    A cold-blooded killer.


    And he was smiling.


    ''He came here to kill me.''


    Damon turned to face him, his blackened eyes devoid of warmth.


    "Now," his voice was low, almost casual. "It''s finally your turn, Back-to-Back."


    His fingers curled around the hilt of his blade.


    "It''s time to settle old accounts."

 Chapter 176 Growth Period

    Back-to-Back looked at Damon with a thin smile, though unease twisted in his gut.


    The boy''s eyes were cold¡ªtoo cold. Was this even the same reckless young man he once knew?


    "So," Back-to-Back said, keeping his tone light, "you want to settle accounts, but you''ve got someone else fighting your battles for you. Seems like someone finally tamed you."


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    "I didn''t get tamed."


    Back-to-Back smirked. There it was¡ªa reaction. The little runt he knew was still in there somewhere.


    "Could''ve fooled me." He tilted his head. "But fine. Prove it."


    Damon let out a soft chuckle.


    "Enough with the manipulation. You''re going to spout some nonsense, try to bait me into fighting you one-on-one, then look for a chance to take me hostage and escape."


    Back-to-Back chuckled, shaking his head.


    "What''s your mistress called?"


    Damon''s expression didn''t change. "Her name is Lilith Astranova. And she''s not my mistress."


    Back-to-Back''s smirk faltered.


    Astranova?


    Who wouldn''t know that name? The Astranova family was a ducal house¡ªpowerful beyond measure. But why would a noble of that level have anything to do with some lowborn like Damon?


    He''d figure that out after he escaped.


    "In that case," Back-to-Back spread his arms mockingly, "come get your payback like a man."


    Damon watched him coldly.


    "Pride leads to death. I learned that from you. But I do have dignity¡ªso fine. Let''s fight."


    Back-to-Back suppressed a smile, glancing at Lilith.


    Strange...


    She wasn''t interfering. Did she not realize he was looking for a chance to escape?


    Damon pulled out his dagger, glancing at Lilith before speaking.


    But his words weren''t what Back-to-Back expected.


    "Pin him down more."


    Lilith casually waved her hand, and the crushing weight of space tightened around Back-to-Back''s body.


    "What the¡ª"@@@@


    Damon stepped closer, dagger in hand.


    "You little¡ª"


    "Relax," Damon said flatly. "I''ll make good on my word. I already knew you''d try something, so I was content sending you to the goddess with little grievances."


    Then he raised his dagger and stabbed Back-to-Back.


    The blade released venom from its hilt, and he didn''t stop.


    Without hesitation, he flipped the crate toward his shadow.


    It devoured them instantly.


    A familiar notification flashed before his eyes.


    [You have gained +946 mana.]


    A surge of heat exploded through his body as the influx of mana coursed through his veins, rushing into his magic circuits. His heart swelled with power, and the sheer overload sent waves of darkness rippling outward.


    He staggered, falling to his knees with a groan.


    Lilith watched with mild concern, but her expression remained composed.


    Back-to-Back, however, convulsed in shock. He could feel Damon''s power rising, his own strength dwindling in comparison.


    But Damon wasn''t done.


    He pushed open another crate of magic crystals, their glow illuminating his face. Without hesitation, his shadow surged forward, devouring them all.


    More power.


    More mana.


    More fuel.


    [You have gained +999 mana.]


    [You have gained +2452 mana.]


    [You have gained...]


    [You have gained...]


    Damon gasped, his breath ragged as he struggled to steady himself.


    He reached for another crate.


    Then another.


    His shadows devoured them whole, swallowing millions of zeni worth of magic crystals without a second thought. The vast fortune meant nothing to him. Not now.


    All that mattered was power.


    By the time he stopped, his body was overflowing with mana.


    Far more than he could control.


    Shadows swirled around him, his presence growing heavier¡ªtangible in its sheer intensity. The shadows at his feet deepened, distorting the air around him like a living abyss.


    His heart was full.


    Damon glanced at the empty crates. Normally, he might have lamented the loss of wealth, but now?


    Now, the only thing he cared about was Back-to-Back.


    It was time to end this.


    He opened his system panel, ready to distribute his attribute points and study his newly acquired skill.


    Because the next time he moved¡ª


    Back-to-Back would die.

 Chapter 177 Deeply Personal

    Damon distributed his stats, feeling the weight of his newfound power settle over him. Each first-class advancement granted 15 attribute points per person, bringing his total to 115 points.


    His updated status screen displayed the results:


    [HP: 60/60]


    [Mana: 14,084/14,084]


    [Strength: 119] +40


    [Agility: 57] +30


    [Speed: 100] +40


    [Endurance: 35] +5


    [Class: ¡ª]


    [Shadow: 500]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%]


    [Shadow Level: 5]


    [Condition: Shadow is Full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze]@@@@


    [Locked]


    Speed and strength¡ªthose were the two stats he needed to boost the most, especially against someone like Back-to-Back.


    But the most important gains were the skills he had obtained. His mana had surged to an overwhelming 14,084, so much that excess energy leaked from his body.


    Among his new skills, the one that stood out the most was Shadow Armor, which he had gained upon leveling up. The other¡ªBeholder''s Gaze¡ªhad been acquired from devouring an enemy.


    He opened the first skill.


    [Skill: Shadow Armor]


    [Description:]


    "The night does not fear the blade, nor does the shadow flinch at the strike. Cloaked in darkness, the umbral weaves its own defense¡ªarmor not of steel, but of silence and dread."


    [Effect:]


    The user is enveloped in an armor of shadows that absorbs impact and dissipates damage. The armor shifts and reforms, reinforcing weak points and reducing the force of incoming attacks. It thrives in darkness, growing stronger in the absence of light.


    [Type:] Active


    [Cooldown:] 0 seconds


    Finally, a defensive skill.


    Damon activated it immediately.


    The instant he did, his shadow energy drained, and the darkness around him stirred. His Shadow Control skill responded instinctively, guiding the inky tendrils to wrap around his form.


    The darkness rose, folding over him in layers until it became a solid mass of armor.


    It wasn''t just armor.


    When slipping past an incoming attack by the thinnest margin, the world slows for but a fleeting moment¡ªthree seconds stretched longer. In this brief window, your movements remain unshackled, while your opponent lags behind, ensnared in the distortion of time. Whether to strike, retreat, or reposition is yours alone to decide, as the battle bends to your gaze.


    [Type:]


    Passive


    [Cooldown:] Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    3 seconds


    This skill was different from [5x].


    For the first time, the system referenced another continent¡ªNorrath.


    Damon''s gaze darkened as he recalled the frost continent in the far north, a land harsh and unforgiving. Only the strong thrived there. Its people were as unyielding as the frozen wastelands they called home.


    To possess a skill from such warriors meant something.


    And this skill¡ªBeholder''s Gaze¡ªwas practically unstoppable.


    It had no real cooldown.


    Or rather, the skill''s effect duration and cooldown were the same.


    This meant that as long as he continuously dodged attacks within the required margin, he could activate it over and over. There would be no gaps¡ªhis perception of time would distort endlessly.


    However, there was a small flaw.


    It was reliant on his enemy.


    To trigger it, Damon had to dodge within the thinnest possible margin¡ªa near miss. It wouldn''t activate if he dodged too early or too easily. And it didn''t stop time, only slowed it.


    But to his enemies...


    It would look like something else entirely.


    From their perspective, his speed would suddenly explode.


    To them, Damon wouldn''t be dodging¡ªhe''d be moving faster than they could react.


    His eyes flickered toward Back-to-Back, still convulsing from the poison.


    With this skill, Damon would be able to kill him.


    Easily.


    He knew Back-to-Back''s fighting style.


    He knew how he attacked.


    How he reacted.


    How he thought.


    With his existing skills, his opponent''s weakened state, and this new power...


    Damon would win.


    He would finally step out of Back-to-Back''s shadow.


    And he would make him pay for all the times he had wronged him.


    This wasn''t just a fight.


    This was personal.

 Chapter 178 Know Thy Self

    Damon took a deep breath.


    His [Remorseless] skill dulled his emotions, leaving only a cold, calculating logic that steadied his mind. There was no anger, no hesitation¡ªonly clarity.


    He glanced at Lilith, giving her a small nod.


    She narrowed her eyes at him but ultimately released Back-to-Back from the suffocating grip of her Void Attribute Magic.


    The moment the spell lifted, Back-to-Back staggered, his body trembling violently. He coughed, his breath ragged, his face pale from blood loss and poison. The air around him reeked of iron and decay, his wounds soaking his tattered clothes in fresh crimson.


    Damon met his gaze.


    "Back-to-Back... let''s settle this with a duel. You and me. Fair and square."


    The weakened elf barely managed to push himself upright. His knees wobbled, but his sharp, weary eyes locked onto Damon with an icy glare.


    "Y-You... call this... fair and square...?" His voice was weak, barely above a whisper.


    "After... you poisoned your opponent?"


    Damon scoffed.


    "Fine. I''ll give you a moment to catch your breath." He took a few steps back.


    "I''ll even give you some distance."


    Back-to-Back knew better than to think of it as a kindness. It wasn''t a favor¡ªit was a trap. The longer he stood there, the more the poison would spread through his body, the more blood he would lose. Damon was simply letting time do the work for him.


    Damon smirked. "Here are the rules... we walk for sixty seconds, and then we begin."


    He turned his head toward Lilith.


    "You don''t need to worry about her."


    Then, speaking louder, "Lilith, don''t interfere. Even if I''m dying."


    Back-to-Back let out a dry chuckle before coughing again, blood flecking his lips. That was a lie. Damon might act smug, but they both knew¡ªif he was really about to die, Lilith would step in. This wasn''t about a fair fight. Damon wasn''t interested in proving his strength.


    He just wanted to prove something to him.


    The elf let out a thin, tired smile.


    ''Still the same petty brat, huh...?''


    Damon had never been the type to forgive or forget. A grudge with him was eternal.


    "Fine, let''s fight." Back-to-Back straightened his stance despite the burning ache in his muscles.


    "I might die today, but I''ll take you down with me, you bloodthirsty little runt."


    Damon gave a silent nod and turned, his footsteps echoing through the grand hall.


    Back-to-Back listened carefully, hearing the rhythm of Damon''s steps¡ªuntil, suddenly, they vanished.


    A smile curled on his lips.


    ''Still using the same street tricks, huh?''


    Damon had never been one to fight fair. He wouldn''t strike head-on. He would disappear into the darkness and attack from behind¡ªwhere it was least expected.


    Back-to-Back reached for his bow, pulling out two arrows with trembling fingers. His limbs felt like stone, his head heavy with dizziness. His vision blurred.


    The poison was working.


    But even so, he stepped forward into the moonlit shadows, guided by the faint glow of the twin moons above.@@@@


    Damon glanced down. His shadow armor had stopped it, but the force still sent a shock through his body.


    ''The first arrow was a feint.''


    This was Back-to-Back''s signature kill. He never relied on just one shot. The second was always the real hit. Dodging was useless¡ªhe never missed.


    But Damon already knew that.


    His hand moved before his mind could think.


    With a flick of his wrist¡ªa dagger flew.


    The magisite blade spun through the air straight toward Back-to-Back''s head.


    The elf reacted immediately, raising his bow to deflect it. The dagger clanged off the wooden frame, spinning harmlessly away¡ª


    But that was exactly what Damon wanted.


    Before Back-to-Back could lower his arms¡ª


    A second dagger plunged into his chest.


    Back-to-Back''s eyes widened.


    ''He switched hands.''


    Blood gushed from his lips as a crooked smile spread across his face.


    "Heh... ha... ha..."


    He let out a choked laugh.


    His own trick¡ªused against him.


    A deep, guttural groan tore from his throat as his body slammed against the wall, his bow slipping from his grasp.


    Damon walked forward, ripping the arrow from his left arm, blood dripping freely onto the cold stone floor.


    Back-to-Back grinned through the pain.


    "Heh... well played, runt..." His voice was hoarse, weak. "You... won this."


    He coughed, blood staining his lips. "You finally beat me..."


    Damon stood over him. His expression was calm¡ªtoo calm.


    But his fists...


    His fists were clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms, blood pooling between his fingers.


    Back-to-Back''s grin didn''t fade. He tilted his head back against the wall, his breaths coming shallow and ragged.


    "Heh... what is it, kiddo...?" His voice was softer now. "You look like you''re about to cry..."


    Damon''s eyes burned.


    [ Remorseless ] deactivated.


    His hands trembled. His jaw clenched.


    For a long, heavy moment, he didn''t speak.


    Then, finally¡ª


    "Shut up."

 Chapter 179 Tiny Favor

    "Let me go... let me go, you bastard¡ªAHH!"


    A small body crashed onto the cold, hard floor.


    Damon groaned, pain lancing through his ribs as he pushed himself up, his ragged clothes stained with dirt and blood. His arms trembled, covered in bruises, but his blue eyes burned with defiance.@@@@


    Towering over him stood Back-to-Back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The elf grabbed Damon by the collar and dragged him forward, shoving him onto the wooden floor of a dimly lit office.


    At the center of the room, behind a heavy oak desk, sat a man¡ªthe Boss.


    Broad-shouldered, thick-bearded, his massive frame looked as if it had been carved from a tree itself. A lumberjack axe rested against his chair, its blade gleaming under the candlelight.


    Back-to-Back chuckled as he nudged Damon forward.


    "Boss, this little runt was trying to scam the Albedo Familia without your permission." He sneered. "Heard he pulled off a whole seventy thousand zeni."


    Damon''s eyes widened.


    "What?! No! He set me up! He was the¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Back-to-Back kicked him hard in the stomach.


    Damon gasped, collapsing to his knees, clutching his gut. A low whisper slithered into his ear.


    "Take the blame, runt." Back-to-Back''s voice was a quiet threat.


    "You don''t want the rest of the group finding out about your cute little sister, do you?"


    Damon''s breath hitched. His fingers curled into fists.


    His sister.


    His only family.


    His Achilles'' heel.


    "I''ll kill you." His voice was raw with hatred.


    Back-to-Back chuckled, ruffling his hair mockingly.


    "Yeah, sure you will."


    He turned toward the Boss.


    "So? What are we doing with the kid, Boss? Heh, beating him up should do the trick."


    The Boss sighed. He rose from his chair, towering over Damon, looking down with a cold stare.


    "He''s useful," the Boss muttered.


    "Stubborn, but useful. I could break every bone in his body, and Phantom here would still be defiant."


    Then, without warning¡ªhe kicked Damon in the ribs.


    The force sent him skidding across the floor, his breath catching as pain exploded through his chest.


    Damon coughed violently, bile rising in his throat.


    The Boss shook his head in disappointment.


    "What kind of parents gave birth to a rapscallion like you?"


    Damon gritted his teeth.


    Even through the pain¡ªhe raised his head. His glare was like ice, unyielding.


    "Probably the same kind that raised someone like you."


    The room fell silent.


    Back-to-Back sighed.


    ''This kid has a death wish.''


    The Boss''s expression remained neutral, but a flicker of something unreadable passed through his gaze. He had seen Damon pull this before¡ªtesting his limits, pushing just far enough to make himself indispensable.


    It was reckless.


    But it was also clever.


    Back-to-Back chuckled. "Let''s not stoop to his level, Boss. Just rough him up and let him go. He still has errands to run for you, right?"


    The Boss shook his head.


    Back-to-Back hummed. "Anyway, enjoy your stay, kiddo."


    He turned to leave, pausing at the exit.


    "Oh, and some advice?" His smirk was audible.


    "Try to store your piss."


    Damon blinked.


    "It makes for a good drink after a week of starvation. Should be enough to last you two weeks."


    The door slammed shut.


    The lock clicked into place.


    Damon sat in the dark, alone.


    And for the first time in a while, he recalled what hell felt like.


    Two weeks. That was how long Damon starved. By the time he was dragged out, he was covered in filth, reeking of waste, and looked half-dead¡ªmore like a corpse than a person. He didn''t walk out. He was pulled out by Back to Back.


    Somehow, after two days, he got up again.


    All thanks to Back to Back of course.


    And that was all the leverage Back to Back needed to use him again. And again. And again.


    This was how their relationship continued for years.


    Back to Back had used him countless times, and every time, Damon wanted to kill that damn elf. But each time he even thought about it, the elf would just smirk and say, "There are no eternal friendships, only eternal benefits."


    As if they were ever friends to begin with.


    Like the time he set him up for certain death, laughing it off as some kind of twisted test of his potential.


    "You survived, huh? Damn, I figured they''d gut you in five minutes. Guess I owe someone a zeni or two."


    Or the time he sold Damon out.


    "You think I sold you out? No, no, I just got a better deal... No hard feelings."


    Every day was a game of psychological manipulation, twisting Damon''s mind until he could barely tell what was real. Gaslighting him, trying to make him believe he owed the elf. Mocking him whenever he hesitated, whenever he showed even the slightest shred of emotion.


    "You wanna cry? Go ahead... Maybe if you finally let go of that ego of yours, they''ll only take one finger next time."


    Damon never forgot his grudges. He always paid them back in full.


    And tonight, Back to Back lay in front of him, caved in, soaked in blood, barely clinging to life.


    Even so¡ªeven so¡ªDamon''s heart twisted. It hurt.


    Because no matter how much he wanted to kill this damn elf, there was no denying that, in his own twisted way... Back to Back had protected him too.


    And that was why he wouldn''t let the elf have the satisfaction of seeing him cry before he died.


    Damon exhaled sharply, wiping the blood off his blade. He stared down at the dying elf and muttered coldly,


    "I only have a few words for you before you go... There are no eternal benefits either. Nothing lasts forever. And guess what, you shit show?"


    His grip on the dagger tightened.


    "I actually made friends."


    Back to Back''s lips curled into a thin, bloody smile.


    "Ahh... is that right? Good for you..." He coughed weakly, blood trickling down his chin.


    "I''d watch their backs if I were them... Haha... or are they just a figment¡ª" he wheezed, "¡ªa figment of your imagination?"


    His half-lidded eyes flickered over the bodies littering the ground¡ªthe aftermath of Damon''s slaughter.


    "You really turned out to be quite the little monster..." Back to Back murmured.


    "I tried to stop that, you know... but oh well..." He gave a faint chuckle, voice barely above a whisper. "I''m as good as dead now..."


    Damon clenched his fists.


    Back to Back''s breaths were getting slower. Shallower.


    His fading eyes stared into the void as he rasped,


    "Hey, runt... are you still there...? I can''t see you... Can I ask for a tiny favor...?"

 Chapter 180 Lived With No Honor

    "Screw off... I''m not doing you any more favors."


    The elf smiled weakly at his words, blood staining his pale lips.


    "You know... I used to pray you wouldn''t turn out to be a killer... Goddess knows you had the disposition." His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "So... how did it feel? When you took someone''s life?"


    Damon''s fingers trembled. For a moment, he hesitated.


    Then, he answered.


    "Nothing." He exhaled. "It felt satisfying."


    That was the truth.


    The first person he had actually killed with his own hands wasn''t Lark. Lark had died by his shadow. Carmen Vale, too.


    No, the first life he had willingly taken was Isaac. And when he did it, he had felt vindicated.


    There was no guilt¡ªlike when his shadow killed Carmen Vale.


    There was no doubt¡ªlike when his shadow killed Lark.


    Only certainty.


    Back to Back chuckled, even as his body failed him.


    "Final advice... from someone who''s lived their life in blood..." He took a slow, rattling breath. "Never forget the face of someone you kill. They aren''t nameless. They''re people, just like you."@@@@


    Blood trickled down his chest as he reached for the pendant around his neck.


    "War... war is a horrible thing..." he rasped. "You gotta remember, kiddo¡ªthere''s no such thing as honor on the battlefield. There''s no honor in killing."


    He coughed, red splattering his lips.


    "That''s just a lie they tell us... so we keep killing each other."


    His shaking hand extended forward.


    "Take this... My final wish¡ªtake it to the Silver Glades. Return it to the Halls of Steel for me, okay? Just tell them..."


    He smirked faintly.


    "Tell them you got it from a friend."


    Damon lowered his head.


    "No."


    Back to Back smiled anyway.


    "Thanks... I''d appreciate that..."


    His eyes glazed over, distant, unfocused.


    But he was still breathing.


    "Huh... looks like I can hold on a bit longer... Mind finishing the job?"


    Damon bit his lip, gripping his dagger tightly.


    Then, without hesitation, he slashed the elf''s throat.


    The moment he did, a red line appeared before him, marking the exact trajectory his dagger would take. Where it would land. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    A powerful skill.


    ''Was this the same one Back to Back had when he reached his first class advancement?''


    It didn''t matter now.


    It was over.


    He slung the quiver over his back, picked up the bow, and started walking.


    He would find a place to bury it.


    A grave for the archer who lived with no honor... and taught him to do the same.


    Lilith Astranova teleported next to him, her gaze immediately falling on him.


    Damon stood motionless. Silent.


    There was something in the way he just stood there¡ªa quiet, hollow grief that made her hesitate.


    She was about to speak when he beat her to it. His voice was calm.


    "Where is the Silver Glades?"


    She paused, thinking for a moment before recalling what she knew of the place.


    "It''s in the Verdant Continent," she said. "A land by the sea, facing Centros. As you can imagine, it''s faced many battles¡ªwith demons, with invaders... who wished to attack Iorvas."


    Her eyes drifted to the spot where Back to Back had been, now nothing more than a pool of darkness as Damon''s shadows had devoured the last traces of him.


    "He must have been from there..."


    Damon gave a small nod.


    "I see."


    Taking a deep breath, he straightened. The moment was over.


    "Let''s gather our spoils and go." His tone shifted, more businesslike now.


    "A new group rotates in at fixed intervals with the ones here. We need to clear out anything they could use to trace us. As for the loot..."


    His gaze swept over the crates stacked nearby¡ªfilled with wealth, resources, everything their enemies had stockpiled.


    Then, he looked at Lilith.


    "Let''s hope you can store all of this."


    She smirked.


    "I can. But it''ll consume a lot of mana."


    Damon''s lips curled into a thin smile.


    "Should I be worried?"


    Lilith raised her hand, magic flooding the air around them, thick with power.


    "Not with me here," she said smoothly. "I have more than enough to spare."

 Chapter 181 New Requirements

    A young man stood outside a massive shopping mall, his expression melancholic as he stared into the distance.


    In front of him, a luxurious carriage gleamed under the afternoon sun, the craftsmanship impeccable.


    He was alone.


    The heat bore down on him, yet it wasn''t the sun that made the air around him feel heavy. His mana pulsed, thick and overwhelming, as if his body struggled to contain it.


    He had come here for something simple¡ªa pager.


    Instead, he got dragged into a clothing store by Lilith Astranova, who went on a spending spree on his behalf. She bought so many clothes that he doubted he''d ever find a reason to wear them all.


    He still got what he came for, though¡ªtwo pagers. One for Iris. The other for Luna.


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    By the time he made the purchase, he was so drained that he didn''t even bother to haggle.


    His fingers idly brushed the pendant in his pocket.


    Killing Back to Back had changed him.


    He felt it the moment he returned to his suite that night. His mana had shifted¡ªsomething deep within him had. It wasn''t just psychological. There was a distant ringing in his mind. A call.


    The call of the First Class Advancement.


    He had spent the entire night meditating, trying to control his mana, but he barely made progress. His body¡ªor rather, his mana¡ªhad changed.


    He was close now.


    Before the year''s end, he was certain he''d reach his First Class Advancement.


    And not just him.


    Evangeline and Xander were close. Leona showed no signs yet, but she was a battle away from the threshold.


    Then there was Sylvia.


    She should have been close too, assuming she ever got over him stabbing her... which she hadn''t.


    He sighed.


    "I told Back to Back I made friends."


    So, he had to make sure they were alright.


    He shook his head, pushing the thoughts away.


    Now that he was at the threshold of advancement, his power was undeniable. Stronger than his peers.


    He wondered¡ªwhat class would he awaken?


    ''I guess I''m no longer a fraud with a false reputation...''


    He actually had power now.


    But something about it unsettled him.


    Damon sighed.


    "Assuming she could."


    Lilith scoffed.


    "And I assume Back to Back thought you''d be a helpless child forever. That you''d never kill him. But didn''t you leverage my power to make sure he died?"


    His jaw tightened. She was right.


    But so what?


    "That''s enough about that," Damon muttered. "My level-up requirements have changed."


    He opened his system panel and revealed the new requirement to her.


    Lilith''s eyes scanned it.


    "Hmmm... this is going to be troublesome."


    Damon let out a dry chuckle.


    "I guess I could always summon a Dark Spirit, endanger everyone, and hope I manage to rip off a fragment of its soul in the process."


    Lilith raised an eyebrow.


    "I wouldn''t advise that. Unless, of course, you want to cause a crisis."


    She leaned forward slightly.


    "We''re talking about an actual disaster here. Dark Spirits aren''t just labeled that way for fun. These things might not be as strong as dragons, but they come damn close."


    Damon nodded. He already knew as much.


    Although dragons were far worse, Dark Spirits were still terrifying creatures that could destroy entire cities. There was a reason they were classified as disasters.


    Lilith narrowed her eyes.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll figure something out. Besides, this is still better than constantly killing humans. Now, all we need is fresh corpses for your shadows'' hunger."


    Damon winced.


    "I''ll pass on that," he muttered. "I think I can keep it on a diet of mana stones and use the Sacrifice Skill to convert that into shadow energy."


    He would find a way to level up¡ªone way or another.


    But for now... he had something more important to do.


    He was going to visit his sister.


    A faint smile touched his lips at the thought.


    Lilith caught the expression and narrowed her eyes slightly.


    She certainly hoped he wasn''t planning on finding a way to summon a Dark Spirit.


    That would be a catastrophe.

 Chapter 182 Damon... What Happened To Your Eyes?

    Her skin was pale¡ªso pale it nearly matched the snowy white of her hair. Her gray eyes were distant as she sat on her bed, clad in a thin medical robe, a newspaper held tightly in her frail hands.


    She was young, perhaps fourteen years old.


    The newspaper was an update on the demons¡ªeven after an eight-year truce, they had not yet retreated completely.


    Her fingers tightened around the pages.


    Beside her, magic-tech machines hummed softly, their enchanted mechanisms keeping track of her condition. A thin tube connected her wrist to an elixir-infused drip, feeding her body the potions necessary for her survival.


    She slowly raised her head, the golden light of the afternoon streaming in through the curtains.


    This large, luxurious room was hers alone¡ªthe walls, the enchanted medical equipment, the soft sheets, all of it dedicated to her care. She ate good food, received the best treatment, and hadn''t tasted stale bread in a long time.


    But despite all of that... she missed her brother.


    She wondered where he was, how he was doing, and more than anything... how he was getting the money for her treatment.


    A deep pang of guilt twisted inside her chest.


    She was always a burden.


    Her brother had always been the one to carry her, to protect her, to ensure she survived¡ªever since their parents had died in the Demon Wars.


    And now, as if fate itself wished to mock them, she had been cursed with an incurable disease¡ªMagic Circuit Cancer.


    She didn''t remember how she had ended up in the Healing Institute or how her brother had managed to bring her here. All she remembered was him carrying her¡ªfrom healer to healer, from one desperate attempt to the next.


    When she had finally awoken, she was in a shared ward. Not long after, she had been moved to an executive suite, which must have cost thousands of zeni.


    Her brother had supposedly gone to the Academy.


    She smiled faintly at the thought.


    He had finally used the golden ticket they had inherited.


    Even so... she missed him.


    She hadn''t seen him for two whole months.


    The one taking care of her in his absence was a kind healer¡ªFlora Estin, a specialist in Magic Circuit Cancer.


    ''Damon... I hope you''re alright. Goddess, please protect my brother...''


    Her brother had changed too much since their parents had died.


    With every passing year, he became more isolated, more distant. He trusted no one¡ªand with good reason.


    People had been cruel to them.


    She would never forgive them.@@@@


    Not for the way they hurt her brother.


    But if she had to pinpoint the start of his change, it would be that day¡ªthe day he disappeared into the woods, a dead look in his eyes.


    She had waited for hours.


    She had been scared.


    She had been worried.


    But when he finally returned, his eyes were different.


    That night, he had told her, "Stay by my side." Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire


    He had sworn to take them out of that village.


    He had promised¡ªcome hell or high water¡ªthat he would protect her.


    But deep down, she had always known one truth.


    ''While he was protecting me... who was protecting him?''


    He felt different, too.


    The air around him was heavy, brimming with a mana presence that refused to be suppressed.


    Luna had always been more attuned to mana than her brother. Even though he had always possessed potential, his mana had been far more subdued than hers.


    But now?


    It had grown immensely.


    Even she could feel it.


    His clothes were different, too.


    He wore fine garments, the kind that nobles or high-ranking individual''s would wear. They fit him well, accentuating the sharpness of his features.


    He looked... handsome.


    But none of that mattered.


    Because what truly caught her attention¡ªwhat shocked her the most¡ª


    Were his eyes.


    Her brother''s eyes had changed in two ways.


    The color was the first.


    His eyes had once been a gentle blue, as soft as the sky in summer. Later, after their parents'' deaths, they had turned icy blue, reflecting the cold walls he had built around himself.


    But now?


    Now, they were black¡ªa deep abyssal black, as if all light had been devoured by them.


    And the second change?


    It was the coldness.


    His gaze, once unyielding yet filled with warmth, had now become void of emotion.


    They were empty.


    They were lifeless.


    They were the eyes of death itself.


    And yet¡ªLuna felt no fear.


    She didn''t doubt that this was her brother.


    He hadn''t been replaced.


    Only his eyes had changed.


    And that didn''t matter.


    Even if he had turned into a troll, she would still love him.


    But curiosity burned inside her.


    Slowly, she raised her hand, placing it gently against his cheek.


    Leaning in closer, she peered into his eyes, searching for something¡ªanything that could explain this change.


    Damon blinked, startled by her sudden action.


    And then, softly, she asked¡ª


    "Damon... what happened to your eyes?"


    His expression faltered, his eyes narrowing slightly as if caught off guard.


    He seemed... surprised by her question.

 Chapter 183 Out To Get Him

    Damon had long since thought up every possible excuse for when someone asked about his changed eye color.


    But at this moment, he was caught off guard by his sister''s question.


    His mind had been too preoccupied¡ªstill lingering in the aftermath of back-to-back deaths, and the sheer excitement of finally seeing Luna again.


    He hadn''t even considered the physical changes he had gone through.


    So, for a brief second, he stared at her, slightly startled.


    "Erm... I¡ªI..." He fumbled, trying to form words. "My eyes? Oh... uh..."


    Luna''s worried gaze didn''t waver.


    "Don''t lie to me, Damon."


    Damon smirked, regaining his composure.


    "I''m not lying."


    "You are."


    He shook his head, amused by her insistence.


    "I''m not going to lie."


    "Stop being stubborn, Damon."


    He let out a sigh, feeling a tinge of guilt as he met her gray eyes.


    For a brief moment, he thought of Sylvia.


    There were times when he drew parallels between the two girls¡ªtheir gentle yet unyielding spirits, their unyielding concern for him.


    Finally, he relented.


    "Fine, I''ll tell you..."


    His gaze shifted to the window, staring at the world beyond.


    "I woke up one morning, and my eyes started hurting. Next thing I knew, my mana surged..." He shrugged slightly. "Apparently, it''s a sign that I''m close to a first-class advancement."


    Luna glanced at him, then sighed.


    "That''s a lie," she said quietly. "But it''s fine if you don''t want to tell me."


    She paused for a moment before continuing.


    "I can understand... There are some things you want to protect me from." Her voice grew softer. "But, Damon... don''t you ever think that I want to protect you too?"


    Damon''s smile softened.


    He leaned his head against hers.


    "I know that."


    Luna bit her lip, determination flashing in her eyes.


    "I''m going to get better," she declared. "I''ll get really strong¡ªand I''ll be the one protecting you."


    Damon let out a small chuckle, amused but touched by her words.


    "I''m looking forward to that."


    She nodded, forcing a smile.


    Then, as if trying to lighten the mood, she changed the subject.


    "Enough of this serious talk," she huffed. "What''s the academy like? I hope you aren''t getting into fights with nobles..."


    She gave him a knowing look.


    Luna grinned. "Mmhmm. Got it."


    She adjusted her medical robe slightly, then added, "I''ll be sure to invite him for tea."


    Damon groaned, dragging a hand down his face.


    "You really don''t listen to me, do you?"


    She giggled. "I do. You''re just stubborn."


    Then, her expression shifted, and she folded her hands neatly on her lap.


    "Now then. To address the elephant in the room."


    Damon blinked, glancing around.


    "...I see no elephant here."


    Luna closed her eyes, smiling.


    "Oh, you''ll see."


    She leaned forward slightly.


    "I can only imagine how hard it must have been for the girls who became friends with you."


    Damon narrowed his eyes, already feeling the impending attack.


    Luna continued, her tone laced with mock sympathy.


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    "Yes, I can see it... It must have gone something like this..."


    She cleared her throat, then mimicked an innocent, friendly voice.


    "Hello, can I sit here?"


    Then, she deepened her voice, mimicking him.


    "No. You may not."


    She clapped her hands together dramatically.


    "And then, of course, the poor girl would have insisted¡ª"


    For the next few minutes, Luna broke down exactly how his friends must have suffered through his lone wolf attitude and blunt personality.


    To Damon''s shock, she got most of it right.


    Even down to the exact words he had said sometimes.


    He squinted at her, lips curving into a thin smile.


    "...Alright. You''ve addressed the elephant. Stop. I have suffered enough."


    Luna scoffed playfully, shaking her head.


    "Hehe. Wrong again, big brother."


    She leaned in close, her grey eyes gleaming mischievously.


    "That wasn''t the elephant."


    She lowered her voice.


    "Tell me, Damon... which one of them is your girlfriend?"


    Damon''s brow twitched.


    ...Luna was truly out to get him.

 Chapter 184 Teasing

    Damon smiled at her.


    "My foolish sister... why would you assume a contrarian like me would be popular with the ladies?"


    Luna glanced at his outfit¡ªa well-tailored suit, the cuffs adorned with purple gemstones, a matching brooch, and the same type of gemstones embedded in the buttons. He was dressed like nobility, a stark contrast to his usual brooding demeanor.


    She smiled.


    "I bet Xander is popular with the ladies. I guess he beats you at that."


    Damon clicked his tongue in irritation.


    "Please. He has a crush on Evangeline, and trust me, I''m the better pick. He''s never getting with her as long as I breathe air."


    Luna nodded thoughtfully.


    "Hm, I see... so Evangeline is the one you like." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Hmm, I see..."


    Damon''s eye twitched. He had been baited. His little sister was a sly little villain.


    "Ahem... Luna, that was a... Wow, what a nice day."


    Luna blinked in confusion.


    "What?"


    A soft knock at the door interrupted them. A moment later, a young woman stepped inside, carrying a small bundle in her arms. She glanced at Damon with a faint smile.


    So that was the signal for her to enter.


    She had long, flowing red hair tied back with a jeweled binder, and her striking green eyes gleamed with intelligence. Her figure was... well, she had curves in all the right places. By the goddess, she was well-endowed. Her beauty was the kind that could topple cities.


    Luna couldn''t help but notice something else¡ªthe woman''s clothing was made of the same fine material as her brother''s, and the jewels she wore were identical to the ones on his suit. Their outfits matched.


    Luna glanced at her brother, then at the woman, then back at Damon. Suspicion crept into her eyes. She tried to stand, but Damon swiftly moved to stop her.


    "What are you doing?"


    Luna smiled sheepishly.


    "Sorry about that."


    She sat back down on her bed, then, with practiced grace, performed a perfect, ladylike curtsy.


    "Greetings. I am Luna Grey. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady. If I may be so bold, may I know your name?"


    The woman¡ªLilith¡ªglanced at Luna, then at Damon. Her etiquette was flawless, refined to the smallest detail. She studied Luna for a moment before offering a gentle smile.


    "The pleasure is all mine. My name is Lilith Astranova. However, you may refer to me as Lilith."


    Luna''s breath hitched slightly, her eyes widening before she quickly composed herself. Astranova¡ªa ducal house.


    ''How does my brother know someone like that?''


    Meanwhile, Damon sat there, watching them act out their ridiculous drama. It was clear they were just ganging up on him to get a reaction. He watched them poke fun at him for a full three minutes, and judging by their synchronized antics, Lilith and Luna were getting along far too well.


    Originally, he had asked Lilith to wait outside because he wanted to surprise Luna with a pager he had bought for her. Lilith had even helped him make some payments for Luna''s medical care, leaving him to spend time alone with his sister.


    But now that they had met?


    He was regretting every decision that had led to this moment.


    In the end, he handed Luna the pager¡ªwith only his number added. Naturally, she insisted on getting Lilith''s as well.


    After spending a few more hours together, it was time to go. Lilith stepped outside to give them some privacy for their farewell.


    Damon sat by Luna''s bed as she held his hand.


    "Damon..."


    "Hm? What is it?"


    "When will I see you again?"


    He smiled.


    "You can always call, you know." Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    She nodded before glancing at him, her expression growing softer.


    "What''s on your mind? If you don''t want to tell me, that''s fine too..."


    She had noticed that during their time together, he had been somewhat lost in thought.


    Damon nodded, a tired look in his eyes.


    "You remember Back-to-Back?"


    Luna''s eyes lit up.


    "Yeah! I remember him! He''s really nice! I really like him! He bought food for us and helped fix our leaky roof... He''s one of the only people who''s been kind to us."


    Damon lowered his gaze, he felt a deep pang in his chest.


    That was right. Luna didn''t know the truth about his toxic relationship with Back-to-Back. To her, he was just a kind elf¡ªsomeone who had helped them when they were struggling.


    She didn''t know he was a dangerous mercenary working for the underworld.


    She didn''t know he was someone Damon had hated for years.


    She didn''t know how many times Damon had almost died because of him.


    He nodded slowly, the weight of the truth pressing down on him.


    "He''s... He''s dead."


    Luna''s eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 185 Trouble Is My Middle Name

    Damon left without telling Luna much. His sister seemed sad about Back-to-Back''s death, and that was fine. She didn''t need to know what had happened behind the scenes.


    He had come to spend time with her and give her the pager so she could contact him whenever she wanted. That was enough.


    After leaving, he made a brief stop to see Flora Estin, the healer who specialized in magic circuit cancer. She gave him an update on Luna''s condition¡ªshe was stable. Not cured, but stable.


    Although Flora was optimistic, she also voiced her concern.


    "Can you keep up with the payments?"


    It wasn''t a question born from doubt, but from experience. Many noble families had abandoned their own when faced with magic circuit cancer¡ªit was simply too expensive to keep someone alive when the costs never stopped rising.


    Damon understood where she was coming from.


    But he wasn''t giving up.


    He would just have to keep making money¡ªa lot of it. No price was too high for his sister''s life.


    On the upside, Luna was getting better. Not fully healed, but well enough that she would soon be able to move around again. He could tell just by how energetic she had been earlier when teasing him.


    As for a cure...


    There was no doubt that magic circuit cancer could be cured. Assuming he could get his hands on some legendary elixir from a dungeon.


    But that was like trying to leap into the heavens¡ªhighly unlikely.


    And even if he did obtain one, the sheer number of people who would come after him to claim it... he could never keep it. He could never use it. Not with his meager power.


    Even if he did manage to give it to Luna, some insane magi might still try to dissect her just to extract any trace of the elixir left in her body.


    He sighed.


    Money... it all comes down to money.


    And beyond that¡ª


    Power.


    That was all that mattered.


    Leaning his head back against the carriage seat, he murmured to himself,


    "I need more power..."


    Lilith, sitting beside him, heard his whisper and sighed.


    ''He must be thinking about leveling up...''


    The requirements for his next breakthrough were dire.


    A Dark Spirit''s Soul Fragment.


    Easier said than done.


    She gazed out of the carriage window. It was evening, and the city lights illuminated the streets in a golden glow.


    Without warning, she reached over and tapped a button by her seat.


    "Stop the carriage."


    Damon glanced at the statue of the goddess. Every statue of her was different. That was because no one actually knew what she looked like. After all, she was a god.


    "I see," he said. "At least someone answered."


    She nodded. "He did. But that wasn''t what I was thinking about."


    She turned to him, her emerald eyes thoughtful.


    "I find it strange... why is the Unknown God worshipped alongside the goddess in some ancient ruins? Even now, in some parts of the world, they are still worshipped together. The demons do both as well. What is their connection?"


    Damon sighed. "Alright, let''s go. I feel like this would take a while, and my legs hurt. I still have mana training to do."


    Lilith smiled. "Sure."


    As they walked down the road past the fountain, Damon suddenly frowned.


    His shadow perception picked up a commotion nearby.


    "Hehe, pin him down!"


    "Please don''t hurt my grandson...!"


    An old woman''s voice rang out, weak and desperate. She lay on the ground beside a broken basket of dried bread.


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    Four students in white uniforms with golden accents were holding down a poorly dressed boy, beating him mercilessly. One of them casually kicked the old woman aside.


    "Shut up, hag."


    Lilith furrowed her brows. "Imperial Academy students."


    Damon shook his head, his gaze cold as he watched them exploit helpless commoners.


    "Yes. And this has nothing to do with us."


    Lilith said nothing, instead scanning the passing crowd. No one even glanced at the scene. The city''s patrol squad simply walked by, unwilling to risk offending noble students for the sake of some lowly commoners.


    She glanced at Damon.


    "Your mana is out of control, right?"


    Damon scowled at her. "So?"


    She tilted her head toward the academy students.


    "Wouldn''t a good workout help with that?"


    Damon narrowed his eyes. "Didn''t you tell me to stay out of the way of Imperial Academy students?"


    She smirked.


    "Judging by where they''re standing... they''re in our way. And I can''t interfere¡ªsince they''re just first-years, after all. If only I had a first-year junior who enjoyed picking fights and hated nobles..."


    Damon chuckled.


    "Well... trouble is my middle name. If I have to mess up some rich snobs, then so be it."


    He wasn''t some hero. He didn''t care about saving strangers. But as he watched the noble kick the old woman aside, something twisted in his gut.

 Chapter 186 What Do You Want Good Sir...

    Commoner... that was a term used to define anyone who did not have the privilege of being born into nobility. However, the term wasn''t always present¡ªit only came into use after the Peasant Revolution.


    Once, anyone who wasn''t a noble was classified as a peasant. Naturally, peasants were little more than slaves before the revolution. Peasants could not own land or any type of property. They themselves were the belongings of the lord of the land they were born in. They farmed the land, and the lords took everything, leaving them starving. Peasants were forbidden from learning magic, and they were not allowed to read or write without their lord''s permission.


    They were debased, violated by their lords. Some cruel lords hunted their peasants like one would hunt foxes for sport. Should one have the misfortune of serving a lascivious lord, he would demand to sample all the women under his reign. Some lords even imposed a tradition¡ªwhen a couple got married, they had to send the newlywed bride to spend a night with the lord.


    This was just one of the many injustices¡ªone of too many to speak of. Even looking at a noble the wrong way could get an entire village destroyed, all kin executed. That was just the way the world worked, and for a time, the peasants accepted it.


    Until an event known as the Peasant Revolution. One peasant standing up for themselves turned into two, then millions. It became a worldwide phenomenon. The nobles tried to suppress it in the only way they knew how¡ªwith violence.


    However, that only made the situation worse. Many peasants died. Rivers of blood flowed, mountains of corpses cast long shadows over the land. Plagues spread. And naturally, the nobles weren''t completely unscathed. Many nobles were killed by revolting peasants.


    It was during this time they learned the power of the peasants. Among them, some showed outstanding talent and reached high-class advancements, adding their power to the conflict.


    But that was only the beginning. Peasants were primarily farmers, and since they refused to farm... there was no food. They were laborers, and without them, society began to collapse. Too many lives had been lost. All around the world, millions had died.


    It was during this time that the rulers of the era called a grand conference¡ªthe first world summit. And there, they made a decision. They announced the abolition of the peasant class and the creation of a new class¡ªthe commoner class.


    Being a commoner was different from being a peasant. They could now learn to read and write. They could use magic freely. They had basic human rights. They could own property. And most importantly, they could now keep ten percent of their crop yield for themselves.


    Of course, a taxation system was introduced, among other things. But without a doubt, the most appealing change was the ability to earn a noble title. The nobles had learned the power of talented commoners, and to avoid such dangers in the future, they opted to recruit them into their ranks¡ªgranting them noble titles.


    Of course, Damon knew that didn''t really change much. Nobles still did horrible things to those beneath them. Like these young men, beating up an old woman and her grandson. And seeing how the patrol and the crowd walking by did nothing, it was clear that this was commonplace.


    From her ragged clothes to the dried bread on the ground, that old woman wasn''t just a commoner. She had committed an even greater sin¡ªshe was poor. And an even greater sin than that¡ªshe was weak.


    Before he could finish, Damon''s fist crashed into his face, sending him flying backward.


    Damon''s dark eyes remained calm as the skill Remorseless activated. He turned his gaze toward the old woman and her battered grandson¡ªa young man with black hair, his face swollen, one arm hanging limply, likely broken.


    "Hold on a minute, Granny¡ª"


    "You bastard!"


    The other students raised their hands, launching magic attacks at Damon. Fire and ice streaked through the air, but he twisted out of the way, flipping effortlessly as his Parkour skill kicked in.


    "Wow, you guys are kind of weak. I see why you always lose to us in the war games. Pathetic."


    He raised his hand, summoning a thin barrier of shadow magic just as another blast of fire and ice magic came his way. The attacks slammed into the barrier, cracks forming, but Damon remained unimpressed.


    "That was a terrible combo attack. Don''t they teach you anything at the Imperial Academy?"


    His wrist flicked, and the omnidirectional gear shot out, latching onto a nearby surface and yanking him forward just as his barrier shattered. He propelled himself toward the fire mage, seizing him by the neck.


    "Guess you''re only good for picking on grannies."


    He slammed the boy into the ground, dodging a wind blade from the remaining three.


    Raising his hand, he formed his fingers into the shape of a gun.


    "Magic Bullet."

 Chapter 187 Work Out

    "That... that young man is quite tyrannical."


    "He''s skilled too... He''s from Aether Academy."


    "What''s one of the Aether Academy students doing in the capital?"


    Among the onlookers, an Imperial civil servant narrowed his eyes.


    "Serves those Imperial Academy students right for bullying an old woman."


    Beside him, one of his colleagues suddenly tensed.


    "Wait... doesn''t that red-haired woman seem familiar?"


    He glanced at her, frowning, before his eyes widened in recognition.


    "That''s¡ªThat''s Lady Astranova of the Astranova Dukedom... It has to be! She''s Aether Academy''s student council president!"


    Gasps spread through the crowd as murmurs filled the air.


    "That boy must be very talented."


    "Do you think Lady Astranova wants to groom him to join her house after he graduates?"


    "Looks like the Imperial Academy students are going to lose again."


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    "Yeah, they can''t beat Aether Academy..."


    Among them, some Imperial Academy students watched with cold expressions.


    Meanwhile, Damon raised his fingers and fired a Magic Bullet. The projectile struck its target¡ªhis new skill Dead Eye ensured that. With it, he could see the exact path the bullet would take before even pulling the trigger.


    The wind mage groaned as he was shot in the arm.


    "Sorry about that," Damon mused. "I happen to have something of a schoolshooter mindset... I love shooting... at fellow students. "


    Bang. Bang.


    Several more shots rang out. Damon grinned crookedly. This was too easy. He had grown stronger. This was the power of someone on the verge of their first-class advancement.


    The blonde student¡ªthe first one he had punched¡ªstaggered to his feet. He glanced at his ice-wielding companion, who was still unscathed, then sniffed and wiped the blood from his nose. He wanted a moment to regain his bearings before attacking. His opponent seemed strong...


    "Who are you? I''ve never heard of a first-year like you among Aether Academy''s students."


    Damon smiled.


    "Are you buying time? That''s fine. I needed a workout anyway, so I''ll indulge you... My name is Damon Grey."


    The blonde narrowed his eyes. He had never heard the name before. He knew all the top ten first-year students in Aether Academy.@@@@


    "I am Vail Heron."


    Damon nodded.


    "Normally, I''d break every bone I could... but I''m feeling generous today."


    He glanced at the others.


    "You lot, hand over all your money. I''ll take that as compensation for making me watch the pathetic sight of noble brats bullying an elderly woman."


    He smirked, pressing Vail''s face into the pavement before fishing through his pockets. A heavy pouch of zeni fell into Damon''s hands. He weighed it for a moment, then moved to the other three who were barely conscious. Their weak groans didn''t stop him from kicking them as he relieved them of their pouches.


    The onlookers held their breath. Some were unsettled, others seemed pleased. The patrol guards hesitated, exchanging glances. This was a fight between students from two academies. And frankly... they weren''t paid enough to get involved.


    Meanwhile, the other Imperial Academy students had already called reinforcements using their pagers.


    Lilith, watching from the sidelines, smiled. Everything was going as planned.


    Damon finished gathering the money, then picked up the old woman''s broken basket of bread. He placed the bread and the stolen zeni inside before tossing the nobles'' empty pouches away like garbage.


    He walked over to the old woman and handed it to her, leaning in slightly.


    "Don''t say anything. Just take this and get your grandson out of here," he murmured.


    "Trouble''s on its way, but they''ll be too focused on me to care about you."


    Tears welled in the woman''s eyes as she clutched the basket.


    "Thank you," she whispered, holding her grandson close as he struggled to his feet, limping.


    The young man¡ªabout Damon''s age¡ªlooked at him long and hard, as if trying to etch his face into his memory. He said nothing, only giving Damon a firm nod before turning away.


    As they disappeared into the streets, Damon''s senses flared.


    Shadows.


    Multiple figures.


    Armed and closing in.


    He grinned and glanced at Lilith.


    "That was barely a workout."


    The crowd gawked at him in disbelief. He had fought four people at once¡ªand he still wasn''t satisfied?


    Lilith chuckled, her emerald eyes gleaming.


    "I suppose it''s good that more are coming." She flicked a glance at him.


    "Beat them all, or our professors will really have something to say about us. Win, and you might actually get on their good side after... well, everything you''ve done."


    Damon smirked, cracking his neck as the sound of rushing footsteps filled the air.


    "I suppose I can''t let them down." His grin widened. "I''ll make sure to cause a big enough commotion for them to clean up."


    And then¡ª


    The Imperial Academy students charged in.

 Chapter 188 Standing With Justice

    The crowd of Imperial Academy students rushed in, weapons in hand. They moved quickly, forming a loose battle formation as they approached. Damon spotted various races among them¡ªbeastkin, elves, even a few fae''s ¡ªbut the one leading them stood out the most. A fae, his large brown angelic wings spread wide, hovered slightly above the others, bow in hand, radiating battle readiness.


    "You," the fae''s voice rang out, firm and accusing. "Are you the one from Aether Academy causing trouble on our turf?"


    Damon chuckled.


    "Your turf?" He crossed his arms.


    "This is the capital city. I don''t recall the your name being part of the Imperial Family... unless, of course, you''re secretly plotting to claim ownership of imperial land? Treasonous thoughts, perhaps?"


    The young man''s face twisted in anger.


    "That''s not what¡ª"


    Damon raised two fingers in a gun-like gesture.


    "Shut up," he cut in smoothly. "You dare insult the Imperial Family? I must exact justice."


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Before they could react, magic bullets burst forth from his fingers. In an instant, six of the fifteen attackers were down, caught off guard and wounded.


    The crowd gasped. Some of the bystanders murmured among themselves, already spreading exaggerated versions of the events. By invoking the Imperial Family''s name, Damon had effectively twisted the narrative, placing himself on the moral high ground. Now, the Imperial Academy students weren''t just fighting an Aether Academy student¡ªthey were disrespecting the Empire itself.


    And rumors had a way of growing wilder with every retelling.


    "Attack! Attack him now!" someone yelled.


    "Wait!"


    Damon''s voice cut through the noise. Surprisingly, they hesitated, which in his mind was utter foolishness¡ªespecially since he had struck first.


    The fae leader narrowed his eyes. "What is it, Aether Academy student?"


    Damon smirked.


    "The name''s Damon Grey." He straightened, his tone almost casual.


    "And I think this fight is unfair. The odds aren''t exactly favorable, are they? You''re all mostly armed, and there are fifteen of you against just one of me."


    The fae''s gaze flicked toward the four groaning figures on the pavement¡ªthe ones Damon had already beaten down.


    "You want to fight one-on-one?" he asked cautiously.


    Damon sneered.


    "Against you? Don''t flatter yourselves."


    He reached into his pocket, pulling out a black blindfold¡ªthe same one he always kept with him. Without hesitation, he tied it over his eyes, completely obscuring his vision.


    The crowd buzzed with excitement.


    "I''m giving you all a handicap," Damon announced.@@@@


    "Otherwise, this could be considered bullying. And at Aether Academy, we hate bullying the weak."


    The Imperial Academy students bristled, their expressions shifting from anger to outright fury. Damon could practically hear their teeth grinding.


    His fingers burned slightly from the recoil.


    "Ahh... looks like I''ve hit my limit," he muttered. He needed to let his hands cool for a moment, or he might risk hurting himself.


    Still, there were seven more to go.


    Damon charged at them. Using Parkour, he sprang off the ground and landed on the shoulders of another wind user. Before the student could react, Damon activated Shadow Armor under his arm, using the darkness from his own uniform, and smashed his fist into the student''s face. The impact sent the wind user crumpling.


    From his perch, Damon leaped onto a nearby streetlamp, then launched himself toward a building''s side, grabbing a window ledge. He didn''t stop. Raising his hand, he fired his Omnidirectional Gear, the hooked wire pulling him up. In a flash, he landed right next to the airborne fae.


    The fae''s eyes widened.


    "Wha¡ªwhat¡ª"


    Damon kicked him mid-sentence. The fae gasped, his wings faltering as they both plummeted toward the ground.


    Before they hit, Damon unleashed a barrage of magic bullets at point-blank range. The fae coughed blood, his consciousness slipping.


    The watching crowd gasped. The sheer insanity of the maneuver had left them stunned.


    Then, just before impact, Damon kicked off the fae''s chest and fired his Omnidirectional Gear again, pulling himself to the side of a wall. He landed smoothly¡ªright on top of the now unconscious fae.


    Silence.


    The remaining students froze in horror. Their strongest fighter had been obliterated.


    Damon straightened, rolling his shoulders.


    "Tch... That was disappointing."


    His piercing gaze snapped toward the rest of the group. They were still stunned, overwhelmed by fear. Without hesitation, Damon moved. In mere moments, he cut through them like a blade through paper. Their morale had shattered¡ªand in their hesitation, they were knocked out one by one.


    When the last student fell, Damon sighed.


    "That was easy. Let''s go," he said, turning to Lilith.


    She smirked, but her gaze flickered toward something else.


    Damon exhaled. He had already sensed the new presence.


    Another shadow.


    His eyes shifted toward the approaching figure. A young man with a sword resting on his shoulder and a katana strapped to his waist. His hair was a deep purple, well-kept, and his imperial uniform was pristine. But it wasn''t his appearance that stood out¡ªit was his gait.


    This one...


    This one was dangerous.


    Every step exuded calm confidence. No wasted movement. No fear.


    A swordsman. A real one.


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    The young man stopped a few paces away, his cold, calculating gaze locked onto Damon. Then, he spoke.


    "I am Yuka von Penrose... of the Imperial Academy."

 Chapter 189 Penrose

    Lilith smiled thinly. It seemed Damon had finally found a worthy opponent. However, she needed to make sure things didn''t get out of hand.


    Yuka von Penrose belonged to the esteemed Penrose family¡ªrenowned swordsmen fiercely loyal to the imperial family. There was no doubt that Yuka had been trained rigorously from a young age, his skills honed to perfection as a scion of his lineage. Among the first years at the Imperial Academy, he was ranked third.


    This year''s Imperial Academy freshmen were exceptionally talented. The institution was improving, but that wasn''t a concern¡ªAether Academy had its own prodigies. In both quantity and quality, Aether remained superior. Its Spartan training regimen wasn''t for nothing; the academy was brutal in every sense, forging warriors through both physical and mental trials.


    She couldn''t help but think of the upcoming end-of-semester evaluation.


    ''Damon won''t have it too easy this time...''


    Yuka paid Lilith no mind. He walked up to Damon, stopping precisely a meter away.


    "State your name."


    Damon''s black eyes were calm.


    "I am Damon Grey of Aether Academy."


    Yuka nodded.


    "I see. I have not heard of you. Where do you rank?"


    Damon thought for a moment. Should he reveal his former title or his current one? In the end, he chose the former.


    "Naturally, you wouldn''t have. I am Aether Academy''s weakest student."


    Lilith suppressed a smile as the crowd erupted in shock.


    "The weakest student? No way!"


    "But he just took down nineteen Imperial students!"


    "If he''s the weakest, then the students there must be on another level..."


    "Their education system must be superior!"


    Yuka narrowed his eyes. His opponent wore a blindfold yet had effortlessly defeated multiple students.


    ''Is he blind? No... that isn''t the gait of someone without sight.''


    "You lie," Yuka said coldly. "Someone as strong as you must surely be at least in the top ten."


    Damon smirked.


    "But you haven''t heard of any Damon Grey in the top ten, have you? Your academy should have shared the names of those in the ranking, along with their magic attributes and skills, right?"


    Yuka remained silent.


    "Ever heard of a Damon Grey who uses wind magic?"


    Lilith smirked. What a shameless lie¡ªhe was deliberately concealing his true attribute.


    Damon continued, his voice steady.


    "I''m a fist fighter. Someone like me would be well-known if I were in the top ten."


    Yuka narrowed his eyes. That made sense. And yet, something about this man felt too dangerous to be unknown.


    Their blades clashed, sparks flying as they tested each other''s limits.


    Yuka glared at him.


    "You''re fast... but after every dodge, you seem to get slightly faster. By a three-second margin. How? Is that a spell?"


    Damon gripped his daggers tighter.


    ''He''s sharp. He''s already noticed the effects of Beholder''s Gaze...''


    Damon didn''t have much time. His [5x] skill would wear off in five minutes, and he was already out of breath after fighting the others. Yuka wasn''t just skilled¡ªhe was tricky, his spatial attribute making him a dangerous opponent. Damon didn''t want to use his Shadow Armor skill, not against someone this fast, but that didn''t mean his shadows were useless.


    He activated Shadow Control and sprinted toward Yuka. The shadows beneath his sleeves flickered as teleporting sword strikes came at him. Damon dodged, weaving between the attacks, knowing Yuka was currently using only one sword. That meant his strikes could only come from one direction at a time.


    Damon easily closed the distance¡ªhe couldn''t allow Yuka to use Quick Draw again.


    Yuka''s violet eyes narrowed as he raised his sword to slash at Damon, but Damon''s dagger arts were unorthodox. He did what no sane person would¡ªhe threw his right dagger into the air.


    Yuka''s eyes instinctively flicked up in surprise. It was only for a moment, but that was all Damon needed.


    Another dagger was already flying toward Yuka''s face.


    Reacting fast, Yuka slashed it away.


    His eyes glimmered.


    You''re open.


    He swung down at Damon, expecting a decisive strike¡ªonly to find Damon had slowed down on purpose. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon''s palm caught the sword mid-swing.


    Clang


    Yuka''s eyes widened. His blade had struck something as hard as steel.


    Damon''s arms darkened, a solid gauntlet of shadow armor encasing them.


    Before Yuka could react¡ª


    An armored fist smashed into his face.


    Blood gushed from Yuka''s nose as he staggered backward, his grip tightening around his sword.


    "That was madness...!" he hissed.


    Damon stepped forward, delivering another heavy punch to Yuka''s gut, sending him reeling.


    As Yuka recovered, he reached for his katana, preparing to draw it at point-blank range.


    Damon sensed immediate danger.


    But before either of them could continue¡ª


    "That''s enough!!!"


    A cold, unfamiliar feminine voice rang out.

 Chapter 190 Emilia Highgon

    The voice carried authority, stopping Yuka just short of drawing his sword while Damon had already begun to cover his arm with Shadow Armor.


    Both fighters stepped back, keeping their guards up against each other. Damon knew that if the situation were reversed, he wouldn''t have stopped¡ªhe would''ve struck without hesitation. But alas...


    He shifted his attention toward the source of the voice.


    Standing apart from the crowd was a young woman.


    Her long black hair cascaded in elegant ringlets, and she wore the uniform of the Imperial Academy¡ªa pristine white coat with gold accents, a matching skirt flowing around her legs. A brooch gleamed on her chest, signifying her status, and in her hands, she held a small stack of papers.


    Damon''s gaze flicked toward Lilith, who merely spared the girl a glance.


    "It has been too long, Lady Emilia Highgon," she murmured.


    Emilia.


    Her violet eyes locked onto Lilith Astranova.


    "I did not expect to meet the student council president of Aether Academy here in Valerion... It has been too long, Lady Astranova."


    Lilith offered a thin smile.


    "It has indeed. Now that you''re here, I suppose it is time for us to leave."


    She stepped toward Damon, her expression unreadable.


    Emilia narrowed her eyes.


    "I''m afraid I cannot allow that. Your junior here unfairly assaulted my fellow students. Therefore¡ª"


    Lilith laughed softly, cutting her off.


    "Assaulted? Is that what you call four students attacking an elderly woman? The Imperial Academy has no shame. My junior here is someone who cannot tolerate evil. How could he stand by and let such injustices pass?"


    A murmur rippled through the crowd.


    "That''s true... I saw them beating up an old woman."


    "I heard her grandson only bumped into them and apologized, but they still assaulted him..."


    "How cruel... Are these supposed to be the future heroes of the Goddess'' races?"


    Emilia''s lips twitched. Damn it. Lilith Astranova had seized the moral high ground.


    Her gaze flicked toward the fae from earlier, the one Damon had beaten.@@@@


    "And what of the second group? What if they did no evil?"


    Lilith gasped theatrically.


    "Did you not hear what they said to my junior? They acted as if they owned the capital, spouting treasonous words. And look at my poor junior¡ªhe fought one versus fifteen."


    Damon sighed.


    "It''s okay, Lilith. Dealing with honorless people is fine. I was merely doing what every Imperial citizen should strive to do for our great empire."


    A hushed silence fell over the crowd.


    Then, with a solemn expression, Damon placed a hand over his chest and saluted.


    "How is he her disciple?"


    "That would explain a lot."


    "No wonder he was so strong..."


    Lilith smiled. Emilia was quite clever to make such a counter, but it still played into their favor by boosting their reputation. She had no complaints.


    Yuka, still gripping his sword, narrowed his eyes.


    "How come I''ve never heard of him?"


    Emilia seized the opportunity to hype Damon up even more.


    "You wouldn''t have. He joined shortly before the quarter-semester evaluation with a golden ticket from Seras herself. And to give other students a head start, he intentionally failed his evaluation."


    That last part was a complete fabrication, but she needed a strong narrative.


    Yuka''s eyes widened.


    "But why...?" Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    She turned toward Damon.


    "It was so he could prove how much stronger he was when the mid-semester evaluation came. Just a few days ago, he completely and single-handedly decimated all his peers, destroying part of the Evil Forest in the process."


    The crowd collectively sucked in a breath. This guy was insane. No wonder he had overwhelmed the imperial students. If even Aether Academy students couldn''t beat him, what chance did anyone else have?


    "That''s insane..."


    "No wonder he won so easily."


    "A monster..."


    Damon watched with mild surprise. He had never seen anyone praise him so thoroughly before.


    ''I think I like her.''


    But Emilia wasn''t done. She couldn''t just glorify a rival academy student¡ªshe had to balance the scales.


    "He''s also the biggest troublemaker," she continued, forcing a thin smile on her face.


    "He gets into fights every day, bullies the weak, and brutalizes even his own friends. He has no mercy, and even his professors can''t control him. He''s arrogant and does as he pleases. All the other first-years are afraid of him¡ªhe always sends students to the healers. And just recently, an upstanding professor was suspended because of his schemes... With monikers like ''Demon Grey,'' ''The Scourge,'' and ''Problem Child''¡ªhe''s nothing but a menace."


    Damon''s eye twitched. This girl really knew how to spin a story.


    ''I don''t like her anymore.''


    Lilith smiled thinly.


    "I think you''ve said enough. How dare you try to spread false rumors about my kind and upright junior?"


    Damon puffed his chest out, putting on his most noble and righteous tone.


    "Worry not, Senior Lilith. Good people are insulted every day. I see no reason to bicker in the streets¡ªit is unfitting for one of noble birth to lower themselves to the level of the uneducated. Let us depart. My righteous actions will speak for me. I will not be dishonored."


    With that, he walked away, carrying himself like a forlorn hero wrongfully accused.


    Lilith shot Emilia a glare before turning and striding after him. As they left, thin smiles played on their lips. The crowd, once skeptical, now cast Damon looks of sympathy¡ªas if he were a valiant soul falsely accused, despite saving an old lady.


    With his head held high, Damon turned on his heel, his coat billowing slightly behind him. Whispers filled the air as students exchanged glances¡ªwas he truly the villain Emilia claimed, or a noble warrior wronged by the system?

 Chapter 191 Demon

    The morning sun cast a soft lilac glow over the city, its light streaming through the glass panels of an elegant cafe?. The rush of carriages on the road and the chatter of pedestrians outside did nothing to disturb the tranquil atmosphere within. The one-way glass allowed those inside to observe the bustling streets while remaining hidden from prying eyes.


    By a large window, a young man and woman sat enjoying a peaceful breakfast. Though dressed in fine garments, it was their composed demeanor and noble mannerisms that truly set them apart.


    "I suppose you did a good job yesterday," the young woman remarked, her vibrant red hair catching the morning light as she smiled.


    Damon scoffed, stirring his tea lazily. "That didn''t help my mana control at all."


    She smiled knowingly. "It wasn''t supposed to. My goal was to help you establish a new reputation, get in the good graces of our professors, and, most importantly, boost our academy''s prestige."


    Damon lifted his cup, inhaling the rich aroma of his tea.


    "All that talk about not wearing uniforms to avoid trouble with the Imperial Academy..."


    Lilith''s gentle smile didn''t quite reach her emerald eyes.


    "I never said we couldn''t find trouble with them¡ªonly that I didn''t want them to find trouble with us."


    Damon sighed. She was as cunning as ever, but he liked that about her. If she weren''t, how else could she be plotting the downfall of the world''s most powerful organization?


    "That Yuka von Penrose was stronger than I expected," he admitted, setting his cup down.


    "Even with Shadow Armor on my hands, he managed to cut me. If Emilia hadn''t interfered, he might''ve landed a solid blow. That second move of mine was too ambitious."


    Lilith took a delicate bite of her food.


    "It was a clever move, forcing Emilia into damage control with the Imperial Salute. She had no choice but to shift the narrative instead of outright accusing us."@@@@


    She set her utensils down.


    "Lady Margan will arrive soon. We''ll see if your plan works, Damon¡ªand, more importantly, whether the one lurking in the shadows decides to act."


    Damon nodded. Someone was moving behind the scenes, a loose end that needed to be tied up.


    "I''ll be on my best behavior," he assured her.


    Lilith didn''t respond. Instead, her gaze drifted toward the glass panel, her expression darkening. Damon followed her line of sight.


    Lilith led them down an empty road, far from the bustling crowd.


    "That didn''t help her," Damon muttered.


    "And why the hell are you helping demons? They''re our enemies."


    Lilith glanced at him. "And what evil did that little girl commit?"


    Damon frowned.... She continued..


    "That''s just what they tell us. To keep us fighting. To keep us killing each other. Didn''t that elf say the same thing to you?"


    He narrowed his eyes. "Then they''re behind this, aren''t they?"


    She looked at him. "Do you know what our goddess truly is?"


    Damon hesitated. "...The Goddess of Doom."


    "Doom," Lilith murmured. "The end of all things. Everything that falls under doom is her domain¡ªincluding war. Specifically, the Doom War. The war that will end the world."


    Her fists clenched.


    "Even before demons walked this land, this world was locked in perpetual conflict."


    Her teeth ground together.


    "Even now, in these past eight years of supposed ''truce,'' the goddess races are still fighting among themselves. And the temple..." She took a deep breath.


    "The temple is one of the reasons why."


    She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, filled with quiet fury.


    "The longest peace this world has ever known lasted thirteen hours. No longer. Before another war began¡ªbig or small." Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon had never heard her sound so angry.


    "I want to end it all," she whispered. "I want to end this era of endless, senseless war."

 Chapter 192 Intelligent Reformer

    He sighed, feeling a mild irritation settle in his chest.


    "What does that have to do with demons?"@@@@


    His voice was laced with skepticism. He hadn''t forgotten¡ªhe wouldn''t forget¡ªthat he was an orphan of the Demon Wars. It was demons that had taken everything from him. His parents had died because of them.


    His sister hated them even more.


    Lilith met his gaze.


    "How many people like you do you think exist?" Her voice was soft, but her eyes were sharp.


    "Damon, you don''t hate demons. You''re not someone who blindly follows the crowd."


    He narrowed his eyes.


    "But if you are," she continued, "let''s assume your parents were killed by a human. Would you hate all of humanity? Or if an elf had done it, would you want to slaughter all of elvenkind? It''s the same thing. These aren''t monsters... they''re people."


    His expression turned cold.


    He sighed. "Whatever. I don''t even care about that."


    "You don''t because you know demons aren''t the true culprits," she pressed.


    "The ones who made you an orphan were the people who conscripted your parents for war. I don''t need to dig deep to figure that out. How many others were forced into battle?"


    She clenched her fists. "All of this is because of the war."


    Damon remained calm. If Lilith was flipping out, he had to stay level-headed.


    "You make it sound like war is all bad," he said evenly.


    "Our world was built on war. Conflict drives innovation. Medicine, technology, strategy¡ªprogress itself has been fueled by war."


    Lilith''s gaze turned icy.


    "At what price?" Her voice was sharp, nearly trembling.


    "The ones who profit from war get richer, while the weak and poor die for them. Countless orphans, lives erased, dreams crushed. War only breeds more war¡ªit''s a sick cycle."


    She took a breath, her emerald eyes burning with emotion.


    "And the ones who benefit the most," she said bitterly, "are the temple. Every war fills their coffers with wealth, their ranks with influence. They thrive on conflict."


    Tears welled in her eyes, but her voice didn''t waver. It was as if she were venting something she had buried deep inside for years.


    "Have you heard of the philosophy behind the old rickety fence?"


    Damon stroked his chin, thinking for a moment.


    "I think I''ve read about it," he said.


    "It''s a philosophy that poses a question¡ªwhat if you saw an old fence in the middle of the road that didn''t seem to serve any purpose? A good Samaritan might knock it down, thinking they''re making the path easier for others. But the philosophy argues that before removing something, you should understand why it was built in the first place. Without that knowledge, tearing it down might have unintended consequences."


    Lilith nodded.


    "Exactly. An intelligent reformer does their research before dismantling something. Take the temple, for example. It has existed for thousands of years, serving a purpose¡ªeven if we don''t fully understand it. Even if I had the power now, I wouldn''t destroy it arbitrarily."


    Her eyes gleamed with conviction.


    "That''s why we will create something to replace it."


    Damon exhaled. "That''s why you want to build an organization."


    She nodded again.


    "Look at it from every angle¡ªwho benefits from it? Why was it created? Who or what does it stop?"


    Damon folded his arms, mulling over her words.


    "I see... so what you''re saying is¡ªunless you fully understand something, you shouldn''t destroy it."


    Lilith turned to him, her expression unwavering.


    "I want to learn the temple''s secrets. I want to uncover what''s hidden in the ancient ruins. I want to know why they fell. I need to know. And when I do... when I finally understand..."


    Her grip on his hand tightened.


    "I''ll erase them."


    Damon glanced down at their interlocked hands but made no move to pull away. Once again, he was reminded of the sheer weight of Lilith Astranova''s ambitions. And from the looks of it, even demons were welcome in her grand design.... And that made her even more dangerous.


    For now, he chose not to pry into her past. She had already shown so much vulnerability¡ªmore than enough for him to trust that this wasn''t some elaborate scheme.


    In the end, despite how extraordinary she was, despite the way she spoke of reshaping the world¡ªDamon was reminded of one simple truth.


    Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lilith Astranova was still human.


    And because of that, she was flawed.


    Just like him.

 Chapter 193 Lady Margan

    A massive circular magic array spread across the ground, stretching a full 700 meters in diameter. At its very center stood an enormous arc of metal, gleaming like silver under the daylight.


    This mystical gate¡ªcrafted from materials so rare and expensive that only the wealthiest nations could afford them¡ªwas a marvel of magical engineering. But the cost was justified.


    In the distance, towering white pillars lined the perimeter, each embedded with high-level mana cores harvested from monsters of the fourth or even fifth rank. These mana cores fueled the gate, their energy keeping its portal open.


    This was a teleportation gate¡ªa crucial piece of infrastructure that allowed cities and regions to remain connected. A journey that would normally take weeks could be completed in mere moments. It served as the nexus of trade, logistics, and commerce, forming the backbone of the economy.


    Even now, carriages passed through, stopping briefly at security checkpoints before vanishing into the shimmering gateway.


    Traveling through the Golden Roads was considered relatively safe, but even they weren''t completely free from monster attacks. And even if they were, the world of Aetherus was simply too vast. The continent of Soltheon alone spanned millions of kilometers, filled with countless unexplored regions.


    Why the planet didn''t collapse under its own gravity had baffled scholars for centuries.


    The gates were remnants of an ancient civilization, and only a few remained. Constructing new ones was unthinkably expensive¡ªthe farther the distance, the greater the cost. Each one required an immense supply of mana cores and magic crystals, making them a rare and valuable commodity.


    ¡ªValerion West, Teleportation Gate¡ª


    Beyond the security checkpoints, Damon and Lilith stood beside a waiting carriage, their eyes fixed on the gate''s entrance. They were awaiting the arrival of Lady Attina Margan¡ªthe mother of the late Tobias Margan. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon remained calm. Lady Margan was a mermaid who had lost her only son. And though it had been his hands that ended Tobias''s life, she did not know that.


    He had no love for nobility and found their company grating, but this was different. He needed to get on her good side, to earn her trust. That meant setting aside his usual standoffish demeanor¡ªat least for now.@@@@


    Lilith stood quietly at his side. She had returned to her usual composed self, but every so often, she would glance at him with a faint trace of guilt. She had apologized more than once for losing her composure earlier, but he had reassured her that it wasn''t necessary.


    If anything, he found relief in knowing that she wasn''t some perfect woman who always kept her emotions in check.


    Still, his mind remained focused on Lady Margan.


    From what he knew, she was a widow¡ªher husband, a human, had died in the Demon Wars. Tobias had been her only child, and she had never remarried.


    "Know thyself and know thy enemy, and you will win a hundred battles."


    As a high noble, Lilith did not need to lower herself before a mere knight¡ªeven if he was a captain.


    Galahad returned the nod.


    "I shall inform Lady Margan. I will only be a moment."


    With that, he turned his steed and rode back toward the noble entourage.


    Lilith cast Damon a sideways glance.


    "Don''t forget¡ªyou promised to be on your best behavior."


    Damon exhaled sharply and muttered back, "Yeah, yeah. I haven''t forgotten my own words."


    A minute later, the door of the main carriage opened, and a woman stepped out.


    Two knights¡ªboth of the second class advancement¡ªflanked her protectively as she approached.


    Her expression was unreadable.


    She had long black hair that cascaded down her back and deep blue eyes that held a quiet intensity. Her features were striking¡ªshe was a beautiful middle-aged woman in the prime of her years.


    Yet, there was something about her¡ªwhether it was sadness or simply the weariness of long travel, Damon wasn''t sure.


    She stopped before them, her gaze steady.


    She had traveled thousands of kilometers to reach Valerion.


    "Greetings." Her voice was calm, measured. "I am Attina Margan, Daughter of the Sea."


    A pause.


    "I wish I could say our meeting was a pleasant one... but it is not."

 Chapter 194 A Womans Flaw

    Lilith performed a small curtsy while looking at Lady Margan. Damon followed suit, though his actions were slightly less refined¡ªhis eyes stealing obvious glances at the noblewoman before him.


    "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. I apologize for the small welcoming party."


    Lady Margan regarded them both with a neutral expression, but Lilith continued.


    "I am Lilith Astranova, Student Council President, and by my side is Damon Grey¡ªthe first-ranked freshman and Student Council Discipline Master."


    Lady Margan''s gaze shifted toward Damon.


    Damon met her eyes briefly before his face flushed slightly, his composure slipping for just a moment.


    "It''s an honor to make your acquaintance, my lady. I... I... "


    He stammered.


    Lilith''s brow twitched. That was unusual. Damon wasn''t one to get flustered easily, but at least he was keeping his word about being on his best behavior.


    Or so she thought.


    Damon cleared his throat and pressed on, his gaze lingering on Lady Margan.


    "I... I heard that Lady Margan was as beautiful as the finest magic pearls in the sea, but clearly... those were lies."


    Lady Margan''s expression hardened ever so slightly, but Damon wasn''t finished.


    "To compare your beauty to mere pearls is an insult to you, my lady."


    Lilith''s eye twitched. She stole a glance at Damon, keeping her composure intact.


    ''What is he doing?''


    This was Damon Grey¡ªthe same insufferable bastard who had once pretended to be in love with her, letting a love confession slip so casually. Even she, who knew his nature well, couldn''t tell if he was genuine or just faking it. His face was flushed, his words carried a shy sincerity...


    ''Ahhh, Damon, you liar! You said you would be on your best behavior!''


    Why had she even believed him? This was the same man who prided himself on having no pride at all¡ªor so he liked to emphasize.


    Lady Margan''s expression remained unreadable at first. Her gaze shifted from mild irritation to subtle surprise as Damon''s words reached her. A small, almost imperceptible smile threatened to touch her lips.


    It had been years since a young man had gushed over her like this.


    She kept her expression neutral, but inwardly, she felt a nostalgic amusement. It reminded her of the days when she had been in her prime, back in her homeland, when knights and nobles alike would compete for her favor.


    She studied Damon again.


    He was handsome and well-dressed. His mannerisms and poise suggested he had been raised with noble decorum.


    His black eyes¡ªdeep and unreadable¡ªreminded her of the abyssal depths of the sea.


    She could see why he was the first-ranked freshman. His mana... it was pouring out of him, leaking from his very pores. He had so much of it, and yet, he lacked proper control.


    That meant he was close¡ªon the verge of his first class advancement.


    And the way he shyly looked at her...


    He was at the height of his youth, a young man overflowing with potential.


    The same age her deceased son would have been.


    A faint smile played at her lips.


    "Thank you for the compliment... but surely, I am already an old woman."


    She stepped forward, her gaze darkening as she saw Damon still holding Lady Margan''s hand.


    "Shall we depart, Damon?"


    Her tone sharpened, but the infuriating man didn''t even flinch.


    If anything¡ªhe ignored her entirely.


    Damon, still holding Lady Margan''s hand, turned to her with a graceful bow, offering his arm.


    "Shall we, my lady?"


    Lady Margan let out a soft chuckle, amused by his antics.


    "Oh my, such a gentleman."


    And then¡ªshe locked arms with him.


    Lilith''s eye twitched violently.


    The two walked towards the carriages, Damon escorting Lady Margan with a grace that belonged to a seasoned nobleman.


    The knights, who had remained silent throughout this exchange, now exchanged glances¡ªutterly baffled.


    They could not comprehend this foolish young man.


    To abandon a fresh rose¡ªin her prime¡ªonly to pluck an old weed?


    Madness.


    Lilith followed behind them silently, her steps measured and controlled, though her temper flared dangerously beneath the surface.


    Damon, oblivious to¡ªor ignoring¡ªher mood, continued speaking with Lady Margan.


    He spoke of Soltheon¡ªof its wonders, its history, his words flowing effortlessly, painting vivid pictures of the world.


    But beneath it all¡ªhis true intent was clear.


    He was subtly extracting information from her.


    And his method was so smooth, so seamless, that even Lilith¡ªwho knew his tricks better than anyone¡ªbarely noticed.


    She exhaled sharply, watching him lead Lady Margan like some doting prince.


    ''My goddess...'' she thought, resisting the urge to rub her temples.


    ''He was supposed to be my supporting actor...''


    But somehow¡ª


    Somehow, he had stolen the entire show.


    She sighed, her frustration settling into a dangerous kind of acceptance.


    ''Fine then... I''ll play along with him.''


    This was his mess, after all.


    And she would make him pay for every second of it.


    ''Even so...''


    Her gaze darkened as she glared at Damon''s too-satisfied expression.


    ''I am so going to make him regret calling that old hag prettier than me...''

 Chapter 195 Leading On

    Damon''s conversation with Lady Margan continued as the carriage moved through the streets of the capital, past the grand gates, and onto the paved roads leading to Aether Academy.


    Lilith sat opposite them, her sharp gaze locked on Damon as he effortlessly coaxed information from Lady Margan¡ªall while showering her with endless flattery.


    He made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, ensuring she remained disarmed and comfortable.


    But beneath it all¡ªhis true intent was clear.


    Lilith noticed the small slips in his words¡ªintentional mistakes¡ªsubtle hints that Lady Margan was starting to pick up on.


    The wretched bastard was baiting her, leading her into his rhythm, step by step.


    And worse¡ªshe was falling for it.


    Damon''s smile never wavered as he spoke.


    "That''s right, the academy is always so competitive. In fact, many students die during the entrance exams, and the academy doesn''t allow outside powers in, so you can''t even bring your servants or knights."


    He sighed dramatically, lowering his head.


    "The academy is so elitist in nature..."


    His voice softened as if weighed down by sadness.


    "You wouldn''t believe the horrible things students do just to avoid falling off the rankings in this Spartan academy... just like Marcus¡ª"


    Damon stopped himself.@@@@


    For a fraction of a second, his eyes flickered toward Lilith¡ªonly to quickly glance away, sighing as if in relief.


    Lady Margan caught it instantly.


    A subtle moment, but it confirmed her suspicions.


    There was something the academy was hiding from her about her son''s death.


    And this young man¡ª


    He knew something.


    But he couldn''t speak freely.


    Not with Lilith Astranova sitting right next to him.


    ''I need to make him more comfortable. He''s just a young man...'' she thought, formulating a plan.


    Lilith, however, threw Damon a glare.


    She knew exactly what Lady Margan was thinking.


    And she knew exactly what Damon was doing.


    ''Tch... this bastard.''


    She narrowed her eyes, watching as Damon played his role perfectly.


    The same old trick¡ªmaking Lady Margan feel mature, intelligent, while playing the part of a nai?ve, love-sick fool who had a harmless crush on her.


    Lady Margan didn''t know what Lilith was thinking, but¡ª


    She had completely underestimated Damon Grey.


    "Tell me, Damon... are you familiar with Tobias?"


    Damon blinked, his expression shifting.


    Slowly, he turned to Lilith, throwing her a shy glance, as if asking for permission to speak.


    Lilith, watching him carefully, played along.


    She gave a small nod.


    Damon let out a soft sigh of relief, as though he were afraid of ruining something between them¡ª


    Which, to Lady Margan, was yet another clue.


    "Hmm... I did know Tobias. We didn''t really get along, but he was friends with Marcus..."


    "Be quiet."


    Damon lowered his head, his posture shrinking under her cold, oppressive presence.


    "I¡ªI... I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to cause trouble by talking about what Marcus¡ª"


    "Just be quiet."


    Lady Margan watched the exchange, her expression darkening with a deepening frown.


    "Lady Astranova, it''s quite fine... I was merely listening to stories. You shouldn''t have¡ª"


    Lilith cut her off, her voice clipped¡ªtense.


    "My lady, I am supposed to brief you on your meeting as well as your stay at the academy, so I hope you don''t mind giving me a little bit of your time."


    Her words were polite, but the underlying message was clear.


    This conversation was over.


    Damon turned his gaze to the passing scenery outside the carriage, concealing the satisfied smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.


    His job was done.


    The groundwork had been laid.


    He had painted Marcus as the culprit, and from here, it wouldn''t take much effort for Lady Margan to connect the dots.


    After all¡ªon the day Tobias died, Marcus''s uniform jacket had been torn to shreds.


    And who had torn it?


    Damon.


    He had worn that same jacket when he faced Tobias.


    And the maid who did Marcus''s laundry would remember it.


    Even if she didn''t, the academy had all the evidence needed.


    The final nail in the coffin¡ª


    It was in Marcus''s room.


    That is... assuming the academy hadn''t already found it.


    Which Damon seriously doubted.


    "I''m certain of it. They''ve gathered all the evidence."


    And now, there was only one loose end left.


    The person who saw Damon do it.


    The one who had been pulling the strings from the shadows along side Damon.


    Damon narrowed his eyes, his fingers subtly tapping against his leg.


    It wasn''t Evangeline or Sylvia. He would have sensed them.


    Leona?


    No¡ªshe would help him hide a body, but she wasn''t that cunning.


    Xander?


    Unlikely. He would have reported Damon instead. After all, Tobias had been his friend.


    Which meant...


    The answer was obvious.


    The only person powerful enough to bypass his shadow perception¡ª


    The only one who could move unseen.


    ''It''s one of the professors...''

 Chapter 196 Holding A Minor Grudge

    While Damon mulled over his own problems, Lilith continued filling Lady Margan in on the current situation. However, she made no mention of Tobias''s death¡ªor the deaths of any of his friends. Instead, she only spoke of how the noble families of these young men would soon arrive at the academy.


    In the meantime, Lady Margan would reside in a special section of the academy, one prepared specifically for distinguished guests.


    Damon had never set foot in that area before.


    Hell, he hadn''t even explored all the student areas.


    But he had seen a map of the academy¡ªand naturally, it was massive.


    The guest residence was located not far from the academy''s coliseum and tournament grounds. The entire area had been built to accommodate noble guests who arrived whenever Aether Academy hosted a grand event¡ªa festival, a tournament like the War Games, or both.


    A separate gate was built there, leading directly outside, so visiting nobles wouldn''t have to mingle with students at the main entrance. That gate only opened during major events.


    But since this wasn''t such a time, they had no choice but to take the usual entrance.


    Lady Margan wore her usual tired, weary expression as Lilith spoke, her mind clearly elsewhere.


    Damon smirked internally.


    He was certain Lilith was pushing her toward him.


    By whatever means necessary, Lilith wanted Lady Margan to see him as an ally¡ªor at the very least, as someone she could use as an insider.


    They soon arrived at the guest residence.


    The white mansion loomed before them, its grand entrance exuding an air of noble refinement.


    In the distance, Damon caught sight of the academy''s tall spires. Further beyond, a large stone monolith stood in eerie silence. He recognized it immediately¡ªthe path leading to the Underground Labyrinth, the academy''s dungeon.


    But now was not the time to dwell on that.


    Damon turned his attention back to the mansion.


    The carriage doors were opened by a knight stationed outside, and Damon stepped out first, offering his hand to Lady Margan as she descended from the carriage.


    Lilith followed, her expression unreadable, as they made their way to the mansion doors.


    A group of maids stood in perfect formation, dressed in crisp formal uniforms, waiting for them.


    As they entered, the maids greeted them gracefully, while a group of manservants assisted Lady Margan''s followers in getting settled.


    Damon moved to escort Lady Margan upstairs, but Lilith stopped him mid-step.


    Once again, she spoke with poised elegance.


    "I must apologize for the small welcoming party... The others are occupied meeting the family representatives. The Regardis, the Ambridges, the Fayjoys, the Garniers, and finally, the Tatarstans¡ªall will be sending their representatives soon."


    Lilith''s gaze flickered toward Lady Margan.


    "The meeting will be held a day after the last representative arrives. In the meantime, you may familiarize yourself with the academy at your leisure."


    Lady Margan''s expression hardened.@@@@


    All these noble families were gathering¡ª


    Yet the academy had told them nothing.


    They had only been informed that their children were dead.


    Under normal circumstances, the academy would simply send a cause of death report and return the remains to the family.


    But this time was different.


    Why?


    Lilith scoffed.


    "I wouldn''t know anything about that. After all, she''s far more beautiful than me..."


    Damon gave her a deadpan expression.


    "You''re really holding a grudge over something so small?"


    Lilith smiled coldly.


    "A grudge? No. Seeking payback? Yes. Yes, I will... This is your chance to get on my good side, and that window is closing fast."


    Damon sighed, his voice tired.


    "Wow, Lilith, you are the prettiest in the world. No woman compares. I can''t take my eyes off you..."


    She glanced at him, rolling her eyes.


    "I sense no sincerity there. My grudge deepens."


    He sighed.


    "Ahh, fine... I love your hair. I love how you smell like gardenias. I love your emerald green eyes that hide how vicious you are..."


    She sneered.


    "I see how you slipped in an insult there... You really can''t let go of that ego of yours. My payback will be swift."


    He sighed again. "Woman, what more do you want? I tried my best..."


    "Your best wasn''t good enough."


    "Don''t girls like honest guys?"


    She chuckled coldly.


    "Says the man who just lied to Lady Margan." Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    He shrugged. "Touche?."


    She stopped.


    "The rest of the noble families will be here soon. The good thing is, the academy has no clue you''re involved. On the day Tobias died, you had an alibi¡ªyou were with me in town. As long as no one saw when you returned to kill Tobias, I can be your alibi."


    He nodded. "Okay, what about Renata? She was there too, in town."


    She nodded.


    "Our only problem is the person who saw you."


    He nodded again, narrowing his eyes.


    "Yeah... I have a clue."


    She glanced at him as she walked.


    "Who?"


    He narrowed his gaze further.


    "It''s one of the professors."


    She looked toward the distant spires and sighed.


    "That does very little to narrow it down... but if it comes down to it, I think I have the means to kill one of them."

 Chapter 197 Ingredient

    Damon was somewhat reassured, but that did little to ease his paranoia. If one of the professors had seen him kill Tobias, who could it be? What were their intentions? Why hadn''t they reported him? Were they waiting to catch him in the act? Or, better yet, had they never planned to?


    Was meeting him there a coincidence, or had they been targeting him from the start?


    Many possibilities flashed through his mind. Why did they tamper with the evidence he left behind on purpose? Did they change it up because...


    ''They didn''t want me to be caught...''


    He wouldn''t have been because the ripped jacket had belonged to Marcus. That had been his aim.


    "But the person didn''t know that..."


    Lilith walked beside him with her usual grace, her hips swaying in rhythm with the movement of her long red hair. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    "You don''t need to be paranoid. I''m sure you''ve come to the same conclusion as me," she said.


    "Which means whoever it is won''t expose you. They have their own intentions. Or rather, they were after their own plan. If I had to guess, they must have seen you devour Tobias and taken an interest in your powers."


    She knew the academy wasn''t just an educational institution¡ªthat was only part of it. Most of the staff weren''t even true professors. They were researchers who had awakened a class¡ªalchemists, mages, magi, and so forth. These types mostly cared about their research. After all, this was a world where people turned themselves into liches just to continue their pursuit of knowledge. Illegally, of course.


    She wouldn''t be surprised if one of the professors believed they had a type of magic or class skill that would benefit from Damon''s power. Or rather¡ªhis shadow.


    "I''m not sure," she continued, "but I think someone might want to use you as an ingredient in black magic."


    Damon glanced down at his shadow, which had been acting as any normal shadow would.


    "What? Why me...? I''m..." He paused.


    "A prime ingredient for black magic. But the dark magic attribute isn''t even rare¡ªit''s almost common."


    She nodded.


    "But yours is shadow. That''s somewhat rare¡ªnot unheard of, but rare to come by."


    She glanced at his shadow.


    "There was simply no need to mention him. He has no such motives. If anything, the most suspicious would be Kael."


    She nodded.


    "Is it because he has a dark attribute?"


    He shook his head.


    "No. It''s because the Blackthorne family hasn''t produced anyone in the fifth class advancement in four generations. And in the last Demon Wars, their elder¡ªwho had been in the fifth class for several centuries¡ªdied in battle. So, yes... he has a lot of motivation."


    Lilith wasn''t so sure about that. Damon did have a strong impression of Kael, but whether it was accurate or not was another matter.


    "Hmm... we''ll have to investigate further. Since Kael is your suspect, I''ll look into what he was doing on the day you killed Tobias. But for all intents and purposes, we have no evidence. And Kael is a straightforward man. If he didn''t like you, he wouldn''t hide it. While he''s cold, I can assure you he''s someone who actually cares for his students."


    Damon clicked his tongue. He wasn''t going to give Kael the benefit of the doubt. Kael had opposed him at every turn¡ªthe mid-semester evaluation was proof of that. If Damon hadn''t seen the criteria for the evaluation beforehand, he would have been in serious trouble.


    "That''s news to me..." he muttered.


    But fine. Until they had solid evidence, they needed to focus on more pressing matters.


    "Until we have proof, we should focus on the problems at hand. I''ll start thinking of ways to level up while you sort out our spoils from what we got. We can discuss the rest of the issues later."


    Lilith''s eyes flickered at the mention of leveling up. She certainly hoped he didn''t feel threatened. If he did... she wasn''t sure what dangerous things he might do.


    "I agree with you," she said after a moment. "If there''s anything you know, you''ll tell me, right?"


    Damon raised an eyebrow.


    "Ahmm... sure..."


    She sighed as they walked toward a small, weathered statue of the goddess outside a tall spire.


    They stopped at a circular array, the runes dim with only faint flickers of magic. At the center was a glowing gem embedded into the formation¡ªhe recognized it as a magic crystal, smeared with residual magic energy.


    Standing at the formation''s center, Lilith poured her magic into it. Their bodies shimmered before vanishing, swallowed by the teleportation spell.

 Chapter 198 A Date

    Clang! Clang!


    The sounds of heavy breathing and the clash of training weapons echoed across the vast training ground. The space, reinforced with complex magic arrays, bore witness to an intense sparring session. A young man with black hair stood at its center, his body drenched in sweat. His hands and face showed signs of battle¡ªbruises forming from repeated blows. Despite his fatigue, he kept his stance firm, facing off against a golden-haired girl with sun-marked eyes. She held a training sword, her expression calm yet unyielding.


    Damon lunged forward, slashing his training sword at her. The blunt weapon met resistance as Evangeline blocked it with ease, the force of the impact pushing her back slightly.


    "I may not have talent for the sword," Damon muttered, adjusting his grip, "but this would be a different story if I were using daggers..."


    Evangeline smirked, her tone laced with mockery.


    "Too bad today''s subject is swordsmanship," she said smoothly. "All I hear are excuses."


    Damon gritted his teeth as he steadied himself. His form adhered strictly to the fundamental principles of swordplay¡ªevery move calculated, every swing precise. He almost resembled a young knight-in-training, his technique bearing an uncanny resemblance to Evangeline''s own.


    She struck.


    "Why are you only using the basics? Are you holding back against me?"


    Damon sneered.


    "Do I look like I enjoy being beaten up? This is the only swordsmanship I know. If I change it up, it''d be something else entirely."


    He parried her strike, countering with a quick maneuver that forced her to adjust her footing.


    "I have no talent for the sword," he added, breathing heavily. "That''s why I learned to use daggers and a bow instead."


    Evangeline clicked her tongue.


    Liar.


    He was obviously lying to her again. How could someone with no talent in swordsmanship wield a blade with such precision? How could he rely only on the basics and still manage to hold his own against her?


    Her irritation flared. She had enough of his nonsense. If Damon wanted to keep lying to her, then fine¡ªhe''d have to pay for it.


    Channeling her mana, she infused her blade with magic.


    [Radiant Blade]


    A streak of light magic engulfed her sword as she swung down toward him. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    Damon''s eyes widened.


    He hadn''t expected that. Up until now, he had been relying solely on his passive skills to hold his ground. The rules strictly forbade the use of magic in this exercise. But fortunately for him, it was light magic. Through his heightened perception of shadows, he caught the shift in shadows and reacted instinctively¡ªdeftly dodging the glowing arc of her blade.


    A commanding voice rang across the training grounds.


    "Evangeline, use of magic¡ªyou''re out!"


    The professor''s booming declaration echoed through the field. He cast a glance at Damon.


    Tomorrow, the noble and academy conference would begin. The last noble family set to arrive would be here today.


    He glanced at his classmates, his eyes briefly settling on Evangeline, who stood beside him.


    "Now what?" she asked.


    Damon turned his head toward her.


    "What?"


    She narrowed her eyes, nodding toward Sylvia¡ªthe elven girl sitting in a corner with a book.


    Or at least, he would have thought she was reading¡ªif the book wasn''t upside down.


    Right. Sylvia.


    "I''m sorry," Damon sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I''ve tried my best. I''ve tried getting through to her so many times, but I just... don''t know what''s wrong."


    The truth was, he felt worse with each passing day.


    It had been so much easier when he didn''t give a damn about them.


    But now... he did.


    Evangeline let out a quiet sigh, her eyes betraying an emotion she tried to suppress.


    Damon exhaled, his frustration evident.


    "You''re her best friend," he muttered. "Any suggestions? Anything would help."


    Evangeline hesitated before nodding.


    "I don''t know much about her, okay? All I do know is that she comes from a very high-ranked family in the Verdant Continent... and she was sheltered¡ªfar more than usual. She''s not the type to go out."


    Damon''s expression shifted.


    "Wait... what?" A thought clicked in his mind. "Hmmm... I think that could work..."


    Evangeline raised an eyebrow.


    "What could work?"


    Damon smirked, his gaze shifting toward Sylvia.


    "I hate to break it to you... but it looks like I''m taking Sylvia on a date."


    Evangeline blinked.


    "...Wha¡ªwhat?!"

 Chapter 199 Creep

    Sylvia walked down the dormitory halls, the quiet of night settling around her. She had stayed at the library a little later than usual, but thankfully, the dorms weren''t locked yet¡ªshe hadn''t missed curfew.


    Taking a more silent route back to her room, she moved through the dimly lit corridors. As she approached her door, she suddenly heard a sound.


    She stopped.


    Her body tensed, and she snapped her head around.


    "Who''s there?" she demanded. "Show yourself."


    A cold chill crawled over her skin. The once familiar halls now felt narrower, as if something unseen was pressing in on her.


    And yet, when she turned again, there was no one.


    She hugged the book in her arms, forcing herself to move forward.


    I must be losing it...


    Shaking her head, she reached her door and unlocked it. The room was dark as she stepped inside. She sighed and quietly placed her book down before turning on the light¡ª


    ¡ªonly for a voice to greet her.


    "Why, hello there, Sylvia..."


    Her heart lurched.


    The large chair by her window¡ªher usual study seat¡ªslowly rotated to reveal a dark-haired young man lounging in it.


    Damon.


    His black eyes were empty, his expression unreadable, but his smile was too thin, as if it concealed something dangerous. The shadows around him stretched unnaturally, pooling beneath his chair like they had a mind of their own.


    Sylvia stiffened.


    "Y-You¡ªah... what... Damon? What are you doing in my room?"


    The young man leaned back, that same sinister smile curving on his lips.


    "I''ve come to take you."


    Sylvia let out a slow breath, scanning her room.


    ''So that presence I felt earlier... it must''ve been him.''


    Damon did have an unnervingly dark aura. She had panicked for nothing.


    She bit her lip, feeling slightly embarrassed.


    "Sorry for freaking out..."


    Damon raised an eyebrow.


    "...Aren''t you going to ask how I got in?"


    She shook her head.


    "No need for that." She glared at him. "You can take the same way out."


    Damon chuckled.


    "That was a very un-Sylvia-like response. So, you are mad at me."


    She shook her head again.


    "Mad at you? No, not at all. Creeped out? Yes, very much."


    Damon lifted her by the waist and placed her onto the seat before climbing in himself.


    Sylvia stared at him, her curiosity completely taking over now.


    "...Where¡ªwhere are we going?"


    Damon grabbed the reins and flashed her a grin.


    "On a date."


    Sylvia''s gray eyes widened.


    "...What?!"


    The carriage took off, rolling smoothly down the road.


    Before long, the grand lights of Athor''s Sanctuary came into view, illuminating the night sky with its warm glow.


    And as they left the academy behind, Sylvia realized something.


    That dark chill she had felt earlier¡ªthe heavy shadow that had clung to her for days¡ª


    ...It had stayed behind.


    For the first time in a long while, she felt free.


    Damon stopped the carriage beside a brown-haired young man with a sly glint in his blue eyes.


    Sylvia eyed the stranger warily as Damon hopped off and offered her his hand. She hesitated briefly before accepting it, stepping down onto the cobblestone street.


    "Thanks for the carriage, Carls," Damon said casually.


    The young man¡ªCarls¡ªflashed a lazy grin.


    "No biggie... I''ll keep an eye out for you two lovebirds."


    Sylvia''s eyes widened, and a deep blush spread across her cheeks. L-Lovebirds?!


    She stole a glance at Damon, but he didn''t seem fazed at all.


    ''Just who is this guy?'' she wondered, glancing between them.


    Damon, however, had already shifted his attention back to her. His eyes flicked down to her hand, and before she could react, he took it.


    Her breath hitched.


    Her face grew even redder as she quickly averted her gaze, refusing to look at him.


    Damon smirked. He pulled her closer, lowering his voice.


    "Stay close," he murmured. "Athor''s Sanctuary is full of crooks. More importantly, we can''t let the Student Council spot you."


    Sylvia frowned and looked up at him.


    "Huh? If you knew we''d get in trouble, why did you bring me?"


    Damon chuckled, offering her his other hand.


    "You didn''t resist," he said smoothly. "Which means you want to be here." His smirk widened. "Now, let me show you a good time, princess."


    Sylvia bit her lip, torn between irritation and intrigue.


    She hesitated for a moment.


    Then, slowly, she placed her hand in his.

 Chapter 200 Hurt Again

    Damon leaned against the side of the street stand, watching Sylvia take a bite out of a freshly grilled kebab. The skewered meat, charred at the edges, glistened with oil and spices. She hummed in delight, pressing a hand to her cheek as she chewed.


    "Hmmm... what is this meat?" she asked, licking a bit of sauce off her lips.


    The street vendor, a scruffy-looking man with a nervous smile, hesitated. He had planned to tell her after she had eaten at least five, but Damon had already slipped him a few zeni to keep his mouth shut.


    For the past few minutes, the white-haired elf girl had unknowingly devoured seven different kinds of skewers, savoring each bite without a second thought.


    "The spice is unique," she mused, rolling the taste over her tongue. "I like it, but it could be spicier... This would do well with elven spices."


    Damon nodded, a small smirk tugging at his lips.


    "Those are elven spices... just the cheap kind," he said.


    He held up a bottle of water and handed it to her.


    "Here. You might want to wash it down with this."


    Sylvia swallowed and took the bottle, downing its contents in one go. She wiped her mouth and smiled at him.


    "What type of meat was that? I loved the flavor."


    Damon cleared his throat.


    "Ahem... well, actually, that''s why I gave you the water first..."


    Sylvia tilted her head in confusion but waited for him to continue.


    "I''m sure you''ve read about them," he said. "Actually, I don''t think you even need a book to know about them..."


    Her brows furrowed.


    "Them?"


    "I mean, goblins are a common monster," he finally said.


    Sylvia almost missed it. Almost.


    But then, her grey eyes widened. The color drained from her face.


    "G-Go... goblin... That was goblin meat...?"


    Her entire body froze.


    Her face turned a sickly blue as she shook her head in disbelief.


    "Haha... no, you''re teasing me, right? Right?"


    Damon shook his head.


    "I wish I was, but I''m not. That was goblin meat. In fact, not just any goblin¡ª" He smirked. "¡ªthat was brown bugger goblin."


    Sylvia''s stomach lurched.


    Damon continued, clearly enjoying her reaction.


    "You know, the ones with horrible warts on their skin, tons of snot dripping from their noses..." He shuddered dramatically. "I mean, personally? I wouldn''t eat their stuff. I heard green goblins are a staple in some places, while red-cap goblins are served hot but are harder to kill."


    Sylvia clamped a hand over her mouth.


    "You told me... the meat was gourmet..." she whispered, her voice trembling.


    Damon smiled wickedly.


    "It was. Brown bugger goblins are rare. Harder to find than green goblins. I heard they even eat their own faces and vomit¡ª"


    He leaned in slightly.


    "Apparently, it adds to the flavor."


    As the saying goes: Traveling a thousand miles is better than reading a thousand books.


    Experience¡ªtrue experience¡ªwas something she lacked.


    Damon had shown her the worn-down parts of town. They had spent the past three hours jumping from one place to another.


    She had been scammed¡ªseven times.


    And every single time, Damon let it happen.


    They had gone to a tavern, where Damon asked if she had ever seen a bar fight.


    She had shaken her head.


    She had never been to a tavern before.


    How could she have seen a fight?


    So... she had stayed and he created one.


    She watched it all happen.


    And when the brawl broke out, she had slipped away with him.


    She had fun.


    He had shown her a whole new world.


    They had even been chased by the Student Council.


    She was exhausted, but she had fun.


    Damon had called it a date¡ªbut not once, not once, had he been a gentleman.


    He mocked her.


    He teased her.


    But he had also protected her.


    As they reached the academy, Damon carefully snuck Sylvia past the hedge walls and into the dorms. She looked around awkwardly as he set her down, her face red with embarrassment.


    "You... You did all that on purpose, didn''t you?" she muttered, narrowing her eyes at him.


    He shrugged. "Who knows?"


    Sylvia smiled, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. "That was... a new experience. Thank you."


    Damon shook his head. If someone had done all that to him, he would''ve been livid. Back-to-back had tricked him years ago, and now he had done the same to her. He almost felt bad¡ªalmost.


    She looked away. "Ehm... Thanks, and good night."


    Damon sighed as he watched her fidget awkwardly. She seemed to be almost back to her usual self. She really didn''t know much about the outside world, and for some reason, he found her naivety endearing. Before he could stop himself, he voiced his thoughts.


    "You really are a sheltered princess."


    The moment the words left his mouth, all the mirth drained from Sylvia''s eyes. She lowered her head, the mood shifting instantly.


    "Ah... right. I... Good night," she mumbled before quickly turning and running up the stairs.


    Damon blinked, raising his hand as if to stop her.


    "Sylv¡ª"


    Before he could finish, something slammed into him, forcing him against the wall. His body tensed as a firm grip seized him, pinning him in place.


    A cold, female voice followed.


    "I know what you did."

 Chapter 201 Summoning

    Damon tried to resist, but the person pinning him to the wall was just too strong.


    He hadn''t even sensed the attack coming¡ªshe had teleported straight to him.


    "Lilith, what do you think you''re doing? Let go," he growled.


    She only pressed him harder against the wall, her grip unyielding.


    "Why did you do it, you psychopath?" she spat, her voice cold.


    Damon gritted his teeth and tried to push her off, but she was stronger. He had no idea what she was on about.


    "Since when did you give a damn about Sylvia?" he shot back.


    Lilith suddenly pulled him away from the wall, only to let him fall. Before he could react, she straddled him, her expression unreadable.


    "I thought we agreed you wouldn''t do anything reckless," she said, her tone sharp.


    Damon narrowed his eyes as her weight pinned him down.


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    Lilith''s emerald eyes flickered as she studied him.


    "You''re not lying to me, are you?"


    Damon shook his head. "I can''t lie about something I don''t even know about."


    She sighed, then suddenly buried her fist into his gut.


    The impact knocked the wind out of him.


    "Cough¡ªcough¡ªAhh, what was that for?!" he gasped, struggling to breathe.


    Lilith shook her head, her expression indifferent.


    "Nothing. That was just for calling an old hag prettier than me." She leaned back slightly, folding her arms. "Now that we''ve addressed that, we have a problem."


    Damon sat up, still catching his breath.


    "You did that just because you were holding a grudge, didn''t you?"


    She bit her lip slightly. "A little, yes. But this isn''t a joke."


    Damon frowned, glancing toward the stairs. He couldn''t follow Sylvia now.


    "Hmph. I''ll deal with that later," he muttered before turning back to Lilith. "What''s the problem now?" Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Lilith''s expression darkened. She turned on her heel and started walking.


    "It''s better if I show you."


    Damon followed without another word.


    Despite the late hour, they made their way past the dorms, moving past the fountain and between a few detached buildings. Eventually, they reached an elevator. Lilith stepped inside, and he followed.


    "Where are you taking me?" he asked as the elevator descended.


    She didn''t answer immediately. When the doors opened, she led him into what looked like an abandoned courtyard.


    Finally, she stopped near a bench and gestured at the ground.


    "We''re here," she said, her voice serious.


    She stood up, dusting off her hands.


    "Upon investigation, the academy found traces of spirit magic at the scene....of the last victim"


    Damon shrugged.


    "What does that have to do with me? I have no affinity for spirits."


    She nodded.


    "Spirit summoning doesn''t necessarily require an affinity. Affinity is only needed to channel a summoned spirit''s power. But the act of summoning itself?" She gave him a pointed look.


    "Anyone can attempt it¡ªif they have the right materials."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. He was starting to see where this was going.


    "You think I was trying to summon a spirit? A dark one, no less?" He scoffed. "Do you think I''m insane?"


    Lilith''s expression didn''t waver.


    "A madman who would kill his classmates... Isn''t that exactly what you are?" she said, voice calm.


    "The only difference is¡ªI''m biased. I''d keep you out of trouble." She sighed.


    "But I did think, for a moment, that you went behind my back and did something reckless. Summoning a dark spirit wouldn''t be that shocking for you."


    Damon didn''t feel offended, but he still clicked his tongue at her.


    "You didn''t actually suspect me. And even if you did, you didn''t need to slam me into a wall." His gaze sharpened.


    "You''re just pissed about Lady Margan, aren''t you?"


    Lilith''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    "If you knew I''d be angry, you shouldn''t have said it."


    Damon sighed. Women were such trouble.


    Not wanting to deal with Lilith''s glare any longer, he shifted his focus elsewhere¡ªspecifically, his shadow.


    Something was off.


    His shadow had taken an unusual interest in the unconscious student.


    Damon frowned.


    "You can''t eat him."


    His shadow recoiled, clearly appalled by the accusation.


    "Don''t give me that reaction. You totally would," Damon muttered.


    The shadow threw up its hands in exaggerated surrender¡ªthen, it pointed at the burned corpse.


    Damon''s frown deepened.


    He crouched down, watching as his shadow gestured back and forth.


    Lilith frowned curious.


    "What is it saying."


    His eyes widened.


    "He... He says my blood was used for this summoning."

 Chapter 202 Spirit Vessel

    Lilith narrowed her eyes.


    "Still acting like you have nothing to do with this... Damon."


    Damon sighed. She was being petty, and they both knew it.


    "We are in a crisis. This is no time to be hung up on something I did."


    She rolled her eyes but seemed to let go of whatever grudge she held¡ªat least for now.


    Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    "If I didn''t know better," she continued, "I''d think you were trying to summon a dark spirit. Hoping to break off a fragment of its soul to level up."


    Damon glanced at his shadow. It had its hands on its hips, as if agreeing with Lilith. He clicked his tongue in irritation.


    "Take that back. You do know better."


    Lilith snickered.


    "I wish I didn''t. That way, I''d have a good excuse to be mad at you."


    Damon''s eye twitched.


    "So you do know your excuse is petty."


    She shrugged, unconcerned.


    "Why else would I be looking for legitimacy?" Then her tone shifted, more thoughtful.


    "If you were trying to summon a dark spirit... which one would it be?"


    He gave a lazy shrug, considering the hypothetical.


    "If I were going to¡ªjust hypothetically¡ªand don''t even think about using this as an excuse to punch me..."


    Lilith had already curled her fist. He caught her wrist before she could act on it.


    He continued.


    "I would try summoning the lowest one I could find."


    She shook her head.


    "That confirms you aren''t the one attempting a summon. The first thing you need is a name¡ªwhether it''s a demon, god, spirit, or even a person. If you don''t, you just end up pulling whatever has an affinity to you. And the closest match that meets the requirements will answer the call."


    She glanced at him.


    "Unless... you do know, and you''re just playing me."


    Damon scoffed.


    "No... but whatever it is, we have to stop them."


    Damon nodded, skeptical.


    "We don''t know how much of my blood they got, but it must not be enough for their summon."


    Lilith shook her head.


    "No. It''s enough. The real issue is finding a proper vessel for the spirit. Why else would they use unsuspecting students?"


    Damon exhaled.


    "Then what do all these students have in common? The first was Rein Ambridge¡ªhe had a fire attribute. Who was the second?"


    Lilith frowned.


    "It was Cliff. He had an earth attribute¡ªhe was a gnome from Midshire."


    Damon turned to the unconscious student lying before them.


    "And him? A fairy. His attribute is wood."


    Lilith pulled out her pager.


    "So far, there''s no obvious common factor between them, except that they''re all first-years and male. The first was human. The second, a gnome. The third, a fairy..."


    Damon''s chest tightened.


    His blood being used made him either the prime suspect¡ªor the prime victim¡ªin the academy''s inevitable investigation. If they figured it out... that would be a problem.


    Lilith brought her pager to her ear and reported the incident. She kept the details vague, revealing only what was necessary.


    Once she finished, she glanced at Damon. His worry had only deepened the more he thought about the situation.


    "Don''t worry," she said. "Even if the academy discovers your blood was used as an ingredient, they won''t suspect you¡ªat least, not yet. For now, we need to focus on the academy and noble conference tomorrow."


    Damon nodded. She was right.


    He still had to make sure the conference went his way¡ªthat all his crimes were pinned on the dead Marcus Fayjoy. He had to ensure the Fayjoy family representatives handled the situation exactly as he wanted.


    As for the person trying to summon the dark spirit...


    He would deal with them when they finally showed their ugly head.


    ''I need more power...''


    A thought crossed his mind.


    Could he exploit the chaos to level up?


    In this life, nothing came free.


    No risk, no reward.

 Chapter 203 Blood For Blood

    The academy''s investigation team arrived with several healers and high-level recovery potions, quickly restoring some of the student''s depleted spirit reserves.


    Contrary to Damon''s expectations, they didn''t even suspect him¡ªnot of being involved, nor of his blood being used in the summoning ritual. He and Lilith were only asked a few cursory questions. It seemed the academy already had an idea of what was happening or at least a lead, which meant the possibility of him being accused was off the table for now.


    Professor Chrome had come along with the investigation team, wearing a worried expression. The hearty old man reassured Damon with a firm pat on the shoulder, like a kind grandfather easing a child''s fears. Damon let out a sigh of relief. He hadn''t realized his worries were so obvious that even his professors had taken notice.


    As he walked down the academy''s long corridors with Lilith, the golden light of morning did little to banish the doubts and concerns lingering in his mind. His problems always seemed to multiply. Just yesterday, his biggest concern had been Sylvia, and now he had to worry about some mastermind using his blood to summon a dark spirit.


    He had done some research on the subject. The reason someone would need a vessel for a dark spirit was likely because they themselves lacked spirit affinity and couldn''t channel that power directly. Instead, they would enslave a vessel to control the spirit¡ªor worse, extract the spirit''s power from the host and harness it for themselves. If done correctly, this method could allow them to gain new abilities, including the magic attributes possessed by the spirit.


    Damon followed Lilith down the hallway until they reached a grand doorway. Without hesitation, she pushed it open and stepped inside. The moment she entered, he sensed it¡ªnothing. It was as if the shadows inside the room had been completely suppressed until he crossed the threshold himself.


    Barrier magic. His gaze shifted toward the runes on the door.


    The room was massive, constructed without windows, as if to prevent anything from escaping. The air inside was unnaturally cool, a result of an artifact infused with air-conditioning magic. At the center of the room stood a large, round table, its ornate surface embedded with hundreds of glowing runes and a few magic crystals underneath. A large display hovered in the center, casting an eerie glow over the gathering. The atmosphere in the room was heavy with formality.


    Seated around the grand table were four professors, along with an elderly woman who exuded an ethereal presence. Damon immediately recognized her¡ªMarabell Defonte?e, an emeritus of the academy. Though she was no longer an active instructor, she was one of the academy''s most senior members and had reached the fourth class advancement. He didn''t know her magic attribute or the specific classes she had taught, as she only instructed second-years and above, but he had heard of her reputation.


    The four professors, however, were much more familiar to him.


    Professor Chrome, the kind old man with space attribute magic.


    Professor Emeralda, the green-haired instructor who clearly despised him¡ªespecially since he had beaten Xander¡ªbut still showed reluctant care for him as her student.


    Professor Tunpick, the beastkin whose wild, powerful aura made it clear he was no ordinary academic.


    The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The idle conversations and lighthearted remarks faded, replaced by the weight of serious discussion.


    Marabell''s voice carried the authority of someone used to commanding scholars and warriors alike. "We have already discussed everything, and all evidence has been gathered. The reason we are here is to negotiate and create alternative options¡ªto keep everything within the academy''s walls."


    Chrome stroked his beard, nodding. "That is... under the assumption that the nobles don''t do anything reckless and end up blowing this whole matter open. The academy wants this kept hidden, restricted to only the invited parties."


    Kael''s sharp eyes narrowed. "As a noble myself, I can say with certainty that no noble would willingly involve the temple unless they were truly desperate. They have too much to lose¡ªespecially after what we uncovered."


    Emeralda shook her head. "Except... these people lost their wards. They have reason enough to be desperate."


    A heavy silence settled over the room.


    Damon could feel the tension rising, his stomach twisting into knots. His heart felt heavy. This was the moment of truth. If all went according to plan, he would walk out a free man. If it didn''t... the gallows awaited him.


    He had thought through every possibility, calculated every angle. He had to win.


    Just as he was considering all the ways this could go wrong, the doors swung open.


    Lady Margan stepped in, her expression weary yet unwavering. Behind her, an entourage of knights and servants followed, their movements precise and controlled. Among them were several well-dressed nobles, their gazes cold and unyielding.


    She stepped forward, her voice ringing through the chamber.


    "Let us begin... I want justice for my son, even if I must shed blood to obtain it."


    Damon''s heart grew colder as his Remorseless skill activated, suppressing his fear and letting cold logic take control.

 Chapter 204 Raised Well

    The air was thick with tension after Lady Margan''s words. The professors sat in their designated seats, their expressions solemn, while across from them, the nobles occupied the other side of the circular table.


    Among them was an elderly man dressed in fine blue robes, his neatly trimmed goatee giving him an air of formality. He gripped a black walking stick, though it seemed more for appearance than necessity. His sharp, piercing eyes carried a hint of lechery, making Damon uneasy.


    ''Didn''t realize his old man was a literal old man,'' Damon thought dryly.


    This was Flick Fayjoy, Marcus''s father and the head of the Fayjoy family. Marcus was far from his youngest son¡ªFlick had many children, some still in their infancy. His reputation was sordid; he had acquired numerous wives and mistresses through both legitimate and illegitimate means. Worse still, rumors spoke of him fathering illegitimate children with maids and commoners he had forced himself upon. Damon didn''t need to know him personally to see what kind of man he was.


    His suspicion was confirmed by the way Flick''s eyes occasionally flickered toward Lilith''s chest.


    ''What a pig... no wonder Marcus turned out the way he did.''


    Next was a young man with striking red hair, dressed in light armor with a longsword at his waist. He had the demeanor of a warrior, though his expression remained calm and composed.


    Reinhardt Ambridge¡ªolder brother of Rein Ambridge. If he was anything like his sibling, then they likely shared the same magic attribute. Damon made a mental note of it.


    Beside him sat a woman in a yellow gown adorned with floral patterns. Heavy makeup covered her face, as though she were trying to flaunt her wealth.


    Media Bonaire.


    She was the representative of the Bonaire family. More importantly, she was the paternal aunt of Lark¡ªone of the nobles Damon had killed.


    Next was a middle-aged man with thick sideburns and a burly, muscular build. His tailored outfit barely contained his frame, and Damon had the distinct feeling that one wrong move might cause his clothes to tear.


    Fallan Tatarstan.


    The father of Malcolm Tatarstan. Like his son, he carried the presence of a warrior, one used to solving matters with brute force.


    A short distance from him sat a woman with pale skin, her presence carrying the faint scent of flowers. She possessed elf-like ears¡ªa telltale trait of the fae.


    The head of the Garnier household.


    Despite her delicate features, she was Malcolm Garnier''s biological mother. Yet, she bore little resemblance to him.


    And finally, there was Lady Margan.


    The nobles watched intently, their expressions unreadable, while the professors remained composed. They had already seen this evidence before.


    "After extensive investigation, we determined that these claw marks did not belong to any known monster," Kael continued. "At first, we suspected a breach in the academy''s barrier... however, that was not the case either."


    The display shifted, revealing a sequence of images and records as Kael detailed the chain of events¡ªthe tragic deaths that had unfolded, one by one, claiming nearly all of Marcus Fayjoy''s companions.


    The only one unaffected among them was Xander Ravenscroft.


    As the professor spoke, the projections began revealing damning pieces of evidence. First, the strange and erratic shifts in Marcus Fayjoy''s behavior. Then, the written accounts found in his own room¡ªjournals filled with ramblings about his supposed divine mission, his conversations with God, and his belief that he was an apostle sent to "save" his friends by purging them.


    The final, chilling entry in his journal declared his own ascension:


    I am the Great Apostle.


    The tension in the room thickened.


    The nobles'' expressions shifted subtly as the pieces fell into place. They were drawing their own conclusions¡ªnot because the academy was accusing Marcus, but because the sheer weight of the evidence left no room for doubt.


    The most noticeable reaction came from Flick Fayjoy.


    His face darkened, his fists clenching as the damning proof against his son continued to mount.


    Kael hadn''t even reached the final details yet¡ªMarcus''s death and the condition in which the evidence was found¡ªwhen Flick finally snapped.


    He surged to his feet, slamming the table with enough force to rattle the crystal and documents upon it.


    "Preposterous!" he roared. "My son would never¡ªI raised him well!"


    A sharp, biting voice cut through his outburst.


    "Which one of your sons?"


    Lady Margan stood, her finger leveled at him, her gaze filled with contempt.


    "One of the too many to count?"

 Chapter 205 NO!!!

    "You dare?!"


    Flick Fayjoy barked, his voice sharp with outrage. "Who are you to throw insults at my son?!"


    Lady Margan''s glare was filled with unrestrained fury.


    "I am the mother of a dead son," she spat. "Unlike you, who has more bastard children than you can count, I had but one. His death is an irreplaceable loss!"


    She pointed a finger at him, her expression filled with mockery.


    "Not that someone like you would understand!"


    It wasn''t long before any semblance of decorum crumbled, and they began hurling insults at one another.


    Fallan Tatarstan''s fists clenched, his aura surging with restrained aggression as he glowered at Flick.


    Media Bonaire shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her expression tight as she observed the growing hostility in the room.


    Lady Garnier, on the other hand, simply sighed¡ªbut her tightly clenched fists betrayed her true emotions.


    "What a ruckus we are causing..." she muttered.


    And then¡ª


    The temperature in the room plummeted.


    A single voice, frail yet absolute, echoed through the air like the crack of a whip.


    "Enough."


    The moment the old woman spoke, an overwhelming pressure descended upon the chamber. It was suffocating.


    Damon felt his head buzz as the sheer might of a Fourth-Class Advancement bore down on them. His thoughts slowed, his breath hitched, and despite his skill Remorseless being active, a cold dread crept into his very bones.


    The frail-looking old woman sat there, her presence utterly dwarfing everyone else in the room.


    Marabell Defontee.


    The moment she released her aura, the nobles¡ªwho had been seconds away from tearing into one another¡ªfroze.


    Her aged eyes swept across the room, slow and deliberate.


    "That is enough bickering," she said, her tone flat but carrying an unmistakable weight of authority. "I am certain we can settle this without acting like juveniles."


    No one dared to speak.


    Marabell continued, her voice measured.


    "We shall hear from each of the noble representatives before drawing a proper conclusion on this matter. Each person shall be given a turn to speak, and we shall conduct ourselves in an organized manner."


    She turned her gaze to Flick Fayjoy.


    "You may begin, Lord Fayjoy."


    Flick hesitated. It was clear that, for all his arrogance, even he knew better than to test Marabell''s patience. After a brief pause, he gave a slow nod.


    Damon couldn''t help but be impressed.


    The head of this gathering had made herself known. First, she unleashed her aura to silence the room and establish control. Then, she framed the discussion in a way that forced them to participate without devolving into chaos.


    Masterful.


    Flick Fayjoy, now noticeably subdued, straightened his posture. His usual lecherous gaze, which had been lingering on Lilith Astranova''s ample figure just moments before, was gone.


    Damon sneered.


    ''The moment things got serious, this pig stopped ogling women. Maybe I should send him to join his son in death.''


    Flick exhaled slowly, then glanced at Lady Margan before speaking.


    "My son, Marcus, was raised to be an upright noble¡ªone of both sound mind and unquestionable character," he stated firmly. "He would never do what you accuse him of¡ª"


    "I imagine he takes after you," Lady Margan interjected coldly.


    "Lady Margan, please."


    Marabell Defontee''s voice sliced through the air like a blade.


    Margan fell silent, though her expression remained defiant.


    Flick nodded, taking a measured breath before continuing.


    "While I admit that I am not the best of men..."


    Damon''s sneer deepened.


    ''Not the best of men? You''re not even a man, you swine.''


    Flick went on, his voice taking on an oddly somber tone.


    "...I am still a father. And I love all my children. That is why I have always tried to give them the best I could."


    Damon narrowed his eyes, analyzing him carefully.


    "Marcus, if you were unaware, is my son. He is not my oldest, and his mother was not a noblewoman."


    Damon''s lips parted slightly in surprise.


    Marcus... was the son of a commoner?


    The same Marcus who went out of his way to pick fights with every commoner he met?


    Flick exhaled, shaking his head. "He was... talented. So I gave him special care. And I can say¡ªbeyond a shadow of a doubt¡ªthat my son would never turn on his friends."


    Damon bit his lip.


    There was... something in his voice.


    A pang of sorrow.


    For the first time, Flick Fayjoy did not sound like a one-dimensional, perverted noble. He sounded like a father who had lost his son. A talented son.


    Damon wondered.


    Did he truly care for Marcus?


    Or was this just another act?


    Fallan Tatarstan sighed, rubbing his temples as the tension in the room thickened.


    "I''ve heard enough," he muttered. His voice, though calm, carried the weight of authority.


    "We are all parents here. We have all lost our wards under uncertain circumstances... but before we start pointing fingers, why don''t we first confirm how Marcus Fayjoy disappeared?"


    A moment of silence followed his words.


    Then¡ª


    Kael Blackthorne stood up.


    It was time to continue his report.


    From what they had gathered, Marcus should be dead. But the real problem was that they couldn''t be sure.


    The area where he had vanished was riddled with strange markings¡ªsome carved into stone, others smeared across the ground. Signs of a struggle were evident, and, more importantly, there was blood. Blood that belonged to Marcus Fayjoy.


    But the way it was arranged...


    It looked like a ritual.


    A ritual that made no sense.


    To the untrained eye, it would seem like a crude attempt at black magic. But to those who truly understood such things, it was... wrong.


    As if some amateur, with no knowledge of how dark magic actually worked, had designed it to look like a ritual.


    Then again, the Academy itself knew little about dark magic. Such knowledge was forbidden by the Temple''s laws.


    Any records came only from ancient ruins. And even those were dangerous¡ªtaboo.


    Especially since this ritual bore marks of a strange god.


    Kael exhaled. His voice was measured, careful.


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    "As of now, we are uncertain if Marcus Fayjoy is alive or dead. However¡ª"


    He paused, scanning the room.


    "¡ªwe did locate the ritual ground where he performed his sacrifices."


    Damon''s gaze flicked toward Lilith Astranova.


    ''Did she hide the rest of the evidence...?''


    It was possible.


    His original plan had been to pin Marcus as the culprit. But the only loose end was if they confirmed Marcus was dead. By leaving the details vague, Lilith had created a scenario where the nobles would assume Marcus had either succeeded in his ritual... or escaped.


    Smart.


    Kael waved his hand, and the display behind him changed.


    Projected on the screen were the very same runes and marks found at the site. Damon recognized them immediately. He had instructed Marcus to draw some of them, but in his madness, the noble had started sketching randomly.


    A chaotic mess.


    Kael continued, his voice even.


    "The Academy does not have all the evidence," he admitted.


    "Furthermore, we have yet to confirm Marcus Fayjoy''s fate. We do not know if he has escaped... or if he is still within the Academy."


    A sharp pause.


    "But what we can determine... is that the ritual failed. No magic was drawn from it."


    The room was silent.


    Damon glanced at the nobles.


    Media Bonaire, who had been quiet for most of the meeting, was now visibly uncomfortable.


    Her hands trembled slightly as she processed the implications.


    If the Temple caught wind of this...


    If they discovered that her own ward, Lark, might have been victim¡ªor worse, a involved ¡ªit could turn into a political disaster.


    Kael turned to his fellow professors. Chrome gave him a slow, measured nod.


    Then Kael looked back at the room, his next words sending a shockwave through the nobles.


    "The Academy is an educational and research institution. Investigating crimes is not our specialty," he said. His gaze swept across the gathered aristocrats.


    "That said... we are willing to transfer this investigation to the Temple Inquisition and the Imperial Knight''s Order."


    Silence.


    Then¡ª


    "NO!"


    The nobles shouted in unison.


    Damon barely suppressed a smirk.


    Their collective reaction spoke volumes.

 Chapter 206 Played

    The Temple Inquisition.


    A force known to all.


    And feared for good reason.


    Most of the Inquisition were devoted followers of the Goddess of Doom¡ªor, as they preferred to call themselves, Devotees of Doom.


    And indeed, they had brought doom to many.


    This branch of the Temple was responsible for heretical investigations and cleansing. They were numerous, like shadows lurking in every corner of the world. Their vast information network operated beyond national laws, bound only by the tenets of their faith.


    For all intents and purposes, they were religious fanatics. Zealots who cared nothing for politics.


    However¡ª


    They weren''t the only branch of the Temple.


    The Temple was an organization, after all. And like any organization, it needed money and resources to function.


    And that was precisely why the nobles in this room were terrified.


    If the Temple got involved¡ª


    They would stand to lose everything.


    Their wealth. Their land. Their reputation.


    The Temple might even exploit the situation to seize control.


    And worse¡ª


    This organization''s influence reached far beyond national borders.


    Even those who resided on an entirely different continent could still be affected.


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    A nation could be excommunicated¡ªcut off from the world.


    And what did that mean?


    Vuldren.


    The Sky Continent in the Past.


    It was a perfect example.


    Once, it had rejected the Temple''s authority. The result?


    The Temple and every other nation had been free to wage war against it¡ªwith or without cause.


    Its people had been enslaved at will.


    Trade had ceased entirely¡ªno kingdom loyal to the Temple had been permitted to engage with them.


    And worst of all¡ª


    They had been branded as enemies of the Goddess.


    As heretics.


    The Temple had not stopped until many parts Vuldren was reduced to ruins.... Although Vuldren persevered.


    Damon was certain this was the real reason no one wanted the Temple anywhere near this investigation.


    And that wasn''t all.


    The Temple itself was corrupt¡ªdeeply so. Even the Inquisition was full of bad eggs. In fact, some would argue that all of them were.


    The only difference?


    These "bad eggs" were all fanatics.


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    ''Perhaps this is why faith in the Unknown God is spreading so quickly...''


    Especially in places like Vuldren, where freedom was valued above even faith.


    The Unknown God was an entity unlike the Goddess. He did not demand worship. He did not care for faith.


    He was... indifferent to worship only valuing the emotions of the individual.


    Lady Margan, who had been one of the most vocal nobles earlier, had fallen silent.


    Now, she too was visibly tense.


    And no one could blame her.


    Kael''s suggestion to involve the Temple had changed the entire atmosphere of the meeting.


    Even the Academy''s leadership did not want the Temple involved.


    That was why this meeting was being held in this secluded conference room¡ªbehind closed doors, with only a select few members of the Academy Senate present.


    The Dean? Not here.


    The Head of Departments? Not here.


    The Headmaster? Absent.


    In fact, Damon had learned from Lilith that they had all left the Academy recently.


    As for why?


    She hadn''t said.


    And he hadn''t asked.


    The tension in the room deepened.


    Marabell Defontee observed the nobles'' reactions, nodding to herself. Good.


    This was exactly what the Academy wanted¡ªfor the Temple to stay out of their affairs.


    There was no need for those corrupt fanatics wearing the name of the Goddess to meddle here.


    However¡ª


    An old woman like her wasn''t about to let these nobles think they had the upper hand.


    She cleared her throat.


    "Ahem... We originally summoned you all to inform you of the deaths of your wards. As you can see, while this is indeed a tragedy, deaths are not uncommon within the Aether Academy."


    Her tone was measured, controlled¡ªgiving them no room for argument.


    "The entrance exam itself is a trial. It is not unheard of for students to perish during its course. However¡ªonce admitted, first-years are generally not at risk until the end-of-semester evaluation."


    She sighed dramatically, as though the burden of their grief weighed on her shoulders.


    "This... however, is a greater tragedy. These deaths did not occur during training. That leaves us with a special case¡ªone not recorded in their applications. Nevertheless¡ªwhat has already happened... has happened."


    Her sharp gaze swept across the nobles, watching their anxious expressions.


    Then¡ª


    She delivered the final blow.


    "We will report this to the Imperial Knights... and the Temple Inquisition. We can contact... Aurelius Venn."


    The room froze.


    Damon blinked.


    That name...


    He had heard it before¡ªbut barely knew anything about the man himself.


    He nudged Lilith, whispering.


    She leaned close, murmuring back,


    "He''s a Dragonkin. A Head Inquisitor. Ruthless. Cold. Calculating. A man who believes that all he views as ''unclean'' should be burned by divine fire..."


    Damon paled.


    Right.


    He had heard of him.


    Aurelius Venn¡ªthe Smoldering One.


    Rumors claimed he had roasted an entire city in Solarion.


    And she wants to call him?


    His reaction did not go unnoticed.


    And Marabell Defontee immediately seized the advantage.


    "In addition," she continued smoothly, "I happen to know Father Dantalion¡ªthe Witch-Hunter himself. We fought together in the Demon Wars of the past."


    The entire room shifted uncomfortably.


    The nobles...


    They all knew that name.


    Damon clenched his fists.


    Father Dantalion...


    He was the kind of boogeyman noble children whispered about at night.


    A relic of the old wars.


    An Inquisitor who had personally hunted entire noble bloodlines for practicing forbidden arts.


    A low, audible gulp came from Flick Fayjoy.


    Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.


    His son was the primary suspect in all this.


    No¡ª


    With this evidence?


    His son was already finished.


    "I-I don''t think we need to involve the Inquisition in this matter..."


    Lady Bonaire''s voice broke the silence.


    She turned, her face pale, and glanced toward the representative of the Garnier House.


    The woman gave a weak nod.


    And she was not the only one reconsidering their position.


    Lady Margan¡ªthe most vocal noble throughout this meeting¡ªfinally spoke up, turning to Marabell Defontee.


    "Lady Defontee... should we really involve the Temple in something that can be handled... behind closed doors?"


    Marabell did not react.


    Her expression was impassive.


    But Damon saw it.


    She had played them.


    She had made them forget that even she did not want the Temple involved.


    And by making them act more desperate than her¡ª


    They had walked straight into her trap.


    She gave them a final glance.


    "Very well, then," she said lightly. "I accept."


    A sigh of relief swept through the room¡ª


    Until she continued.


    "However... before we proceed¡ª"


    Her sharp gaze returned.


    "¡ªwe must sign an Oath of Silence. Everything that has transpired in this room will remain within this room."


    Damon exhaled.


    She''s already won.


    The nobles offered no objections.


    Lady Margan bit her lip.


    Her expression was strained.


    And then¡ª


    "H-How do you suggest we get compensation... for our losses?"


    Damon smirked.


    Checkmate.

 Chapter 207: Middle Man

    The outcome was clear. The nobles didn''t want the Temple meddling in their affairs, and neither did the Academy. However, the Academy also didn''t want the nobles applying political pressure on them, thus the need to mention the Temple''s name. Now that it had served its purpose, the meeting was effectively settled.


    The nobles understood¡ªthey stood to lose more if they fought this. Thus, they could only grit their teeth and try to make the best of it. Or, in the case of the Fayjoy House, try to minimize their losses. After all, Marcus Fayjoy was the main culprit.


    Damon suppressed a smirk. Instead, he wore an expression of feigned surprise¡ªas if this was news to him. Lilith noticed. Her sharp gaze flicked toward him. He was clever. The information revealed today had been shocking. If he had acted too calm, too collected, with no prior knowledge, that would have been suspicious. After all, even she hadn''t been told the full details beforehand.


    ''Damon... your plan worked. Everything went exactly as you imagined...''


    She studied him. He had set this all up. After killing Marcus''s group, he had used cursed ore to drive Marcus mad¡ªa ruthless stroke of genius. The sheer viciousness of it¡ªkilling one''s own classmates. Devouring them. It was... inhumane.


    She stole another glance at him. How much denial did he go through before making up his mind?


    Damon''s dark eyes focused on the nobles, all of whom had now turned their attention to Flick Fayjoy. The Fayjoy House stood to lose the most¡ªafter all, the evidence pointed directly to Marcus. It was only natural that they would be the ones to pay compensation. The question now was how much they would have to surrender. That, of course, would be left for negotiations, and from the looks of it, Marabell Defontee had no intention of letting them leave until everything was settled.


    The old woman glanced at Professor Chrome, who slowly stroked his beard.


    "Let us sign the Vow of Silence... we can''t risk letting this leak, now can we?"


    Chrome waved his hand, and space rippled under the influence of spatial magic. A small, weathered scroll materialized before him, covered in intricate runes and arcane seals. It floated gently toward Marabell Defontee, who took it in her hands.


    "All present will agree to an oath of silence. Under no circumstances shall we reveal what transpired here today."


    The nobles exchanged cautious glances before nodding solemnly. Flick turned his gaze toward Damon and Lilith, his lips curving into a sly smile.


    "I assume the two students you allowed in here will also be sworn to secrecy?"


    Kael''s lips twitched. He would have preferred to keep students out of this, but Marabell Defontee had already accounted for that.


    "Yes, yes, they will... however, I will sign on their behalf," she declared. "Should they violate the oath, the consequences will fall on me."


    The nobles'' eyes narrowed. Damon was stunned. This old woman would take responsibility for them? What if they had malicious intentions and decided to leak the information?


    No¡ªhe dismissed the thought. She was too shrewd. There was no way she would risk something like this unless she had a countermeasure.


    Media Bonaire narrowed her eyes, her fingers filled with beads of sweat. She was considering the repercussions of potentially violating the terms prescribed by the scroll.


    "What kind of effect does this oath scroll prescribe?"


    Oath scrolls varied in their punishments. Some imposed death, some drained lifeforce, some inflicted curses¡ªranging from bad luck to the loss of one''s lineage. The most fearsome ones, often found in ancient dungeons and ruins, could be outright terrifying. There were whispers of oaths that cursed an entire bloodline, turning all descendants into monstrous half-man, half-wolf beasts every full moon.


    The nobles were right to be cautious. What price would they pay if they broke this vow?


    Marabell smiled. "Worry not. It is not a curse that will harm your person." Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    Reinhardt Ambridge finally spoke. "Then... is it one that affects those we love? Our kin?"


    The room fell into tense silence.


    She shook her head and unfurled the scroll, allowing all to see the conditions inscribed upon it.


    "Whoever violates this oath... shall lose half of their material wealth."


    A chill settled over the room.


    For nobles, losing wealth was often worse than losing family. Some would rather sacrifice their children than risk financial ruin.


    The nobles'' expressions varied¡ªsome were filled with hesitation, others with silent rage. Damon, however, narrowed his eyes. This oath would not harm Marabell Defontee in any way. She was retired. Her assets had long since been transferred to her descendants. Her son was the current head of the Defontee Household. She had nothing to lose.


    Meanwhile, the other nobles were signing on behalf of their entire families.


    This old woman... she played them perfectly.


    Murmurs spread through the room. After a moment, Lady Margan clenched her jaw. "I need time to make a decision..."


    Marabell nodded but turned her gaze to Flick Fayjoy. "We could adjourn... but if we do, we risk this information leaking."


    Flick abruptly stood up, slamming his hands against the table.


    "I''ll sign."


    He glared at the other nobles. "What''s done is done. I can''t trust that none of you will slip up and let the Temple find out. If they intervene, we''ll all be finished."


    That was all it took.


    Reinhardt Ambridge let out a long sigh. "We don''t have time for this. I will sign as well."


    Marabell Defontee''s smile widened. It wasn''t long before the rest followed suit¡ªincluding Lady Margan.


    With that, the oath was sealed.


    Now, only one matter remained¡ªcompensation.


    Media Bonaire turned to Marabell Defontee.


    "I request that Aether Academy act as mediator in this dispute and ensure that all parties adhere to proper agreement protocols when offering and receiving compensation for our losses."


    Marabell''s expression softened into a polite smile.


    "We would be honored to assume the role of mediator."


    And with that, the meeting was adjourned.

 Chapter 208: Honey Badger

    Damon let out a slow sigh of relief as he walked down the empty paved road, Lilith keeping pace beside him. His heart twisted in his chest, the weight of the day''s events pressing down on him. He had finally closed the chapter on his revenge against Marcus and his gang. They had been a satisfying meal for his shadows.


    Now, with that settled, his focus could shift to more pressing matters¡ªthe person lurking in the shadows, attempting to summon a dark spirit. If he played his cards right, he could exploit the chaos, level up by consuming the dark spirit, and, more importantly, eliminate the summoner. Or perhaps... use them.


    "The nobles'' conference was adjourned," Lilith''s calm voice broke through his thoughts. She glanced at him, her expression unreadable.


    "It all went according to your expectations," she mused before chuckling. "For someone who isn''t a noble, you sure know how they think."


    Damon lifted his gaze to the star-lit sky, where the twin moons hung low, casting a pale glow that did little to lift his mood.


    "I despise them," he admitted, voice tinged with bitterness. "But I''ve had enough encounters with nobles to know how they operate. It would be hard not to."


    Lilith smiled slyly.


    "Marabell Defontee is a terrifying old woman, isn''t she? But I liked how things turned out. No one even questioned the evidence, even though there were some... questionable parts." Her eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Did you do that on purpose?"


    Damon sighed. He was exhausted from all the scheming.


    "Yes. I wanted them to leave the case inconclusive. They think Marcus is dead, but they also suspect he might be alive. Now, they''re taking a wait-and-see approach. I imagine once negotiations are finished, they''ll start trying to find him. But you can''t find someone who''s already dead."


    Lilith''s smile deepened. He was cruel, but that side of him was almost endearing. She pushed a lock of her red hair aside, observing him. He was filled with doubt, yet still ruthless.


    ''So full of hesitation... but still so relentless.''


    She wondered if he was plotting something else. His expression suggested as much.


    "You better not be planning to get involved with that dark spirit nonsense," she tensed, watching him closely.


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    How did she know what he was thinking.


    "I''m not suicidal... I don''t act unless I have at least an 80% chance of winning."


    Lilith sneered.


    "So you were considering it. You didn''t deny it... You''re only weighing the odds of success, aren''t you?"


    Damon sighed. Lilith Astranova was beginning to understand how he thought, perhaps too well. He had already considered the feasibility of stopping the spirit summoning, and the odds weren''t in his favor.


    "I... we can''t stop the person working in the shadows. So why not take advantage of the chaos and claim a piece of the dark spirit for ourselves?"


    Lilith narrowed her eyes. He was right, but he wasn''t considering¡ªor rather, he was ignoring¡ªthe sheer scale of collateral damage a dark spirit could cause.


    Before she could voice her thoughts, his dark eyes pierced into hers.


    "I am aware of the potential damage. I know the risks," he said, glancing down at his shadow. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    "But I want more power. I can act like a honey badger, defiant and reckless. I can be stubborn, idiotic, and refuse to bow my head. But the simple truth doesn''t change¡ªI am still weak."


    His fingers curled into fists.


    "I can beat everyone in my class, but they''re weaklings. I could crush all of them, but the moment I step beyond those walls, I''m just a nobody again."


    His teeth clenched.


    "I''m tired of being a nobody. I''m tired of being the honey badger that only knows how to fight. I''m tired of bristling my fur, acting tough, appearing big¡ªwhen all I can really do is growl, bleed, and lick my wounds afterward."


    His hands trembled, his voice growing cold and low.


    "I want to be the one with power for a change. I want to be the one calling the shots. I want to be the one watching others bleed instead. I want¡ª"


    Lilith cut him off.


    "¡ªto be an oppressor."


    Damon looked at her, his eyes swirling with emotion.


    "I... I want to be free."


    She stepped closer to him.


    "You aren''t a slave, though," she said softly.


    He shook his head.


    "We''re all slaves to something¡ªlove, family, money, honor, ambition, duty... I am a slave to my own pathetic weakness."


    Lilith sighed. He didn''t even consider his devotion to saving his sister''s life as a form of enslavement¡ªonly his powerlessness.


    ''We are all slaves to something, huh...''


    He had a point. Everyone wanted something. Humans died with ambitions and unfulfilled wishes¡ªit was just the way of the world.


    She smiled at Damon, cupping his face in her hands.


    "If we do this... many people could die. Depending on the type of dark spirit that gets summoned, we could be looking at a catastrophe."


    She studied him. He had people he cared about now. He had begun forming bonds, growing closer to others. He wasn''t as isolated as before.


    "If we do this... you will have regrets," she warned.


    Damon exhaled slowly.


    "I know. Then we can just add it to the long list of failures of the wretched Damon Grey."


    Lilith smirked at his words. She was with him on this path to ruin¡ªthat was their deal, after all. Damon didn''t miss when she said we¡ªshe was willing to let a potential disaster unfold just so he could get stronger.


    She leaned into his ear, whispering, "I''ll be your wings... You be mine too."


    Damon''s shadows flickered as she stood close to him. Unbeknownst to either of them, the four wings tattooed on Lilith''s stigma faintly glowed on her back.


    The wind stirred around them. Shadows deepened beneath the pale moonlight. Then a gust swept through the road, carrying dust, leaves... and the acrid scent of something burning.


    Damon''s nose twitched. The stench of fire and flesh filled the air.


    His frown deepened as he spread his shadow perception.


    His eyes widened. His face turned pale.


    "Someone''s burning..."

 Chapter 209: File

    The Student Council room was brightly lit, the glow of magical lamps reflecting off the polished floor. Knight statues stood outside at attention throughout the area, their presence a constant reminder of the Academy''s security.


    At the center of the room, a young man sat behind a desk buried under a mountain of documents. A crow perched lazily on the edge of the table, its head tucked under its wing as it dozed.


    Damon sighed, brushing his black hair aside. Without sparing a glance, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a pouch. With a practiced motion, he emptied its contents¡ªglittering magic crystals¡ªonto the shadow pooling beneath his chair.


    The inky darkness of his shadow rippled, greedily swallowing the crystals. A familiar chime echoed in his mind, a notification from his system. He barely acknowledged it, his eyes locked on the endless paperwork before him.


    He groaned.


    "Ahhh, this is so annoying... Finding records of students with spirit affinity is like looking for a damn needle in a haystack."


    Across from him, Lilith sat with one leg crossed over the other, twirling a strand of red hair between her fingers. She rolled her eyes.


    "Don''t be such a sourpuss. We''ve only been at this for three weeks."


    Damon let his head drop onto the table with a soft thud.


    "Three weeks of nothing. We haven''t made any progress. Meanwhile, the summoner''s been making more and more attempts to bring forth a dark spirit. Every time, we just end up with another unconscious student who fails to be a proper vessel. Luckily, they only stay passed out for two days at most, and there haven''t been any visible injuries."


    He lifted his head slightly, dark eyes narrowing.


    "But he''s getting close. There haven''t been any attempts in the last two days..."


    Lilith smirked, resting her chin on her hand.


    "I wonder... Is that a good thing or a bad thing? We do want the summoning to succeed so we can use that little thing we prepared... but we also don''t want it to succeed, because, well... it''s a dark spirit."


    Her emerald eyes gleamed with amusement.


    "My, my... You really should make up your mind about what you want."


    Damon turned away, avoiding her gaze.


    He couldn''t make up his mind.


    But if he was being honest with himself... he was leaning toward letting it happen.


    Or worse¡ªhelping it happen from the shadows.


    It had been three weeks since the night of the noble meeting.


    And now, on this night, they had found the third victim of a failed dark spirit summoning.


    The academy had been informed, but they were determined to keep it under wraps. The last thing they wanted was for the nobles to catch wind of the situation.


    Damon sighed, rubbing his temples.


    He really didn''t have time for this. His end-of-semester evaluation was around the corner, and while his peers were training, he was here¡ªhunting dark spirit summoners in the shadows.


    For the most part, Lilith had been helping him refine his mana control, so he no longer leaked energy like before. That was a plus.


    The nobles still hadn''t left. They were locked in endless negotiations over the Fayjoy family''s compensation. From what Lilith had told him, the sum was massive.


    Half of him wanted to run over and demand compensation of his own, but it wasn''t worth the trouble.


    Instead, he focused on keeping his shadow hunger under control. He managed it using the Sacrifice skill, devouring magic crystals to stabilize his condition. But even with his hunger somewhat contained, his finances were in shambles due to his many expenses.


    At this rate, he wasn''t sure what would break first¡ªhis body or his wallet, or better yet Lilith''s wallet.


    But none of that mattered right now. The most important thing was finding the summoner.


    The academy knew someone was performing dark spirit summonings. They just didn''t have a suspect. For now, all they could do was extinguish the figurative fires before they spiraled out of control.


    Damon exhaled sharply, gripping a small crystal blade in his hand. It was a magic artifact, one that Lilith had somehow convinced the academy to fund and create.


    Its purpose was simple¡ªto banish a spirit from a host body without harming the host.


    "Are you sure this is gonna work on a dark spirit?" he asked, turning the blade between his fingers.


    Lilith smiled.


    "Positive. I had the one I gave you modified to cut out a piece of its soul."


    She leaned forward, her chest pressing against the table, revealing just enough of her cleavage to make it very clear she was teasing him.


    "Do you want to know how much it cost?"


    Damon quickly averted his eyes, pretending to focus on the magic artifact instead.


    "No. If I hear the price, the dirty poor miser in me might have a heart attack."


    He picked up another document and moved it to the side.


    "We can rule out Arthur Peddrake. He has no spirit affinity."


    Lilith nodded.


    "The number of second-year students with spirit affinity is low..."


    "Which means they might be targeting a first-year."


    For the past three weeks, they had been searching for students with an affinity for spirits. They had compiled a list, but getting solid proof was difficult¡ªespecially since it required stealing students'' personal files.


    Damon opened the next file. His eyes narrowed.


    Name: Sylvia Moonveil


    Race: Elf


    Age: 16


    Gender: Female


    He flipped through the pages, skimming over her personal data.


    Height, weight, measurements¡ªstandard details she probably wouldn''t have wanted him snooping through.


    But then... he noticed something odd.


    Sylvia''s academy file was strange.


    Several fields were marked with question marks. The academy hadn''t recorded much about her past. Her file wasn''t just incomplete¡ªit was marked CONFIDENTIAL, stamped with the headmaster''s personal seal.


    Damon''s brows furrowed.


    He didn''t need to dig into her personal history. All he needed was to check whether she had a spirit affinity.


    But after the last three weeks of Sylvia acting strangely, he couldn''t help but be curious.


    And yet, her file gave him no answers¡ªonly more questions.


    Why was her file so heavily restricted?


    He checked the profiles of Evangeline, Xander, and Leona. None of them were marked confidential. Their backgrounds were fully documented.


    Only Sylvia''s file was a mystery.


    He tapped his fingers against the desk, deep in thought.


    Lilith''s voice pulled him back to reality.


    "What are you doing?"


    Damon shook his head, closing the file.


    "Nothing. It''s just... Sylvia''s file is weird."

 Chapter 210: Stalker Profiling

    Lilith glanced at Damon as he flipped through Sylvia''s file again, her lips curling into a mocking smile.


    "You really can''t handle rejection, can you? So now you''ve stooped to stalking your crush?"


    Damon nearly choked on his own spit.


    "Wha¡ªwhat?! I¡ªI''m just concerned about her! I just find it weird that her file is so different!"


    Lilith sneered.


    "And I imagine you just happened to memorize her three sizes and weight while you were investigating?"


    Damon coughed, looking away.


    "Ahem, I¡ªyou¡ªI happen to have a photographic memory! So if I happen to know that her sizes are¡ª"


    Lilith rolled her eyes.


    "Oh? Then what are they?"


    Damon smirked.


    "You couldn''t get that info out of me with torture."


    She tapped a finger on her chin, feigning thought.


    "Fifty thousand zeni."


    Without hesitation, Damon exhaled.


    "B88-W58-H85."


    Lilith''s grin widened.


    "You really have no shame."


    Damon leaned back in his chair, completely unbothered.


    "Shame doesn''t put food on the table"


    she sneered. "you are a closet pervert..."


    "I am a pervert¡ªpervertedly obsessed with money."


    She picked up a book, flipping through the pages.


    "You have so many vices for someone so young..."


    Damon ignored her, picking up Evangeline''s profile instead.


    "She has so many talents... too bad she can''t see past her own ego."


    Lilith glanced at him, tilting her head.


    "Evangeline Brightwater is a high noble. Having an ego is natural."


    Damon shook his head.


    "That''s not it. She doesn''t even realize she has an ego. She just expects everyone to play by her elitist rules¡ªwithout even meaning to. She talks about justice, but she does nothing to change the status quo."


    Lilith chuckled softly. She could tell he wasn''t just criticizing Evangeline.


    He was concerned.


    "You''re worried about her."


    Damon scoffed, shaking his head.


    "I can''t afford to worry about other people... It''s just¡ªif she continues like this, blinded by her own radiance, she''ll only end up suffering."


    Lilith flipped to the next page, her eyes narrowing.


    "Hmm... hey, come look at this."


    Damon glanced at the weathered old book she was reading. He sighed, standing up, his clothes slightly wrinkled from sitting too long.


    He stepped behind her, close enough to catch the faint scent of gardenia ¡ªthe natural fragrance she always carried. The warmth of her body radiated against him, and his shadow twitched slightly at the proximity.


    "What is it?" He asked feeling somewhat weary of the long hours.


    "Take a look at this. I''ve been going over all recorded accounts of spirit summoning, and I found this old book, written by an imperial scholar¡ªCaiem van Wladimir, in 458. It documents the dark spirit Rashi Ignath."


    Damon''s face scrunched up.


    Lilith continued, flipping through the brittle pages.


    "It says that Rashi Ignath controls flames¡ªdark flames that are both as hot as passion and as cold as resentment... it says and I quote... " it shall scorch thy soul." Furthermore..."


    She held up the book. It seemed to be a scholarly work that debunked myths and legends.


    "It also says that Ignath was born when Ashcroft invaded the Verdant Continent."


    Damon sighed, leaning back.


    "Yeah, except that''s just a myth. Ashcroft isn''t even supposed to exist. This whole book is useless¡ªit debunks itself."


    She nodded.


    "Yes, but¡ªif you cross-reference it with this¡ª" she tapped another book, "¡ªyou can actually glean something important. But that''s not what I''m trying to show you."


    She pointed back at Wladimir''s account.


    "He wrote that the dark spirit didn''t just appear in the Evil Forest. It possessed a vessel¡ªa person¡ªto carry out its power. The longer it had, the more it acclimated to the host, eventually creating a projection of itself to fight while it hid in the vessel. Until, finally, the host was completely taken over."


    Damon''s expression darkened as he looked at the old sketches of what the dark spirit was supposed to look like.


    "So, according to this, if they had stopped the vessel before full possession, they could''ve prevented the tragedy..."


    Lilith nodded grimly.


    "And that means we just identified the dark spirit being summoned."


    Damon sighed. "That doesn''t really help us, though, does it?"


    She shook her head. "It does. The book also states that this spirit cannot possess someone unless there''s a gap in their heart¡ªan emotional wound, doubt, desire... something it can exploit."


    Damon''s eyes widened slightly as realization hit him.


    "So you''re saying... the reason the other vessels failed wasn''t just because they were weak. They also didn''t have a big enough hole in their heart."


    He held his chin in thought.


    "When I was a kid, back to back used to tell me¡ªif you let goosebumps appear on your skin, you open yourself to possession."


    Lilith nodded. "A lot of emotions make your hair stand on end. But fear is one of the strongest. That''s why most of the attacks happened at night¡ªto scare the targets."


    Damon nodded slowly.


    "As the attacks continued, the summoner collected more data and refined their methods. Repetition is the mother of learning. But..." His brow furrowed. "The attacks stopped two days ago."


    Lilith closed the book.


    "That means one of two things¡ªthey''re preparing for something... or they ran out of a crucial ingredient."


    Damon looked at her sharply, he was curious. "Which ingredient?"


    Lilith turned her gaze back to him, her cold smile sending a chill down his spine.


    "Your blood."


    Damon blinked.


    "That''s right... I haven''t gotten into any fights or deadly training lately. The summoner must''ve run out of the blood they scooped up from the ground last time."


    Lilith stood up from her chair, her voice quiet but firm.


    "That¡ªand they''ve found a vessel that meets all the requirements. A hole in their heart, and a lot of spirit affinity."


    She smiled coldly, her fingers clenched.


    "Which means they''ll be making their move soon. And we still have no suspects. Just speculation."


    She turned to him, her fists clenched, her eyes weary but determined.


    "You''re going to be a target. So no matter what¡ªdon''t leave my sight."

 Chapter 211: Silent Library

    The library was cold and silent in the dead of night.


    It had been two days since his conversation with Lilith at the student council office, and Damon could feel his irritation bubbling over.


    He balled his fists, feeling the tension in his body mount. With a sharp exhale, he slammed his knuckles against the wall. A faint crack spread across the surface. He ignored the mild pain, his frustration drowning out everything else.


    "Why am I letting this bother me so much...?"


    It was Sylvia.


    She was getting worse with each passing day.


    At first, she had just been withdrawn. Then, she started shutting people out completely. She brooded constantly, barely spoke unless necessary, and when she did, she was either curt or outright dismissive. She avoided company, preferring to sit alone.


    She was starting to remind him of himself.


    And it was annoying.


    "Is this how I treat people...?"


    He hadn''t even realized it¡ªhadn''t noticed just how unbearable it was¡ªuntil Leona pointed it out. She knew him better than anyone, after all. She was the one who had forced her way past his walls, the one who refused to let him push her away.


    Damon had tried to fix it. He really had. But he didn''t even know how he had hurt Sylvia in the first place.


    Evangeline had long since given up trying to talk to him about it. She barely mentioned Sylvia anymore, as if she had already accepted that nothing could be done. Not that it mattered¡ªSylvia didn''t talk to Evangeline either. She barely acknowledged anyone.


    All she did was sit alone, reading, even when her friends were around.


    It was like the world around her didn''t exist.


    "Worst of all... she''s becoming me."


    Damon clenched his fists again, his frustration mounting. He stalked down the dimly lit halls, his steps barely making a sound.


    He was looking for Sylvia.


    He had gone to her room first¡ªnothing. She wasn''t there. No trace of her. Just stacks of books, neatly arranged as if she had left them behind on purpose.


    Lately, he had developed the bad habit of sneaking into Sylvia''s room at night. She never reacted to his presence. Never looked up. Never acknowledged him.


    She would just sit there, reading.


    At first, he had tried talking. Tried to get her to open up.


    She never answered.


    Eventually, he stopped talking too. And they just sat there, in silence, reading together.


    Tonight, when he went to her room, she was gone.


    That was why he had snuck out of the dorms without anyone noticing.


    He was sure she would be here.


    The only problem was that the library was massive.


    She usually stuck to the outer sections, but as time passed, she started reading books from deeper inside. It was almost like she had an obsession with reading everything.


    Damon exhaled and closed his eyes, spreading his shadow perception through the library. The darkness slithered through the aisles, stretching as far as the barriers would allow. Some areas were protected by magic, preventing his shadows from reaching them.


    He sensed nothing.


    No movement.


    No living shadows.


    He sighed, glancing down at his own shadow.


    "Go find her. If you see her, report back immediately."


    His shadow gave him a crisp, military-style salute before gliding away, vanishing into the pale glow of the library''s dim magic lanterns.


    Today was an odd day.


    The library was quiet¡ªtoo quiet.


    By now, he should have sensed at least one or two people in different sections, even with the curfew in place. But tonight, there was nothing. It was almost as if he had stepped into another realm altogether.


    The feeling unsettled him. It reminded him of the way the world seemed to vanish whenever Lilith used her void magic to isolate space.


    Damon scratched the back of his head, trying to shake off the unease creeping over him. His skin prickled, a deep discomfort settling in his bones. His shadow slithered through the halls at high speed, darting between shelves, its perception feeding him a vision of every corner it passed.


    He walked in the opposite direction.


    He could have called out Sylvia''s name, but with the academy''s new curfew, that would have been reckless. If a patrol professor caught him sneaking around at this hour, he''d be in trouble. He had already almost run into Professor Kael on the way here.


    "If he had caught me, it would''ve been annoying."


    He moved carefully, staying in the shadows where possible.


    Then¡ªhe stopped.


    A faint sound rippled through his shadow''s perception, reaching him from the far edges of the library.


    Damon turned sharply, shifting his shadow to the side, and caught a glimpse of white hair disappearing around a corner between the shelves.


    "Sylvia."


    Without hesitation, he dashed forward, vaulting over desks and tables as he crossed the open space of the library.


    His instincts urged him to send his shadow ahead, but at the last second, he stopped himself.


    He couldn''t let Sylvia see his shadow moving on its own.


    Grinding his teeth, he called it back. His shadow slipped through the aisles and reattached itself to him just as he reached the shelves where Sylvia had disappeared.


    He slowed his pace slightly, spreading his perception out fully, searching for any trace of her.


    Nothing.


    The eerie silence of the library pressed in on him.


    He was certain he had seen her.


    Just as he was about to move forward, he caught another flicker of white in his peripheral vision.


    He snapped his head toward it.


    "Sylvia, wait¡ª!"


    He took a sharp turn, running after her¡ª


    Flash.


    A sudden burst of blinding white light engulfed the entire library.


    His vision exploded with brightness, erasing every shadow, erasing his shadow¡ª


    Damon barely had time to process what was happening before a searing heat bloomed in his gut.


    Then¡ª


    The unmistakable sensation of liquid spilling from his body.


    Blood.


    His own.


    Before he could react, something hard slammed into his head. His neck jolted back, his balance broke¡ª


    His body collapsed to the ground.


    Blood pooled beneath him.


    His consciousness slipped.


    As the suffocating white light grew, a figure remained.


    A white figure, holding a glowing white orb¡ªone that greedily absorbed the blood seeping from the ground.


    Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished¡ª


    Taking the figure with it.


    Damon lay unmoving in a crimson pool, his body limp, breath shallow.


    The library was silent once more.


    Then¡ª


    His shadow stirred.


    It circled around him, moving anxiously, writhing as if in distress.


    And then, without hesitation¡ª


    It fled, gliding swiftly through the darkened halls, searching for help.

 Chapter 212: A Fine Blade

    In a large room filled with luxurious furnishings, the windows were wide open, allowing the faint glow of the twin moons to spill in. Their pale light cast long shadows across the dormitory, illuminating the figure of a young woman with long, flowing red hair.


    She paced back and forth, her emerald-green eyes filled with unease, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting.


    Dressed in the official uniform of Aether Academy, she wore several brooches pinned to her chest¡ªsymbols of her high status as the student council president.


    Lilith moved restlessly, her gaze flickering toward the door every few seconds, as if expecting someone to walk in at any moment.


    But the night remained silent.


    Until¡ª


    A shadow glided through the open window.


    It took the form of a young man, though it was in visible distress. The way it twisted and writhed set her nerves on edge.


    Seeing this, Lilith gritted her teeth. She did something highly unladylike¡ªshe leaped through the window.


    The ground was three stories below, but before she could touch it, a whirlpool of magical energy spiraled beneath her feet. Space twisted, swallowing her in an instant¡ª


    And when she reappeared, she was already sprinting across the academy grounds.


    The shadow followed, gliding anxiously around her before attaching itself to her form. She didn''t hesitate.


    Taking a single step forward, space folded.


    The world around her blurred¡ªher mana drained at an alarming rate, but she ignored it.


    She had no time to care.


    When the distortion settled, she was standing in front of the grand doors of the library.


    Without wasting a second, she teleported inside.


    The shadow at her feet detached, gesturing for her to follow.


    She ran.


    And then¡ª


    She froze.


    Her breath hitched.


    There, lying in a pool of his own blood, was a young man with dark hair. His academy uniform was soaked in crimson, his body eerily still.


    Lilith''s face went pale. Her legs felt weak. A sickening twist wrenched at her heart.


    "No¡ª"


    She dashed forward, falling to her knees beside him.


    "Damon... Damon, wake up!"


    She pressed her head against his chest, desperate to hear his pulse¡ª


    Thump-thump.


    It was there¡ªweak but steady.


    Her hands scrambled for a healing potion. She pulled a vial from her uniform with trembling fingers, but in her frantic state, she accidentally crushed it.


    The shimmering liquid spilled over his lips.


    Ignoring the blood soaking her uniform, she lifted his head onto her lap, watching with bated breath as his wounds began to close.


    Then¡ª


    He gasped, his body jolting upright.


    Lilith let out a sigh of relief.


    And before she could stop herself¡ª


    She hugged him.


    "Agh¡ªouch! That hurts! You''re crushing me!"


    She immediately pulled away, her face flushed with embarrassment.


    Then, her expression twisted into anger.


    "You... you fool! You ungrateful, crazy bastard!"


    Damon blinked at her in shock.


    He had never expected Lilith Astranova lose her composure like this.


    A grin tugged at his lips.


    "Heh... You should see your face right now."


    She stiffened.


    Her fingers twitched.


    Then, her eyes turned cold.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to leave my side?" she said icily.


    Damon stretched, feeling a lingering sting in his side and a dull ache in his head. His gaze shifted downward.


    "As we thought... they took my blood."


    Lilith bit her lip. Her emerald eyes narrowed.


    He was too calm.


    "Your plan worked," she admitted, her voice low.


    Then, her hands clenched into fists.


    "But that was too reckless."


    Lilith stared at the pool of blood, her expression unreadable.


    "I told you they would target you," she muttered. "And yet, you still insisted on letting it happen. I was more worried that you''d get yourself killed..."


    Damon smirked.


    "I didn''t," he said casually, though his pale face told a different story.


    "I guess that wasn''t Sylvia after all. I let my guard down."


    He glanced at the bloodstained floor before shaking his head.


    "But everything went well... It would''ve been better if they had taken me instead. That way, we could''ve used the magic artifact I swallowed to track my location."


    Lilith let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples.


    "You really don''t listen to me..." she murmured. "How did I even let you convince me that this was a feasible plan?"


    Damon smiled, but there was no humor in his dark eyes.


    "It worked," he said simply. "I acted as bait, and they took the bite."


    His fingers traced over the dried blood on his uniform, his voice calm despite the near-fatal encounter.


    "I drank the potion, so it should be in my blood now. The next time they attempt the summoning, they''ll be certain it''ll work. But instead of meeting their objective, the spirit will go on a small rampage."


    He leaned back against the chair, exhaling slowly.


    "And when the academy is forced to intervene, we''ll use the chaos to seize the soul fragment."


    His smirk widened despite his weakened state.


    "It''s a foolproof plan."


    Lilith pushed her red hair back, crossing her arms.


    "It''s a reckless plan," she corrected. "The potion might not even work¡ªit''s experimental."


    Damon nodded, massaging his temples as he sat down. His head throbbed, and his limbs still felt sluggish.


    She observed him for a moment before speaking. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "...Do you need another potion?"


    He shook his head.


    "No. It''s a waste of money."


    Another deep sigh escaped him.


    "Whoever it was... they knew about my shadow perception. They also knew exactly how to bypass it. They used light¡ªor rather, an artifact¡ªto banish all shadows, including mine." His voice dropped slightly. "That means they had knowledge of my abilities."


    Lilith frowned, bringing a hand to her chin.


    "Sylvia Moonveil isn''t strong enough to knock you out like that," she said. "We''ve already confirmed that it was a professor... Someone at the third-class advancement or higher."


    Damon''s smirk faded.


    A dark, killing intent flickered in his eyes.


    "If I find them..." His voice turned cold. "I''ll kill them."


    Lilith''s gaze met his, her expression unreadable once more.


    "You mean I will kill them."


    Damon chuckled.


    Right. He wasn''t even at first-class advancement yet. His opponent was likely far stronger. He was still weak.


    And that was exactly why he was taking such risks.


    But that was fine.


    Because he had a weapon¡ªa powerful blade named Lilith Astranova.


    And he was going to leverage her power to level up as much as possible.


    He stood up, stretching slightly.


    "I have your power at my disposal," he said with a knowing smirk. "So I''ll take full advantage of that."


    Lilith nodded, her emerald eyes glinting.


    "And I have yours."

 Chapter 213: Her Past

    Damon trudged under the sun, his shadow trailing behind him. Despite being stabbed, he hadn''t given up on searching for Sylvia. He had sent the raven, Croft, to look for her while he stayed with Lilith, making plans for the potential fallout of the dark spirit summoning.


    The academy grounds were bustling with students as he made his way to the main building, where he was obviously late for class. He had taken two more healing potions, but healing potions didn''t restore lost blood¡ªthat was what recovery potions were for. His body still felt sluggish, but he pushed forward, ignoring the dull ache in his limbs.


    Reaching the classroom, he walked in just as the professor was making their exit.


    His gaze scanned the room before locking onto Evangeline, who was seated with Leona and Xander.


    Her golden hair was tied in a ponytail, and as always, she looked breathtaking. But the moment she felt a shadow looming over her, she raised her head, her sun-kissed golden eyes turning ice-cold.


    "What do you want, Damon?" she asked, her voice laced with irritation.


    A pang of annoyance flickered through him. He and Evangeline bickered so much that Professor Emeralda had started joking that they were like siblings.


    "I don''t have time for your bullshit, Evangeline. Where is Sylvia?"


    She twisted her lips in mild irritation.


    "I don''t know. Go jump into a lagoon."


    He sneered. If she was hoping he''d drown in that lagoon, she was about to be disappointed. He had the Water Celebration skill¡ªhe couldn''t drown even if he wanted to.


    "I''ll have to disappoint you," he muttered dryly.


    Instead of waiting for an invitation, he moved around to where she was sitting, nudged her inside with his waist, and sat down beside her.


    "Wha¡ªwhat the hell was that for?!" she sputtered, eyes blazing with outrage.


    Damon shook his head.


    "I have some questions."


    She scoffed.


    "I don''t have answers."


    Damon was about to retort when Leona chuckled.


    "You two are so cute together," she teased. "Like an old married couple."


    Xander frowned.


    Damon shot Leona a deadpan look.


    "Shut up, Leona. Why can''t you ever wish for me to find good things?"


    Leona only smiled, while Evangeline looked utterly appalled. Her wide eyes flared with rage.


    "Are you implying that I''m not good enough for you?"


    Damon sighed, rubbing his temples. He was too tired for this. He glanced at her calmly.


    "Evangeline, normally, I''d say I wouldn''t be caught dead with you as my spouse, but I''m trying to remake myself as a person, so I''ll be a gentleman."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes.


    "You''re failing... and you still said it."


    "Pfft... haha..." Leona couldn''t hold back her laughter. She had seen that coming from a mile away.


    Both Damon and Evangeline turned to glare at her, while Xander sighed.


    Brushing off the irritation, Damon turned back to Evangeline.


    "Look, I wanted to ask you something¡ªhow much do you know about Sylvia Moonveil?"


    Evangeline furrowed her brows.


    "Huh? What? Why are you asking me that?"


    She glared at him suspiciously.


    "What the hell are you on?"


    Damon sighed. She had misunderstood.


    "It''s not what you think. I was just curious about her, that''s all."


    Evangeline''s sharp eyes scanned him up and down with clear disdain.


    "If you want to know about her past, ask her yourself."


    She slammed the table and got up.


    Damon clenched his jaw, his irritation rising. Before she could walk away, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down into her seat. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Let me go, Damon!" she snapped.


    He gritted his teeth.


    "Calm down... it''s important. I wanted to know if Sylvia had an affinity for spirits."


    Evangeline paused, doubt flickering in her golden, sun-marked eyes as they met his, which were as dark as the night.


    "Why do you want to know that?"


    He looked to the side, jaw tightening.


    "It''s... important."


    She took a deep breath, her expression turning even colder.


    "You won''t tell me, and yet you want me to reveal deeply personal information about my best friend¡ªwithout a reason¡ªto the guy who hurt her, no less?"


    Damon clenched his fists, his frustration mounting, but he suppressed it. He didn''t have time for this¡ªhe needed to know.


    "Look, I promise¡ªit''s life and death. Just tell me."


    Evangeline scoffed, her gaze cutting into him like a blade.


    "That''s not your concern. Should''ve thought about that before you stabbed her in the back... Maybe you should consider, for once, that you aren''t some tragic protagonist of a dark fantasy."


    Her voice dripped with venom.


    "You''re just some rude, obnoxious jerk... a hypocrite and a liar."


    She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms.


    "I mean, we were just trying to be friends with you."


    Damon remained quiet, his fists trembling at his sides.


    Leona wanted to interfere, but seeing his expression, she knew whatever was coming next wouldn''t be good.


    She raised her hand, but it was Xander who spoke first.


    "Ahh... Evangeline, maybe you shouldn''t¡ª"


    "Mind your business."


    Damon chuckled¡ªcold, distant.


    "Rude? Obnoxious?" His voice was ice. "Yeah, you''ve got me all figured out... hehe... a tragic protagonist?"


    His gaze darkened. How dare she say that? She hadn''t lived through even half the shit he had.


    "I''m a hypocrite? Yeah, maybe I am... but you know what, Evangeline?" His eyes narrowed. "It takes one to know one."


    The room fell silent.


    "You didn''t give a damn about me. None of you did. Not until you thought I was strong. Not until you lost to me. And then, suddenly, you forced yourself into my life¡ªeven when I made it pretty damn clear I didn''t want anyone there.


    "It''s obvious¡ªnot because I''m the most pleasant person to be around..." His lips curled into a smirk. "But because it''s convenient for you."


    Evangeline stiffened, her golden eyes widening.


    Damon laughed¡ªcold, humorless.


    "Heh... You always like to talk big about justice... but that''s all you do¡ªtalk. You''re weak. A weak person asks for justice... a stronger one creates it." His voice was razor-sharp. "Tell me, Evangeline¡ªwho have you ever helped?"


    Silence.


    His gaze swept across the class.


    "How many starving commoners have you walked past? How many dying people have you ignored?" He let the words hang in the air before finishing with a sneer. "I bet the answer is zero. You don''t want justice. After all, you''re in the top one percent¡ªa product of the system."


    Evangeline''s face paled.


    Leona tensed, about to step in, but Xander raised a hand, stopping her.


    "I am a tragic protagonist." Damon''s voice was filled with quiet fury. "Because I''m not part of that top one percent. I don''t have a golden spoon in my mouth. I don''t have the luxury of playing fair. I have to play dirty to survive." His eyes bore into her, unwavering.


    "So don''t you dare paint me pitch black... when you aren''t so white yourself."


    Evangeline''s hands trembled, her entire world shaking under his words.


    Damon took a step forward, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.


    "Now... tell me if she has a spirit affinity or¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Leona''s beastkin ears twitched, standing on end. Her fur bristled.


    Then¡ª


    RUMBLE.


    A deafening bang echoed through the academy.


    The ground shook. The walls groaned.


    Damon barely had time to react before the tremors sent him crashing into Evangeline.


    He pushed himself up, his breath ragged. In the distance, a colossal aura pulsed¡ªdark, malevolent, endless.


    His blood ran cold.


    He gritted his teeth.


    "...It''s begun."


    His eyes sharpened.


    "I don''t have time to look for Sylvia anymore."

 Chapter 214: Sheltered

    The ground trembled under the terrible tremors, a vast magical energy spreading across the academy grounds. Astral winds howled as the energy converged in a single direction, compressing into a burning entity¡ªor at least, that''s what it looked like to Damon.


    But this fire was different. It wasn''t red or orange. Instead, it was made of ghostly writhing shadows, flickering with an eerie purple glow. The flames rose high into the sky, writhing as if in agony, its form shifting and collapsing inward before violently expanding outward. Then, like a celestial explosion, its body shattered, breaking apart into meteors of burning darkness that rained down upon the earth.


    Each fragment carried a terrifying aura, and as they struck the ground, they morphed¡ªsome taking the shapes of monstrous beasts wreathed in dark flames, others forming humanoid figures with blazing eyes. The larger they were, the more overwhelming their presence became. At the center of them all stood the largest, radiating power equivalent to a Fourth-Class advancement. Damon clenched his jaw. He had only sensed something similar once before¡ªwhen he stood in the presence of Marabell Defonte?.


    Pushing himself off the ground, he realized he had landed on top of Evangeline. He barely spared her a glance as he lifted his hand from her chest and got to his feet. There was no time for embarrassment¡ªshe didn''t seem to notice either, her golden eyes fixed on the nightmare unfolding before them.


    The other students were frozen, terror gripping them.


    "W-What is that...?"


    "Are we under attack?"


    "Is that a Shadow...?"


    "It has to be the demons! The demons are attacking the academy!"


    A fairy girl with short blue hair pointed at the entity with horror in her voice.


    "I-It''s... the Dark Spirit¡ªRashi Ignath..."


    At the mention of the name, panic spread like wildfire.


    "R-Rashi Ignath?! The spirit that nearly destroyed the capital in the past?!"


    A wave of despair crashed over the students, their fear palpable.


    "We''re all going to die..."


    "The professors will stop this! They have to!"


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    No. The professors weren''t the reason this spirit was here.


    The potion had worked.


    Rashi Ignath had been summoned, but instead of a single, unstoppable force, it had been broken into smaller, more manageable fragments. That was the plan he had made with Lilith Astranova. The academy could handle these scattered pieces, especially with the noble families'' military forces present.


    The potion''s secondary effect ensured that the spirit would be banished within twenty-four hours. It would weaken over time, depleting itself the more it fought, unable to regenerate.


    Damon reached into his pocket, his Remorseless skill sharpening his focus. He felt the small, glass-like dagger tucked in his clothes.


    Now, all he needed to do was find the host vessel¡ªcut out a fragment of the spirit.


    His eyes darkened.


    He no longer had time to look for Sylvia. He could only hope she was safe amidst this chaos.


    Turning on his heel, he sprinted toward the door. But before he could leave, a hand grabbed his wrist.


    "Wait!"


    He stopped, glancing back at Evangeline. She was holding onto him, her face tense with anxiety.


    "Where are you going?"


    His gaze turned cold. He had no time for this. His plan was already in motion¡ªthe Dark Spirit''s soul fragment was within reach.


    "Let go. I don''t have time for this," he said flatly, shaking her off.


    But she grabbed him again, more desperately this time.


    "Wait, please! It''s about Sylvia!"


    Damon froze.


    Her?


    He turned, his expression darkening. "This better be good."


    Evangeline bit her lip, hesitating before nodding.


    "You were right about me... but I need your help. Please," she whispered.


    "You asked if Sylvia had a spirit affinity. I can''t reveal her secrets without her permission... but now it''s life and death. I''m worried about her."


    Her voice trembled, her lips pale. "We need to find Sylvia."


    Damon''s jaw tightened. "What do you think I was trying to do?"


    Leona''s beastkin ears twitched. "We need to go¡ªthis is bad. If we stay anywhere close, we''ll die for sure."


    Xander, who had been watching the chaos in the distance, nodded, his face pale.


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    The students around them had the same idea, fleeing toward the exits, desperate to put as much distance between themselves and the monstrous spirits now rampaging through the academy.


    Evangeline''s hands shook, her breath uneven. Then, she did something Damon didn''t expect.


    She bowed her head to him.


    "Please," she whispered. "I need your help... Sylvia might be in danger."


    Damon''s heart drummed against his ribs, a relentless beat that even Remorseless couldn''t completely dull. His emotions were muted, yet the weight of the possibilities pressed down on him, suffocating.


    No¡ªhe could already see the outcome.


    "She has spirit affinity, doesn''t she...? It must be quite high. Maybe the highest..."


    Evangeline bit her lip but didn''t answer. Bound by her promise to Sylvia, she couldn''t betray her confidence. But her silence spoke louder than words.


    "Sylvia is from Iorvas... as you know, it has the most spirits of any of the nine continents."


    She paused, letting him piece it together himself.


    And he did.


    Born in Iorvas. A massive amount of spirit affinity. She must have attracted spirits¡ªdrawn them to her side, loved by them in ways ordinary people couldn''t understand.


    But how spirits expressed affection varied wildly. Some were kind, like people. Others played pranks. Some were outright violent, their love destructive. And, most of all, spirits were easily offended.


    Capricious. Volatile. Like children with no concept of right or wrong.


    If she had that much affinity, it made sense why she was sent to Aether Academy. The academy''s barriers¡ªand its proximity to the Evil Forest¡ªkept most spirits away. It was a safe haven for her.


    "She must have been kept sheltered... in a place where spirits couldn''t reach..."


    Damon''s thoughts came to a screeching halt.


    Sheltered.


    His stomach twisted as realization sank in. That was Sylvia''s sore spot.


    That was what he had said to hurt her.


    She hadn''t been sad or angry because he stabbed her. No, what truly hurt her was when he called her a sheltered princess.


    And if it really had cut that deeply...


    Then she would have a gap in her heart. A vulnerability.


    A weakness that could make her susceptible to spirit possession.


    By a Dark Spirit, no less.


    And it was all his fault.

 Chapter 215: No Regrets Yet

    Damon took a deep breath, steadying his mind. There was no room for hesitation.


    He walked up to Leona.


    "I know I''m asking too much, but I need your help."


    She smirked. "If you bow your head to me, I''ll break it."


    A chuckle followed. "Do you even need to ask? I mean, it''s only a dark spirit with the power to destroy an entire city... no biggie."


    Damon allowed a faint smile. Leona was a good person¡ªwhere had she been all his life? If he had met someone like her earlier, maybe he wouldn''t have been so mistrusting.


    He turned to Xander, his pride catching in his throat. Asking Xander Ravenscroft for a favor...


    It left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    Pride? What pride? He took pride in having none.


    Still, he stood in front of the other boy.


    "I... I need your... help."


    Xander''s eyes widened, not with fear, but with shock.


    "You what...?"


    Damon glanced at Evangeline. She had lowered her head slightly, a silent plea.


    If he were the one in danger, Sylvia would help him too... right?


    He exhaled sharply.


    Then, slowly, he lowered his head.


    "Please... I need your help. Help me save Sylvia."


    Xander''s breath hitched.


    "You... you..."


    He was at a loss for words.


    This was Damon Grey. The same Damon who claimed he had no pride but was so arrogant that no one¡ªabsolutely no one¡ªcould stop him from saying or doing what he wanted.


    And yet, here he was, lowering his head.


    Not for himself.


    For someone else.


    Xander trembled.


    "Don''t insult me, Damon Grey." His voice was firm. "Do you think a scion of the Ravenscroft household would abandon a friend?"


    Damon slowly raised his head. He whispered, "Hmm... thank you."


    Xander nodded. "Let''s go. We have a friend to save."


    Then, he glanced at Damon. "Well? What''s the plan?"


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    Damon was surprised. Xander was actually letting him take the lead.


    He nodded, his eyes turning cold.


    "Our primary objective is to find Sylvia. If my guess is right... she''s currently the vessel for that."


    He pointed at the rampaging dark spirit in the distance¡ªthe massive form and its broken fragments wreaking havoc.


    Xander narrowed his eyes.


    "And should I ask how you know all that?"


    Damon frowned, but before tension could build, Leona stepped in.


    "That''s not important right now. We need to save Sylvia. Damon, come up with something¡ªsomething underhanded and unusual¡ªand let''s get her back."


    Xander sighed, grumbling, "That''s assuming he doesn''t have a hidden agenda."


    Evangeline moved closer to Damon.


    "I... I will take responsibility for any fallout," she said firmly. "So you don''t need to trust Damon. Trust me instead."


    Damon looked at Leona.


    "First course of action: split up. Keep your pagers close."


    He turned to Xander and Evangeline.


    "You two take Leona to Sylvia''s dorm. Find her clothes¡ªor something with her scent. Leona, use that beastkin nose of yours to track her down."


    Xander and Evangeline nodded.


    "No matter what, make sure you deliver Leona there safely. Take the west hall route¡ªafter that, jump out the window onto the roof of the Blue Gallery. Stop by there and gear up."


    Leona tilted her head. "Should I bring you any weapons?"


    He shook his head, "I have enough weapons on hand."


    Xander gritted his teeth. "We''re taking academy property without permission. That''s stealing."


    Evangeline lowered her head. Then, something changed in her eyes.


    "We''re saving our friend''s life." Her voice was sharp. "I don''t give a damn about the rules right now."


    Damon nodded, standing up.


    Xander scrunched his face.


    "And you? Where are you going?"


    Damon turned away.


    "To find Sylvia."


    He walked toward the window. The halls were too congested with students making a run for it, their screams echoing in the chaos. Their fear wasn''t lost on him, but it was inevitable¡ªthey would have to fight for their lives.


    He glanced outside.


    In the distance, the second-year students and seniors had already engaged the enemy. They had battle experience and wouldn''t run from something like this.


    Apparently, after the first-year end-of-semester evaluation, all students who survived it became hardened by battle. It was the first exam after the entrance trials¡ªone that carried the risk of mortality.


    Without hesitation, he leaped out the window, firing his omnidirectional gear. The wires shot from his wrist, anchoring him as he swung through the air.


    He landed smoothly, rolling forward before pulling out his pager.


    Immediately, he called up Lilith Astranova.


    Her calm voice came through.


    "The plan worked. We messed up the summoning."


    He bit his lip. "Where are you?"


    A pause.


    "I''m right behind you."


    His body tensed, he was caught off guard it was like she suddenly appeared out of thin air.


    ''Teleportion.'' He thought mildly irritated


    He turned sharply at the voice behind him, spotting the red-haired young woman standing there, her expression unreadable.


    The distant battlefield roared with chaos¡ªflashes of magic, the clash of weapons, and the cries of students and professors rang through the air. The ground trembled under the sheer force of battle.


    Lilith''s gaze swept over the unfolding carnage.


    "We ruined the summoners'' plans. They can''t use the spirit''s power properly like this. We''ve limited it¡ªshattered its form into many smaller parts. But even in fragments, it''s still powerful."


    She studied him, watching his unwavering stance amidst the chaos.


    "We need to find the host vessel and extract the soul fragment. Do you know who it is?"


    His fists clenched, his eyes betraying a flicker of pain.


    "I know who the host is..."


    She held his gaze.


    "It''s Sylvia Moonveil."


    Her eyes widened slightly, her brow twitching.


    "Well... our situation just went from bad to worse."


    She turned slightly. "Sylvia Moonveil has a special background."


    Damon bit his lip, his shadows flickering¡ªhis emotions barely restrained.


    Lilith watched him closely. "Your plan is coming to fruition... do you regret it?"


    He raised his head, his eyes cold with resolve.


    "I don''t regret it yet... If I save Sylvia, I won''t have anything to regret."

 Chapter 216: Third Class Skill

    Lilith smiled at his words. He wouldn''t regret it unless he failed to save Sylvia. Perhaps he had forgotten that this wasn''t entirely his fault.


    She nodded. "Do you know who Sylvia Moonveil actually is?"


    Damon, running by her side with a bow and a quiver of arrows, glanced at her. He loosed an arrow tipped with cursed ore into the sky, striking down a small piece of the dark spirit, Rashi Ignath. The fragment, shaped like a hawk, exploded into dark particles.


    "If you know something, say something."


    Lilith waved her hand, space twisting violently as she cut down a swarm of dark spirits.


    "Moonveil is a common family name where Sylvia is from, but how it''s written distinguishes the highborn from the commoners and nobility from royalty. Despite sounding the same, they''re written differently."


    Damon pulled a new arrow from his quiver¡ªthis one heavier, with a large, razor-sharp tip. It was from Back-to-Back''s quiver, which he had claimed after killing the elf.


    "So what, she''s a noble?"


    Lilith teleported to avoid a blast of black fire from a spirit.


    "No, she''s not. Sylvia Moonveil is royalty. She''s the only daughter of the Elf King, Caldera Moonveil."


    Damon paused mid-step. Caldera¡ªthat was a terrifying name to hear. He was one of the most powerful rulers in the Verdant Continent, both strong and wise. It was said he had a great oracle who could see the future or something along those lines.


    "Are you saying the elves will find trouble with the academy over this?"


    Lilith nodded, taking a deep breath as the last of the small spirits faded.


    "The great oracle of the Verdant Continent happens to be his wife... and also Sylvia''s mother."


    Damon''s face scrunched up until he remembered something¡ªLilith had mentioned they couldn''t be divined due to their connection with the Unknown God.


    "So what does that have to do with us? The academy can settle this themselves."


    She shook her head. "Not quite."


    Glancing at him, she noticed sweat trickling down his forehead.


    "While we can''t be divined, normal investigation can still find us. And if I remember correctly, a spirit can''t possess someone unless they have a gap in their heart."


    She pushed her red hair aside.


    "I''m pretty sure everyone saw when you stabbed Sylvia and betrayed her trust. It doesn''t take a genius to figure out that you are the reason she has a gap in her heart."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. He understood what she was implying. If anything happened to Sylvia, the Moonveil family would retaliate. Against him. As an academy student, he had diplomatic immunity, but the blade of an elven assassin wouldn''t care about that.


    He clenched his fist.


    "That would be a lot of trouble. However, wouldn''t they be more focused on the summoner instead of little old me?"


    She glanced at the sky as if spotting something in the distance.


    "Don''t worry. If it comes to that, I can hide you as a fugitive until you''re strong enough to face them openly. And I''m sure the academy won''t just hand you over."


    Damon followed her gaze, spotting a bird soaring through the air. He instinctively knocked an arrow, ready to fire, until he recognized the creature¡ªit was the same raven that had always followed him. The intelligent bird was capable of carrying out complex tasks.


    He had sent it on one such task¡ªto find Sylvia. And now, it had returned.


    This was the raven called Ravenscroft.


    Or Croft for short.


    "Caw! Caw! Sylvia! Caw!"


    Croft cried out from the sky before landing on Damon''s shoulder. He let go of his bow, catching the raven.


    "You found her? Where is she?"


    They couldn''t exactly track her down in all this chaos. The entire academy was under attack by the dark spirit, Rashi Ignath. Even now, the ground trembled violently where the more powerful fragments of the great spirit clashed with professors, while countless lesser pieces swarmed the battlefield.


    "Caw! Caw! Sylvia! Caw!"


    Croft, perched on Damon''s shoulder, fluffed his feathers and pointed in a specific direction, as if telling Damon that was where Sylvia was.


    Damon took a deep breath. He had already sent the other three to Sylvia''s dorm to retrieve an article of her clothing so Leona could use her beastkin nose to track her down¡ªbut it seemed that wouldn''t be necessary.


    By now, they should have been gathering weapons from the nearest armory, so he could still call them if needed.


    He picked up his pager and contacted Leona, quickly giving her instructions on where to meet.


    His eyes followed the direction Croft had pointed toward. The area ahead was in complete chaos, with dark spirits appearing all over the place. Faint humanoid figures loomed in the distance, radiating terrible auras of destruction.


    Some of them were already engaged in battle against senior students or professors. The situation, for now, seemed under control¡ªat least no one had died yet.


    But Sylvia was in that direction, struggling for control over her body against the dark spirit.


    Damon inhaled deeply, steadying himself. "Can you handle the big ones?"


    Lilith smirked, her expression brimming with confidence.


    "Who do you think you''re talking to? I am the Priestess of the Void. Do you really think a few measly spirits can stop me?"


    She raised her hand to her waist.


    "Allow me to give you a demonstration. This is my third-class skill¡ª[Void Scythe]." Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    The moment she spoke, a massive scythe materialized in her grasp. It appeared almost illusory, like a distortion of space itself.


    Without hesitation, she hurled it forward.


    The scythe spun in a circular arc, tearing through space wherever it passed, leaving behind jagged voids in reality itself.


    It moved with unnatural speed, slicing through the battlefield before striking one of the faint humanoid spirits in the distance.


    The creature was sucked in¡ªits body crushed and devoured as though it had been swallowed by a black hole.


    Damon unknowingly gasped. This was a great and terrible display of power.

 Chapter 217 217: Man Of The People

    Damon took deep breaths, sweat beading on his forehead as he gripped his dagger tightly, staring at the building ahead.


    It was an old, abandoned structure¡ªone that felt disturbingly familiar. Of course, how could he forget?


    This was the same place he had killed Marcus Fayjoy.


    "Ahhh, you''ve got to be kidding me..."


    The dark spirit summoner had a twisted sense of humor. He had chosen this exact spot to summon the spirit and had used Sylvia as a vessel.


    But Damon didn''t have time for rueful thoughts. Not now.


    Before him, a massive swarm of dark spirits gathered, a sea of writhing nightmares. At the center of it all stood the terrifying projection of Ignath, its oppressive gaze locked onto him and Lilith.


    But it did not move.


    The spirits came in all shapes and forms¡ªsome like beasts, others like twisted humanoids, and some... indescribable horrors straight out of nightmares.


    A grotesque mass of countless blinking eyes embedded in a single, massive eyeball. A writhing, black-flamed entity covered in slithering tentacles. A hulking abomination dripping with malice.


    Lilith narrowed her eyes.


    "How do you suggest we get past all that? There are too many of them... and that big one is going to be trouble."


    Damon bit his lip, then gave a thin smile. "Way ahead of you."


    He pulled out his pager.


    "I didn''t spend the past three weeks making out with Lady Margan for nothing..."


    Lilith frowned, glaring at him.


    He smirked at her. "Don''t worry, I''m still a virgin. If I was going to sleep with Tobias''s mother, I''d only do it if he were alive to feel the pain of knowing I nailed his mom. Otherwise, there''s no point."


    Lilith''s expression turned ice-cold. "I take it back. I won''t forgive you for what you said back then."


    Damon sighed.


    After all the trouble he went through with Lady Margan¡ªthe sheer number of times he had to escape her room so she wouldn''t defile him... The widow certainly wanted him, and he intended to use that to his advantage. Why else would he have wasted his time with her?


    He dialed her number on his pager, requesting immediate deployment of her knights. And, of course, he subtly made it sound like he would pay her a visit afterward.


    After ending the call, he glanced up to find Lilith still glaring at him.


    "Man whore."


    Damon sighed. "Now we have backup. Her knights can mop up the little ones... you handle that big one."


    Lilith followed his gaze and narrowed her eyes.


    "That thing is the strongest projection... and it''s close to its host vessel. It''ll be stronger than all the others."


    She pulled her hair back into a ponytail.


    "I have no idea where your confidence in me comes from, but I''ll try my best. If I fail, well, we both die."


    Damon sneered. "You don''t look like someone marching to her death."


    She chuckled. "Never said I intend to die today. My enemies are still out there."


    Then she turned, her sharp gaze shifting. "Your friends are here. And Lady Margan''s knights aren''t here yet."


    Damon had already sensed their shadows. He didn''t need her to tell him that.


    Evangeline stood at the front, clad in light armor with white plating and gold accents. She held a thin rapier in her hand, its polished blade gleaming under the chaotic glow of the battlefield.


    Beside her, Xander was covered head to toe in heavy armor, a massive tower shield strapped to his back. To Damon''s surprise, he wasn''t carrying his usual sword. Instead, he wielded a large spear, its wide point measuring at least seventeen centimeters across. For close-range combat, two short swords hung at his hips.


    And last but not least was Leona. She wore a silver chest plate¡ªthough Damon wasn''t sure what material it was actually made from. Large gauntlets covered her arms, and her legs were protected by metal boots that reached up to her knees. She carried no weapons, only those gauntlets.


    Damon could already guess what she was thinking. She hadn''t come to raise a weapon¡ªshe was here to save a friend, not kill them.


    He sighed. Nai?ve thinking. But if she weren''t so nai?ve, she never would''ve endured his cold treatment of her when she first forced her way into his life.


    The three of them approached, sweat beading on their foreheads.


    Evangeline nodded at Lilith in greeting, and Lilith acknowledged her with a curt nod in return.


    "You found where Sylvia is?"


    Damon jerked his head toward the abandoned building behind him.


    Evangeline studied the structure, eyes narrowing at the swarm of dark spirits guarding it. Then, to his surprise, she said, "It''s less than I expected."


    Damon frowned. "Yeah... now that you mention it. Ignath probably doesn''t want to draw too much attention to Sylvia''s location."


    "Did you get any backup?"


    Leona shook her head. "Everything is too chaotic. The professors have their hands full, and all the senior members of the academy¡ªlike the headmaster¡ªare gone... for some reason."


    Damon already knew that. Why else would the summoner be acting so brazen?


    Xander scanned the area. "We need help. The nobles who came to the academy only care about their own safety. They won''t help even if we ask, and if they do, it''ll be one lengthy negotiation."


    Damon smirked. "Don''t worry. They''re already here."


    He turned toward the distance, where a force of knights charged forward, banners of House Margan flying high. Their heavy armor glinted in the sunlight, their powerful steeds thundering across the ground as they stormed toward the battlefield.


    Xander blinked in surprise. "H-How did you get House Margan to help?"


    Damon smiled.


    ''By giving their lady the impression that I''d sleep with her.''


    He chuckled. "I''m a man of the people. Why wouldn''t they come to my aid?"


    Lilith shot him a glare.


    The others, on the other hand, gave him skeptical looks.


    Damon? A man of the people? He was the farthest thing from it.

 Chapter 218 218: The Will Of Men

    Galahad and his knights stopped in front of Damon.


    The knight narrowed his eyes at him, clear traces of disdain evident in his gaze. This was the no-good wretch who was wooing their lady¡ªa woman old enough to be his mother. Did this young man have no shame?


    Galahad had heard the whispers about Damon''s reputation at the academy. A troublemaker, a scoundrel, a nuisance. And yet, for whatever reason, their lady had suddenly found herself infatuated with him.


    It made no sense.


    And now, in the middle of a crisis, she had ordered them to leave her side¡ªjust because of one call from a boy the age of her son. How could Galahad not feel irked?


    Still, he was a knight of the Deep. He had to obey.


    "I have come to aid you, as per my lady''s will."


    Damon smirked, noting Galahad''s expression.


    "Thanks for coming, Sir Galahad. It is an honor to have you by my side."


    He was trying to change¡ªtrying to be a better person. And since these knights were about to risk their lives for him, the least he could do was be polite.


    Lilith glanced at him.


    "What''s the plan?"


    The others turned to look at him as well, waiting for his answer.


    Damon shifted his gaze to the battlefield. The knights and the massive swarm of dark spirits were evenly matched¡ªboth in numbers and rank. The only real problem was the big one.


    "Make sure my party gets inside no matter what."


    He glanced at his companions.


    Their faces were set with resolve. Conviction.


    "The plan is simple."


    He exhaled.


    "Charge."


    With that, Damon dashed forward, sprinting straight into the swarm of spirits.


    Evangeline didn''t hesitate¡ªshe followed right after him.


    Galahad winced. He had half a mind to let the bastard die.


    But...


    Lilith Astranova was with him.


    And with her there, the likelihood of Damon dying was lower than all of them.


    Galahad let out a sharp breath and raised his sword.


    "Knights of the Deep¡ªcharge!"


    He kicked his steed forward. The ground thundered as his knights followed, galloping into what could only be a dire battle.


    Damon didn''t care if the knights of House Margan died.


    Though, if they were going to die, he''d prefer they die serving a purpose.


    That said, he hadn''t sent them in blindly.


    The odds were in their favor.


    His shadow perception had already spread into the building.


    He had found Sylvia.


    She was standing there¡ªher shadow flickering, tainted. Her usual bright presence had been drowned in something dark, something spiteful.


    Yet, at the same time, there was something else.


    A deep resentment.


    A burning passion.


    A strange duality.


    But more than that...


    It was terrifying.


    It was pushing Sylvia''s body to its limits, forcing it to adapt to its overwhelming power.


    Right now, she was stronger than all of them.


    In every aspect.


    She was bordering on a first-class advancement. No¡ªher power was already at that level.


    But Damon felt no fear.


    [Remorseless] only showed him what he needed to do to win.


    And he would do whatever was necessary.


    He raised his daggers in a cross before him.


    The roar of the spirits echoed through the battlefield, their bodies wreathed in black flames that flickered like living shadows. The thunderous charge of the knights clashed against the oncoming horde, shaking the ground beneath their feet.


    Behind him, he could feel his friends¡ªall carrying the same desperation, the same resolve. They had come to save Sylvia, no matter the odds.


    And then, the two forces met.


    Chaos erupted.


    Spirits dissipated into nothingness with shrill, soul-tearing wails, while knights screamed in agony as they were engulfed by the cursed flames of Ignath.


    "Shields up! Now! Defensive formation!"


    Galahad''s voice cut through the carnage as he rallied his knights, trying to hold the line against the relentless spirits.


    Damon''s expression hardened.


    Xander and the girls paled at the sight before them.


    These flames¡ªthey weren''t just fire.


    They were hot enough to melt enchanted armor and powerful artifacts. Hot enough to incinerate a man, leaving neither ash nor bone.


    Yet, at the same time, they were so cold they felt like ice.


    These cursed flames could burn not just the body, but the soul itself.


    The flames of Rashi Ignath.


    Fear spread like a thick fog among the knights. Even with all their experience, they shuddered.


    And this was only the beginning.


    Damon had known this would happen.


    That was why he had them charge.


    They had no stakes in this battle.


    If he had given them time to think¡ªtime to hesitate¡ªmany would have turned and fled.


    "So I can only force them to fight or die... they have no choice."


    Yes, the odds were on their side.


    But only if they didn''t run.


    Now, surrounded by spirits, there was no way back. The only way was forward.


    Galahad looked at Damon.


    Even in the chaos, the young man''s expression remained calm.


    Unshaken.


    "Did... did he plan this?"


    Galahad knew all too well¡ªretreating in the middle of battle was far harder than stories made it seem.


    He studied Damon''s dark, unreadable eyes as the boy suddenly leapt onto the steed of a charging knight with catlike reflexes.


    Then¡ª


    He raised his voice above the battlefield.


    "Brave knights of the Deep! We are surrounded¡ªdo not despair! Victory is at hand! As long as my party makes it inside, we can destroy the vessel!"


    His voice rang clear and strong.


    He lifted his blade higher.


    "Let history remember this day! Let it be known as the day the Knights of the Deep vanquished the great spirit that has destroyed countless warriors!"


    The knights turned, their eyes locking onto him.


    He pointed his dagger forward, standing atop the steed that reared beneath him.


    "Charge forward, spirit slayers! Charge forward, heroes!"


    And like moths drawn to a flame, the knights roared in answer.


    Their fear forgotten, their courage ignited.


    Swords clashed. Shields rose. Their battle cries thundered.


    Galahad watched in stunned silence.


    His blood boiled with the fury of battle, invigorated.


    His eyes locked onto Damon¡ª


    The boy whose gaze was darker than the abyss itself.


    "What a¡ªhe''s a... he''s a..."

 Chapter 219 219: Conduit

    The battlefield was chaos.


    Screams filled the air¡ªhorrible, agonized sounds Damon never thought a human body could make. The sickening snap of bones, the crackle of flesh burning in cursed flames.


    Yet, those cries of despair were drowned out by the roars of rage¡ªthe furious battle cries of knights who watched their comrades fall to the spirits.


    Even so, they fought.


    They fought with the right morale.


    Men had died for foolish reasons before. Many had been lured to their deaths by fleeting promises¡ªglory, honor, immortality in name.


    Damon had used that here.


    He had promised to immortalize them as heroes.


    And they had rushed to their deaths for him.


    How easily men die for intangible promises.


    Damon leapt off the steed just as it was engulfed in black flames, the knight atop it vanishing in the cursed inferno.


    The ground trembled beneath him as warriors clashed¡ªsome among them wielding power beyond normal human limits.


    Xander gritted his teeth as Damon yanked him down just in time, pulling him back up before sprinting toward the entrance of the abandoned building.


    "Come on! Stay close¡ªwe have to get inside!"


    Evangeline and Leona ran beside them, their faces streaked with soot and dust, their bodies marred by cuts and bruises from shattered earth¡ªevidence of the violent clashes between knights and the dark spirits.


    The area ahead was untouched by the chaos of battle.


    Yet, despite its deceptive stillness, it was the most dangerous part of the battlefield.


    This was where the strongest manifestation of Rashi Ignath stood¡ªguarding the doors like an executioner waiting for its prey.


    Leona bit her lip as she followed Damon, her body trembling at the sheer presence of the entity before them. Its aura was suffocating, a force so overwhelming it dwarfed everything else around it.


    She could feel death staring back at her.


    She could already see her end¡ªher body reduced to nothing, not even a corpse, just ash scattered into the wind.


    And yet, despite her fear, she pressed forward.


    Damon, who led the way, did not hesitate.


    He did not slow.


    He showed no fear.


    Leona forced a wry smile, her intuition about him proving to be correct. He was reckless, ruthless, cold, and brooding, but beneath it all, he was worth trusting.


    He was worth following.


    And so, she ran beside him, leaving the chaos behind.


    The dark spirit raised its humanoid hand, black flames igniting like writhing shadows. In an instant, it conjured a massive sphere of fire¡ªdense, compressed, a boulder of dark destruction.


    With a flick of its hand, it hurled the infernal mass toward them.


    Evangeline clenched her sword, her hands trembling as she channeled her magic, readying herself to intercept the attack.


    Damon remained impassive, his expression unreadable¡ªas if he had foreseen this exact moment.


    "Brace yourselves!" he called out.


    Before the fireball could reach them, a red-haired young woman materialized in front of them, teleporting into their path with flawless precision.


    With a mere raise of her hand, space distorted, the very air bending around her presence.


    The fireball vanished¡ªthen reappeared, right in front of the dark spirit''s face.


    It detonated.


    The spirit staggered back, momentarily disoriented.


    Lilith Astranova turned to glance at them.


    Xander clenched his fists, cursing under his breath.


    He had forgotten.


    Amid the chaos, all eyes had been on Damon¡ªhis commanding presence, his unwavering certainty¡ªbut they had overlooked the strongest asset in their group.


    Their trump card.


    The student council president.


    Damon barely spared her a glance as he rushed past.


    "Don''t die," Lilith whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant roars of battle.


    Damon smirked.


    "Right back at you."


    And with that, he disappeared into the building.


    Lilith turned back to the dark spirit, her expression serious.


    She could sense its power.


    It was at the peak of the fourth class advancement¡ªalmost at the fifth. Worse, this fragment was dangerously close to the main source. It held an overwhelming amount of Ignath''s will.


    The spirit smirked.


    "You have a peculiar aura..." Its gaze shifted to Damon''s retreating figure, its voice dripping with confidence and eerie intelligence.


    "Ahhh... it was his blood that drew me here. The conduit to my summoning... a shame he has no spirit affinity. He would have made a perfect vessel."


    Lilith''s eyes sharpened.


    "You can speak?"


    The dark flames of its body flickered, its form shifting like living shadows. It almost looked amused.


    "I am an intelligent lifeform, after all," it said smoothly. "I can express myself... though I only recently learned your language."


    Lilith didn''t respond, her gaze flicking back toward the building.


    Ignath smiled.


    "No need to worry. I will kill him and his party soon enough. Even in my broken state, I am still a great spirit."


    Its burning gaze locked onto her.


    "As for you, touched by the divine... I shall feast upon your soul."


    Lilith''s expression darkened.


    She didn''t want Damon to worry about her. She needed to make this fight look easier than it was.


    Still, she could win.


    Even if she didn''t like her odds.


    The spirit was ancient. It was one whole rank above her.


    And worst of all...


    That fire.


    That cursed fire.


    Her grip tightened.


    "You want my soul?" she said coldly. "Come and take it."


    The ground trembled.


    The sky dimmed, colors fading as darkness swallowed the daylight.


    And then, they clashed.


    Inside the building¡ª


    Damon crossed the threshold just as an explosion shook the ground behind him.


    The abandoned structure had changed.


    The last time he was here, it had been different.


    Now, it felt... corrupted.


    And at the center of it all¡ª


    Sylvia.


    She knelt on the floor, long hair veiling her face, glowing magical lines coiling around her body like chains. The power within them pulsed unnaturally, as if flowing against her will.


    Evangeline''s breath caught in her throat.


    "Sylvia..." she whispered.


    Damon''s heart twisted with pain.


    Slowly, Sylvia lifted her head.


    Her once-gray eyes were now pitch black.


    Her head tilted unnaturally to the side.


    Then, she raised her hand.


    "Die."


    A pillar of black fire erupted toward them.

 Chapter 220 220: Weakness

    The towering pillars of black flames surged toward Evangeline. Damon lunged, shoving her aside as the searing inferno annihilated the walls behind them.


    Sylvia''s face twisted into a grotesque grin, a hollow mockery of her usual gentle expression. She barely seemed to register the flames licking her own body, standing unscathed within the infernal blaze. But Damon knew¡ªit wasn''t Sylvia. It was the dark spirit controlling her.


    Those blackened, empty eyes locked onto him with cruel amusement.


    "Ahhh, so you''re the Damon that''s always on her mind..." the spirit sneered, its voice an eerie blend of Sylvia''s soft tones and something far more sinister.


    "My, my, my... You''re quite a cruel lad, aren''t you? Hurting the feelings of such a young and sheltered girl¡ªwhen all she wanted was to understand the world. She was merely... curious about you."


    Damon''s jaw tightened. He already knew that. He didn''t need to be reminded. But knowing didn''t make it any easier. The spirit''s words slithered through his mind, taunting him, clawing at something raw inside his chest. He forced himself to focus, but even as Remorseless whispered logic into his thoughts, his emotions refused to be silenced.


    The spirit¡ªRashi Ignath¡ªsmirked through Sylvia''s lips.


    "So tell me, hero, have you come to play the gallant savior? Or have you come to lead your little party to their deaths?"


    Damon''s grip tightened around his daggers.


    "I''m here for Sylvia," he said, voice low and steady. "And I''ll be taking her back. No matter what."


    Ignath''s gaze flicked over the others¡ªXander, Leona, Evangeline. A group of mere children, none of whom had even reached their first class advancement. Against it, they were nothing.


    A dual-voiced shriek erupted from Sylvia''s throat, splitting the air with unnatural resonance.


    Xander charged, spear in hand, a snarl on his lips.


    "Aaghh!" He swung, gravity magic surging through the weapon, amplifying its weight. The blow should have been devastating¡ªyet Ignath raised Sylvia''s delicate wrist, blocking it effortlessly. The spear barely left a scratch, only causing faint cracks to splinter along her arm.


    "Is that all?" Ignath laughed.


    Then, with a flick of Sylvia''s fingers, a maelstrom of dark flames erupted from her body, racing toward Xander with lethal intent.


    His eyes widened in horror.


    But before the flames could reach him, Damon''s omnidirectional wires shot out, embedding themselves in Xander''s shoulder. With a sharp pull, Damon yanked him free, tossing him toward the wall just as the fire scorched the space he had been standing in.


    "Be careful," Damon warned, landing in a crouch. "Her flames can''t be blocked¡ªnot with our meager power."


    Evangeline nodded quickly, steadying herself. "I''ll handle long-range combat and support!"


    Leona stepped forward, gauntlets crackling with energy. She clenched her fists, summoning thick storm clouds overhead.


    "[Storm Call.]"


    The air crackled, and bolts of lightning snaked down, striking Sylvia''s body in a devastating cascade of electricity. The entire battlefield trembled as the raw power of the storm engulfed her.


    Damon''s breath caught.


    "Sylvia¡ª!"


    A scream ripped through the air. But then¡ª


    A hand shot out from the storm.


    Delicate fingers wrapped around Damon''s throat.


    "Hehehe... I caught you, little mouse."


    Sylvia''s¡ªno, Ignath''s¡ªgrip was crushing. Damon reacted instantly, slashing his dagger across her arm, but she caught the blade effortlessly in her palm. Before she could immolate him with dark fire, Leona rushed in, driving her electrified fist into Sylvia''s ribs.


    "Let him go, you wretch!"


    The impact forced Ignath back, her grip loosening just enough for Leona to yank Damon free.


    Damon hit the ground hard, coughing as he rolled to his feet. He barely had time to react before another surge of black fire erupted toward them. They dove apart, narrowly avoiding being reduced to ashes.


    His skin stung¡ªtiny cuts from debris, heat blistering against his arms. He looked toward Leona, who was practically radiating energy.


    Wait¡ªwas she getting stronger mid-battle?


    No... She had always been strong. It was just that her aura was growing, adapting as the fight went on.


    She glanced at him, her expression firm. "Damon, don''t get carried away. I need you to be ruthless, not sentimental."


    He clicked his tongue, frustrated with himself. Of course, Remorseless had already calculated that Sylvia wasn''t actually in pain¡ªbut for that brief moment, the risk had been there. And that was enough for his emotions to momentarily override his skill.


    No more hesitation.


    Damon readjusted his grip on his daggers, his stance shifting.


    Time to end this.


    Damon pushed himself up, blood trickling down his arm. His breath was ragged, his body aching from burns and lacerations, but he forced himself to stand tall.


    "Fine," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I said I''d do whatever it takes... and I will."


    His eyes swept over his team. They were battered but still standing. They had to end this.


    "New plan¡ªwe take her from all sides. There''s only one of her and four of us." His voice was sharp, commanding. "Attack together and retreat together."


    Sylvia¡ªno, Ignath¡ªsneered, the twisted grin stretching Sylvia''s delicate face into something monstrous.


    "That''s your plan? Ridiculous..." The spirit''s voice dripped with disdain. "The red-haired one outside may not be faring well, but at least her tactics are mildly acceptable."


    Damon didn''t wait for more taunts. He dashed forward, his team following in perfect sync.


    Evangeline was the first to act, conjuring a blinding flash of light that flooded the battlefield. The entire building was bathed in brilliance, forcing Ignath to flinch, Sylvia''s stolen body recoiling from the sudden radiance.


    Sylvia''s palm lifted instinctively, shielding her eyes. It was the opening they needed.


    Damon struck first, his dagger slicing through the air. Ignath barely managed to dodge, twisting Sylvia''s body unnaturally as flames coiled around her clenched fist. But before she could retaliate, Leona''s gauntlet came crashing in.


    Ignath staggered back just in time to evade the strike¡ªonly for Xander''s spear to sweep her legs out from under her. Sylvia''s knees buckled. She was falling.


    But she never hit the ground.


    Some unnatural force kept her upright, her back refusing to touch the floor. Before she could recover, Evangeline''s fist slammed down onto her forehead, sending her crashing into the stone with a sickening crack.


    Damon rolled back, catching his breath as he watched Sylvia''s possessed form tremble.


    Then, for a brief second, something changed.


    A strangled gasp escaped Sylvia''s lips. Her body convulsed, her face contorted in agony.


    A dark, phantom-like apparition flickered over her features. Shadowy flames poured from her mouth, writhing and shrieking as if something inside was trying to escape.


    Then¡ªher eyes.


    One of her dark irises flickered, shifting back to its usual soft gray.


    Damon''s heart clenched.


    "Sylvia¡ª!"


    He lunged forward, hand outstretched, reaching for the trump card he had been holding onto¡ª


    But the moment was lost.


    Black flames erupted in a violent, circular explosion, consuming her once more. The sheer force of it sent Damon flying back. He shot out the omnidirectional wires in a desperate attempt to stabilize himself, but the shockwave crashed against him like a tidal wave of destruction.


    His body hit the ground hard, his skin torn in several places. His uniform was scorched, patches of burnt fabric barely clinging to his frame. The acrid scent of seared flesh filled the air, the pain digging deep into his nerves.


    He must have looked horrifying¡ªa charred, bloodied mess.


    Yet still, he chuckled.


    Ignath straightened, Sylvia''s body shuddering as the spirit fully reclaimed control. Her eyes darkened once more, any trace of Sylvia buried beneath the entity possessing her.


    Damon smirked despite the pain.


    "You can''t use your true power, can you?" His voice was hoarse but laced with confidence.


    "Even at the first class, that vessel isn''t fireproof. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be resorting to physical attacks against us."


    Ignath''s expression twisted into something murderous.


    Damon pressed on, voice sharp as a blade.


    "Your power is too tyrannical¡ªand Sylvia isn''t at first class yet. You can''t use your flames freely, can you? Not unless you want to burn your precious vessel to ash."


    Ignath''s rage was palpable.


    Damon was right. Unless the spirit fully assimilated Sylvia''s body¡ªcompletely erasing her¡ªhe couldn''t unleash his full power without destroying her in the process.


    The realization only made Ignath''s hatred burn hotter.


    "You think that matters?" The spirit''s voice curled into something venomous. "The red-haired one outside will die soon enough. And when she does..."


    Ignath''s lips twisted into a cruel smirk.


    "My projection will come here and kill you."


    He raised his dagger.


    "I just have to kill you before that happens."

 Chapter 221 221: Authority

    Lilith twisted her body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the massive meteor of black flames that came crashing down. Her feet dug into the cracked earth as the impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield. The air around her resisted her movements, the sheer force of her speed creating sonic booms that echoed like distant thunder.


    Yet, despite her agility, Lilith knew she wasn''t a melee combatant. Every dodge, every movement¡ªnone of it came from technique, only from the overwhelming power she possessed. And even then, it wasn''t enough.


    Her opponent was an entire rank above her. A true monster.


    As if to prove the gap in their strength, Ignath raised its hands skyward. A suffocating pressure filled the air as the sky blackened, churning with an unholy energy. Then, it began to rain.


    Black fire.


    Lilith clicked her tongue, thrusting her hand forward.


    [Vector Repulsion]


    A massive barrier formed, twisting space itself to repel anything it touched. The flames turned and curled, their trajectory forcibly altered. But something was wrong.


    Ignath''s fire didn''t behave like normal vectors.


    It leaked through.


    A devastating blast erupted, streaking toward the battalion of knights locked in battle with the spirits.


    Lilith reacted instantly, vanishing and reappearing between them. She redirected the attack with a desperate flick of her wrist, but the force was still enough to hurl her back, carving a deep crater into the earth where she landed.


    She coughed, the taste of blood in her mouth.


    Above her, Ignath''s laughter rang through the scorched air.


    "You are strong, but protecting those weaker than you only limits you."


    Lilith wiped her mouth, teleporting back into position. Her hands moved in rapid succession, magic seals forming at her fingertips.


    Then, she raised her palm.


    Space twisted violently, forming a singularity of crushing force. She smirked.


    "Don''t you know?" Her voice was cold, almost amused. "Gravity is merely a curvature in space."


    Ignath roared, its body bursting with unchecked flames. A wave of black fire exploded outward, consuming everything in its path. The earth melted, turning to ashen sludge. The trees disintegrated to dust. The very air seemed to scream, warping under the raw heat.


    "Hahaha!" Ignath''s voice boomed. "So what? You can''t use any wide-area attacks without killing your own allies in the process!"


    Lilith frowned.


    He was right. She had no qualms about sacrificing them, but if they all died here¡ªin her presence¡ªit would tarnish her reputation. Their victory against their first real opponent couldn''t be a pyrrhic one.


    This battle wasn''t just Damon''s. It was theirs.


    She bit her lip as Ignath''s flames sent her hurtling backward once more, the impact creating another sonic boom. Clouds of dust rose around her as she skidded to a stop, surrounded by a thin red film of protective energy.


    Even so, she had taken a few scrapes.


    "This would be so much easier if I had some backup..." she muttered, dusting herself off.


    She couldn''t fight freely while protecting an entire battalion. Ser Galahad was on her level, but weaker, and he was already struggling with his own opponents.


    Her gaze shifted toward Ignath''s massive projection. It remained untouched, looming over the battlefield like a god of destruction.


    Her fingers curled into a tight fist.


    If I want to kill it, I suppose a little collateral damage is fine...


    She was ready to cut loose. To end this.


    Then, she heard footsteps.


    Slow. Unhurried.


    A voice followed, smooth and familiar.


    "Ahh, there you are, Astranova..."


    Lilith''s expression darkened. That voice.


    She turned slowly, her smile cold.


    Violet eyes met hers, gleaming with amusement.


    Renata Malcrist.


    Lilith''s lips curled.


    She really couldn''t stand this woman.


    Renata glanced at the towering dark spirit, unimpressed.


    "Did your boy toy dump you?" she mused, tilting her head with mock sympathy.


    "Huh, what a shame. Every time I see you, there''s always trouble in paradise. I heard he left you for an older woman... imagine losing to some hag."


    Lilith''s cold smile didn''t waver as she turned back to face Ignath.


    "Listening to gossip, Renata? I wonder what compelled the academy to let such a violent creature off house arrest."


    Renata had been confined for weeks after their last fight at Athor''s Sanctuary. Unlike Lilith, who had only received a mere week of punishment, Renata had been locked away behind closed doors¡ªuntil now.


    Her violet gaze flicked to Ignath, utterly dismissive.


    "There''s a really cute boy I want to bully," she said flatly. "And it seems you''re in my way."


    Lilith sneered. Renata didn''t care about Damon. But the thought of her being anywhere near him made Lilith''s blood boil.


    "Has anyone ever told you not to touch things that aren''t yours?"


    Renata cracked her knuckles.


    "He''s not yours either."


    Ignath''s inhuman eyes flickered, its blazing form darkening ominously.


    "The both of you... are going to ignore me, the great Rashi Ignath... to fight over a boy that is about to die?"


    Renata rolled her eyes.


    "Only speak when you''re spoken to. Our girl talk is far more important than whatever you have going on here."


    That was it.


    Never in its many millennia had Ignath been insulted so brazenly. A great dark spirit¡ªdisregarded like a mere nuisance by children.


    Without warning, a pillar of black flames erupted toward them.


    Renata smirked, raising her hand.


    [Zero Out.]


    Numbers flickered across the raging inferno, shifting rapidly until they reached a single digit.


    Zero.


    The flames vanished into nothingness¡ªrendered powerless by Renata''s magic. The Attribute Zero.


    The instant the attack was neutralized, Lilith struck.


    A sphere of spatial destruction formed in her palm, twisting and tearing at reality itself.


    She hurled it.


    It struck Ignath''s side, the space around it shattering. The dark spirit howled in agony as half its body was erased.


    It recoiled, preparing to unleash a cataclysmic blast¡ª


    But before it could act, a freezing sensation crept over its core.


    "Zero Out."


    Renata''s cold voice rang from behind.


    Ignath''s defenses crumbled to nothing.


    Snarling, it lashed out, a whip of black fire cracking through the air¡ª


    Renata was flung backward, crashing through the trees.


    But Ignath barely had a moment to register its victory.


    Where was the other one?


    A terrible chill crawled up its molten spine.


    It looked up.


    Lilith hovered above, hands clasped around a ball of absolute nothingness.


    Not darkness. Not void. Nothing.


    Her face was pale. Her body trembled. But her emerald eyes burned with ruthless determination.


    "Die."


    She unleashed it.


    Ignath ceased to exist.


    There was no explosion, no destruction¡ªjust erasure.


    As the remnants of its consciousness faded, its final thought was one of horrified recognition.


    ''Ahh... the authority of a...''


    Gone.


    That part of Ignath would never return. It had never been.


    Lilith collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. Her body convulsed, lungs gasping for breath.


    Her trembling hand reached out¡ªtoward the building where Damon was.


    Her vision blurred.


    Her lips parted.


    But no words came.

 Chapter 222 222: Birth Of Ignath

    The air was dark. This place¡ªher homeland¡ªwas supposed to be serene, beautiful. The towering spires of magicwood and stone should have shimmered under the twin moons. The air should have been crisp and pure. The elven guards should have stood tall, clad in silver armor, their emblems gleaming with pride. But they did not.


    They were grotesque. Their once-elegant forms were now twisted abominations, monstrous shapes that would make even demons recoil in horror. Their faces were warped, their bodies wreathed in corruption¡ªdefiled, cursed beyond recognition. And the world around her was wrong. The rivers did not flow with crystal-clear water but pulsed with blood. The castle walls were not built of stone but stitched from human skin. The ground itself was alive, shifting beneath her feet, hundreds of unblinking eyes embedded in its flesh.


    Sylvia staggered, conjuring a pale light in her trembling hands. But in this unnatural darkness, it was weak¡ªdying before her very eyes. Her breath hitched. Her mother and father were not here. Only apparitions. Ghosts that lingered to haunt her.


    Then¡ªLaughter. A low, fractured sound, crawling up her spine like a parasite.


    "Hehehejj... hejjr... jejejejr... hahaha... ha..."


    Sylvia''s knees nearly buckled. Her heart pounded. She was tired. She was afraid.


    She ran. Past the vast castle doors. She pushed through, desperate for escape, sprinting toward what should have been the royal gardens¡ª


    But when she opened her eyes¡ª


    There were no gardens.


    Only horror.


    A battlefield stretched before her. Thousands of elves, locked in a desperate, bloody war against hordes of demons. The trees burned, their sacred leaves reduced to cinders. The land was drenched in blood, a crimson sea swallowing the dying. The elves fought with everything they had. When their weapons shattered, they ripped their own bones free to use as swords. When their shields failed, they offered their own flesh in desperation.


    It was not enough.


    And at the center of the carnage, towering over all¡ª


    A demon.


    A tall, armored demon, its horns piercing the sky, its presence alone enough to command the battlefield. Cloaked in absolute darkness, it stood upon a symbol carved into the ground. An emblem of four wings and an abyssal eye.


    It radiated a divine aura¡ªyet also something entirely unholy.


    It was both good and evil. Pure and tainted. Right and wrong.


    A God¡ªyet a Demon.


    The symbol of the Unknown God.


    Sylvia watched, frozen in horror, as her people¡ªher kin¡ªfell by the thousands. Yet not a single one retreated.


    Her lips parted in a whisper¡ª


    "Is this Iorvas...?"


    It had to be. The Verdant Continent. The armor the elves wore was slightly different, but she recognized the trees. This was her homeland.


    In the distance, she could see the sea. And at the shores of Iorvas¡ª


    Her people were dying to keep this demon out.


    The armored demon raised his hand.


    [Mind Dominate]


    The air twisted, thick with unseen force. The elves froze, their bodies stiffening as if gripped by an unbreakable will. He lowered his hand, his voice carrying the weight of absolute command.


    "Kill your brethren."


    Without hesitation, the dominated elves turned their blades on their own kin. Sylvia watched in horror¡ªthis was no simple battle. It was a massacre, an ancient nightmare playing out before her. The demon stood mere inches away, yet he did not acknowledge her presence. Instead, he whispered¡ªso faint, she barely caught it.


    "I must find it... the Pillar... It has to be here. I must bring an end to this senseless conflict."


    He raised his hand again.


    "Wind Dominate."


    The wind obeyed, twisting into razor-sharp gales. Blades of air sliced through the battlefield, severing limbs, tearing through flesh. Thousands fell in an instant.


    Sylvia trembled. Her breath shuddered as she witnessed the horror unfold. Among the mounds of the dead, a single elf¡ªbarely clinging to life¡ªlifted a bloodied hand toward the demon standing over the glowing symbol.


    His body was ruined, his lower half missing, yet his voice¡ªthough weak¡ªcarried the weight of a dying prayer.


    "The Goddess has forsaken us... To Ashcroft''s power, my kin have died by the millions... Our home... is in ruins... I do not seek peace... but I pray... to whatever god will listen..."


    Blood bubbled in his throat, choking his words. He never finished his prayer.


    Yet at that moment¡ª


    The symbol of the Unknown God responded.


    Its four wings ignited, pulsing with divine and profane energy. The battlefield itself shuddered. The rage, sorrow, and unyielding love of the fallen elves condensed¡ªa storm of their grief and resentment swirling together.


    The flames of war roared to life.


    From this chaos, a will was born. A flame that was neither natural nor ordinary. A black fire, dark as shadows, yet alive. It carried the anguish of the fallen, the passion of the living, and the hatred for their enemy.


    And by the authority of the Unknown God¡ª


    A spirit was born.


    Rashi Ignath.


    Its name was etched into existence¡ªRashi, meaning Loss, and Ignath, meaning Flame.


    The moment it opened its dark, ember-like eyes, it locked onto the demon standing amidst the carnage. Ashcroft.


    The demon merely chuckled.


    "The Unknown God has graced the elves... However, it seems a fierce battle awaits me."


    He stretched his arms, his voice laced with amusement.


    "I was just getting bored."


    Sylvia watched in awe and terror as their battle reshaped the world.


    All around them, the trees burned to ash. The land blackened, and the flames of Ignath¡ªfueled by the suffering of countless souls¡ªnever faded. They burned eternally, marking the place that would one day be called the Ashen Forest.


    She did not know how the battle ended.


    All she saw was Ignath, standing amidst the ruins, gazing at her from the distance. His thin smile sent a chill down her spine.


    "Do not resist... Give me your vessel... Ashcroft will return soon..."


    She staggered back, fear gripping her heart. Before she could hit the ground, something wrapped around her waist.


    It was cool to the touch, like a human''s arm¡ª


    A shadow.


    When she turned, she saw it staring at her.


    The shape was familiar. Too familiar.


    She recognized it, this was Damon''s shadow.


    She pushed away, her body frozen between two forces.


    The shadow was eerily gentle, its form shifting like mist. It raised a hand, as if silently asking for trust.


    Ignath''s voice cut through the air.


    "Do not trust the shadow of the one who has betrayed you... Come with me. Give me your vessel, and I will protect your homeland... Do not let the passion of your ancestors be for nothing."

 Chapter 223 223: Lied To Again

    Damon rolled out of the way, his body casting no shadow.


    He didn''t notice its absence. His focus was locked on Sylvia.


    His heart was cold, filled with a resolve that burned stronger than fear. He glanced around¡ªhis party was injured, their bodies covered in scrapes and wounds that should have been lethal. But Evangeline had managed to heal them, their secondary healer doing everything in her power to keep them standing.


    Damon hadn''t used a single skill since the battle began.


    The one skill he didn''t use was Shadow Armor¡ªa skill Sylvia didn''t know about. And neither would Ignath, who was possessing her.


    Outside, the battlefield rumbled. Deafening booms echoed through the air as Lilith clashed with Ignath''s projection.


    A torrent of flames surged toward him. He rolled, dodging by inches.


    ''Lilith is fine... she''s strong...''


    He couldn''t afford to worry about her now.


    He rushed Sylvia, determination in his every step. More flames erupted, but before they could reach him, Xander leaped in between, his spear flashing.


    Gravity magic surged.


    The flames were pushed aside, the air around them warping under Xander''s power. He planted his spear and grinned.


    "You''re getting weaker, spirit..."


    Lightning crackled.


    Leona unleashed a ball of lightning magic, the flash blinding for a moment¡ªjust long enough. Evangeline moved.


    She struck from behind, her blade slicing Sylvia''s arm.


    Her face twisted with guilt.


    Evangeline hesitated for half a second before stepping back, barely avoiding a flame blast.


    Damon charged.


    He slammed into Sylvia''s body.


    She reacted instantly, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him into the ground with a force that cracked the stone beneath him. Before he could recover, she raised her foot¡ªready to crush his skull.


    Damon twisted at the last second.


    His leg swept her feet, throwing her off balance. In an instant, he pinned her down.


    "Guys, little help here¡ª"


    Before they could respond, Sylvia roared.


    A dark torrent of fire erupted from her body. Damon rolled just in time, barely escaping the scorching heat.


    A hand clamped around his throat.


    Sylvia lifted him off the ground.


    Damon gritted his teeth and drove his dagger into her shoulder.


    She barely flinched. Instead, she looked at the blade... and smiled.


    "Paralyzing poisons don''t work on me, fool."


    She raised her hand.


    Flames ignited.


    But just before she could unleash the fire¡ª


    She stopped.


    Her head snapped toward the battlefield outside.


    For a brief second, Ignath''s will faltered.


    He felt it¡ªa piece of himself, erased from existence.


    Forever.


    His voice was filled with disbelief.


    "What...? That was... How? Impossible... A human was granted the authority of¡ª"


    Before Ignath could react, Damon roared and slammed his forehead against Sylvia''s.


    A thunderous crack echoed as the impact rattled through her skull. Ignath howled in frustration, his grip on Sylvia''s body wavering for the first time. One of her eyes flickered¡ªthe lifeless darkness receding¡ªand in its place, a familiar grey luster returned.


    The first thing Sylvia noticed was Damon¡ªbloody, battered, and barely standing. Yet, despite his wounds, despite the pain carved into his expression, he was still fighting.


    And worse¡ªhe was holding back.


    Damon noticed the shift. Sylvia''s waking up... but she still can''t take her body back.


    His hand reached into his jacket.


    This was the perfect time to use the magic artifact. But if he failed... if he mistimed it... he could damage her mind.


    He needed a reaction. He needed her conscious, aware¡ªotherwise, even if he banished Ignath, he could send her into a coma.


    He raised his hand.


    "Sylvia! Are you awake? Give me a sign!"


    Her grey eye flickered, but Ignath snarled and lunged.


    Damon barely reacted before a hand seized his throat, lifting him into the air.


    His vision blurred as his skull cracked against her knee. But he grit his teeth, blocking as many strikes as he could.


    Xander rushed in¡ªspear flashing.


    But Ignath grabbed him mid-air, spun him, and hurled him into Leona and Evangeline¡ªsending them crashing through stone like ragdolls.


    Sylvia watched it happen.


    Something inside her snapped.


    Anger. Pain. Regret.


    The emotions surged, feeding the darkness that held her captive.


    Ignath grinned.


    The more she despaired, the stronger his hold became.


    Black flames erupted, forming a barrier around her and Damon¡ªtrapping them both.


    Then, Sylvia spoke.


    Her voice was shaking, but filled with a quiet, simmering fury.


    "Shut up... shut up... You don''t get to act like you care now."


    Her fists trembled as she glared at him.


    "Don''t do this to me. Don''t pretend you care when you don''t. I... I don''t want to hurt you..."


    Damon, covered in blood, smiled.


    "Ahh... So you were in there after all."


    Silence fell.


    One of her eyes glistened with tears. The other remained cold and dark.


    Damon exhaled.


    "I knew you were angry about being betrayed... Even a Saint wouldn''t forgive that. And Sylvia¡ª"


    His gaze hardened.


    "You''re not a Saint."


    Flames roared to life¡ªa reflex of her pain¡ªsurging toward him.


    Damon didn''t move.


    Just before the fire touched him...


    Sylvia willed them to stop.


    Ignath gasped.


    "W-What are you doing?"


    Damon''s bloodied grin widened.


    ''I knew it... she has some control now.''


    Ignath lashed out, sending another inferno to consume Damon¡ªbut the flames never reached him. They exploded around him, scorching the ground instead.


    Sylvia was stopping him.


    With nothing but her will.


    Ignath roared in fury, charging with his fists clenched. His strikes landed¡ªblow after blow, sending blood splattering as he pummeled Damon.


    But Damon didn''t fight back.


    He stood there, taking it all.


    Whether Ignath was screaming... or Sylvia was screaming through him, he couldn''t tell.


    Blood dripped from Damon''s mouth.


    Sylvia''s voice cracked.


    "Why...?"


    Damon smiled through the pain.


    "I don''t know."


    A tear slid from her one lucid eye.


    "Why...?"


    Damon coughed up blood.


    His voice was hoarse.


    "I''m used to being a traitor. I''m used to being betrayed."


    His lips curled in a bitter smile.


    "The first to betray me were my parents... They promised they would return, but they never did.


    The second were my own relatives¡ªthey turned their backs on me without hesitation.


    The third came from the very place I called home... The village I trusted cast me aside.


    Then, even the goddess betrayed me... The Goddess of Fate, who threw obstacle after obstacle in my way, as if my suffering was just part of some grand design."


    His eyes darkened.


    "I''ve been betrayed my entire life. Every time I let my guard down, every time I dared to hope... it happened again.


    So I stopped.


    I shut myself away.


    I told myself there was no point in reaching out¡ªbecause in the end, all that waited was betrayal.


    But then you came along, Sylvia.


    I met you. I met Leona. You saved me."


    His grip on his blade tightened.


    His voice grew colder.


    "So now... Let me save you too."


    Damon extended his hand.


    Behind his back, his other hand gripped a hidden blade.


    In her mental scape, Sylvia stood between Ignath and Damon''s shadow¡ªwho held out his hand.


    She hesitated.


    One promised her power¡ªthe power to change, to never be weak again.


    The other... had already betrayed her before.


    He was a liar. A deceiver. He would hurt her again.


    She hesitated for a moment.


    And yet¡ª


    She reached out.


    Damon smiled.


    And pulled her into his arms.


    As she collapsed against him, his blade flashed.


    A glass-like dagger, inscribed with ancient runes, buried itself in her back.


    Sylvia''s eyes widened.


    The sharp burn spread through her spine, through her veins¡ª


    Her breath hitched as she met his gaze.


    The warmth vanished.


    His eyes were cold.


    Her lips parted.


    "Liar..."


    The dagger glowed.


    A ball of flaming darkness ripped itself from her body, screaming as it was expelled.


    Ignath shrieked.


    Before the spirit could fully escape¡ª


    Damon''s shadow moved.


    It rose like an inky tide, twisting, writhing¡ª


    Then devoured the fragment of Ignath whole.


    ¡ª


    [You have slain a Lesser Fragment of Rashi Ignath.]


    [You have gained 40 attribute points]


    [You have acquired the skill Spirit Affinity.]


    [You have leveled up.]


    [You have gained 50 attributes points]


    [You have awakened the skill Ashborn.]

 Chapter 224 224: Show You The World

    The flames died down, revealing Sylvia held in Damon''s arms. Her head was lowered, strands of her hair falling over her face, obscuring her expression. The building around them was in shambles, sunlight piercing through the gaping holes in the walls where destruction had torn through. The ground beneath them was cracked, some parts melted into a warped, glass-like surface, while others had hardened into a thick, charred sludge. The aftermath of battle was evident in every ruined inch of the space.


    Evangeline rushed forward, throwing her arms around Sylvia, her voice trembling with relief.


    "I''m so happy you''re alright..."


    Sylvia merely nodded, her movements slow, distant. Her friends gathered around her, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and concern, but she kept her head lowered, silent. Her hands trembled at her sides.


    Xander limped over, his wounds still fresh. Leona let out a sigh of relief.


    "That was close... Welcome back."


    Sylvia bit her lip, her voice low but steady.


    "Can you leave... I want to be alone for a moment."


    They understood. She had been possessed¡ªher body twisted and controlled by a dark spirit, forced to fight against them. She had hurt her own friends, been turned into something monstrous, used as a vessel for carnage and destruction. How could she possibly be alright?


    Evangeline hesitated before speaking.


    "Sylvia, I¡ª"


    "Please just go... Please..."


    Her voice cracked into a scream, raw with emotion.


    Evangeline flinched but didn''t argue. Damon''s gaze lingered on Sylvia before giving a slow nod. One by one, they turned away¡ªEvangeline, Leona, and Xander¡ªleaving her kneeling on the ground, alone with Damon.


    Sylvia hugged her knees, pressing her forehead against them. She sensed his presence behind her, unwavering, unmoving.


    "Leave..."


    Damon, his body caked in blood, remained silent.


    "When have you ever known me to do what someone else says?"


    She gritted her teeth.


    "Go. Please... Just go."


    He stepped closer, ignoring her plea, then sat beside her.


    "No."


    Sylvia squeezed her arms around herself, biting her lip to hold back the wave of emotions threatening to consume her.


    "Why do you always do this to me..."


    Damon shrugged.


    "Don''t know. We both know I don''t have all the answers."


    He glanced at her, her face still hidden against her knees.


    "You... You can cry if you want to. After everything that happened, you''ve earned that right."


    She didn''t respond. He could understand why. The reason she had ended up in this situation in the first place was because of him¡ªbecause he had called her a sheltered princess, because she had wanted to prove him wrong. She wouldn''t want to cry in front of him, to let him see her break.


    He sighed.


    "Crying doesn''t mean you''re weak... but it''s fine if you don''t want me to see your tears."


    He shifted slightly, lowering his voice.


    "You can cry into my chest. That way, I won''t see your tears."


    He slowly raised his head, pulling her into his bloodied chest. Sylvia didn''t resist. As she rested her head against him, he gently stroked her hair, his touch light, almost hesitant. She was quiet¡ªat least, it seemed that way¡ªbut then he felt it. Warm tears, mingling with his blood, soaking into his torn shirt.


    He didn''t say anything. He only held her, offering the kind of solace that silence could bring. His grip was careful, softer than it ever was with anyone else. He let her cry, let her grieve in the only way she knew how.


    They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, but in truth, it was only half an hour before Sylvia finally spoke.


    "My... I was never allowed to come to the academy." Her voice was low, almost as if she was speaking to herself.


    "I was always kept behind high castle walls, never allowed to do anything on my own. I felt like a bird in a golden cage... No, I was a bird in a golden cage."


    Damon remained silent, listening as she continued.


    "I wanted to be free. I wanted to see and touch and feel everything. That''s why I read so many books¡ªI wanted to know it all, experience it all. More than anything, I hated how everyone treated me like I was fragile, like I was above them. I just wanted to be normal."


    She shifted slightly against his chest, and he felt her fingers tremble.


    "I always had a spirit affinity... but I always attracted the worst ones. When I was finally brought to the academy, it wasn''t because I was given freedom. It was just a bigger cage. But... I accepted it. Because at least here, no one knew me. No one treated me like I was special."


    She inhaled sharply, her body tense.


    "And then I met you."


    Damon''s hand stilled against her hair.


    "You didn''t care about my identity. You didn''t care about someone else''s rules. You just... saw me. Just Sylvia. And you treated me the same way you treated everyone else."


    She lifted her head slightly, glancing up at him through damp lashes.


    "I... I really liked that about you. There were so many things about you that made me curious."


    Her lips trembled, and she bit down on them, as if trying to hold something back.


    "So it hurt when you said that to me. Anything but that... I didn''t want to be some sheltered princess in your eyes."


    She fell silent for a moment before adding, almost hesitantly, "I know it probably sounds dumb to you, but¡ª"


    Damon sighed, cutting her off.


    "It''s not." His voice was firm. "I don''t think you''re dumb. Even if you were sheltered..."


    She blinked up at him, waiting.


    He smirked slightly. "I think it''s good that you were sheltered. That just means I get to wow you with all the mundane things I''ve seen."


    He reached out, cupping her face in his bloodstained hands.


    "Sylvia... Let me show you the world. Just stick with me, and I''ll take you beyond your golden cage."


    Then, he stood, brushing the dust from his tattered clothes, and held out a hand to her.


    "I can''t promise it''ll be good or decent. I can''t promise you''ll be happy or that you''ll like it. But..." His dark eyes met hers, unwavering.


    "I can promise that I''ll be there, all the way to the end. That way, you won''t get lost. And if you do... I''ll find you."


    Sylvia''s gray eyes sparkled, the last remnants of her tears clinging to her lashes. Her heart pounded in her chest as she gazed at the boy before her, the boy who had torn through her carefully built walls without even trying.


    She smiled lightly, lifting her hand to take his.


    "You''re going to hurt me."


    Damon nodded without hesitation. "I will."


    "You''ll lie to me."


    He tilted his head. "Definitely."


    She swallowed, her grip tightening slightly. "You''re going to keep things from me."


    "Too many to count."


    Her lips parted as she whispered, "You''ll treat me like I''m the only girl in the world."


    He smirked. "Doubtful."


    Her eyes searched his, the swirling abyss of darkness that hid countless secrets.


    "You''ll abandon me."


    His smirk faded. He shook his head. "Never."


    Sylvia let out a breath she hadn''t realized she was holding. A tear slipped from her eye, but this time, she didn''t wipe it away.


    "Okay..." She smiled¡ªa small, vulnerable thing, but real. "I''ll risk it all."


    She tightened her grip on his hand.


    "Show me all the flavors of life¡ªthe good and the bad. And I''ll stick by you... even if you''re irredeemable."


    And on that day, the heart of a young elven princess was stolen¡ªstolen by a shadow who had promised her a world that was never his to give.

 Chapter 225 225: Unanswered Questions

    Damon held Sylvia''s hand as he led her out of the building. She followed him, their figures starkly contrasting¡ª a bloodied black-haired human boy with eyes as dark as the night, holding the delicate hand of an elven girl with white hair and piercing gray eyes. Despite their differences, they made for a striking sight, as if their disparities only served to make them stand out more.


    As they stepped outside, Damon''s gaze fell upon the knights. They stood amid ash and ruin, their armor battered, their bodies weary as they attempted to salvage what little remained of their fallen comrades. But there was nothing left¡ªIgnath''s flames had erased them completely. No bodies to bury, no remains to return home. Only the echoes of death and destruction lingered.


    And yet, they had fought for his cause. They had risked everything. It felt wrong to let their sacrifice go unrecognized.


    Damon walked toward the knights, Sylvia''s hand still in his grasp. Their helmeted faces were unreadable, but he could feel their silent, expectant gazes upon him. He stopped before a half-melted sword, its wielder long turned to ash. The crest of the House of Margan was still visible on its ruined blade.


    He lifted it high into the air and roared,


    "Victory!"


    The knights, silent at first, erupted into cheers, their remaining swords raised high.


    Damon released Sylvia''s hand and declared,


    "Let this day be remembered as the day the Knights of the Deep vanquished the great dark spirit, Rashi Ignath!"


    A resounding cheer tore through the knights, their voices shaking the very air. Healers from the academy rushed to their aid, tending to the wounded. The battle had left minimal casualties within the academy itself¡ªthe brunt of the losses had been borne by the knights, along with a handful of professors who had joined the fray.


    Damon''s gaze swept across the battlefield, searching for Lilith. He finally spotted her sitting in the shade, supporting a badly injured Renata Malcrist.


    The sword slipped from his grasp. His body felt heavy, his vision swaying from blood loss.


    He barely acknowledged the approaching healers, merely handing Sylvia over to them before turning on unsteady feet toward Lilith.


    She was leaning against a tree, her expression weary but calm. Renata sat beside her, an arm encased in a cast, wincing from the pain.


    Damon ignored Renata completely and focused on Lilith. His chest tightened at the sight of her pale face.


    "Hey... are you okay?" he asked.


    Lilith offered a tired smile. "As okay as I could be. You, on the other hand... don''t look so hot."


    He chuckled despite himself. "Well, that''s better than how I would''ve looked if Ignath had gotten me with his flames."


    Lilith smirked.


    A groan interrupted them. "Arrgh... you lovebirds are just gonna ignore me after I fought the hardest?" Renata complained, looking thoroughly annoyed.


    Damon turned his cold glare on her.


    She blinked, confused. "Huh? What''s with that look? Are you still holding a grudge? Come on, my bad¡ª I thought you were a weak loser."


    His glare didn''t waver.


    She grinned. "What? You''re mad? Didn''t I suffer enough from house arrest? No one likes a petty man, that''s so uncute."


    Damon''s stare remained unchanged, though his mind churned. So, now that he''d proven his strength, she no longer cared about her past grudges? She was pragmatic, he''d give her that. It was just another example of how the world worked¡ªpeople only valued you based on power or importance. At the very least, Renata was blunt about it.


    Yet, something about her felt off. A strangeness in her shadow. He couldn''t quite place it.


    Before he could dwell on it further, Renata yanked him down, forcing him to sit between her and Lilith.


    She tilted her head, examining him. "Hmm... I don''t know what it is about you, but there''s something I like."


    She leaned in closer, staring into his dark, lightless eyes. "Maybe it''s your eyes..."


    Before she could get any closer, Lilith scowled, grabbed Damon, and pulled him toward her, his face landing against her ample chest.


    "Don''t touch," Lilith snapped, glaring at Renata. "You horny creature. I see it now... you have a latent sluttiness. Don''t spread it to my junior."


    With a flick of her wrist, she teleported both of them away.


    The world spun, and before Damon could process it, they reappeared not far from the war halls. Lilith trembled slightly, exhaustion evident in the way her body swayed.


    She began to fall.


    Damon caught her.


    She smiled. "Did you get it...?"


    He nodded. "Yeah, I did. I leveled up some more."


    She gave a weak nod, her body still heavy with exhaustion. Despite his own injuries, he lifted her into his arms with ease, carrying her as he walked.


    "We won this time," he murmured. "Everything went according to plan... I guess we owe that mysterious potion maker for the elixir."


    Lilith remained silent for a moment, resting against him. Then, in a quiet voice, she asked, "A few people died... do you regret it now?"


    Damon shook his head. "Not this time. I gained more than I lost. For a gamble with less than an eighty percent chance of success... it was an acceptable outcome."


    Lilith rested her head against his chest as they neared the dormitory.


    "I suppose so. We were dealing with a dark spirit... and the academy is still standing."


    She lifted her gaze, locking eyes with him. "But we aren''t done yet."


    Damon remained silent.


    "The dark spirit is gone, but Ignath isn''t actually dead," she continued.


    "We''ve made a terrible enemy today. And more than that... the summoner is still out there. We know next to nothing about them, while they seem to know plenty about us."


    Damon exhaled slowly. "We have no suspects¡ªat least none we both agree on. But I still think it''s Kael. I don''t have definitive proof yet, though. For now... all we can do is wait. And I''ll keep getting stronger."


    Lilith gave a thin smile. "And when you reach your first class advancement... we can start recruiting like-minded allies to our cause."


    Damon''s gaze drifted downward, to the long, stretched shadow cast by his form.


    "Until then..." he muttered, watching the darkness shift. "My living shadow will devour¡ªto make me stronger."


    As the sun set, a silent thought passed through his heart.


    ''The world won''t accept a monster like me. So I''ll give them a reason to fear.''


    His shadow stretched unnaturally in the fading light, twisting, shifting¡ªgrowing.

 Chapter 226 226: More To Come

    He yawned, feeling somewhat tired. His body didn''t ache¡ªnot when he was sleeping on a luxurious bed.


    Even after a week, the room still felt unfamiliar. The bed was wide but low, the carpets were beautiful, and the interior design was cozy.


    The chandelier hung low from tbe ceiling, giving off a soft light and casting deep shadows across the room.


    Just the way he liked it.


    He stretched, walking over to the wide curtains and slowly shifting them aside.


    White clouds drifted past the window, vast and endless. In the distance, a reptilian creature soared through the sky. At least it wasn''t a wyvern. He just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.


    His fingers brushed against the locket around his neck. A gift from his sister¡ªan heirloom from their mother. She had made him promise to bring it back.


    A thin smile tugged at his lips. It was Luna''s way of telling him to come back safely.


    "Not that she didn''t chew me out and give me a billion lectures about being reckless..."


    With how much she worried, one would think she was his mother instead of his little sister.


    And she had good reason.


    This was Damon''s final semester evaluation¡ªheld outside the academy. Dangerous. Lethal. Death was a very real possibility, in fact it was common place.


    That was why he was on an airship, traveling for over a week. The journey through the sky was mostly safe along charted airways with air patrols. But they had encountered a few airborne monsters, and for a time, things had gotten dangerous.


    "Wyverns had attacked the ship, followed by a pack of black death screeches and even an enraged roc."


    However if Damon had to say then the most dangerous would be flying a few hundred kilometers past a dragon''s nest.


    Fortunately, the professors had handled it.


    Still, he hated the idea of sleeping with his curtains open. What if something out there saw him while he slept?


    The thought made him shudder from dread.


    The world of Aetherus was just too dangerous, from monsters, to ancient horrors absolutely anything goes in this wretched world, a shame he was to weak to even flee from some of them.


    During this week, he had been busy. More importantly, he had gained 90 attribute points, which he poured entirely into his HP. He didn''t know why, but a nagging premonition told him he would need as much health as possible.


    Beyond that, he had acquired two new skills¡ªeach worse than the last.


    And when he said worse, he meant for himself, not necessarily his enemies. Both were dangerous, but they had the potential to be powerful weapons.


    The first skill:


    [Skill: Spirit Affinity]


    [Description:]


    "You are known to the spirits¡ªwhether as a friend or a foe is yet to be seen."


    [Effect:]


    The user possesses a natural connection to spiritual entities, allowing them to sense, communicate with, and attract spirits more easily. Friendly spirits may offer guidance, minor protection, or assistance in battle. However, unstable or malevolent spirits may also be drawn to the user, causing havoc or inflicting pain. Beware.


    [Type:] Passive.


    [Cooldown:] 0 seconds.


    At first glance, Spirit Affinity should have been a good thing. But it also meant he could attract malevolent spirits. If he wasn''t careful, one could possess him.


    He couldn''t help but think of Sylvia¡ªshe had the same problem. However, she could also see spirits with her Spirit Sight.


    That was Damon''s new problem.


    It turned out that being known to spirits didn''t mean he could see them. He needed a separate ability for that.


    Worse, the skill was passive. He couldn''t turn it off.


    But even that wasn''t nearly as terrifying as the next one.


    [Skill: Ashborn]


    [Description:]


    "Born from the despair and hatred of the countless elves who perished in the Verdant Continent during the demon lord Ashcroft''s conquest, Ashborn is a curse and a legacy¡ªan unrelenting pyre fueled by sorrow and vengeance. It grants dominion over Ignath''s soul flames, fire that sears with fury and freezes with grief, a reflection of the dark spirit''s eternal lament."


    [Effect:]


    The user may summon and command soul-burning flames that consume both body and spirit, their heat reducing all to ashes while their cold paralyzes with despair. However, wielding such wrath comes at a cost¡ªthe user must endure tenfold the agony of being burned alive as the flames feed upon both mana and shadow energy. Only those who can bear suffering may claim their power.


    [Type:] Active.


    [Cooldown:] 0 seconds.


    It was the most straightforward skill description the system had ever given him.


    The power was insane. The price was worse.


    When he first obtained it, he and Lilith decided to experiment. Worst decision of his life.


    He still shuddered from the memory.


    Ashborn granted him control over the immolating flames, and while the cost in mana and shadow energy was high, it was a fair trade for such destructive power.


    The real issue was the pain.


    The sensation of burning alive¡ªmultiplied tenfold.


    The moment he activated it, Damon nearly lost consciousness. His body and soul remained unharmed, yet the sheer agony almost killed him from shock. Burning alive was already one of the worst ways to die, and he had experienced ten times that.


    When he activated it, reality shattered. Invisible flames licked at his bones, peeling away layers of his soul like molten razors. His nerves screamed, his body convulsing as though his blood had turned to magma. He had felt pain before¡ªbut this? This was suffering incarnate.


    When he woke up, drenched in cold sweat, the fear still lingered.


    On the upside, the power was overwhelming. A terrible trump card.


    Lilith warned him against using Ashborn again. Though the flames didn''t physically burn him, the mental shock alone could be fatal. Most people who burned to death didn''t die from the fire itself¡ªthey died from the pain.


    Damon sighed. The next thing he checked was his level-up requirements. For some reason, they were oddly specific.


    [Level-up Requirements]


    Red Cap Goblins consumed [0/5]


    He groaned.


    "Great. Only the most violent species of goblins in the world."

 Chapter 227 227: Prelude To Disaster

    Red Cap Goblins weren''t exactly rare or hard to find. In fact, anyone who had fought in the Demon Wars would have encountered them at some point. These goblins were predominantly found in the demon continent, Centros.


    However, due to the wars, they had been transported to other continents as low-level soldiers, and that was when the world truly understood how dangerous they were. Unlike other goblins, Red Caps were war-hungry, bloodthirsty, and far more violent.


    It wasn''t their red skin that earned them the title of Blood Goblins¡ªit was their savage nature. Some old tales even claimed that they had originally been green like other goblins, but their insatiable bloodlust had stained them crimson over generations, dyed by the blood of their enemies.


    Damon clenched his fist.


    Naturally, that was just a myth. And even if it were true, so what? He had Lilith Astranova on his side. As if a few goblins would be a problem.


    So, a day after the whole dark spirit incident, he and Lilith set out to find them.


    Too bad the Empire had other ideas.


    Apparently, they didn''t want any traces of the Demon Wars anywhere near the capital. So, Red Cap Goblins? Completely eradicated.


    That forced Damon and Lilith to search far beyond the usual borders, but in the end, they gave up. If they truly wanted to find Red Caps, they would have to travel farther than the academy would allow.


    And before they could even consider that, they were both summoned back for the end-of-semester evaluation.


    That was how Damon ended up on an airship, drifting through the sky.


    The only upside? He was far away from the academy, meaning that¡ªif he was lucky¡ªhe might run into some Red Caps along the way.


    He bit his lip.


    "I don''t need luck... I''ll find them."


    He didn''t doubt it for a second.


    The system was cruel. It would never ask him to find something unless it intended to throw it in his path soon enough. The dark spirit had been proof of that.


    And now, the goblins.


    Damon had a sinking feeling that, by the time this was over, he would have seen more than enough Red Caps to last a lifetime.


    He glanced at his system panel.


    [HP: 150/150] (+90)


    [Mana: 14,084/14,084]


    [Strength: 134]


    [Agility: 57]


    [Speed: 100]


    [Endurance: 35]


    [Class: ¡ª]


    [Shadow: 600]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%]


    [Shadow Level: 6]


    [Condition: Shadow is Full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze] [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn]


    [Locked]


    Damon couldn''t help but smile.


    He was stronger now.


    Not as much as he wanted, but it was still progress.


    Keeping himself full with magic crystals had been a smart move, but he had only so many left. Over the past week, he had used a lot of what Lilith had given him. He still had enough for another week and a half, but after the evaluation, he would definitely need to stock up at whatever city they stopped in.


    With that thought, he pushed open the door, stepping into a long hallway lined with glass windows.


    Beyond them, the sky stretched endlessly, clouds floating lazily past.


    Flying was... a new experience.


    He had never been on an airship before. Until now, he had only been able to look up at these behemoths in the sky and curse the rich for having the luxury of flight.


    "Still scary, though..." he muttered.


    Not the flying itself.


    The monsters and horrors that lurked in the skies.


    That was the scary part.


    Damon walked forward, reaching a door. He placed his hand on the scanner, and with a soft beep, it slid open.


    As he stepped inside, he was met with Kael''s cold gaze.


    "You''re late."


    Damon nodded curtly, barely acknowledging him. His eyes swept across the large battle room, taking in the assembled students¡ªall dressed in their academy-issued combat uniforms, standing in precise battle formations.


    They looked like an army.


    A disciplined, well-trained force being briefed for war.


    He could feel the tension in the air. The quiet anticipation. The barely contained fear.


    But more than that¡ªhe could feel their resolve.


    Damon moved to his position at the front, standing alongside the other top students¡ªhis so-called "peers." He didn''t bother sparing Kael a response.


    After all, he still suspected him.


    The dark spirit summoning... it wasn''t random. And if anyone had orchestrated it, Kael was at the top of his list.


    Kael, for his part, didn''t seem to care about Damon''s cold indifference. This was just how things were between them.


    Kael''s swept his gaze across the room, expression unreadable.


    ''Many of them are going to die.''


    His sharp eyes locked onto the assembled students.


    "I shall now brief you on your final semester evaluation."


    Unlike the mid-semester exam, which had taken place in a controlled environment, this was entirely different.


    "This time..." Kael''s voice was smooth, almost amused. "I can guarantee¡ªdeath is a very real possibility."


    A murmur ran through the room. Fear spiked.


    Damon''s fingers twitched at his side.


    Kael turned, motioning toward an enormous array of magical seals behind him.


    The air hummed with the power of spatial magic, dark sigils pulsing in rhythmic waves. These were not ordinary teleportation runes. They were fueled by dark pillars of Kael''s own magic, as well as several large mana cores¡ªmost likely taken from powerful Rank Four or Rank Five monsters.


    "Behind me is a teleportation array," Kael continued.


    "Your task is simple."


    He gestured toward the array.


    "You will form parties of your choosing and step through the portal. You will be teleported to a random region within a 50-kilometer radius. Your objective is to survive for one week."


    Kael raised his hand, and a series of bracelets appeared, hovering in midair.


    "Each of you will receive a bracelet. However, this is not for teleportation."


    His smirk widened.


    "It only acts as a homing beacon."


    Meaning, if you were about to die and activated it¡ªall it would do is let them know where your corpse was.


    "Whether you live or die... is entirely up to you."


    Kael''s gaze flickered to Damon, his smirk never fading.


    "You are free to burn, destroy, and massacre the area as much as you wish. The bracelets will record your kills and award points to your party accordingly."


    Then, with a faint chuckle, he added¡ª


    "As for the consequences of failure..."


    His voice dropped into something mockingly soft.


    "You won''t have to worry about your rankings when you''re dead."


    A heavy silence followed.


    Some students turned pale. A few instinctively clenched their fists.


    Damon exhaled slowly.


    It was about to begin.

 Chapter 228 228: To The Unknown

    Once again, a bracelet was issued.


    It felt cold against his wrist.


    Damon raised his head, noticing that his shadow remained unnaturally still. No flickering movements, no playful distortions¡ªit was as if it had frozen entirely.


    Shaking off the uneasy feeling, he turned his focus back to his preparations.


    He grabbed a bundle of arrows and shoved them into his quiver. The enchanted artifact absorbed them seamlessly, adjusting to hold even more. Methodically, he continued adding arrow after arrow, ensuring he had enough for what was to come.


    Next, he reached for a few vials of healing potions¡ªthe academy had issued each student a limited supply. Carefully, he arranged them inside his lesser spatial bag, a magic artifact designed for long trips.


    Inside, it already contained military rations, water, and other basic supplies. It could hold an impressive amount of gear yet barely added any weight.


    Damon slung his bow over his shoulder. It was wide and crafted from a rare metallic alloy, sturdy yet flexible.


    "Don''t you usually carry an extra bow?"


    Damon stiffened.


    He hadn''t heard anyone approach.


    Turning swiftly, he found himself face-to-face with Sylvia.


    The white-haired elven girl stood inches away, her usual composed expression carrying a trace of amusement.


    Damon instinctively took a step back.


    "Sylvia, why are you sneaking up on me?"


    She only smiled at him, her sharp grey eyes gleaming.


    "Sneaking? I was just checking up on you."


    Her tone was too casual. Too familiar.


    She was acting strangely¡ªfar too comfortable around him since that night... since he had promised her the world.


    "What''s up with you?" Damon asked, narrowing his eyes.


    Sylvia tilted her head, her long hair swaying slightly.


    "Nothing," she murmured, her expression turning soft.


    Then, almost hesitantly, she lowered her head as if she had just been betrayed.


    "You''re not going to be mean to me after making all those promises, are you?"


    Damon sighed.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be reserved? Where''s this sudden boldness coming from?"


    Her lips twitched ever so slightly.


    Damon''s gaze sharpened.


    "What are you hiding?"


    Sylvia cut him off immediately.


    "What type of monsters do you think we''ll encounter in this region?"


    She motioned toward the other students, who were still sorting through their supplies.


    "I mean... we''re all first-years. I assume the academy won''t throw anything too dangerous at us, right?"


    Damon recognized the distraction tactic.


    But he let it go.


    "I''m not worried about the monsters," he muttered, turning back to his supplies.


    Sylvia blinked.


    "You''re not?"


    Damon shoved another ration pack into his bag.


    "No. I''m more worried about nature."


    Sylvia''s ears twitched slightly.


    "Nature?"


    Damon glanced at the others¡ªmost of them were still obsessing over weapons, armor, and combat strategies.


    "These idiots think the biggest threat is monsters," he muttered, adjusting his bag straps. "But before monsters even get a chance to kill them¡ªnature will."


    Sylvia nodded slowly, her sharp mind already piecing it together.


    "That makes sense. Bugs. Contaminated water. Lack of food. Harsh weather conditions. Abnormal flora..."


    Her voice trailed off.


    "Most of us have spent our entire lives in luxury. This won''t be some novel adventure where we sit around a campfire after killing monsters."


    Damon smirked.


    "Smart girl. I''d expect nothing less from the Bookworm Princess."


    Sylvia immediately pouted.


    "Why do I feel like you keep coming up with mean nicknames for me?"


    Damon shrugged, hoisting his bag over his shoulder.


    "Right, I should apologize to the worms."


    Sylvia scowled.


    But she still followed him.


    For a moment, she glanced at his free hand.


    And for just a second¡ªshe had the urge to hold it.


    She quickly shook her head, banishing the thought.


    "Erm... can you help me with my supply bag?" she asked hesitantly.


    "I don''t know what I''ll actually need."


    Damon turned his head slightly.


    "Sure. I''d love to¡ªas long as you don''t mind me seeing your unmentionables."


    Sylvia''s face immediately turned beet red.


    "N-Not that! I''ll arrange my bag myself! Just help me pick the supplies!"


    Damon laughed.


    Sylvia scowled even harder, realizing¡ª


    She had been played again.


    Still smirking, Damon stretched out his hand.


    Slowly.


    Almost expectantly.


    Sylvia hesitated.


    Then, finally, she took it.


    His fingers curled around hers¡ªfirm but gentle.


    Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he murmured¡ª


    "I won''t ask you to tell me what you''re hiding... Tell me whenever you''re ready."


    Sylvia''s grip tightened ever so slightly.


    She nodded.


    As they approached her supplies, Evangeline and Leona were already there¡ªstruggling to pack their own bags.


    Damon sighed.


    It seemed he had more work to do.


    Without hesitation, he began removing all the unnecessary junk from their supplies¡ªlip gloss, perfumes, hair creams, and other useless luxuries.


    Much to their horrified protests.


    "You don''t need this. Or this. Or this."


    "Wait¡ªwhat about my perfume?!"


    "Gone."


    "Damon! My hair serum¡ª!"


    "Useless."


    By the time he was done, their bags only contained the essentials¡ªfood, potions, and survival gear.


    Then, they moved on to Xander.


    Unlike the others, he had already finished packing.


    Well-prepared.


    And ready to go.


    Keal stood in front of the teleportation array, watching as other students had already set out in their respective parties. Damon and his group were near the back, waiting for their turn. The line moved slowly, and when they finally reached the front, Kael and a few professors stepped forward to inspect their packs, ensuring they had all the essentials for the evaluation.


    Professor Chrome stood next to Alfred and Emeralda, observing the process. As Damon''s party approached, Emeralda waved them over.


    "Hand over your pagers. You won''t be needing them for this trip," she instructed, holding out her hand.


    The group nodded, handing over their devices, which she placed in a secure box.


    "You''ll get them back after your evaluation," she assured them.


    Professor Alfred then stepped forward, accompanied by a young fairy student that Damon recognized as Matlock. Alfred eyed their party before speaking.


    "Your group is supposed to have seven members, but since you''re all considered strong among your peers, five should be enough. However, Matlock here doesn''t have a party. Hope you don''t mind taking him in."


    Chrome stroked his beard, nodding. "Hohoho... indeed. That would be the best choice. Besides, you get extra credit for taking him in."


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    "You don''t have to bribe us, professors. You wouldn''t accept a refusal even if we gave one... fine, we agree."


    Emeralda smiled. She half-expected Damon to refuse with some rude remark, but he had surprised her. Slapping his shoulder, she chuckled.


    "My boy, you sure have changed... I think I like the new you."


    Damon sighed. "And I think you''re making me feel awkward."


    With a smirk, she ushered them toward the teleportation array. As they passed Kael, he stood motionless, his expression dark.


    As Damon walked past him, Kael whispered, "Try not to die."


    Before he could react, Emeralda pushed them onto the array, and the magic activated. The space around them warped, and a barrier enclosed them. As the teleportation magic surged, Damon suddenly felt an intense buzz on his wrist. Looking down, he saw his bracelet glowing with an unnatural light.


    The glow spread to the runes within the array, causing the ground to tremble beneath them. His body felt lighter, almost weightless. In the distance, he saw the professors'' faces pale in horror as they screamed something he couldn''t hear.


    The runes flared violently, twisting like living veins of energy. A deafening hum rattled through his bones, and the air grew so thick it felt like wading through water


    They rushed toward the array in a panic, trying to shut it down. Kael lunged toward the barrier with a cold expression, but before he could reach them, Damon felt space twist violently around them. The noise was deafening¡ªhe couldn''t even hear the shouts of his friends.


    Then, in an instant, they were yanked into a massive spatial current. Damon gritted his teeth, trying to hold on¡ªbut it was too late. They were pulled into the unknown.

 Chapter 229 229: Red Caps

    He felt the sensation of blood dripping down his legs. Slowly and weakly, he opened his eyes, finding the world upside down with a stream of red running down the side of his face.


    A groan escaped his lips as pain flared through his body. He raised his head, only to find his leg impaled by a jagged branch. The torn flesh throbbed with every heartbeat. Gritting his teeth, he leaned up with a huff, reaching his hand toward the bloody wound. His fingers pressed against the sticky warmth of his own blood before he snapped the branch with a sharp crack. The moment the restraint gave way, he plummeted several meters, landing on the hard ground with a dull thud.


    "Arrgh..." he groaned, his breath ragged.


    Pain surged through his body, but he forced himself to stand, his leg aching and his body battered. He glanced around, his instincts kicking in as he spread his shadow perception outward. The sensation of darkness slithered across the terrain, mapping out a two-kilometer radius. What he sensed was unfamiliar¡ªa vast forest, its dense trees broken only by patches of rocky terrain.


    The presence of fauna flickered at the edge of his perception, yet something far more concerning caught his attention. In the distance, beyond his shadow sense, a violet glow pulsed in the sky, casting an eerie light over the horizon. Brief tremors rumbled beneath his feet, faint but unmistakable. Whatever was causing them was far away¡ªfor now.


    His perception also picked up something else¡ªhis friends were close by, their shadows distinct. Relief barely had time to settle before another discovery sent a chill down his spine. He spotted footprints¡ªmassive, humanoid prints with three stubby toes.


    His jaw tightened. He had no idea what kind of monster had left those tracks, and he had no desire to find out.


    Shaking off the unease, he scanned the area and spotted his supply bag lying on the ground, its contents scattered. Limping toward it, he knelt and rummaged through the mess, pulling out a healing potion. Without hesitation, he downed the liquid in one gulp, feeling the searing burn as it worked its magic. He poured some over his wounds before unsealing a bandage wrap to sterilize and bind his injured leg.


    Securing the bag to his back, he tightened his grip on his bow, his quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder.


    "Better keep the cursed ore arrows hidden," he muttered. The last thing he needed was to attract monsters with the volatile energy those arrows radiated.


    With his shadow perception spread wide, he moved swiftly yet silently, keeping his senses sharp. His gaze flicked to the sun, estimating how much daylight remained. They needed to regroup before nightfall.


    He knew nothing about the monsters lurking in this place, but facing them on their home turf at night would be suicide. More importantly, they were lost. This wasn''t part of the academy''s plans.


    His mind replayed the moment before everything went wrong¡ªthe bracelet on his wrist had glowed right before the teleportation. This was sabotage. Someone wanted him gone, and his friends had been dragged along as collateral damage.


    The summoner.


    It had to be the same person who had summoned the dark spirit, Rashi Ignath. He had ruined their plans before, and this was their revenge.


    And they had struck at the worst possible time, in the most vicious way.


    Now, here he was, lost in an unknown region, surrounded by Goddess knows what kind of horrors.


    Damon stepped over a fallen log, his pace quickening as he moved with precision. He halted by a small stream where a brown-haired young man lay motionless, his academy combat uniform dirtied from the fall. A spear rested at his side.


    Damon approached, crouching beside him and pressing two fingers to the man''s neck. A faint pulse.


    A sigh of relief almost escaped him¡ªalmost. Realizing he was doing something out of character, he quickly scowled, as if he had just swallowed a toad.


    He clicked his tongue.


    "Tsk. Still alive."


    Without another word, he grabbed Xander, gave him a quick once-over for injuries, and, upon finding none, tossed him into the stream with a loud splash.


    The cold water jolted Xander awake, and he flailed, gasping for air.


    Damon watched, completely indifferent.


    "Sleep on your own time."


    Xander quickly scrambled to the bank, his clothes soaked, dripping from head to toe. He coughed and glared at Damon, his lips curling into a mocking smirk.


    "Damn you."


    Damon smiled, though it lacked any warmth.


    "Darn, you survived. I was hoping you wouldn''t."


    Xander snorted, shaking the water from his hair.


    "Not a chance."


    Damon turned away, already walking into the dense woods.


    "Where are you going?" Xander called out.


    Damon didn''t bother looking back.


    "To find the others. Grab your bag¡ªwe''re in unfamiliar terrain."


    Xander grumbled under his breath but followed, his boots squelching against the damp earth. Damon moved with purpose, leaving behind almost no tracks. Xander, on the other hand, stomped through the underbrush with far less grace.


    "Where are you leading us?" Xander asked, his frustration growing. "And where the hell are we?"


    Damon sighed, his patience thinning.


    "To find the others. And I have no idea."


    Xander frowned. Damon wasn''t the type to act without reason. But the uncertainty of their situation made his heart pound.


    "How are you so calm right now?"


    Damon raised a brow, noting Xander''s uneasy posture¡ªthe slight tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers twitched near his weapon. He was trying to hide it, but Damon could see through him.


    "How are you not?"


    Xander clenched his fists. He had seen monster footprints, claw marks deep in the bark of trees. Worse, Damon had dried blood on him. Yet, instead of worrying about himself, he seemed in a hurry to find the others.


    "This area has monsters. What do we do?"


    Damon barely gave it a thought.


    "We fight or we die." His tone was casual, as if stating a simple fact. "But for now, we regroup and weigh our options."


    Then, suddenly, his eyes sharpened. He raised a hand.


    "We found the girls."


    In the distance, three figures emerged from the treeline¡ªLeona, Sylvia, and Evangeline.


    Leona carried a massive sword, resting it casually over her shoulder. Sylvia had her bow in hand, and Evangeline''s rapier was soaked in blood.


    Damon immediately noticed the tension in their movements. But more than that¡ªhe noticed the blood on their weapons.


    Xander exhaled, relieved. "Glad you guys are okay."


    The girls nodded, though their expressions were grim.


    "We''re fine. No one was hurt," Leona assured. "But we did..."


    Damon cut her off. "Run into some monsters."


    Sylvia nodded. "Yeah."


    Damon''s gaze darkened. "What kind?"


    Evangeline gripped her sword, her voice steady but cold.


    "Goblins. Red Cap Goblins."


    Damon cursed under his breath. He already knew where this was going.


    Leona stepped forward, tossing an ornate horn onto the ground between them. It was blackened, adorned with bat wings and a sword insignia, flanked by two curved horns.


    Damon''s fists clenched.


    The insignia of the Demon Army.


    They were scouts.

 Chapter 230 230: Clash

    The Demon Army wasn''t composed of just demons. At the top were the Demon Kin, beings who looked no different from humans but possessed superior intelligence and power. Below them were the monstrous demons, grotesque creatures of terrifying might. And at the very bottom were the tamed monsters, beasts enslaved by the Demon Army to do their bidding.


    The Red Cap Goblins that the girls had encountered were merely scouts. Even so, Damon studied the three of them carefully. Not a single scratch.


    His eyes narrowed. "How many did you meet? And why are you uninjured?"


    Leona raised a hand. "Just one."


    She glanced at Sylvia, who nodded in confirmation.


    "The three of us woke up relatively close to each other," Sylvia explained. "Leona has a good nose, so she found us... and also picked up the stench of goblins."


    Evangeline gripped the hilt of her bloodstained rapier. "We didn''t expect to find a Red Cap. It was alone, so we ambushed it while it was off guard. It never got a chance to scream."


    Xander clenched his jaw. "This is bad. Goblins move in groups, and worse... if the Demon Army is nearby, even a fraction of their force is too much."


    Damon nodded, his mind already calculating.


    "Which means we need to get as far away as possible. If this was just a scouting force, they probably don''t know the area well either. But..." his voice turned cold, "we can''t just run around like headless chickens. We''re blind too. Enemies could be anywhere."


    Sylvia furrowed her brows, recalling a crucial detail.


    "According to our Demon Strategy class, a scouting force for the Demon Army usually numbers less than a hundred. They move in small cells, each several kilometers apart from the main force. Each group consists of monsters¡ªlow-tier creatures led by a commander, who is usually stronger. These squads also have at least three to five sub-commanders of the same species, as well as..."


    Damon''s fists clenched. "A Lesser Demon."


    Silence fell over the group. Their faces paled.


    A Lesser Demon was no ordinary foe. Unlike mere beasts, it possessed inhuman intelligence and terrifying combat prowess¡ªhardened skin like armor, claws that could rip through steel, and the cunning of a seasoned warrior.


    Damon exhaled sharply. "We need to move. If you left a body behind, it''s only a matter of time before they track us. As of now, we assume we''re being hunted."


    The others nodded, gripping their weapons tightly.


    Leona suddenly looked around. "Wait... what about Matlock?"


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. He hadn''t forgotten the young fairy. In fact, through his Shadow Perception, he could already sense him.


    Flying at breakneck speed.


    And three Red Cap Goblins were chasing him.


    Damon extended a hand toward the forest. "He''s coming from that direction. And he''s bringing trouble."


    Xander gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on his spear.


    Damon turned to the group, his voice firm. "We have two options. We retreat and pray for his well-being... or we stay and engage the enemy."


    They exchanged glances. No hesitation.


    Leona stepped forward, determination burning in her eyes. "I''m not abandoning anyone. We fight."


    The others nodded, weapons drawn.


    Damon smirked. "Good. Matlock''s wings will be useful for scouting the area and mapping the terrain. He''s an asset."


    He unsheathed his dagger, the blade glinting under the dim light.


    "Besides..." he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.


    ''Red Caps are exactly what I need to level up...''


    Matlock wouldn''t last much longer.


    The time it would take him to reach them was too brief¡ªtoo short for any elaborate ambush. Damon would have loved to string up wires from his Omnidirectional Gear, forcing the goblins to run into a web of death, but there was simply no time. Instead, they did the next best thing.


    They took their positions. Weapons ready. Eyes sharp.


    Matlock''s flight was erratic, his movements sloppy from blood loss. His back and wings were stained crimson, and as he twisted mid-air, he unleashed a desperate blast of ice magic, freezing the branches behind him. His shoulder throbbed, an arrow lodged deep in the muscle¡ªthe price of recklessly flying over the treetops without cover.


    The frozen trees shattered under his spell, but it wasn''t enough.


    "Jejejejej... heheh... kekekekeke!"


    The grating laughter of the Red Cap Goblins sent a chill through his bones.


    He was going to die.


    "Why is this happening...? We shouldn''t be fighting monsters like this..."


    An arrow whizzed past his head, slamming into a tree trunk. Below, three towering Red Cap Goblins emerged from the undergrowth.


    Red-skinned. Ugly. Twisted.


    They weren''t like the usual mindless creatures. Their brown eyes gleamed with a twisted, human-like intelligence¡ªcalculated, cruel, and dripping with bloodlust.


    Their weapons were crude but deadly¡ªa cheap dagger, a rusted sword, and a bow lined with arrows made of wood and jagged obsidian. Even in their patchwork leather armor, they exuded a robust, brutal aura.


    Matlock''s body felt heavier. His vision blurred.


    Poison.


    His wings faltered, his magic fizzling at his fingertips. And then¡ª


    He plummeted.


    "No... not like this...!"


    His body slammed into the earth, tumbling ungracefully across the dirt. He tried to push himself up, but his limbs refused to obey. His blood soaked the ground, pooling beneath him.


    All he could do was roll onto his back, gaze up at the sky, and see his killers approach.


    He saw death.


    One of the goblins grinned, its jagged teeth bared as it raised its blade.


    Matlock bit his lip, a single tear streaming down his cheek.


    "What a pathetic way to die... killed by goblins."


    His fingers twitched. His breath came in short, shallow gasps. He closed his eyes, bracing for the pain¡ª


    For the dull ache of death.


    But it never came.


    Instead¡ª


    SHLICK!


    Steel met flesh.


    A wet gurgle. A choking gasp. A body collapsing.


    Matlock''s eyes snapped open¡ªand all he saw was Damon Grey.


    Cold. Ruthless. Expressionless.


    Damon''s dagger was buried deep in the goblin''s throat. Dark, viscous blood spilled onto the earth as the creature twitched and clawed at its severed windpipe, struggling to scream.


    But there was no time to scream.


    Because what came next was brutal.

 Chapter 231: Hush Hush Die

    The death throes of the first two goblins made the third one hesitate.


    It had been trailing behind them, clutching a melee weapon despite its comrades wielding ranged ones. Cautious. Calculating. But when it saw them butchered in mere seconds, its instinct kicked in¡ª


    Run.


    The goblin spun on its heel, ready to flee.


    It never got the chance.


    Leona, who had been lurking in the undergrowth, sprang out. With a fierce battle cry, she swung her broadsword, the flat side smashing into the goblin''s chest¡ª


    CRACK!


    Lightning surged through the steel, electricity rippling across its flesh. The goblin''s body seized, its limbs jerking violently as the crackling energy cooked its nerves. A gurgled yelp died in its throat, its red skin scorching from the inside out.


    Damon moved in, wasting no time.


    TWANG! TWANG!


    Two arrows pierced the goblin''s kneecaps, slamming it to the ground. It collapsed, its body still twitching, its breath ragged and uneven.


    But it was still alive.


    Damon''s once cold, inhuman eyes faded back into their usual dark abyss, the effects of Remorseless vanishing. He let out a slow breath, his gaze shifting to the Red Cap goblin they had just captured.


    "We''ve killed two. Now we can use this one for information."


    Leona nodded, stepping forward. Xander walked up beside them, arms crossed.


    "And I imagine you can speak goblin?" he asked, arching a brow.


    Damon shook his head.


    "No. But I can speak the universal language of extreme violence."


    Before anyone could react, he drove his boot into the goblin''s skull.


    CRACK!


    The creature shrieked, its pain-maddened eyes bulging¡ªor at least, it tried to shriek. Because Damon followed up with another brutal kick, shattering its jaw with a sickening snap.


    Leona winced at the sound.


    Damon crouched, pressing the edge of his dagger to its throat.


    "I''ll be the one doing the talking."


    The goblin''s eyes blazed with fury, but it wasn''t stupid. It knew it was a hostage now.


    It spat out a series of guttural, ragged syllables¡ª


    "Kererkkekr... ahhh... keker... free...!"


    Damon tilted his head. He didn''t understand a single word except for one.


    "Free."


    He nodded at the goblin, his expression mockingly sincere.


    "Oh, you want us to let you go?" he asked, his voice eerily calm.


    The goblin narrowed its eyes, wary, but hope flickered in its gaze.


    Damon''s smile widened.


    And then¡ª


    He stomped down on the arrow lodged in its knee.


    The goblin convulsed, a strangled scream clawing at its ruined throat¡ªonly for Damon to drive his fist into its diaphragm, cutting off its breath entirely.


    The creature gasped, choking on agony.


    Damon leaned in, his voice a whisper of pure malice.


    "Didn''t I say I''d do the talking?" His dagger pressed deeper against its skin. "Don''t try to negotiate with me."


    Xander stood to the side, watching with a disgusted expression.


    Not because of the goblin.


    But because Damon hadn''t even asked a single question yet.


    Xander turned away, leaving Damon and Leona behind.


    He didn''t like it, and neither did Leona, but they both trusted that Damon had his reasons.


    Xander''s gaze drifted to the bloodied corpses of the two slain goblins. If more of them came searching, hiding the bodies would be a problem.


    "How does he plan to get rid of them?"


    Damon had claimed he''d take care of it, but Xander didn''t want to imagine what that entailed. He shook his head, refusing to delve into Damon Grey''s twisted mind. Instead, he turned his focus to Sylvia and Evangeline, who were working on Matlock''s wounds.


    The fairy boy had taken too much damage, his delicate wings shredded. There was no chance he''d be flying anytime soon.


    Behind him, Xander could hear the muffled screams of their captive goblin. He refused to look. Instead, he planted himself beside Sylvia and Evangeline, standing guard.


    If anyone could put a stop to Damon''s antics, it would be one of them. His bet was on Evangeline. She had a habit of scolding Damon like a mother, though it usually ended in an argument. These days, Damon just tolerated it with an annoyed scowl.


    The two healers continued their work until Matlock was stable enough to stand.


    Xander glanced at him¡ª


    A delicate-looking kid.


    With vibrant green hair, short locks framing his soft face, and large brown eyes, Matlock looked more fragile than most girls. He was small, thin, completely lacking muscle. The kind of person you''d expect to shatter under pressure.


    Matlock lifted his gaze to Xander, his expression still pale and uncertain.


    "Th...thank you for saving me, sir..."


    Xander scowled.


    ''Sir? We''re in the same class...''


    Matlock, seemingly unaware of the reaction, looked around¡ªhis eyes darting from Damon''s ongoing brutality to their unfamiliar surroundings.


    "Whe...where are we...?"


    Sylvia shot a glance at Damon, who now had the goblin on its hands and knees, begging for mercy, while he demonstrated to Leona how to "properly" torture a goblin.


    "That''s what we need to find out."


    She exchanged looks with Evangeline, who nodded before stepping in¡ªgrabbing Damon''s wrist just before he could lop off the goblin''s ear.


    Sylvia let out a quiet breath of relief.


    Evangeline began berating Damon for his "excessive cruelty," while Damon merely rolled his eyes.


    Sylvia walked up to them, arms crossed.


    "Did you learn anything?"


    Damon glanced at Evangeline before flashing a smug grin.


    "I learned a lot, actually."


    He cleared his throat, then mimicked a garbled, exaggerated goblin dialect.


    "Jejejejek kerekek teyetete jejere."


    Then, seeing their deadpan expressions, he shrugged.


    "That''s what he said."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes.


    Damon smirked. "Hey, goblin''s a hard language to grasp."


    Then his smirk widened.


    "Apparently, he has a mate and kids... and his village has a thousand Red Cap goblins."


    Xander raised a brow. "A thousand? That''s still a village?"


    "Yeah, news to me too." Damon stretched his arms. "Oh, and get this¡ª" he continued with a knowing grin, "they have communal marriages. Everyone just... shares."


    Evangeline''s eyebrow twitched.


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes.


    He''s dodging something.


    More than that¡ªhe was trying to lighten the mood.


    She didn''t like where this was going.


    Xander, leaning on his spear, smiled dryly.


    "Did you learn anything else?"


    Damon shrugged.


    "Hey, I don''t speak goblin. I did my best."


    Xander sneered. "I thought you spoke the universal language of extreme violence? All talk."


    Damon''s smirk didn''t waver.


    "Oh, I speak it. I never said he''d understand it."


    Then, his tone shifted.


    "But I did manage to learn one thing."


    Silence.


    Damon''s grin thinned.


    "We''re trapped here."


    Sylvia felt her breath catch in her throat.


    Damon continued, his voice casual but his words sharp.


    "And so are they."


    His gaze flickered to the goblin, then back to them.


    "Death is in all directions."


    Then, he turned to Sylvia.


    "You can talk to animals, right?"


    Sylvia hesitated, then nodded.


    Damon''s smirk returned.


    "Good. Ask him what ''Hush Hush Die'' means."

 Chapter 232: We’re All Gonna Die

    Sylvia communicated with the half-dead goblin, her face paling with each response.


    The creature''s voice was hoarse and grating, its words broken and guttural, but the message was clear enough.


    As it spoke, it gestured toward the violet light on the distant horizon.


    The glow had spread from the south to the north, blanketing the entire region¡ªexcept for the western sky, which was an ominous shade of gray. There, bleak-looking mountains loomed in the distance.


    Slightly off to the south, another mountain stood, isolated. Even from here, Damon felt an unnatural sense of dread just looking at it.


    Sylvia took a deep breath, her expression ashen.


    "Hush Hush refers to whispers..." she murmured.


    She hesitated before continuing.


    "The reason he likened it to death... is because right behind us, beyond those dwarf mountains and ridges... lies the Whispering Forest."


    Damon''s jaw tightened.


    He exhaled slowly.


    "So we''re still in Soltheon... that''s good."


    Xander, who had remained quiet until now, paled.


    "Good? What''s good about being in uncharted lands? The Whispering Forest is a death zone¡ªjust like the Evil Forest."


    Damon nodded. He already knew their situation was bad¡ªwhich was precisely why he needed them all to stay calm.


    Even so, his fists clenched.


    Evangeline bit her lip, her gaze shifting toward the violet light on the horizon.


    "What about that direction? If we can''t go west, why not east? Or south? Or north?"


    Sylvia shook her head.


    "There''s a mana anomaly in that direction. It''s created a gravity zone that has engulfed the entire region. Anyone who approaches gets crushed by the ambient gravity attribute magic."


    A heavy silence followed.


    This wasn''t unheard of.


    When mana lingered too long in a place, it could either form dungeons or create anomalous zones, where magic ran wild.


    This was one of those zones¡ªa mana anomaly.


    They could manifest with any attribute¡ªsometimes all at once¡ªand were often compared to storms at sea.


    Only worse.


    The worst of them were spatial storms, which could tear reality apart.


    Gravity anomalies were almost as bad.


    Damon sighed.


    "That explains the tremors in the ground..."


    Leona, who had been listening intently, crouched down.


    "What about the demon army?"


    Sylvia turned back to the goblin, speaking softly.


    The creature trembled at the mention of the army.


    "They originally camped near the anomaly," Sylvia translated, "but it started shrinking¡ªmoving in their direction. So now they''re attacking it, hoping to break through."


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    "That doesn''t make sense."


    If their goal was simply to escape, why not head southwest?


    Avoiding the Whispering Forest was logical¡ªbut the southwest was a different matter.


    Sylvia must have had the same thought. She turned back to the goblin and gestured, pointing southwest.


    The goblin froze.


    Then¡ª


    It shook its head violently, trembling as if she had touched upon some unspeakable taboo.


    "Jeekkekekekkekeke!"


    It choked on its own fear, its breathing turning ragged.


    Then, in a panicked frenzy, it gestured wildly toward the southwestern mountain.


    Sylvia''s face grew steadily paler.


    The goblin rasped out words in its broken, grating language.


    Damon managed to pick out a few:


    "Winged one... ash... death, death..."


    Then a phrase that sounded like:


    "Many, many army... hot, hot..."


    Each fragmented sentence only made his gut sink deeper.


    Sylvia inhaled sharply, then exhaled, steadying herself before speaking.


    "We''re near the nest of Ashergon."


    Damon''s breath hitched.


    Ashergon.


    The name alone carried a weight of dread¡ªa dragon whose presence alone could spell absolute devastation.


    Sylvia continued, her voice laced with tension.


    "Near its nest lies a ruin¡ªone crawling with drakes and wyverns that serve it. Approaching it means death."


    She hesitated, then delivered the final blow.


    "The demon army tried passing through. Of their three thousand troops... they lost 2,645.


    In just seven minutes.


    And the dragon hadn''t even appeared."


    Xander sucked in a sharp breath.


    A cold silence settled over the group.


    Sylvia pressed on, her voice subdued.


    "The scouts stationed here haven''t reported back to the main force yet. They were sent into the Whispering Forest... to search for a safe exit. Or at least... somewhere that doesn''t mean certain death."


    Damon''s fists clenched.


    There was no safe exit. Not yet.


    Sylvia wasn''t finished.


    "On the outskirts of the forest, the scouts found a ruined city."


    A flicker of hope?


    "They claim this city may have a waypoint¡ªone that could be used for teleportation out of this region."


    Damon''s head snapped toward Evangeline.


    "We''re not far from Brightwater Dukedom¡ªassuming we can get past the Whispering Forest and everything around it."


    Evangeline nodded, though her expression remained grim.


    "If it''s a city, then it has to be an ancient ruin... I''ve heard of it before.


    The one called the ''Path of Kings.''"


    Matlock swallowed hard, gripping his head as panic settled in.


    "What¡ªwhat do we do now?! If the demon army learns about this place, we''ll be hunted down!"


    His breath grew ragged.


    "We need to run¡ªrun far away¡ª"


    Damon exhaled through gritted teeth.


    "Run where?"


    His voice was flat. Cold.


    "We''re surrounded by death. There is no hope."


    A heavy silence followed.


    Then, his fingers curled into a tight fist.


    If they were first-class advancements, maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªthere would be a sliver of a chance.


    Even then... death would still be almost certain.


    His frustration boiled over.


    He turned and kicked the goblin.


    The creature squealed weakly, too broken to fight or flee.


    Sylvia reached out, gripping Damon''s wrist.


    "Their group was nearly wiped out in the Whispering Forest before they found the city... Right now, there are only twenty-seven Red Cap goblins left."


    Her voice dropped further.


    "And they''re led by three war trolls."


    Damon''s stomach twisted.


    War trolls.


    Monsters nearly as bad as lesser demons.


    They weren''t just stronger than normal trolls¡ªthey were war incarnate.


    A single one could wipe out an entire party of first-class advancement adventurers.


    But what made them truly terrifying wasn''t their brute strength.


    It was their intelligence.


    Their cruelty.


    Their obsession with the hunt.


    Once a war troll picked up a trail, it would not stop¡ªnot until every last target was dead.


    The blood drained from everyone''s faces.


    Matlock collapsed to his knees, trembling.


    Tears streaked down his face as he clutched his head.


    "We''re all gonna die... We''re all gonna die..."

 Chapter 233: One Option

    There was nothing wrong with Matlock''s reaction. If anything, it was completely justified. The harsh reality of their situation was undeniable¡ªdeath was certain. There was no hope, no margin for escape. They were six in number, stranded in an uncharted zone, surrounded on all sides by forces far beyond their ability to resist.


    To one side lay a dead zone filled with ancient and eldritch horrors. In another direction loomed the nest of Ashergon, a dragon known for leveling entire cities, guarded by an army of powerful subordinates. The third path was blocked by a mana anomaly, a gravity wall that crushed all who approached it. And as if fate wished to mock them further, the last possible route was infested with an advancing army of demons, boxed in with them.


    There was no escape.


    Perhaps it would be better to make their peace with the goddess and accept the inevitable.


    Damon watched them in silence.


    Matlock was already sobbing uncontrollably, tears running down his face. The sight of it irritated Damon. A small part of him felt the urge to silence the delicate boy, to end his pathetic crying right then and there. But he dismissed the thought. Unlike him, Matlock hadn''t spent his life in dire situations. He wasn''t used to having the world constantly try to kill him.


    Damon drew his dagger, its cold steel glinting in the sun light.


    The half-dead goblin sneered at their fear, jeering weakly through its pain.


    Damon walked over and kicked it violently, forcing it to the ground.


    "If the demon army catches us, Xander and I might at least get a quick, merciful death¡ªripped apart and slaughtered."


    His gaze shifted to the three girls.


    "But the three of you... you won''t be so lucky."


    The air grew eerily still.


    "I imagine you''d become playthings for whatever creatures got their hands on you. If you''re fortunate, you might end up as a demon kin''s toy instead of some mindless beast''s."


    The girls trembled. Their faces went pale.


    Damon continued, his voice void of emotion.


    "A quick and dignified death would be a distant dream. You''d pray for it, but it wouldn''t come. Maybe after a few rounds with a troll or a hobgoblin, you''d finally be granted mercy."


    Xander narrowed his eyes at Damon''s words.


    Evangeline bit her lip.


    "I... I¡ªwe can try negotiating with the demons. I mean, the goddess races have a truce with them at the moment, and most of us here are high nobles..."


    Damon smiled. He knew it would come down to this. He didn''t even want to consider that option, so he had to make them see things his way.


    "You''re correct, but... we''re all trapped here. So are they. Do you really think they''d care about some captives, even if they have huge tits? Wake up and smell the roses, Evangeline. Your status means nothing here."


    Sylvia lowered her head.


    "But we can still negotiate..."


    Damon nodded.


    "We could, but historically¡ªand factually¡ªnegotiations only happen between equals. Even in war, no one wants to negotiate until blows are traded."


    He walked up to the elven girl, his dark eyes locked onto hers.


    "Do you know what happens when we trade blows with them?"


    She nodded slowly, biting her lip.


    Damon looked at her coldly.


    "Say it."


    Her voice was barely a whisper.


    "We... we get killed."


    He smirked, lifting her chin.


    "We get killed," he repeated, his voice ringing out louder this time.


    Xander bit his lip. He looked at Matlock, who was trembling as Damon spoke.


    "We still have other options..."


    Damon nodded.


    "No, we have only one. But fine, let''s explore the next option."


    "The next option is right there."


    He pointed toward the distant mountains¡ªthe nest of the dragon Ashergon. Even from here, the sheer aura of death that radiated from it sent shivers down his spine.


    "Our next option is quite good, actually. Personally, I''d prefer a fiery death. Or maybe getting ripped to pieces by fangs and claws. At least that way, you keep your dignity."


    Damon walked up to Xander, his gaze cold and unwavering.


    "We would never make it past the army of drakes and wyverns that killed most of the demon army. But go ahead. Be my guest."


    Xander gritted his teeth. His fists clenched. Then, with a growl, he shoved Damon back, his hands trembling.


    "All you''re doing is telling us how badly we''ll die. You''re not actually doing anything!"


    Damon ignored him. He turned his attention to Matlock, who was still shivering on the ground.


    Reaching down, he grabbed the boy by the collar and lifted him up with ease.


    "You will definitely die with that attitude. But don''t worry¡ªafter we return, I''ll make you a nice grave and give the academy a decent report."


    Matlock trembled, snot dripping from his nose.


    "H-How can you say that...? D-Do you have a way out?"


    Damon smiled. This Matlock fellow was quite useful¡ªhe had asked the question Damon wanted them all to ask.


    This was a simple psychological trick. If you wanted people to do something, you first suggested something worse. Then, you offered an alternative that seemed much more agreeable¡ªeven if it was still terrible. And they would accept, believing they had made the better choice.


    "As a matter of fact, I do."


    Matlock''s eyes widened. He wasn''t the only one surprised by Damon''s words.


    Leona, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.


    "You have a way out?"


    Damon nodded. He had thought through all the options.


    The option of surrendering to the demon army was too risky. He was a commoner with no status, so even in the slim chance the demons agreed, a nobody like him wouldn''t be important enough for political negotiations. And besides, what he said was technically true¡ªthe demons would just kill them.


    The second option was the dragon''s nest. And honestly, why would they march straight into the lair of a dragon known to destroy cities on a whim? Even if they tried, they would never reach it before the drakes and wyverns tore them apart. At least it would be swift.


    That left only one option¡ªthe unknown.


    Damon turned toward Leona and then toward the dark expanse of the Whispering Forest. Even from here, he could feel the cold sensation of dread creeping in. A fate worse than death awaited them there.


    But in the unknown, there was life.


    "Yes, I do."


    He pointed toward the Whispering Forest.


    "We walk the unknown. We take on the Whispering Forest. We brave the Path of Kings."

 Chapter 234: Burdens Of Leadership

    There was a deep silence after Damon spoke.


    The Whispering Forest.


    Of all the options before them, it was the worst. If they went there, death would be a mercy. They could be turned into one of the horrors that lurked in its depths¡ªcursed, or worse. And yes, something worse could happen to them. Ancient ruins were horrible places.


    Matlock shook his head, tears dripping down his face.


    "We can''t... we just can''t..."


    Damon punched him straight in the face.


    Matlock let out a delicate yelp as he crumpled to the floor, clutching his nose in shock.


    "Our odds are slim," Damon said, his voice cold. "But anywhere else is absolute death. We don''t stand a chance¡ªa group of weak students."


    He gritted his teeth. His dark eyes burned with something unreadable.


    "Our odds are less than three percent." He chuckled bitterly.


    "I never gamble unless I have more than an eighty percent chance of success. However, this time, I''ll just play the hand I''ve been dealt. Maybe this is new to you guys, but this is just my life."


    His gaze swept over them, unyielding.


    "You''re afraid? Fine. Don''t know what to do? Also fine. You''re losing hope, lacking faith? Then put your faith¡ªnot in the goddess, or some other god¡ªput your faith in me. And I''ll walk you through hell."


    The shadows around him deepened, stretching unnaturally across the ground. His presence grew heavier, suffocating.


    "I won''t ask for much. Just put your lives in my hands... and follow me to almost certain death."


    Xander clenched his fists.


    "You want us to place our lives in your hands with no guarantee?"


    Leona sighed. Damon looked done talking. He wouldn''t indulge Xander in an argument.


    "Fine. I''ll place my life in your hands."


    Sylvia smiled thinly. There was more to this situation than the others realized. This was sabotage. Someone wanted Damon dead, and they had all been caught in the crossfire. Or maybe... maybe she was the target. It could be any of them.


    "My life is yours," she said. "Do with it as you please."


    There was a weight to her words that the others didn''t seem to catch.


    Evangeline let out a deep sigh.


    "I don''t know what to do... I can''t act on anything. All I can do is put my faith somewhere else. I choose to put it in you. I will follow you... to the abyss."


    Xander gripped his spear tightly.


    "I would have wished for better options," he muttered. "But if I''m going into a forest of death... I''d rather do it next to the man who burned one to the ground."


    Damon nodded. He had a powerful party now¡ªall of them close to their first class advancement. He would be counting on that. But there was still one more person to consider.


    Matlock.


    For all intents and purposes, Damon would have preferred to leave the young fairy to die. Dead weight. Baggage. But he didn''t have that luxury. If Matlock was going to survive, he would need to be useful.


    "Matlock... make your choice."


    The young fairy trembled.


    "I don''t wanna."


    Damon nodded, as if accepting his answer.


    "Then we''ll leave you to die."


    Matlock''s breath hitched. He shook his head desperately. "No, please don''t¡ª"


    "Then make yourself useful."


    Damon turned away, not waiting for an answer. Matlock never made a choice, never gave Damon his life. And if that was the case, it wasn''t Damon''s responsibility to keep it safe.


    His grip tightened on the dagger as he turned to Sylvia.


    "We need more information about the road to the ruined ancient city."


    Sylvia nodded and approached the goblin.


    The next quarter-hour was grueling.


    Damon worked. Sylvia threw up. Seven times.


    By the end of it, they had extracted all they could. The information wasn''t much¡ªonly a general direction and an overwhelming fear of the Whispering Forest.


    The city was no haven. It was hell. But in that hell, there was hope of salvation.


    And worse¡ªfar worse¡ªwas what they learned from the redcap goblin''s terrified ramblings.


    The demon army had apparently awakened Ashergon from his slumber.


    The dragon was not known for his patience.


    Damon raised his dagger and drove it into the goblin''s eye.


    The redcap''s body convulsed. Warm blood flooded over its red skin, seeping onto Damon''s fingers. Its breath hitched once, then all light left its eyes.


    A system prompt flashed before him.


    [You have slain Redcap Goblin.]


    Damon turned to face his party.


    They were staring at him.


    And in that moment, his position as leader became undisputed.


    Leadership was not a crown of gold. It was a burden. It was fear, horror, and the weight of every decision about to be unleashed.


    "We need to cross the Mountains and reach the Whispering Forest," he said. "Once we''re there, we''ll find the way to the ruined city."


    Xander nodded, his fist clenched. "How do we do that?"


    Damon had already thought of a way.


    "Redcap goblins are a smart group. There''s always a shaman or an intellectual among them. Not to mention, they''re part of a military force with a strict hierarchy."


    Leona blinked. "What does that have to do with our situation?"


    Sylvia held her chin. "He means they would have a map or written records we can steal."


    Damon nodded. "Or someone we can kidnap."


    Matlock''s face paled. "Did you guys forget about the three war trolls? And the fact that the goblins outnumber us?"


    Damon''s expression didn''t change. "That''s why we need a plan. And luckily for us... I have one."


    Xander swung his spear over his shoulders.


    "Please tell me your plan doesn''t involve kidnapping a goblin."


    Damon smiled. "Fine. I won''t tell you."


    Xander groaned. "I feel like I''m going to regret this..." His eyes flicked to the corpses. "And what about these? You said you had a way to get rid of them."


    Damon nodded, glancing at the three goblin carcasses.


    "You guys go. I''ll handle the bodies and throw off any hunting parties."


    He pointed forward. "There''s a huge tree a kilometer and a half in that direction. Wait four minutes for me to catch up."


    Evangeline nodded.


    Sylvia looked at him with a mix of curiosity and concern.


    Leona didn''t need to look¡ªshe trusted him. She grabbed Matlock, pulling him along as the others followed.


    Their shadows stretched out as they moved away.


    Damon turned to his own.


    "Devour them."


    His shadow surged.


    It rose like ink spreading across the ground, swallowing the goblin corpses whole. He felt a familiar system prompt flicker in his mind.


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    Damon exhaled slowly.


    His shadow perception flickered.


    More redcap goblins. Moving in his direction.


    His fingers curled into fists.


    "We just need to survive," he murmured. "I need to survive."


    For a moment, the weight of it all pressed down on him. He let himself feel it. The unease. The exhaustion.


    But only for a moment.


    Because no one else would see it.


    That was the burden of leadership.

 Chapter 235: Respect Given

    Damon rejoined the group about three minutes later than he had agreed to. By the time he arrived, the anxiety in his party had spiked.


    He dived down from a tree, landing smoothly after using the omnidirectional gear to swing his way across. His boots hit the ground with barely a sound as he straightened, glancing at them.


    "I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"


    Evangeline scowled. "I would prefer no news."


    Xander sighed, crossing his arms. He couldn''t blame her, but in this case, it was better to know.


    "What did you find? And did you get rid of the corpses?"


    Damon nodded. "Taken care of. That''s the good news."


    "And the bad?" Xander asked warily.


    Damon opened his palm. "They have our scent. Or rather, the scent of the three ladies here and Matlock."


    The three girls exchanged glances, confused.


    "Hand it over," Damon said.


    Evangeline frowned. "Hand what over?"


    Damon sighed. "The perfume you''re hiding on your person. And any cosmetics."


    Evangeline looked away awkwardly. "You took all our stuff when we were packing."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. "So you''re saying I have to reach into your bosoms and take them myself? Because I will."


    That got a reaction.


    The three girls stiffened before reluctantly pulling out small bottles of perfume and a few cosmetic items. Damon raised an eyebrow as he took them.


    "Huh. You guys actually had some. I was just guessing..." He weighed the number of items in his hands and smirked. "And it''s way more than I thought."


    Leona blinked. "You... you mean you didn''t know?"


    Damon shook his head, pocketing the items.


    Xander watched the exchange with an exhausted sigh. "Now that you have them, what''s your plan?"


    Damon held up one of the vials. "These have a strong scent. The monsters tracking us have even stronger noses. I want to overwhelm them."


    "First, we need to find a river to wash our scent off." His gaze flicked toward the girls. "If we don''t find a body of water, we''ll have to settle for a mud bath."


    They winced in unison.


    Sylvia clutched her hair in horror, already imagining how terrible her white locks would look covered in mud.


    Xander nudged her with his elbow. "Relax. He''s just joking. There''s a small stream not far from here."


    Damon nodded. "Then let''s go. We wash up and grab some supplies."


    Leona arched an eyebrow. "Supplies from where? Our bags? Matlock lost his."


    Damon was already aware. The goblins would likely use that to track them.


    "I know," he said. "That''s why we need to hurry. We don''t have time to waste."


    The stream was the same place Damon had tossed Xander to wake him up. Its water flowed clean and free, though Damon would have preferred they fill up their supplies, they already had enough.


    "If I had enough poison, I''d contaminate the whole thing," he muttered.


    If he did, their enemies wouldn''t have water to drink, and if they did, they''d suffer horribly. But for now, he focused on the task at hand.


    He quickly demonstrated how to wash off their scent, making sure they did it thoroughly. Meanwhile, he and Xander gathered thick mud from the riverbank. Xander had no idea what Damon intended to do with it, but he followed along regardless.


    By the time the girls finished washing, they returned to find Damon and Xander covered in mud, while Matlock stood off to the side, looking less than amused.


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes at the sight. "What are you doing? This isn''t the time for pottery."


    Damon sneered. "You''re just jealous. It''s a nice clay pot."


    Sylvia chuckled. She could tell he was keeping the mood light, but she was curious, too. "Why are you making pots... with clay?"


    Damon glanced at her and decided to explain. "I spotted some hornets not far from here. A lot of them."


    Leona gripped her sword. "And that has to do with this... how?"


    Damon didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he added, "Not just that. There are also sandbox trees nearby. We''re in luck."


    Leona frowned. "I wouldn''t call our situation lucky. If anything, it''s dire."


    Sylvia, however, was already piecing it together. "Sandbox trees are poisonous. Their fruits explode, releasing shrapnel that moves at 150 miles per hour. If it gets in your eyes, it causes blindness."


    Evangeline crossed her arms. "So what? He''s going to use that as a bomb?"


    She wasn''t convinced, but she was starting to understand his line of thinking.


    "Still doesn''t explain the clay pots. And why did you creepily mention hornets?"


    Damon ignored her¡ªor at least he tried to. "I''ll save the rude remarks for later. I don''t like being scolded by Goldie here."


    Evangeline scoffed. "Don''t give me weird nicknames."


    Xander sighed as he helped pat down a clay pot. "This is the same madman who burned down part of the Evil Forest. Whatever he''s planning, it won''t be honorable."


    Damon sneered. "Honorable is surviving."


    He snapped his fingers at Evangeline. "Use your light magic to bake the pots. Oh, and if you break them, I''ll smack you."


    Evangeline rolled her eyes. "What kind of lowlife hits a woman?"


    "Get to it and stop nagging."


    She huffed but did as he asked, channeling her magic into the clay. The heat baked the pots until they hardened. Their shapes were a little malformed, but they were solid enough, with one small opening that could be easily sealed.


    Damon grinned wickedly.


    Leona''s lips twitched. "Erm... correct me if I''m wrong, but you don''t actually plan to trap hornets inside the pots and throw them at the enemy, right?"


    The others turned to him, waiting for an answer.


    Damon shook his head. "Of course not, fool. I''d never disrespect my enemies like that."


    They barely had time to breathe before he added, "I intend to throw the sandbox fruit with the hornet-filled clay pots."


    The party stared at him.


    Ruthless. Maniacal.


    As if the hornets weren''t bad enough.

 Chapter 236: New Mechanic

    Xander heaved, blood running down the side of his head as he sprinted through the forest, chased by a small group of redcap goblins. These goblins were as tall as adult men, with elongated limbs, sinewy muscles, and crimson skin. They wore their signature leather armor and pursued him with savage determination. However, what made things truly dangerous was the goblin mage hurling fireballs and debuff spells at him from behind.


    Gritting his teeth, he dodged another incoming fireball.


    "Damn you, Damon...!"


    He ran as fast as he could, using his spear and floating barriers of gravity magic to shield himself. The goblins, however, were faster, their magically enhanced limbs allowing them to leap with inhuman agility.


    Xander dashed toward a familiar patch of shrubs. The moment he crossed it, he intentionally slowed down, skidding across the ground. To any observer, it would appear as though he had just tripped¡ªbut he knew better.


    The goblins, hot on his heels, charged straight past the shrubs at full speed.


    Then, it happened.


    The leading goblin was abruptly sliced apart, its body separating into clean, precise pieces. The others skidded to a halt in shock as nearly invisible wires shimmered in the air, slicing through anything that passed through them.


    Xander turned back, his eyes scanning the trap Damon had set.


    "How vicious..." he muttered.


    The goblin mage, more cautious than its kin, immediately halted the others. Its sharp, glowing eyes flickered with intelligence as it surveyed the area, searching for more traps.


    Xander couldn''t allow that. He needed to drag the mage into the killing zone¡ªwhatever twisted scheme Damon had devised. He didn''t like it, but he had a role to play.


    Raising his spear, he let out a mocking laugh.


    "Hahaha! Catch me if you can, you lowlife worms!"


    The goblins snarled in anger, but the mage held them back, scanning for danger.


    Xander scoffed and glared at it. "Stupid mage wannabe! Can''t even read, can''t even cast properly. Ugly, too! And dumb!"


    The insults were simple, but they hit their mark. The goblin mage''s eyes burned with fury as it let out a guttural roar and lunged after him.


    Xander turned on his heels and sprinted, his heart pounding.


    Behind him, the remaining goblins exchanged glances, then shrugged before charging after him, murderous intent gleaming in their eyes.


    As Xander ran, a shadow stirred behind him. It spread like ink, slithering across the forest floor toward the fallen goblin corpse.


    The body were devoured¡ªvanishing into the abyssal darkness¡ªbefore the entity zipped forward, following after them.


    It wasn''t long before Xander reached a small clearing in the woods, the goblins still in pursuit. As soon as he arrived, he began slowing down, preparing for battle.


    The moment the goblins entered the clearing, two arrows shot out from the treeline, piercing through one of them instantly. Before the others could react, a deafening bang echoed across the forest¡ªimmediately followed by the head of a goblin exploding as a magic bullet struck it dead-on.


    Damon casually blew away the smoke from his fingertip, glancing toward the treetops where birds scattered from the loud sound.


    ''That should attract more of them here,'' he thought.


    The biggest flaw of the magic bullet spell was its noise. It was far too loud, but it was undeniably effective. Since he had already fired one, he might as well keep going.


    Without hesitation, he leapt from his perch in the trees, dropping directly onto a redcap goblin. The creature reacted swiftly, dodging to the side and slashing at him with a rusted blade. Damon rolled out of the way, his dagger flashing in response as their weapons clashed. The impact forced both of them to stagger, their weapons momentarily knocked off balance.


    The goblin lunged again, but the moment it moved, Damon''s [Beholder''s Gaze] activated, slowing time in his perception. In that brief window, he raised his finger and fired another magic bullet. The goblin barely managed to dodge, retaliating with a powerful kick to his gut.


    Damon coughed, stumbling back as the goblin pounced on him. He caught its arms, the two locked in a struggle. The goblin was strong¡ªtoo strong. It was slowly overpowering him.


    Without hesitation, he activated [5x], increasing his strength fivefold.


    The goblin''s eyes widened in shock as Damon suddenly pushed it off him. Before it could recover, he seized its head and slammed it down onto his knee with brutal force.


    The creature groaned in pain, dazed. That brief moment gave Damon a chance to glance at the battlefield.


    Leona had already cornered and was about to kill another goblin. Meanwhile, Xander, Sylvia, Matlock, and Evangeline had teamed up against the goblin mage.


    Damon tightened his grip on the goblin''s head¡ªand twisted.


    Crack!


    [You have slain Redcap Goblin.]


    He exhaled, glancing at his status. He needed one more kill to reach level 7. As for consuming the corpses... that could wait until no one was looking.


    His true target was the goblin mage.


    [Remorseless] was active, analyzing the creature. Unlike the others, this one was far stronger¡ªit had at least reached its first-class advancement. That was fine. It was still a mage type, which meant its physical strength was lacking.


    Even so, his party was struggling against it. He had to kill it before more goblins arrived, so he could spring his real trap.


    His gaze flicked to Leona, who was still engaged in combat with a goblin.


    "I need to level up..."


    He nocked an arrow, his [Dead Eye] skill locking onto his target.


    The arrow flew past Leona with pinpoint accuracy, embedding itself directly into the goblin''s eye. The creature let out a dying groan before collapsing.


    Leona huffed, barely glancing at him before turning to help with the goblin mage.


    Damon, however, heard a familiar chime.


    [You have slain Redcap Goblin.]


    [You have leveled up.]


    [You have gained 60 attribute points.]


    He paused, waiting. Every time he leveled up, he unlocked a new skill.


    Then, the system continued.


    [You have reached an Inflection Point. You have unlocked a new system mechanic.]


    [You have unlocked System Mechanic: Mastery.]


    [Analyzing your Mastery...]


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. He didn''t have time to explore new mechanics right now. If it was a skill, he could use it immediately¡ªbut if not, it would have to wait.


    Turning away from the notifications, he set his sights on the goblin mage, the sounds of battle thundering around him.

 Chapter 237: Tooth

    Damon would have liked to explore the new system mechanic, but there was no time. He wanted to activate any new powers he had gained, but unlike skills, this wasn''t something that directly affected his body¡ªit was a change to the system panel as a whole. That meant whatever benefits it provided wouldn''t be immediately useful in battle.


    He pushed the thought aside, raising his hand and unleashing several magic bullets toward the goblin mage.


    The goblin reacted swiftly, waving its staff to conjure a translucent barrier.


    Damon clicked his tongue in frustration. "Smart," he muttered. Magic bullets weren''t effective against barriers.


    As if it wasn''t troublesome enough that this thing was a redcap, it just had to be a magic caster on top of that.


    Flames rose behind the goblin mage, the glow reflecting in its frantic eyes as it scanned the battlefield, realizing its allies were already dead.


    Damon sneered. "You may have reached first-rank, but a low-level mage without much in their spell arsenal is still weak. Not to mention, my party is close to their own first-class advancement. We''re more than capable of killing a rank-one monster."


    The goblin snarled in defiance, raising its staff before slamming it into the ground. Three orbs of fire shot forth.


    Xander immediately moved in front of the team, his spear crackling with gravitational magic as a few floating barriers formed around him. The flames struck, but his defenses held firm.


    Damon''s voice rang out. "Leona! Close the distance¡ªhe''s a magic type, he can''t handle melee combat!"


    Leona was already on the move. Her heavy sword crackled with arcs of lightning, the energy snapping through the air as she charged. The wind caught her combat uniform, making it billow around her. Her golden eyes gleamed, her beast-kin ears twisting slightly as she adjusted her focus.


    She swung her sword.


    [Thunder]


    A deafening shockwave erupted from her blade, sending a pulse of sound crashing toward the goblin mage.


    The goblin hastily erected another barrier, its magic barely holding as the force cracked the ground beneath its feet. It sneered triumphantly, thinking it had successfully countered the attack.


    Leona wasn''t done.


    She leapt high into the air, raising her hand as mana surged into her palm, coalescing into a swirling vortex of storm clouds.


    [Storm Call]


    A furious downpour of lightning descended upon the goblin mage, hammering against its barrier. The creature''s expression shifted from confidence to horror as cracks splintered across its magical defense.


    Leona landed with a heavy thud, gripping her greatsword tightly before bringing it down in a devastating overhead swing.


    CRASH!


    The barrier shattered.


    The goblin mage swung its staff in retaliation, striking Leona''s shoulder with a concussive blast of mana.


    She staggered, gritting her teeth as pain flared through her body.


    Before the goblin could retreat, Xander lunged forward. His spear thrust with pinpoint accuracy, gravity magic enhancing his strike as a concentrated blast shot toward the goblin''s chest.


    The attack should have blown its torso apart¡ª


    But at the last second, the goblin twisted, sacrificing its left arm instead.


    Blood splattered the ground as the limb was torn away, yet the goblin endured the pain, its teeth bared in a vicious snarl.


    With its remaining arm, it launched a desperate blast of magic at both Xander and Leona. The explosion sent them tumbling back, crashing into the trees.


    Before the goblin could regain its footing, an arrow streaked through the air.


    It struck the goblin''s shoulder¡ªits tip glowing with lunar energy.


    The moment it made contact, moonlight exploded outward, spreading like wildfire. The goblin roared in agony, its body briefly engulfed in the radiant burst.


    Just as it tried to recover, several beams of light rained down upon it. The goblin twisted and dodged, barely evading, only for Evangeline to descend from above, her rapier flashing in a precise arc.


    Her blade sliced through a small portion of its robe, severing the strap of a hidden pouch. The bag tumbled to the ground.


    The goblin reached out, its expression twisted in desperation as it tried to grab the fallen bag. However, before it could, Damon kicked the bag backward toward Sylvia and immediately fired a round of Magic Bullet at the goblin''s chest.


    The shots hit their mark. The goblin reeled back slightly, coughing, but its body showed little sign of actual damage.


    "Tch."


    Damon clicked his tongue, irritation flashing across his face. Without hesitation, he reached for his daggers and lunged forward, slashing at the goblin.


    The creature swiftly backpedaled, then retaliated with a sharp kick aimed at Damon''s midsection.


    Damon barely dodged¡ª


    And in that instant, the world seemed to slow. His focus sharpened. This was his chance.


    He twisted his body and drove his dagger toward the goblin''s leg.


    The blade pierced flesh.


    The goblin shrieked in agony, immediately rolling backward before launching a desperate blast of fire toward Damon.


    But Sylvia was already in position.


    Before the goblin could fully unleash its attack, arrows whistled through the air, forcing it to raise its staff defensively.


    Matlock followed up, trembling but determined. He waved his hand, releasing spikes of ice that spread across the battlefield, freezing the ground beneath the goblin''s feet.


    The goblin snarled. In a sudden motion, it reached into its robe and flung a hidden blade¡ª


    Straight at Matlock.


    The fairy gasped as the dagger buried itself in his shoulder. A sharp cry escaped him as he collapsed, clutching at the wound.


    The goblin moved to finish him off¡ª


    But Evangeline intercepted, her light magic gleaming as she slashed toward it. The goblin barely rolled away in time, retreating toward the trees, its gaze flickering as if waiting for something.


    Damon''s eyes narrowed.


    It''s stalling.


    "Damn it," he muttered. "We need to end this now. It''s buying time for reinforcements!"


    The goblin seemed to smirk, and in a blur of movement, it lunged¡ª


    Slamming its entire body into Damon, sending him crashing into Evangeline.


    The impact knocked the wind out of both of them.


    In the same moment, the goblin raised its hand, preparing to throw a dagger at Sylvia, who was still at the back¡ª


    A spear came flying.


    THUNK!


    Xander, bleeding from a head wound, had hurled his weapon with all his strength. The spear struck the goblin''s side, pushing it back.


    The creature snarled and began chanting, preparing another spell¡ª


    Leona came crashing down on it with a dropkick.


    CRACK!


    "That''s for throwing me into the damn trees!" she shouted.


    The goblin barely managed to grab her by the throat, choking her before slamming her into the frozen ground.


    Leona gasped, struggling as it loomed over her.


    Its hand grabbed one of the ice spikes protruding from the battlefield.


    It raised the jagged shard, eyes burning with killing intent¡ªready to slice her throat open.


    Matlock, still on the ground, blood pouring from his shoulder, stared in horror.


    Trembling. Frozen. Terrified.


    But in that moment¡ª


    Something changed.


    Tears streamed down Matlock''s face as he clenched his shaking hand, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His mana surged, raw and desperate, coalescing into a single, shimmering spike of ice.


    It hummed in the air.


    Vibrating.


    With a choked roar, Matlock threw everything he had left into it¡ª


    And fired.


    The ice spear tore through the battlefield with a whistling sound¡ª


    And struck the goblin square in the chest.


    The creature coughed, stunned, its glowing red eyes flickering. Slowly, it looked down at the gaping hole in its torso.


    A guttural roar of fury erupted from its throat.


    Ignoring Leona, it staggered forward, gripping the ice spike embedded in its chest, its body trembling from sheer willpower.


    It refused to die.


    With one final burst of strength, the goblin charged at Matlock¡ª


    It would not die without taking at least one of them with it.


    Matlock scrambled back, his limbs weak, his breath coming in terrified gasps. His fingers clawed at the dirt, trying to push himself away, but his body refused to move fast enough.


    The goblin leaped, its remaining arm raised for the kill¡ª


    A flash of black.


    A clean, ripping sound.


    The goblin''s head flew from its shoulders.


    Blood sprayed in an arc before the body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.


    Matlock gasped, staring wide-eyed at the scene before him.


    Damon stood there, his dark eyes unreadable, his arm cloaked in armored shadows. A dagger gleamed in his grip, dripping with fresh blood.


    A low chime echoed in Damon''s mind.


    [You have slain Redcap Goblin Tooth.]

 Chapter 238: Travel Journal

    Damon gasped, lowering himself to check the bleeding, headless corpse of the redcap goblin. He searched its remains but found little of value¡ªjust a few weathered scrolls and some insignificant trinkets.


    Standing up, he turned to Matlock, who had cast the ice blast that finished off the goblin mage. The young fairy bit his delicate, feminine lips before quickly stepping away from the corpse, his wings fluttering uneasily. Damon gave him a nod before shifting his focus elsewhere.


    His eyes scanned the battlefield for the bag the goblin had dropped earlier. He remembered kicking it near Sylvia¡ªand sure enough, it was still there.


    His party was in rough shape, but they had healers. Sylvia was the best, her healing magic gentle and efficient, while Evangeline''s was more aggressive¡ªalmost like purification rather than simple restoration. Sylvia was already tending to Xander, who seemed to be the most injured, alongside Leona. Being front-line fighters, they had taken the worst of the damage. Next would be Damon himself and Evangeline, though she could heal herself if needed. Matlock, lacking a fixed position in the party, had still taken injuries, and Evangeline was already tending to him.


    Time was short.


    Damon grabbed the bag the redcap goblin¡ªcalled Tooth¡ªhad dropped and quickly unfastened it. Inside, he found several scrolls. He flipped them open one by one, but they were mostly low-grade spell scrolls, cheaply crafted from animal skin. He rifled through the contents with growing impatience until his fingers brushed against something different¡ªa crude, hand-drawn map.


    It was difficult to interpret, the ink smudged and lines uneven, but it was still a map.


    Next, he pulled out a tattered book that barely held together. Damon flipped it open, but most of the pages were damaged¡ªeither torn or too faded to read. Yet, as he skimmed through, his breath nearly caught in his throat.


    The handwriting was undoubtedly human. And the first line was a prayer.


    "Praise be to the Goddess as we begin this mighty undertaking. We have crossed the Duhu Mountain Range and have now reached the Forest of Whispers. I pray we do not become one of them..."


    Damon''s grip on the book tightened.


    This was a travel journal¡ªone belonging to someone who had ventured into the Whispering Forest. More importantly, it contained mentions of the ruined city and the Path of Kings.


    Flipping through the thick volume, he found that most pages were filled with records, though some had been lost to time. Near the very back, there was another map. The ink was faded and some sections were completely illegible, but enough remained to make out a few crucial details.


    This book was their hope.


    Without hesitation, Damon tucked it into his supply bag and secured it.


    Ignoring the pain coursing through his body, Damon reinspected the traps, spreading his shadow perception outward to anticipate where the next wave of enemies might emerge. His gaze drifted toward the mountains in the distance¡ªthe Duhu Mountains, as he now knew them to be called. It was time for his party to move.


    Their pursuers would inevitably trigger the traps, and when they did, he wouldn''t even need to see their faces.


    He swung the bag over his shoulder and turned to his party.


    "You all have five minutes to catch your breath. Eat if you can, because once we start moving, we won''t stop until I say so."


    Xander, already healed, leaned back against a tree, sipping from his waterskin.


    "And how long do we hike?"


    Damon''s eyes remained fixed on the looming mountains. They appeared deceptively close, but he knew better. If they were lucky, the journey would take two days. If obstacles arose¡ªand they would¡ªfive days at best.


    "Until we reach that mountain," he replied flatly. "Save your energy. It''s an endurance race. We''ll be hunted by at least twenty redcap goblins, three war trolls, and¡ªif our luck is bad, which it will be¡ªa lesser demon or two might track us."


    He turned slightly, his gaze shifting southwest.


    "Or worse... we might all die by dragon''s breath if Ashergon wakes up before we leave."


    Evangeline''s fingers trembled slightly, while Leona''s ears twitched at the mention of the name.


    Xander sighed, glancing at Matlock, who had long since stopped crying, having resigned himself to their grim reality.


    Sylvia stepped up to Damon, her expression filled with concern as she studied him. His body was covered in bruises and dried blood, his arm swollen from an earlier impact.


    "You should sit down. Let me heal you."


    Damon gave a small nod, accepting her help. He needed to be in peak condition for what lay ahead.


    Sylvia knelt beside him, releasing a gentle stream of lunar-attribute magic. A cool, refreshing sensation washed over his body as the magic worked through his wounds, easing his pain.


    As she healed him, Damon pulled out the book he had found earlier.


    "I guess we got lucky," he muttered. "That goblin mage had everything we needed¡ªa map and, even better, a travel journal."


    Leona glanced at the weathered old tome, her brows furrowing.


    "I didn''t know goblins were that sophisticated."


    Evangeline, who had finished tending to Matlock, walked over and picked up the book. She flipped through its fragile pages, her eyes narrowing.


    "I can barely make out anything. It''s too faded..." She shot Damon a doubtful look. "The information is too broken. Incomplete knowledge can be more dangerous than knowing nothing¡ªespecially where we''re going."


    Damon nodded. He understood that risk well enough. But even so, this was an edge they couldn''t afford to ignore.


    "We''ll try to learn as much as we can. I''m not saying to trust the book¡ªjust use it as a reference point," he said. "Now catch your breath. We move out soon."


    The others nodded, falling silent as they mentally prepared for the journey ahead.


    Damon sat with them, inspecting their supplies while they rested. Sylvia, having exhausted herself healing him, remained by his side. Without a word, she leaned her head against his shoulder.


    Normally, he might''ve pushed her away¡ªlike he would have done before. But this time, he just let her be.


    With the few minutes he had left, he turned his attention to the new system mechanic.


    He opened the system panel and focused on the newly unlocked section.


    [Mastery]

 Chapter 239 239: Mastery

    [Mastery] was the new system mechanic Damon had unlocked. It was his reward for reaching level 7¡ªreplacing the usual level-up skill with something entirely different. He certainly hoped it was worth it.


    His last major reward had been Ashborn, a power that allowed him to wield flames capable of devouring both body and soul. It was terrifyingly effective, especially since those consumed by his fire would also be counted as having been devoured by his shadow¡ªor so Lilith had claimed. He hadn''t tested it yet, though. The idea of experiencing tenfold the pain of burning alive wasn''t exactly appealing.


    He scrolled down his system panel, noting the section still marked [Locked]. The [Locked] function was still there, which meant there were more features yet to be unlocked.


    "Maybe the [Quest] feature," he mused. "The system has never given me one, so maybe I need to unlock it first."


    He refocused on [Mastery], zooming in as more details appeared on the interface.


    [Mastery]


    The Mastery Mechanic provides organic growth while maintaining balance. It rewards practice, battle experience, and strategy.


    "Mastery grows with every action¡ªtrain, and your hands will remember; fight, and your instincts will sharpen. The more you wield a blade, cast a spell, or craft with passion, the greater your control becomes. Defeating enemies strengthens the skills you use, and overcoming specialists may grant you a glimpse of their expertise. Growth is steady through practice, swift through battle, and endless for those who seek to refine themselves. Every strike, every spell, every lesson¡ªcarving your path, shaping your legend."


    Damon sighed. The system was being vaguely poetic, as usual, but he had gotten used to its cryptic nature.


    From what he could infer, [Mastery] was essentially a way for him to track and develop his abilities. The more he used a skill, the better he became at it. If he fought a swordmaster, he might gain some of their expertise. If he dueled a mage, he could absorb fragments of their knowledge. Training, battle, pain¡ªall of it contributed to his growth.


    More importantly, Mastery could evolve, allowing his abilities to transform into stronger, more advanced versions over time.


    He scanned his available [Mastery] list.


    Before he could go further, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.


    "What are you looking at, Damon?"


    Sylvia''s voice.


    He glanced at her, still leaning against his shoulder, her White hair brushing against his arm.


    "Nothing," he muttered, shaking his head.


    Pushing himself up, he turned to the others. "Pack up and get moving. I''ll get rid of the bodies and catch up."


    The group groaned, clearly not having rested enough, but they obeyed.


    Damon exhaled, rolling his shoulders. They didn''t have a choice. The hunt had already begun.


    Damon glanced at Evangeline as he threw her his supply bag.


    "Don''t wait for me... I''ll catch up in at most half a day. Keep heading for the Duhu Mountains."


    Evangeline bit her lip but nodded reluctantly.


    Sylvia, however, shook her head.


    "No. I disagree¡ªI can stay with you."


    "Sylvia," he said sternly, shaking his head. "I can move faster alone."


    She bit her lip, hesitating, until Leona tapped her shoulder.


    "Don''t worry. Damon is sneaky¡ªhe''ll catch up," she reassured her, though there was a hint of worry in her gaze. "Right?"


    He nodded.


    His party left, occasionally glancing back at him. Damon sighed. He needed to deal with the corpses of the four goblins they had ambushed and ensure their traps worked. By now, every goblin in the area would be on the way.


    His shadow stretched outward, spreading like a pool of darkness.


    [You have gained 5 Attribute Points.]


    [You have gained 5 Attribute Points.]


    [You have gained 5 Attribute Points.]


    His shadow reached for the goblin mage, swallowing it whole.


    [You have gained 15 Attribute Points.]


    [Mastery: Basic Magic +6]


    The moment the system notification appeared, Damon felt a shift¡ªhis understanding of Basic Magic had grown slightly. He blinked, taken aback for a brief second.


    His gaze flickered over his stats. That brought his total Attribute Points to 115. He decided to distribute them immediately.


    30 points into Endurance. He would need as much stamina as possible.


    85 points into Speed. Fighting here was a fool''s errand¡ªhe needed to be fast enough to escape when necessary.


    He opened his system panel. He still had time before the enemy arrived, and he wanted to assess his stats and Mastery.


    [HP: 112/150]


    [Mana: 14,084/14,084]


    [Strength: 134]


    [Agility: 57]


    [Speed: 185] (+85)


    [Endurance: 65] (+30)


    [Class: ¡ª]


    [Shadow: 678]


    [Shadow Hunger Level: 2%]


    [Shadow Level: 7]


    [Condition: Shadow is Full]


    [Attribute: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze] [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn]


    [Mastery:]


    [Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv1] [Survival Lv3] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv2] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv2] [Trap Lv2] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv2] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv1] [Mana Control Lv1] [Magic Bullet Lv1]


    [Locked]


    His Shadow Energy was at 678, but he was burning through it fast. He needed a permanent solution before it became a problem.


    Damon scanned his current Mastery list. Each one was a reflection of his life¡ªhis Etiquette was at level 3 because his mother had ingrained it into him. Swordsmanship was only level 1, since he had learned the basics from his father before being forced to survive on his own. Survival was at level 3, and for good reason¡ªhe was like a honey badger: tough to kill.


    Most of his skills came from the streets, picked up through necessity. Magic Bullet, however, was different. It was a spell he had created himself. It was only level 1 now, but he could already imagine how powerful it would become over time.


    He exhaled, his Shadow Perception picking up movement in all directions.


    They were coming.


    He needed to funnel them into one spot.


    Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the perfumes and cosmetics he had taken from the girls earlier. Walking to the tree line, he set up a makeshift scarecrow, drenching it in perfume before slicing a rope, sending it dangling from the branches.


    The scent scattered through the air, spreading over the area.


    "That should keep them searching."


    By the time they realized there was nothing there, most of them would be gathered in one place¡ªright in time for the hornets and Sandwood fruit to do the rest.


    With a final glance around, he raised his hand. His Omnidirectional Gear shot into the trees, propelling him upward. Within seconds, he was gone, leaving no trace behind.

 Chapter 240 240: War Trolls

    Not long after Damon departed, an organized group of goblins arrived, led by three war trolls. The goblins at the front were scouts and trackers, moving with practiced caution.


    The scouts stepped over shrubs, reaching the small clearing, their bones sensitive to even the faintest changes in the air. As soon as they sniffed the air, they recoiled in disgust.


    "Kekekeke! Tertetetete... stink... eeeeiiie!"


    They screeched in irritation, their gnarled fingers pointing toward the tree line. The strong scent of perfume in the air overwhelmed their sensitive noses.


    Some of the scouts turned their attention to the battlefield where their brethren had been slain. Their eyes darted over the bloodstains and battle scars left behind¡ªyet there were no corpses. The bodies had vanished, leaving only the remnants of a struggle.


    Realizing something was wrong, they quickly retreated to the three war trolls standing nearby to make their report.


    The war trolls were monstrous in size, towering over the goblins at nearly three meters tall. Their explosive muscles bulged beneath their pale brown skin, which was covered in loincloths and crude armor¡ªa battered heart guard and thick shoulder plates barely held together by rusted chains.


    Each troll wielded a massive club, except for the one in the center, who gripped a huge battle axe in its enormous hands. Despite their savage appearance, there was intelligence gleaming behind their menacing eyes.


    They weren''t just brutes.


    They were thinking. Calculating.


    And now, they were hunting.


    The leader of the war trolls stepped into the clearing, his massive frame casting a shadow over the smaller goblins. His nostrils flared as he sniffed the air, his sharp senses analyzing the battlefield. His gaze locked onto something dangling from the trees¡ªDamon''s scarecrow.


    With a powerful leap, he snatched it from the air, bringing it close to his face to inspect it. His thick brow furrowed in confusion before his expression twisted in disgust.


    A sickly-sweet wave of perfume and cosmetics assaulted his nostrils.


    "Grraaaagh!" he snarled in fury, crushing the scarecrow in his powerful grip.


    That single act triggered a devastating chain reaction.


    A clay pot hidden inside the scarecrow shattered, releasing a swarm of angry hornets. The first thing the enraged insects saw was the war trolls and goblins.


    The goblins shrieked as the swarm attacked without hesitation, their stingers piercing flesh and sending them into a frenzied panic. The trolls, though more resistant, still staggered under the sheer number of venomous stings.


    But that wasn''t the worst of it.


    As the leader yanked the scarecrow''s remains, he unintentionally pulled a rope, setting off another trap. Branches cracked and snapped above them, sending down a massive cluster of sandwood fruits.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    Each fruit exploded on impact, its seeds blasting outward at 150 mph, ripping into goblin flesh like miniature bullets. Goblins screamed, scrambling for cover, but there was none to be found.


    And then the logs fell.


    Massive spiked logs, disguised among the trees, swung down like battering rams. Some goblins were crushed instantly, their bodies splattered against the ground. Others were impaled, writhing in agony as blood pooled beneath them.


    The war troll leader, Tusk, waved his hand in irritation, swatting at the hornets buzzing around his face. Their stings left deep welts, but his regeneration was already closing them.


    The explosions finally subsided, leaving behind a battlefield of wounded, dying, and furious goblins.


    But the war trolls weren''t as weak as their underlings.


    They were enraged.


    One of the goblins, in a desperate bid to escape the chaos, sprinted past Tusk. Bad idea.


    A massive hand shot out, grabbing the goblin by the torso. The red-skinned creature flailed in terror, his limbs kicking uselessly in the air.


    Tusk brought the goblin to his face, his massive fangs bared.


    "Tusk angry at you. Stupid. Tusk not happy at all..."


    The goblin whimpered, its red skin paling in terror.


    Before it could beg for mercy, Tusk squeezed.


    CRUNCH.


    The goblin''s bones shattered, its organs bursting between Tusk''s massive fingers like overripe fruit. He let the remains slop onto the ground, irritated.


    He scratched his head, deep in thought.


    "Tooth smart goblin dead. Lost book he had." His massive brow furrowed in frustration.


    "Tusk can''t return to demon camp without book. We must find it now."


    Another troll, Huge, sniffed the air and grunted.


    "Huge no find scent. But see... human footprints."


    Tusk''s eyes gleamed with hatred.


    "Yes... Goddess races here."


    His grip tightened on his axe, his thick fingers leaving indentations in the weapon''s hilt.


    "We must hunt and kill. No matter what."


    The third troll, who had remained silent, walked toward the bloodstains left behind.


    "Hand... confused." His voice rumbled like a distant avalanche.


    "Why no bodies? No dead here. Only blood." His narrowed eyes flicked toward Tusk.


    "Think Goddess races eat smart goblin and others?"


    Tusk shook his head. "No. Goddess races no eat without fire. No signs of heat."


    His gaze swept over the ruins of their forces¡ªthe clever traps, the calculated destruction.


    "Yes... work of very smart Goddess race person."


    He gripped his axe tightly, a flicker of memory flashing through his dark, seething mind.


    "Goddess races..."


    His rage boiled over.


    Tusk threw back his head and roared into the sky, his voice shaking the very trees.


    "ENEMIES! WE HUNT! WE KILL! WE NEVER FORGIVE EVIL GODDESS RACE!"


    His eyes burned¡ªnot just with anger, but with something deeper.


    Grief.


    A sorrow that had long since hardened into hatred.


    Huge, wiping blood from his face, frowned. "What about book? We find, not report to demons?"


    Tusk''s glare darkened.


    WHAM!


    He punched Huge in the face, sending the troll staggering back.


    "We chase Goddess race. We hunt." His voice was low, growling.


    "What demon not know, no hurt demon."


    His eyes gleamed cruelly. "We no get punished too."


    Huge rubbed his jaw, then slowly grinned.


    "We call remaining goblins. We hunt."


    The war trolls raised their weapons, a dark, twisted joy gleaming in their eyes. They were ready.


    Even as the hornets continued tearing into the surviving red-cap goblins, it did nothing to diminish their excitement.


    They were about to begin a hunt.


    For Damon.


    For his party.


    And they wouldn''t stop until every last one was dead.


    ¡ª


    Not far away, a shadow moved.


    It slipped silently through the trees, darting in the direction Damon and his party had fled.


    Perched on a high branch, Damon clicked his tongue.


    He had been watching everything through his shadow.


    His dark eyes narrowed.


    ''Tch. A shame I didn''t have time to set up fire traps. I would''ve burned them all.''


    Still... his work had been effective.


    The traps had killed or crippled most of the goblins. And while the trolls were still alive, at least he''d bought them time.


    But now, they had a much bigger problem.


    The war trolls were hunting them.


    And these weren''t just any trolls.


    They were veterans of the Demon Wars.


    They had a burning hatred for any race that worshiped the Goddess.


    And worse?


    That damn journal.


    Damon''s gaze darkened.


    The journal they had looted from the Redcap Goblin Mage was important to the trolls.


    Which meant it was even more important to the demon army behind them.


    ''Evangeline has it now...'' He exhaled slowly. ''I need to catch up.''


    His eyes flicked back toward the trolls.


    At best, his traps had bought them a day.


    At worst?


    He was certain they wouldn''t be that lucky.

 Chapter 241 241: Just Us Guys

    Damon caught up to his party, swinging over branches and trees with effortless speed. His movements were fluid, his body adjusting naturally to each leap and twist. The omnidirectional gear made traversal seamless, and his parkour skills allowed him to vault over obstacles with ease.


    As he landed next to Evangeline, he snatched his bag without a word. She eyed him for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh of relief.


    Damon glanced at them all, offering a thin smile. "I''ve got good news and bad news."


    Evangeline gave a small, weary smile. "I''d prefer no news at all."


    Damon chuckled. At least the mood wasn''t too heavy. He didn''t want them overcome with fear.


    "The good news is there are no lesser demons¡ªyet. And some of the goblins are dead or injured," he said, adjusting his bag. "The bad news? There are three war trolls, and they already hate us. I imagine we''ve got a day, at most, before they catch up."


    He waved his hand at them, urging them forward. "Let''s go. I''ll explain on the way."


    Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the weathered travel journal, its pages worn with age. He handed it to Sylvia.


    "Read as much as you can. This book is important to them, which means they''ll do whatever it takes to get it back¡ªand kill us in the process."


    Sylvia frowned, flipping through the brittle pages. "It''s old... and difficult to read, but I''ll try my best to transcribe and make a copy we can use."


    Damon nodded. He took a breath, focusing his will, and ordered his shadow to detach discreetly from his body, sending it ahead to scout beyond the range of his perception. The dark form gave a slight nod before slipping away, vanishing into the underbrush.


    With that, their march began. The sun inched toward the horizon, casting long shadows as they moved deeper into the forest. They advanced with cautious efficiency, keeping their formation tight and their weapons ready. Every step was calculated¡ªtracks were covered, scents were masked, and false trails were left behind to mislead any pursuers.


    Navigating unfamiliar terrain while maintaining these precautions was mentally exhausting. The looming pressure of being hunted by war trolls and goblins weighed heavily on them, each of them feeling the invisible noose tightening around their necks.


    Despite the fatigue setting in, Damon made them gather small branches and twigs along the way, collecting materials as they moved. He even managed to take down two wild rabbits with his bow, ensuring they had food for later.


    Even then, fear gnawed at their hearts, pushing them forward.


    By the time the sun dipped behind the trees, Damon signaled for a stop at a small clearing near a river. The moment he gave the order, his companions collapsed to the ground, exhaustion overtaking them.


    Damon glanced at the group, his face weary and streaked with dust, leaves, and the occasional smear of mud. He took a slow sip from his waterskin before speaking.


    "I wouldn''t advise that. Start building a fire using dry wood. Wet or damp wood will create smoke, and that''s as good as telling them where we are. We cook, warm up, then put the fire out once we''re done. No lights after that."


    Leona groaned, raising her hand lazily. "Err... Damon, why do we have to cook these rabbits? Why not just eat our rations?"


    The others murmured in agreement, their exhaustion evident.


    Damon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We need to save the rations. We don''t know when we''ll get another chance to prepare food. For all we know, we might be running day and night. If we lose those rations, and we don''t run into anything edible, we''ll be going hungry."


    Leona sighed, flopping onto her back. She couldn''t argue with that logic.


    Nearby, Sylvia shifted awkwardly, her legs twitching as if she wanted to say something but couldn''t bring herself to.


    Damon''s patience was wearing thin. He eyed her. "What is it now?"


    Sylvia hesitated, looking around as if checking for something. Then she shook her head quickly. "No... nothing..."


    Damon frowned, watching her closely. Then he noticed her uneasy glances around the area and sighed. He finally understood the problem.


    "Alright. Party break. I need to take a piss. Boys on one side, girls on the other. Stay together, and if there''s trouble, holler."


    Sylvia''s expression of relief was immediate. Evangeline also seemed grateful, standing up with the other girls and heading off together.


    Matlock got up and followed after them.


    Damon raised an eyebrow. "Matlock, where are you going? The boys go the other way."


    Matlock froze mid-step, clearly caught off guard. "Ahh... yeah... right." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "My... my bad."


    Damon sighed, glancing at Xander. "Go with him. I''ll set up the fire. We rest for a few hours, then move until sunset."


    Xander groaned, stretching. "Very well, then. I''ll be his bodyguard. I need to go too."


    Matlock paled, shaking his head. "No... I can go alone..."


    Damon arched a brow and looked at Xander. "Dude, don''t be shy. It''s just us guys here. He may look like a degenerate, but he won''t pounce on you."


    Xander clicked his tongue. "You look far more suspicious than me."


    Matlock shook his head frantically. "No, no, please! I want to go alone!"


    Damon stroked his chin. "You sure? There might be monsters out there..."


    Matlock stiffened, his face paling. Tears welled up in his eyes. "I... I... I..."


    Damon sighed. "Fine. You can go behind the trees. Xander and I will look the other way if you''re shy. But between the three of us, there''s nothing to hide."


    Xander rolled his eyes. "You sure made him comfortable."


    Matlock wasted no time sprinting behind the trees, carefully peeking out to make sure Damon and Xander weren''t looking. He let out a deep sigh of relief before crouching down, still staying close enough not to be left alone.

 Chapter 242 242: Advance Or Die

    The fire crackled softly, its light pushing back the deep darkness of the forest. Shadows danced across the trees as the warm glow flickered against the slumbering figures of the youth wrapped in their sleeping bags. Their breaths were steady, almost noiseless, blending with the distant cries of nocturnal creatures lurking at the forest''s edge.


    Underneath a gnarled tree, just beyond the light''s reach, a young man sat in the darkness, an old, worn-out book resting in his hands. His sharp eyes occasionally drifted toward his sleeping companions. He was the night''s watchman, keeping guard while the others rested.


    Damon sighed. He would have preferred to put out the fire after cooking, but the night was cold, and his companions¡ªbeing nobility¡ªwere unused to braving the elements. Letting them suffer would only lead to complaints and lowered morale.


    Earlier, they had discussed the possibility of the academy sending a rescue party. But they had long since discarded those hopes. No one would cross the gravity anomaly, nor would they risk venturing near the lair of the dragon Ashergon. Even the Whispering Forest itself was dangerous enough to deter any would-be saviors.


    For all intents and purposes, they were on their own.


    Still, they were alive, and they had direction. Damon glanced down at his bracelet, which tracked their kills and party contributions. If, by some miracle, this feedback ever reached the academy, it would serve as proof that they had survived.


    But for now, they were just lost children... with parents somewhere in the world worrying about them.


    "Well... except me. I don''t have any parents to worry."


    His fingers absently reached for the locket around his neck. It was his mother''s. Though she was long gone, his sister still wanted him back. He squeezed the locket gently before opening it. Inside was a small, faded picture¡ªone that had been worn with time but still clear enough to make out. A woman with black hair stood beside two children, both with golden locks. The boy was clearly his mother''s brother, while the young girl had a familiar look in her eyes...


    His mother, she looked beautiful even as a child.


    Damon stared at the image for a long time, lost in thought.


    He snapped the locket shut, forcing himself to push aside thoughts that wouldn''t help their survival.


    His eyes dropped back to the journal, but the more he read, the deeper the sense of dread coiled in his gut. Their next objective¡ªthe Duhu Mountains¡ªwas a death trap if they didn''t follow the rules.


    One rule stood out above all. Do not venture into the Duhu Mountains at all.


    And if you do.


    Do not stray from the path.


    He bit his lip. Not like we have a choice...


    They were being hunted. Enemies lurked everywhere, and if they wanted to survive, they had to keep moving.


    Damon had already sent his shadow to scout ahead, extending his Shadow Perception to monitor their surroundings within a two-kilometer radius. So far, no immediate threats were near, but that wouldn''t last, the goblins and troll were nocturnal, they could hunt at night far better than humans.


    Closing the journal, he shifted his gaze to his system screen. The level-up requirement made his stomach twist.


    [Level Up Requirement:]


    [War Troll Consumed [0/1]


    Damon exhaled sharply. War trolls were monsters¡ªthree meters tall, regenerative, and resistant to magic. They could wipe out an entire party alone. And he needed to consume one to level up?


    "Ridiculous," he muttered, shaking his head.


    He had a feeling the system wanted him dead this time, there was no doubt about it.


    He flipped to the map at the back of the journal. They had to stay on the trail no matter what. Wandering off in the Duhu Mountains was a death wish. And beyond that lay the Whispering Forest, where there were no rules¡ªonly death.


    ''We won''t survive unless we reach First-Class Advancement.''


    Technically, everyone in the group had already reached the threshold for advancement. All they needed was an opportunity¡ªor a real battle¡ªto push them over the edge.


    By obtaining a class their paths would be fixed and their power would grow, only then would they have a fighting chance.


    "If I were suicidal, I''d charge at a war troll and try to advance mid-fight," he mused darkly.


    The problem? That was more likely to get him killed than anything else.


    Damon stared into the fire, deep in thought, when he felt it¡ªa low tremor beneath his hands.


    His head snapped up. The sky to the east pulsed with a faint violet light.


    The gravity anomaly moved again.


    His brows furrowed as realization struck. He quickly unfurled a map, scanning the shifting territories. A sharp inhale left his lips.


    The anomaly was shrinking in a semi-circle.


    If they didn''t reach the Duhu Mountains in two days, they''d be trapped¡ªforced to cross near the dragon''s nest.


    He bit back a curse, glancing at the others. They had slept enough. Just as he raised his hand to wake them, the air shifted¡ªa violent, hot gust rushing down from the mountains.


    Then came the sound.


    A deep, ear-splitting roar.


    The dragon''s roar.


    The trees shuddered, and the sleeping figures shot awake, pale-faced and trembling.


    Matlock held his delicate ear covering them and holding back a scream..


    Sylvia clutched her arms, staring in horror toward the ruined mountains to the southwest.


    "Wh... what was that?"


    Damon''s eyes narrowed.


    "Ashergon."


    The dragon was waking up.


    "Pack up. Now."


    His Shadow Perception flared outward. Four goblin scouts were creeping toward them from the northeast, unaware of how close they were.


    "We need to move. We have company."


    Damon shouldered his pack, shoving the others forward as they packed up their stuff.


    They ran.


    As the sun began to rise, casting dim orange light over the horizon, Damon''s voice cut through the cold morning air.


    "Run. Run until midday. Then we stop for water and rest.


    We reach that mountain by noon tomorrow¡ªor we die."

 Chapter 243 243: The Long March

    Leona huffed, forcing air from her lungs. She knew she had to keep her breath steady if she wanted to keep up with their relentless march. Even so, she felt her lungs burning, her legs itching with strain. She had been using magic to enhance her body, but even with that, they had been running since before sunrise. The terrain was rough, the forest riddled with rocky slopes and uneven ground.


    The faint morning breeze brushed against her skin, but noon had never felt farther away. She tightened her grip on her supply bag, adjusting the weight on her back as she vaulted over a shrub.


    "Faster... the first wave of goblins is catching up to us," Damon''s cold voice cut through the sound of their hurried footsteps.


    He led them at a relentless pace, carrying an extra supply bag over his shoulder. His gaze flicked toward the sky, where Matlock, the fairy, hovered just above the tree line. Though his wings had recovered, he dared not fly too high¡ªpredators lurked in the skies.


    Damon drew his bow, nocking an arrow in a single, fluid motion.


    "Matlock, get back down here¡ªwe''ve got a swarm of air wasps incoming."


    Matlock dove, his delicate form weaving through the branches until he floated beside Damon. Sweat beaded on Damon''s forehead as he kept his stride, his breathing controlled but strained.


    "How far are the goblins?" he asked between breaths.


    Matlock nodded, his lips pursed, voice as androgynous as ever.


    "They got caught up in the wild bear cave, just as you planned. Leaving behind a false scent worked¡ªthey were slowed down, but..."


    Damon cut him off. "Judging by the dying roars, the trolls must have killed the bear. Which means they''re back on our trail."


    Matlock nodded grimly.


    Damon''s gaze snapped to Sylvia as he vaulted past a tree stump. "Sylvia, have you charted our route?"


    The elf girl huffed, sweat beading on her forehead. "Based on the map you made of the region, we can''t avoid the monsters ahead. We could run past the murky quicksand, but the sand crawlers might attack us. Other routes are feasible, but risky."


    Damon shook his head. "No. We take the sand crawlers. We''ll move through the trees¡ªit''s safer. Any other route would take too long, and we risk the trolls catching up. It''s better for goblins to catch up¡ªwe can kill them."


    He turned to Leona, who was running slightly behind, keeping pace with Xander. A heavy sword was strapped to her back along with her supply bag.


    "Did you pick up any scents in the wind?"


    She gave a breathy, confident smirk. "Nothing much¡ªjust the stench of dirty goblins. Their scouts are close. They''ve been through here before, so they know how to navigate the obstacles and monsters."


    Damon nodded. Without hesitation, he fired his omnidirectional gear into a tree, pulling himself up in a swift motion. Perching on a thick branch, he took a deep breath, holding his side as his chest rose and fell heavily.


    "Evangeline, Xander, take point. We''ve got monsters incoming. Matlock, fall back with Sylvia. Leona¡ªprotect them."


    Damon swung into the trees, his voice cutting through the dense canopy.


    "It''s an Earth Boar! Don''t fight it¡ªour goal is to evade!"


    His command was sharp, practiced.


    "Use the usual tactics. Ready¡ªcontact in twelve seconds."


    "Got it!" the others answered in unison.


    Damon nodded, launching himself over the treetops with precise, fluid movements. As he spun through the air, he drew his bow, eyes locking onto a seemingly unremarkable boulder on the forest floor. But he knew better.


    The arrow he pulled from his quiver was hollow-tipped. As he nocked it, the wind howled past him, and his Dead Eye skill activated¡ªhis target marked instantly.


    He released the arrow. It whistled sharply through the air before striking true.


    A monstrous growl erupted from below. The "boulder" had never been a rock¡ªit was the Earth Boar itself, a beast over four meters tall, its thick hide camouflaged to blend into the terrain. The arrow had buried itself into its eye, and now it thrashed in agony.


    Damon remained calm even as he plummeted toward the ground.


    Before he could land, Xander burst from the treeline, spear in hand, gravity magic pulsing around him. Without hesitation, he slammed the weapon into the boar''s head, the impact so powerful it lifted part of the beast''s massive body off the ground.


    In that instant, two more arrows shot into its remaining eye, followed by an ice blast slamming into its nose, freezing part of its snout.


    The boar''s enraged roar shook the trees.


    Then¡ª


    A heavy sword carved into its side, forcing its enormous body downward, toppling several trees in the process.


    Damon landed on a thick branch, already assessing their next move.


    "Hurry! Keep moving while it''s disoriented!" His voice was firm, urgent. "I''ll leave the goblins'' scent here¡ªonce it recovers, it''ll slow them down."


    Leona''s sword crackled with electricity, her eyes flashing with battle hunger. "We can kill it!"


    Damon shook his head. "No. It''s not that damaged, and we need to conserve our strength. This is an endurance run. We have to reach the Duhu Mountains before noon tomorrow. Keep moving¡ªnow hurry!"


    Evangeline grabbed Leona''s wrist, pulling the battle-thirsty beastkin forward. As Damon leaped down, he casually dropped a goblin''s severed ear near the blinded, enraged Earth Boar.


    A cold smile tugged at his lips as he watched birds scatter from the distant trees.


    The goblin scouts were close.


    When they caught up, they''d be greeted by an angry, wounded Earth Boar. A beast of its rank would recover quickly¡ªand then it would rampage.


    Damon exhaled and leaped from his branch. Midair, he took a sip from his water pouch, activating his [5x] Skill the moment its cooldown wore off. The effect surged through his body, enhancing his endurance fivefold.


    The moment his feet hit the ground, he took off at full speed, catching up to the others.


    "Keep moving! We rest at noon! We''re almost there¡ªjust another half-hour!" He pointed toward a massive tree canopy in the distance. "We can make it there¡ªit''s secluded enough to hide us while we recover!"


    They pushed forward, morale barely holding.


    They were being hunted.


    But Damon would make sure they survived.

 Chapter 244 244: Soft Sand

    The sounds of heavy, labored breaths filled the air as a group of exhausted youths lay sprawled beneath the dense canopy of an ancient tree, gasping for air. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, their damp hair clinging to their skin. Every muscle in their bodies burned from hours of relentless running, evading both the monsters in their path and the goblins and war trolls that pursued them.


    Sylvia coughed, choking on the water she was drinking. Damon, sitting beside her, reached out and gently rubbed her back.


    "Slowly... take it easy. We still have some time."


    She nodded weakly, tilting her head back to rest against the cool ground, her gaze drifting toward the shifting shadows of the towering trees. Around her, the entire group radiated exhaustion and tension. None of them spoke, but their expressions revealed the weight of their situation¡ªthis chase had no end in sight.


    Xander, leaning against his supply bag, finally broke the silence.


    "How long do we have to rest?"


    Damon took a slow sip from his water pouch, his throat parched, his side aching. His body was screaming at him¡ªhis muscles felt like they were on fire.


    "Not long." He exhaled.


    "We could stay longer, but if we do, we''ll run into the goblin scouts near the sand crawlers. That would mean fighting on the treetops. One mistake, and we fall straight into quicksand¡ªand get devoured."


    He leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes, trying to catch even a moment of rest.


    "Running isn''t a solution either," he admitted. "We''ll burn out before we reach the mountains."


    Leona clenched her fist, her broad sword resting beside her. Her beastkin blood burned with frustration.


    "Then let''s risk it. Let''s kill them."


    Damon opened one eye, watching her carefully. She was tired of running¡ªso tired that she had momentarily forgotten how outmatched they were.


    "Yes," he agreed. "We fight. At least enough to get rid of the scouts."


    But before they could even strategize, the ground trembled. A deep, rolling quake spread through the forest, sending dry leaves and dust cascading down from the trees. Then came the roar.


    A deafening, guttural bellow tore through the air, freezing every last one of them in place. The sheer force of the sound rattled their bones, sending a primal fear slithering down their spines.


    Damon lifted his gaze toward the sky, silent for a long moment.


    "...Guess we''re getting close to Ashergon''s nest," he muttered. "Rest while you can. We leave in an hour. Sleep if possible."


    Evangeline, her combat uniform fluttering in the wind, turned to him, eyes heavy with exhaustion.


    "What are our odds against the trolls?" she asked, voice quiet.


    Damon shrugged, completely unbothered.


    "Five percent. And that''s if they couldn''t regenerate."


    The others paled.


    "With half of us dead," he continued, "the rest of us would be too injured to escape. Our survival odds would drop even lower."


    A heavy silence settled over them.


    Damon closed his eyes. "Don''t think too much about it. Just rest."


    He leaned against the tree and let himself drift off, while his shadow stood guard. The distant sounds of the forest¡ªchirping insects, rustling leaves¡ªfelt almost like a lullaby.


    Sylvia sat down beside him, using her bag as a makeshift pillow.


    "You seem used to this," she whispered.


    Damon nodded, his voice quieter than before.


    "Yeah... been running my whole life."


    He let his eyes slip shut, allowing exhaustion to take over for now. The sun was still high, and in the distance, the low, guttural echoes of a dragon''s roar rumbled through the trees.


    Long gone was the little boy who could only run and hide with his sister.


    He bit his lip, suppressing the memory clawing its way to the surface. His expression turned cold.


    ''I''m going to kill them.''


    Rest was brief¡ªor at least it felt that way to Damon''s party. The urge to collapse onto the hard forest floor and sleep a little longer was strong, but not as strong as the knowledge that doing so could mean being slaughtered in their sleep by the monsters lurking in the shadows.


    So, despite their aching limbs and exhaustion, they were back on the move.


    This time, however, they didn''t run. Instead, they walked, the afternoon sun filtering through the thick canopy above. The deeper they traveled, the more humid the air became, and soon, strange noises could be heard beneath their feet. The once solid earth was turning into thick mud, their boots sinking slightly with each step.


    Damon''s sharp gaze flickered forward.


    "We''ve reached the sand crawlers'' territory," he announced. "From here on, walking on the ground isn''t an option. We need to climb the trees."


    He turned to glance at his companions. They were visibly worn, some already collapsing onto the damp earth, stretching their limbs in an attempt to ease their burning muscles. He sighed.


    "Our pace is better than I expected," he admitted. "If we keep this up, we''ll reach the Duhu Mountains by tomorrow morning. We can rest there and set out again at noon."


    A collective sigh of relief passed through the group. Finally, a chance to rest.


    Damon, however, wasn''t as optimistic. His gaze remained fixed on the distant peaks of the Duhu Mountains. He wasn''t letting them rest there out of kindness¡ªit was simply a necessity. The mountains were far more dangerous than the forest, and he needed time to explain the rules of survival before they went any further.


    Sylvia was watching him. He could feel her sharp gaze lingering on him¡ªshe had already figured it out.


    But rest was fleeting. Before long, Damon signaled for them to start climbing.


    They had to be silent. The sand crawlers were burrowed beneath them, lurking beneath the quicksand. One misstep, one loud noise, and something would rise from the depths to drag them under.


    Damon grabbed a sturdy branch, pulling himself up with practiced ease. He reached down to help Evangeline until she was secure, then continued climbing. One by one, the rest followed. Their mud-caked boots made it harder, but they pushed through.


    As they climbed higher, they broke past the thick canopy, emerging above the treeline. Damon paused, scanning the next tree over. They couldn''t risk making a mistake now.


    Turning to the others, he raised a single finger to his lips.


    "Shush."


    They nodded in silent understanding.


    Without hesitation, Damon leaped to the next tree, securing a rope from his supply bag. He waved for them to follow. One by one, they swung across, their movements swift but controlled. Each crossing was a risk¡ªbut compared to fighting in the quicksand, it was the safer choice.


    Once they reached solid ground again, the group barely had time to catch their breath before Damon spoke.


    "Let''s go¡ª"


    Then he stopped. His cold smile deepened as he shook his head.


    "No... they''re coming this way." His eyes gleamed. "We can pick them off with magic and ranged weapons. It''s time to show them that we aren''t powerless prey. We can fight back."


    The others exchanged glances. There was no hesitation¡ªonly a deep, burning desire in their eyes.


    They had long since stopped doubting Damon.


    This wasn''t just survival anymore.


    This was payback.

 Chapter 245: The Ambush

    The forest was eerily quiet, save for the distant chittering of unseen critters and the occasional tremors shaking the earth. Each time Ashergon roared, the heavens seemed to quiver in response, sending ripples through the ground and rattling the trees.


    The Red Cap Goblins were already accustomed to the unnatural disturbances. This hunt had dragged on far longer than they had anticipated, and frustration burned in their weary limbs. They were hunting members of the Goddess Race¡ªa hunt that should have ended long ago. Yet their prey had not only evaded capture but had also managed to kill their mage, slaughter several of their kin, and grievously wound others.


    Hatred burned in their eyes, but even that rage couldn''t mask their exhaustion.


    The chase had been grueling. The prey they pursued were merciless, leaving behind false trails that led the goblins straight into monster dens or onto the paths of enraged creatures. More had been lost to the monsters of the Forest than to the enemy themselves.


    Worst of all, they hadn''t even seen their foes.


    They only knew one thing¡ªthe enemy refused to fight them head-on. That alone fueled the goblins'' confidence. Cowards could only run for so long.


    One of them sniffed the air, his battered body covered in bruises. Of all the Red Cap Goblins that had set out on this hunt, only a handful remained. The rest had perished in a region that should have been relatively safe.


    "Keketetery..."


    Their guttural curses carried into the air as they swore vengeance upon the Goddess Race.


    The goblins came to a halt before a vast stretch of muddy terrain. Their boots sank slightly into the sludge, the thick muck clinging to their feet. They knew this place well. The sand crawlers lived here.


    If the humans had passed through, they would have had to navigate this treacherous ground.


    The goblin at the front raised his hand, signaling the others to move forward.


    The last time they had crossed this area, they had carefully found footholds, stepping only on solid patches to avoid disturbing the sleeping monsters lurking below.


    Their movements were light and precise, each goblin carefully placing his foot only where it was safe. One mistake meant death. A single misstep, and they would be dragged beneath the mud, suffocated, and devoured.


    The lead goblin gulped, sweat beading on his red skin. His muscles tensed as he leaped forward, hoping that the next foothold was there¡ªand luck was on his side. His boots landed on solid ground.


    He would live to see another day.


    He almost let out a sigh of relief¡ª


    Until he heard the faint whistling of something cutting through the air.


    His instincts screamed at him to move. But before he could react¡ª


    A small, precise hole tore through his skull.


    His beady eyes widened in shock, his mouth opening soundlessly. A single drop of blood trickled down his forehead before a torrent followed, painting his vision red.


    His body swayed.


    Then, without a sound¡ª


    He collapsed sideways, sinking into the mud.


    From the safety of the trees, Damon lowered his bow, a cold smile creeping onto his lips. He had already knocked another arrow.


    This was just the beginning.


    The cursed ore embedded in the arrowheads would soon begin their true work¡ª


    Attracting monsters.


    Including the sand crawlers beneath their feet.


    Damon''s attack was only the beginning.


    What followed was a relentless bombardment of magic from his allies hidden in the trees. Each strike carried a unique magical attribute, painting the battlefield in chaos.


    Arrows imbued with the power of the moon streaked through the air, cutting through the goblins with lethal precision. From another vantage point, Evangeline unleashed a devastating scatter-shot of light magic, a cascading wave of radiance that forced the goblins to scramble for cover¡ªonly to step straight into the quicksand. Their frantic movements sealed their fate, their bodies sinking as they struggled in vain.


    Leona raised her hand, a cruel smile stretching across her face as storm clouds crackled overhead.


    "Lightning flows well in wetland..."


    With a flick of her wrist, a web of electricity descended upon the battlefield.


    The goblins trapped in the mud had no way to escape. The instant the lightning struck, their bodies convulsed, smoking as the electricity surged through them. Their agonized cries filled the air, but the onslaught wasn''t over.


    A blast of ice magic followed, freezing several goblins where they stood.


    Matlock exhaled, his earlier dread now absent¡ªthere was no longer room for fear. This was a slaughter.


    Yet, despite the devastation, the remaining goblins weren''t ready to die just yet. The leader snarled, barking orders in their guttural tongue as they took formation. From within their tattered armor, they pulled out crude projectiles and hurled them toward the trees, launching a desperate counterattack.


    Damon''s eyes flicked to the next tree over.


    "Xander, barriers."


    Xander nodded. His magic alone wouldn''t have been enough to block a full frontal assault, but he didn''t need to. His role was simple¡ªcreate barriers, control the battlefield, and deny the goblins any chance of retreat.


    His lips curled into a cold smirk. "What a dishonorable way to fight."


    Cowardly tactics, traps, ambushes¡ªthis was war. The goblins had been forced into an inescapable kill zone, right in the middle of a deadly crossing, and Damon had trapped them there to die.


    The noise of battle did not go unnoticed.


    The mud began to quiver.


    A low rumble echoed through the swamp, and for the first time, the goblins'' faces contorted with true dread.


    They turned to flee.


    Damon''s voice was calm, almost cruel. "Don''t let them retreat."


    He turned to Evangeline and Leona.


    "Xander, cut off their escape."


    Xander bit his lip, pushing his magic to its limit. A shimmering barrier materialized in the distance, cutting off the goblins'' path to safety. The panicked creatures smashed their weapons against the barrier, clawing at it, screaming in terror.


    But it was too late.


    The mud beneath them rose and churned.


    The first goblin barely had time to scream before a deafening gulp swallowed him whole.


    For a brief, horrifying moment¡ª


    There was silence.


    Every living creature on the battlefield froze, watching in morbid fascination. Then¡ª


    Chaos.


    The goblins shrieked in blind panic, scattering in all directions, but the sand crawlers were already awake.


    The unseen predators dragged them under, one by one, without ever revealing themselves.


    Damon knocked another arrow and fired, watching the kill notifications flash before his eyes.


    [You have slain Red Cap Goblin.]


    [You have slain Red Cap Goblin.]


    [Archery Mastery +6]


    More and more goblins fell, their numbers dwindling.


    But the victory was short-lived.


    A distant rumbling grew louder. The earth shook. The trees snapped like twigs.


    And then¡ª


    A massive shape came crashing through the forest.


    A war troll.


    It barreled forward, its grotesquely muscular body covered in thick, rock-like skin. With a monstrous leap, it reached the quicksand in an instant, raising a massive club high above its head.


    The impact was earth-shattering.


    The moment the club struck the ground, a wave of mud exploded in all directions, splattering across the trees. The shockwave was strong enough to silence the entire battlefield.


    For the first time, a sand crawler had been killed instantly.


    And the war troll... laughed.


    Its twisted, yellowed teeth gleamed as it gazed across the quicksand, locking eyes with Damon.


    It smiled.


    "Haaa... Finally found you, dirty human."


    Damon''s grip tightened around his bow as his instincts screamed a warning.


    There were two more.


    This wasn''t over.

 Chapter 246: Unexpected Casualty

    Damon''s breath hitched as his gaze locked onto the war troll standing across the quicksand.


    Its grotesque, mud-covered body radiated raw power, its thick muscles rippling with every movement. Even at a glance, this was a Rank One monster. A creature of overwhelming brute force, built for destruction.


    The last surviving goblin barely hesitated. Its red eyes darted between the troll and the chaos behind it¡ªthen, with a frantic yelp, it turned and fled into the forest, disappearing past the towering beasts as if seeking their mercy.


    The war troll grinned.


    The expression twisted its already hideous features into something even more monstrous.


    Damon gritted his teeth. The only thing keeping them from being torn apart was the quicksand.


    Evangeline''s voice came from his side, tense and uncertain. "What do we do?"


    Damon''s gaze flicked to the tree branch she perched on, her usual grace replaced by sharp-eyed wariness. They didn''t have many options. The situation was dire.


    The quicksand churned below, a slow, shifting trap.


    Damon clenched his fists. Think.


    "Lure them into the quicksand."


    Before he could even finish processing his plan, the troll moved.


    With effortless strength, it reached to the side, grasping a tree as thick as a boulder. Its massive hands clenched¡ª


    CRACK.


    The entire tree snapped in half like a twig.


    Then it threw it.


    Straight at them.


    "TAKE COVER¡ª!"


    They barely had time to register the warning before the world spun.


    A deafening explosion of wood and leaves filled the air.


    The massive trunk obliterated everything in its path. Branches snapped like bones, the trees buckled under the impact, and Damon felt his body whipped violently through the air.


    Pain lanced through his limbs as he crashed through branches, scraping against the bark. He heard the screams of his friends as they too were sent flying¡ª


    Then the world blurred, and he hit the ground hard.


    Damon groaned, his head throbbing as warm blood trickled down his face. He pushed himself up, his vision spinning.


    Matlock, relatively unscathed, was already pulling Xander to safety behind a tree where Evangeline and Sylvia huddled for cover.


    Damon turned sharply, spotting Leona gasping for breath, struggling to rise.


    He didn''t need to see the war troll.


    His shadow perception told him everything.


    It was moving.


    Damon felt the creature raise its arm, preparing to hurl another attack¡ªat Leona.


    Shit.


    Without hesitation, Damon dived forward, tackling her.


    The boom of impact roared behind them, shockwaves blasting through the air. His combat uniform flapped violently in the wind, debris slicing past him.


    He grabbed Leona by the waist, yanking her down the slope with him.


    Mud clung to their bodies as they slid, the thick, damp earth absorbing some of the force¡ªjust as the troll hurled another tree.


    CRASH!


    The trunk slammed into the slope above them, shattering on impact. Splinters and chunks of wood rained down, narrowly missing them.


    Damon remained dead still.


    His face was pressed uncomfortably close against Leona''s chest, her rapid heartbeat thrumming in his ears.


    He swallowed. Now was not the time to think about that.


    His mind raced. Trolls were horrible creatures¡ªexplosive power, near-immortal regeneration. A single hit and they were dead.


    Damon gritted his teeth, cursing their lack of armor. A single direct blow could shatter bones. Their flexible combat uniforms wouldn''t hold up against this kind of force.


    From the trees, where the others hid, another tree trunk came flying.


    Damon exhaled in relief.


    At least there weren''t any boulders nearby.


    The other two war trolls watched from the edges, their cruel smiles filled with amusement.


    They weren''t attacking.


    They were waiting.


    "What do we do?"


    Matlock''s voice cut through the chaos.


    Damon bit his lip. He didn''t know.


    He didn''t have all the answers.


    He was just like them¡ªa teenager thrown into hell. He had planned so much, but the trolls were just too strong.


    If they tried to run, they''d be cut down before reaching safety.


    Think.


    Damon forced himself to focus.


    What did he know about trolls?


    They had to have a weakness¡ªsomething they could exploit.


    His fingers twitched.


    A bloody encyclopedia...


    That''s right¡ªhe had one.


    His gaze snapped to Sylvia Moonveil.


    "Sylvia, I need every troll weakness you know¡ªNOW!"


    Sylvia, still tending to Xander''s injuries, flinched as another log crashed nearby. She bit her lip, ducking lower beneath the canopy.


    Damon shifted slightly, his perception scanning the battlefield.


    The first troll stood knee-deep in quicksand, its kin watching intently.


    Watching for something.


    Damon''s eyes narrowed.


    Sand crawlers.


    The trolls were afraid of the creatures lurking beneath the surface.


    Sylvia finally spoke, her voice tight.


    "Fire and acid. Lightning. Holy water. Whitewood ash. Deception. Decapitation. Destroying their hearts. Magic¡ªif they don''t have resistance."


    Damon exhaled slowly.


    That was it.


    He was going to kill the lumbering brute.


    He just needed to make sure he didn''t get hit.


    Damon''s dark eyes locked onto Leona.


    She still looked furious¡ªhumiliated. The beastkin girl despised being hunted.


    He leaned in close, whispering his plan.


    Her face paled.


    Her golden irises widened as she gritted her teeth, shaking her head.


    He pressed his forehead against hers, his voice firm.


    "Do it."


    Leona''s eyes glimmered, her lips trembling. From the canopy above, she let out a small, broken whisper.


    "I don''t want you to die..."


    Damon clenched his fists. "I won''t."


    He tore a piece of paper from his supply bag, scrawling something on it, then tossed it toward the others.


    Sylvia caught it, eyes flickering across the contents.


    Her expression darkened.


    She passed it to Evangeline.


    Then to Xander.


    Matlock''s delicate hands shook as he read it.


    Damon ignored them.


    His fingers raised¡ª


    Counting down.


    Three.


    Two.


    One.


    He shot out from cover.


    The war troll laughed.


    One of its kin reached over, snapping a branch from a nearby tree, tossing it across the quicksand.


    Damon was right in the middle.


    The troll hurled it.


    [5x Agility.]


    Damon dodged.


    His Parkour skill kicked in¡ªhe twisted midair, rolling at an impossible angle. His feet barely brushed the ground before he lunged into the creature''s line of sight.


    The war troll''s eyes snapped onto him.


    And that was its last mistake.


    From behind him¡ª


    Sylvia and Evangeline emerged¡ª


    And unleashed a blinding flash of light.


    The world exploded into brilliance.


    The troll''s eyes dilated¡ªcompletely blinded.


    And in that moment¡ªLeona struck.


    Every ounce of mana pooled into one attack.


    A massive bolt of lightning cracked into the wetlands.


    The charge shredded the air, grounding itself through the waterlogged terrain.


    The troll shuddered violently.


    It dropped its club, muscles spasming¡ªbut it wasn''t enough to kill a creature with regeneration.


    But it didn''t need to be.


    Because it wasn''t alone.


    The sand crawlers below sensed its weakness.


    And they struck.


    From beneath the quicksand, monstrous jaws erupted, latching onto the helpless, stunned troll.


    It roared in terror, thrashing.


    One of its arms ripped a crawler off¡ª


    But there were too many.


    It was being dragged down.


    The other war trolls, still blind, could only hear its anguished screams.


    It struggled.


    It fought.


    But it was too late.


    Slowly, it was consumed¡ªpulled to its death.


    Damon didn''t wait.


    He turned, racing back toward his team.


    "RUN¡ªNOW!"


    They didn''t hesitate.


    As they vanished into the woods, the surviving war trolls let out mournful, enraged howls.


    They had lost a kin.

 Chapter 247: He Was Scary

    The group ran through the dense forest, fear clawing at their backs, pushing them past exhaustion. The night stretched endlessly above them, their bodies slick with dried blood and grime. Damon led the way, his spatial awareness and night vision cutting through the darkness, but his stomach churned with hunger. He bit his lip, feeling the loss of his dwindling supply of magic crystals.


    Sending his shadow beyond its normal range consumed his shadow energy at an alarming rate, but he had no choice¡ªhe had to scout ahead. His hunger gnawed at him, his shadow reserves now at fifty percent. That meant he had exactly fifty shadow energy left.


    He had burned through seven hundred just escaping. Now, only half remained. The lack of energy granted him a slight boost in stats, but he knew the closer he got to starving, the harder it would be to stay sane.


    Damon suddenly skidded to a halt, leaning against a thick tree, his breath ragged. "Let''s stop for the night..."


    They had been running for the entire day, putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the war trolls. They had reached their estimated resting point far ahead of schedule¡ªDuhu Mountains loomed just ahead, a few hours before dawn.


    The group collapsed in exhaustion. Their combat uniforms, usually self-mending, were torn and frayed beyond repair. They had only been out here for less than five days, but their bodies had already reached their limits¡ªphysically and mentally. Their mana pools were nearly dry from constant use, their muscles ached, and yet, their auras had grown sharper, hardened by battle. Even Matlock, once the weakest among them, now carried the cold presence of a warrior who had conquered fear.


    They lacked the energy to set up camp, lying on the damp ground, too weary to care about the mud and leaves clinging to them.


    Xander let out a weak, breathy laugh, staring at the night sky with disbelief.


    "Hah... we actually did it... we actually killed a war troll... hahaha..." His own words sounded surreal to him.


    Damon sat against the tree, head low, teeth clenched.


    "You call that killing a war troll?" His voice was laced with bitter amusement.


    "We got lucky. All we did was run... and let the sand crawlers finish it."


    Xander exhaled, his breath visible against the cold air.


    "Yeah... I guess you''re right. All we''ve done is run. But what else can we do? We''re weak."


    Evangeline lowered her head, her body trembling. Whether from the cold or from something deeper, she wasn''t sure.


    "...We shouldn''t fight," she murmured. "Okay?"


    Damon took a deep breath, calming himself.


    "Who''s fighting?" he muttered. "I was just stating a fact."


    Damon forced his aching body up, reaching for his supply bag with sluggish hands. He pulled out a small pack of dry wood, his fingers trembling from exhaustion. Digging into the damp earth with his bare hands, he carved out a small pit and stacked the wood within it.


    For a moment, he hesitated. His jaw clenched, as if bracing himself for the inevitable pain. Then, with a sharp breath, he unleashed a small black flame¡ª The Ashborn skill.


    The moment the fire left his fingertips, agony coursed through him like a thousand searing needles piercing his skin. It was always like this¡ªlike burning alive from the inside out. His breath hitched as the tiny black flame flickered, shifting from its ominous hue to a dull red, then catching onto the wood. Within seconds, the campfire crackled to life, casting weak light against the surrounding trees.


    He exhaled, grounding himself through the pain.


    "We sleep here tonight," he muttered. "Tomorrow, we reach the base of the mountain."


    The others nodded, dragging their weary bodies closer to the fire, their expressions hollow with exhaustion. They sat in silence, the only sound being the crackling wood and the soft rustle of leaves in the cold night air.


    Damon didn''t even have the strength to maintain morale. He simply stared at the flames, lost in thought.


    Leona sat beside him, her presence warm against his side. Matlock settled next to them, the androgynous fairy unusually quiet. As the group unwrapped their rations and began to eat, the silence stretched between them, thick and oppressive.


    Then, Matlock''s voice broke the stillness.


    "...Are we going to die?"


    The words hung in the air like a noose.


    Leona''s golden eyes flickered toward him, cold and sharp.


    "Maybe you... but none of us have a reason to die."


    Damon reached out, stroking her head gently, his fingers brushing against her beastkin ears.


    "Easy, Leona," he murmured.


    She bit her lip, taking a deep breath before nodding. "Sorry. The stress is just getting to me."


    He nodded, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames. "Let''s get some sleep. We have to keep moving tomorrow."


    One by one, the others settled in. Sylvia leaned against her supply bag, using it as a makeshift pillow. She clutched an old, weathered travel journal, flipping through its pages despite the dim light.


    Damon, however, didn''t join them. Instead, he rose to his feet and walked a little further away, settling against the base of a tree. His gaze lifted toward the twin moons hanging in the dark sky. He sighed, closing his eyes.


    Soft footsteps approached.


    He didn''t need to open his eyes to know who it was.


    "What do you want, Matlock?"


    The footsteps halted. Then, after a brief pause, the fairy continued forward, hesitantly sitting beside him.


    Damon smirked faintly, eyes still closed. "Sneaking around like that... Are you some sort of dark fairy?"


    Matlock''s eyes widened, shaking his head quickly. "Ah¡ªn-no! I''m an ice attribute fairy!"


    Damon snickered. The fairy was amusing, at least.


    Leaning back against the tree, he sighed as his stomach let out a low growl. Hunger gnawed at him, but he ignored it.


    "You''re braver than I thought," he admitted. "I underestimated you."


    Matlock bit his lip. Was Damon... complimenting him? He felt heat rise to his cheeks. This was the same Damon who was cold, arrogant, and tyrannical¡ªwho spoke to professors however he pleased, as if their authority meant nothing. And yet, he wasn''t just cold and scary. He was... something else.


    "...You aren''t as scary as I thought," Matlock whispered.


    Damon scoffed weakly. "You thought I was scary?"


    Matlock nodded hesitantly. He had plenty of reasons to. Everyone did.


    Damon let out a dry chuckle. Pulling out a small ration, he broke it in half and handed a piece to Matlock. The young fairy hesitated before taking it, nibbling on the edge.


    "Do you think we''re going to die?" Matlock asked again, voice quieter this time.


    Damon shook his head. "It''s my philosophy to not die. Even if you kill me, I''m not dying."


    Matlock lowered his head, taking another bite before handing Damon his water bag.


    For an unknown amount of time, the two of them sat there, talking.


    Despite the exhaustion, despite the looming dread, Damon found himself occasionally lightening the mood, tossing in dry remarks that made Matlock smile¡ªgenuine, bright, even under these circumstances.


    And for the first time in days, the weight of their fear felt just a little lighter.

 Chapter 248: No I Didnt

    The sun was rising, its lilac beams piercing through the dense trees, casting faint, eerie light over the landscape. The morning fog hung thick at the mountain''s base, curling around the gnarled roots and jagged rocks like a living thing. The sky above was dull and colorless, as if this region itself rejected the dawn.


    The base of the mountain was within reach.


    Damon stopped, his gaze fixed on the steep incline ahead. The trees grew twisted as they stretched toward the sky, their branches like skeletal fingers clawing at the heavens.


    Xander, using his spear as a walking stick, frowned. "Why did we stop? The mountain is right there. We don''t have time to waste."


    Damon didn''t respond immediately. Dark bags sat under his eyes¡ªhe knew better than to rush forward blindly. He shook his head.


    "We need to find the mountain path... and follow it."


    Leona narrowed her golden eyes. "Sticking to a fixed path while we''re being hunted isn''t exactly a wise choice. It''s suicidal."


    Damon exhaled, glancing toward Sylvia. The white-haired elf sighed, biting her lip.


    "It''s not a wise choice," she admitted. "But we have no choice in the matter. Staying on the mountain path is the difference between life and death."


    She pulled a large sheet of paper from her pack and unfolded it. It was a map¡ªa well-drawn chart of the mountain, its winding paths etched in ink. But something about it was... unsettling.


    The details were precise, but only along the marked trails. The rest of the mountain was blank, featureless. A void.


    Some paths were slashed through with thick ink, accompanied by crude skull symbols. Warnings.


    Leona scoffed, crossing her arms. "Well, that''s not ominous at all."


    Damon shook his head. "It gets worse."


    He knelt, motioning for the others to gather around.


    "Listen up. I''m about to tell you the rules of the Duhu Mountains¡ªat least, according to the travel journal."


    The journal contained many warnings about the mountain''s dangers, cryptic messages left behind by past travelers¡ªmost of whom never returned. One passage, in particular, stood out.


    "Speak ill not of the mountains, for the mountains have ears. Take not from the mountains, for the mountains claim back.


    Stray not from the path, and answer no calls.


    For all you see and hear, deny them entry to this mortal realm."


    Damon didn''t understand it all, but he knew enough. He had memorized the rules. He had seen the warnings.


    Matlock swallowed hard, his expression uneasy. "What are the rules? And from how solemn you look... we''re going to break some of them, aren''t we?"


    Damon was silent. Violating the rules could mean death¡ªor worse. He remained quiet because that was a very real possibility.


    "I won''t repeat myself... so listen well. This could be the difference between life and death."


    Evangeline nodded grimly. "Or worse."


    Damon met her gaze. "Or worse."


    He took another breath before speaking. "The first and most important rule is simple¡ªnever venture into the Duhu Mountains."


    Xander frowned, his fists clenched tight. "We''re already violating rule one. I don''t like this at all."


    Sylvia nodded, stepping closer to Damon. "This is the second most important rule¡ªnever stray from the mountain paths."


    Damon continued. "If you hear something¡ªno, you didn''t. If you hear something next to you, you didn''t."


    He glanced at them, noting the growing unease on their faces.


    "If you see something¡ªno, you didn''t. If you hear your name being called¡ªno, you didn''t. If you see a deer that looks a little... off¡ªno, you didn''t. If you hear footsteps behind you¡ªno, you didn''t. If something whispers, ''Let me in''¡ªno, it didn''t."


    The group was silent now, their expressions pale.


    "Leave no trace¡ªwhat you bring in, you take out. Never disrespect sacred sites or old burial grounds. If something feels wrong, trust your gut and leave. The weather can change fast¡ªfog rolls in thick, and sudden storms can trap you. Some say strange lights appear in the sky or deep in the woods¡ªdon''t follow them.


    Leave offerings at certain places. Don''t sleep in the open."


    Damon continued listing off rule after rule, each one more unsettling than the last.


    He gave examples from the journal:


    "Do not look into the tree lines¡ªif you do, you may make eye contact with something. If something sounds close, it''s far away. If it sounds far away, it''s right next to you. Do not answer when something calls you¡ªit wants to get in. Do not sleep in the open¡ªsleep in a tent, and if you wake up in the open, leave immediately. Never speak ill of the mountains¡ªthey will retaliate. Always keep the fire lit."


    Damon''s voice grew grimmer.


    "Under no circumstances must you take anything from the mountains¡ªnot even a rock. Something will follow. Leave nothing behind, except in sacred sites¡ªmake an offering, or risk angering something. If a path seems to be looping, it probably is. Turn back. If you think it''s bad in the day, it gets worse at night. Leave the mountains before dark if you can."


    The more rules he explained, with Sylvia''s quiet support, the more terrified they became. And this was just the Duhu Mountains. How bad was the Whispering Forest going to be?


    Damon didn''t give them time to process their dread.


    "We have a few days'' worth of supplies. It should be enough to cross the mountains. Once we get to the pass leading to the Whispering Forest, there''s an old bridge. We can destroy it once we cross, trapping all our problems on this side of the mountains."


    Evangeline took a deep, resigned breath. "Trapping us on that side with unknown horrors..."


    Damon nodded, his fist tightening. "With no path of retreat. Only forward¡ªor death."


    Leona stepped ahead, sword in hand. "Forward is death."


    Damon followed after her, his steps heavy.


    As they walked along the base of the mountain, searching for the old path shown on the map, an unnatural dread filled the air. It was thick, cloying, suffocating. The fear of the war trolls behind them paled in comparison to what was to come.


    Matlock suddenly fluttered ahead, his fairy wings beating rapidly. His eyes widened.


    "I found the mountain path! I found it! Damon, I found it!"


    Damon exhaled, nodding solemnly. He glanced behind them at the forest, then ahead at the towering peaks. Off to the side, the violet glow of the gravity anomaly was closing in on the area. By his calculations, it would consume this region in about a day.


    They had made it just in time.


    He took a deep breath.


    "Let''s go. Stay together¡ªno matter what."

 Chapter 249: Nice Calm Mountain

    The Duhu Mountain path was quiet in the daytime, save for the occasional sounds of forest critters. For the first half of their journey, the group remained unusually silent, expecting to encounter something horrible, something terrifying. But instead, the mountain forest was... normal.


    In fact, it was more than normal¡ªit was serene. The early morning fog had lifted, revealing a peaceful landscape bathed in soft daylight. The path was clear, the air crisp, and everything felt almost too perfect.


    The group adhered strictly to the many rules Damon had laid out. They didn''t look into the tree lines. They didn''t whistle or sing. They stayed on the path, never once straying.


    "This... this isn''t as scary as I thought..."


    Matlock''s voice broke the silence after nearly two hours of trekking through the mountain.


    Damon winced. He wasn''t a superstitious person, but something about Matlock''s words sent a chill down his spine.


    "Thanks a lot for the jinx, Matlock..."


    Matlock blinked, confused. "What did I do?"


    Leona shot a glance at the androgynous fairy. "How about shutting your mouth? This place gives me the¡ª"


    "Don''t speak ill of the mountains."


    Sylvia cut her off before she could finish. Her voice was calm, but her grip on her bag had tightened.


    Evangeline exhaled. Everyone was on edge.


    "How long before we cross the mountains?"


    Xander suddenly stopped, his expression tensing as if he''d heard something. Without thinking, he began to turn around¡ª


    Rustle.


    Damon moved without hesitation, picking up a rock and hurling it at Xander before he could fully turn his head. The stone smacked against his shoulder, making him flinch.


    "No, you didn''t."


    Damon''s voice was low but firm.


    Instantly, the group tensed. Their breathing grew shallow.


    Something was watching them. Or was it just in their heads?


    There were many strange rules in these mountains, but the worst of them all was simple:


    If something chases you¡ªdo not run.


    Cold sweat dripped down Leona''s forehead as her beastkin ears twitched. She could hear it now¡ªrustling in the woods around them.


    Slowly, her head lifted. Her instincts screamed at her to not look, but her body disobeyed.


    And the moment she did¡ªshe regretted it.


    By a tree, standing motionless and staring at them, was a pale, bipedal figure.


    It gave off no presence. No sound.


    As if it wasn''t truly there.


    Its skin was stretched thin, almost translucent, its arms unnaturally long. Its head was tilted slightly to the side, and its eyes¡ª


    Its eyes were upside down.


    And then there was its mouth.


    A perpetual, unnerving smile, stretching far too wide across its entire face.


    It made eye contact with her.


    Leona''s breath caught in her throat. Every nerve in her body screamed to run, to scream, to do something. But she did nothing.


    She bit her lip, fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms.


    A gentle tug at her hand snapped her out of it.


    Damon was beside her, his expression calm, but sweat beaded at his temple.


    He smiled¡ªan easy, natural smile, like nothing was wrong.


    "No, you didn''t."


    Right.


    The rule was simple.


    If you saw something¡ª


    No, you didn''t.


    Do not acknowledge anything you see in the mountains.


    Leona nodded, her face pale as she gripped Damon''s hand tightly. She barely registered Matlock stepping closer until she felt the fairy''s trembling fingers wrap around Damon''s other hand.


    Damon glanced down at Matlock''s hand¡ªsofter than even Leona''s. His brows furrowed.


    "What is it now...?"


    Matlock''s face was ashen, his entire body quivering, dark hair trembling. His wide eyes watered as he whispered in a shaking voice:


    "No, I didn''t..."


    Damon didn''t want to look. He shouldn''t look. But his instincts betrayed him. His gaze shifted toward the treeline, and there¡ªstanding among the twisted branches¡ªwas a creature.


    It was imp-like, with malformed limbs, its arms too long, its legs thick like logs. Pitch-black skin stretched over its frame, making it blend into the shadows. Its eyes, in stark contrast, were milky white, unblinking. It wore a thatched covering over its torso and clutched a whip in one hand.


    Damon swallowed thickly and turned his head away immediately.


    A small, desperate tug at his combat uniform made him stiffen. Sylvia was gripping his sleeve, her hands trembling as she forced herself to stare at the ground.


    Xander was pale, his body rigid, while Evangeline had silently pressed closer to Damon''s side.


    One by one, Damon realized¡ªthey were all surrounding him.


    "Sh... should we fight?" Xander''s voice was barely audible, betraying his unease.


    Damon exhaled slowly, forcing a wry smile.


    "Fight? What are we fighting?" His voice was steady, but his teeth clenched as he forced the next words out. "There''s no one here but us."


    He could see the way the girls paled, but they all nodded. They had to.


    The rules were clear: Do not acknowledge anything you see in the mountains.


    But then¡ªtheir situation took a turn for the worse.


    The black-skinned entity giggled. A sickly, childlike sound. Then¡ªit cried. Wailing like an infant.


    The whip in its hand cracked against the ground, and in the next instant, it ran toward them.


    Matlock''s entire body trembled as he gripped Damon''s arm, his nails digging in.


    Then¡ªXander moved.


    He turned, his body shifting as if to bolt.


    No!


    Damon reacted instantly, grabbing Xander''s collar and yanking him back before he could take another step.


    The worst rule of all¡ªthe one they could never break.


    If something chases you in the Duhu Mountains¡ªdo not run.


    Running meant one thing.


    It meant you were prey.


    Xander paled, his breath coming in short gasps.


    The creature¡ªjust a few feet away¡ªlaughed through its sobbing wails. Its mouth opened, showing a row of jagged, uneven teeth. It held its mat and whip in one hand and cracked it against the ground again.


    The sound reverberated through the group, but no one reacted.


    No one ran.


    No one looked at it.


    Damon could feel its breath, close enough that it sent a chill down his spine.


    It circled them, shifting erratically, but none of them moved. Sylvia''s fingers trembled against his sleeve. Evangeline''s hands were clenched so tight her knuckles turned white.


    Seconds passed.


    Then minutes.


    And then¡ª


    The creature let out one last giggle.


    It stepped back.


    And without another sound, it turned and melted back into the woods, vanishing beyond the trees.


    Damon exhaled, releasing the breath he hadn''t realized he was holding.


    He started walking again, forcing himself to move. The others followed wordlessly, their footsteps eerily synchronized.


    No one spoke for a long while.


    Because they all knew¡ª


    This was only the beginning.


    And the worst was yet to come.


    If the Duhu Mountains were this bad in the day...


    How much worse would it be at night?


    Matlock bit his lip, his delicate features tense. His wings fluttered slightly, a nervous tic.


    "I think... I would have preferred to be caught by the demon army..." he muttered.


    Damon let out a small, breathless chuckle, trying to lift the mood.


    "And considering you look like a pretty girl," he mused, tilting his head toward Matlock, "the goblins would''ve had a decent toy."


    Matlock flinched.


    Damon smirked despite the sweat clinging to his forehead. "As long as you can take backshots."


    Matlock shuddered violently, lowering his head, his grip tightening on Damon''s arm.


    The joke fell flat.


    No one laughed.


    No one had the energy to.


    Damon''s smirk faded as he raised his head, eyes narrowing.


    Far in the distance, the forest beyond the mountains shifted. Birds.


    A flock suddenly burst from the treeline, scattering into the sky.


    Something was moving.


    Damon squinted, scanning the distance.


    Then he heard it.


    A low, guttural roar.


    His stomach dropped.


    The war trolls.


    They were on the move. Hunting them.


    Damon''s grip on his bag tightened as he turned to the others.


    "Alright." His voice was sharp now, commanding. "Time to start running. Keep your eyes down¡ªand stay on the path."


    He didn''t wait.


    He took off.


    The others followed close behind.


    They couldn''t afford to break the rules.


    Not here.


    Not in the Duhu Mountains.

 Chapter 250: Kind Friendly Mountain Residents

    Running from the war trolls while adhering to the many rules of the mountains was exhausting. At times, they were forced to stop and leave offerings at shrines¡ªmacabre structures of skulls and bones draped in tattered red fabric. The air around them was thick with the scent of decay and something more¡ªsomething wrong.


    Scattered throughout the mountain paths were cryptic warnings, messages scrawled in a language long forgotten. Yet, the hardest challenge wasn''t deciphering these signs.


    It was stopping.


    Stopping when something noticed them.


    They didn''t have a full picture of their surroundings, but they could hear. The rustling movements in the trees. The faint, eerie cries in the distance. And worst of all¡ªthe voices.


    Familiar voices.


    Damon clenched his fists as he ran, his breath coming in sharp bursts.


    He had heard his mother call his name. Six times.


    He had seen his little sister standing in the woods. Five times.


    And then¡ªLilith Astranova.


    Bleeding, broken, whispering his name, pleading for his help.


    But none of them were real.


    The horrors of the Duhu Mountains were ancient things, twisting illusions into cruel invitations. A trick. A game they played, hoping their prey would answer.


    If they did... they would be taken.


    Damon could feel the others reaching their limits. And then¡ªpushing past them.


    Something in the air shifted. His ears rang.


    Mana surged through his body, twisting, evolving. Becoming more potent.


    But so was his shadow''s hunger.


    His jaw tightened. He was nearly out of magic crystals. Soon enough, his Sacrifice skill would start pulling from his own mana to sustain it. His hunger.


    The sun was setting.


    Damon exhaled through his nose, unfolding the map in his hands. If his calculations were correct, they were approaching a shrine¡ªone of the few ritual grounds.


    If they made an offering, they could camp there for the night.


    His shadow stirred behind him, watching the war trolls in the distance. They had slowed their pursuit, settling into the darkness.


    Even they didn''t want to provoke the horrors of these mountains at night.


    Damon stopped as they reached the ritual ground. A massive, gnarled tree stood before them, its bark twisted, its branches stretched like skeletal fingers. Human skulls hung from its limbs, swaying gently in the wind.


    He turned to his party.


    "We rest here for the night," he said, his voice firm. "We can''t move in the dark safely."


    The others collapsed to their knees, gasping for breath. Damon, still steady, walked toward the ritual ground. His steps slowed as his eyes locked onto a figure already waiting for them.


    A humanoid creature covered in thick white fur sat cross-legged near the shrine, grinning at them with a mouth that wasn''t where it should be.


    Its legs were folded¡ªbut they were on its head. Its true mouth was embedded in its stomach, hidden beneath tufts of fur.


    It giggled. A light, almost cheerful sound.


    The others stole wary glances but did not acknowledge it. That was the rule.


    This place belonged to it.


    Damon walked past, his party trailing behind in cautious silence. After a full day in the Duhu Mountains, they had grown accustomed to the unnatural. The creatures with shrines were different. As long as you left an offering, they granted safe passage.


    Matlock spared it a brief look before quickly turning away. The entity twitched, seemingly entertained by something only it could see.


    Damon knelt and placed a small piece of his rations before the shrine.


    One by one, the others followed, leaving behind whatever they could spare. The offerings didn''t need to be extravagant¡ªjust something.


    Slowly, they backed away.


    Only when they were a fair distance from the shrine did they stop.


    Dropping their supply bags, they worked wordlessly, setting up a single tent.


    The sounds of the mountains were growing louder.


    The rustling of unseen things.


    The wet, guttural breathing.


    The cries of infants, echoing where no children should be.


    And¡ªvoices.


    Voices talking about them.


    Malicious whispers.


    Different-colored eyes flickered in the darkness beyond the firelight.


    But they pretended not to hear. That was the rule.


    If you hear something¡ªno, you didn''t.


    If you see something¡ªno, you didn''t.


    Yet, the voices persisted, some amused, others hungry.


    "Hehehe... my, my, visitors tonight."


    "I wonder if they would be tasty..."


    "Sylvia, my dear child... I''m your mother. Look at me. Let me in. Let us play together..."


    Sylvia''s hands trembled. She squeezed her eyes shut.


    "Don''t be sad, Damon. You aren''t alone. Come with your mother. You must be tired of this painful life..."


    Damon clenched his jaw.


    "Hehehe... I need a new bride. My old one died. That golden-haired one would do just fine..."


    Evangeline shivered her face ashen.


    Matlock shuddered violently.


    They ignored it all, forcing their trembling hands to work faster.


    The fire was built, its light flickering weakly against the endless void of the trees. As soon as it was stable, they hurried into the tent, zipping it shut.


    The space was too small for them to lie down. They sat, knees pressed together, barely able to move.


    Outside, the voices grew. The ground shook.


    Shadows flitted across the trees, slipping between the gaps of the campfire''s glow.


    But no one looked. No one acknowledged.


    The tent''s fabric trembled as a breathy voice rasped just beyond it.


    "Come in, children. It''s Granny... Granny won''t hurt you... I only want your organs. Just a little liver and kidney..."


    Two glowing eyes hovered just beyond the tent flap. But it could not enter¡ªunless invited.


    Matlock clung to Damon, burying his face in his chest. His delicate hands trembled, his entire body stiff with fear.


    Damon leaned his head against Matlock''s, feeling the unnatural softness of the fairy''s form pressed against him.


    His voice was barely a whisper.


    "Get some sleep. There''s no one outside. It''s just the wind."


    The others looked at him. Slowly, they nodded. Pale-faced, exhausted, they turned their backs to each other, forming a circle.


    Despite the fear¡ªdespite the horror whispering just outside¡ªthey fell asleep.


    As the night stretched on, the creatures lost interest. One by one, their voices faded.


    Slowly something let out a low puff of wind.


    The fire flickered weakly.


    Slowly, the fire burned low... then died out completely.


    In the pitch-black silence, the tent zipper slowly¡ªsilently¡ªslid open.


    A long, deformed hand reached inside.

 Chapter 251: Horrible Skill

    The hand crept in, fingers twisting unnaturally as it slithered across the tent floor, reaching for the first unsuspecting victim.


    Sylvia.


    Its grotesque, elongated fingers wrapped around her ankle.


    Her eyes snapped open¡ªjust in time to feel herself being yanked into the darkness.


    A bloodcurdling scream tore from her throat.


    "EVANGELINE! LIGHT!"


    Damon''s roar cut through the night. His body surged forward on instinct, fingers locking around Sylvia''s arms as she was ripped from the tent.


    They tumbled out past the dead campfire, dragged along by an unseen force.


    Evangeline reacted instantly. A burst of blinding light erupted from her hands, swallowing the entire clearing in a radiant glow.


    The others jolted awake, eyes wild with confusion.


    Xander lunged, catching Damon''s waist. His gravity magic flared, making them heavier in an attempt to stop the pull¡ªbut it didn''t work.


    Matlock bit his lip, flinging a wave of ice at the darkness. It should have hit something. But there was nothing there¡ªonly the grotesque hand stretching into the void of the woods, dragging Sylvia away.


    And the laughter.


    Soft, childlike giggles floated through the trees.


    Leona''s fists clenched. She knew the rule: If you see something, no you didn''t.


    But rules be damned.


    She saw it.


    And it was attacking them.


    Her grip tightened around her greatsword as she took a deep breath.


    Electricity surged down her blade, and she unleashed a violent arc of lightning at the arm. The glow of her magic crackled against Evangeline''s magic light, merging into something even brighter.


    Sylvia kicked and thrashed, fighting to free herself.


    Leona leaped forward, bringing her sword down in a powerful swing¡ª


    It passed right through.


    The blade slammed into the dirt, sending sparks flying.


    Her heart stopped.


    "I¡ªI can''t hit it..." Her voice was barely a whisper.


    Damon''s teeth clenched. His grip on Sylvia tightened.


    This was the worst outcome¡ªsomething they couldn''t touch.


    Even with magic.


    Matlock sent another sheet of ice toward the hand. It shattered uselessly against the air.


    And the voice in the dark sang.


    "Jejejejeje... hahaha... come with me, little elf... come with me... give me your organs... give me your skin..."


    Mocking. Taunting.


    Evangeline gritted her teeth. Light flared violently around her as she raised her rapier.


    No hesitation.


    "Radiant Blade."


    The weapon hummed.


    She slashed¡ª


    And the spectral arm severed.


    Like a hot knife through butter.


    Sylvia kicked off the dismembered limb and scrambled into Damon''s arms, eyes locked on the darkness.


    For a moment¡ªjust a moment¡ªthe forest was silent.


    Damon''s gaze flicked to Evangeline. His mind raced. ''Her power... it''s different. Her class¡ª''


    A shriek tore through the night.


    Pain.


    Agony.


    "MY ARM! MY ARM! YOU TOOK MY ARM!"


    Then¡ªlaughter.


    Twisted. Deranged.


    "JEJEJE... I WILL TAKE ALL YOUR ORGANS!"


    The air turned suffocating.


    All around them, more arms rose from the woods.


    Hundreds.


    Too many.


    Dark, writhing limbs emerged from the trees, their grotesque fingers reaching¡ª


    And at the top of each palm...


    Mouths.


    Wide, grinning mouths with needle-like teeth.


    And above them¡ª


    A single, bloodshot eye.


    Watching.


    "I see you..."


    "You see me..."


    "I''M COMING IN."


    The rules were broken.


    They had acknowledged it.


    And now, the horror in the mountains wanted blood.


    Damon gritted his teeth, his exhaustion morphing into something colder. He was tired. Tired of being treated like prey in these cursed mountains, tired of running, tired of barely surviving. His lowly existence gnawed at him, filling him with frustration, but what could he do except run, hide, and pray that he lived to see another day?


    "Evangeline, create a barrier! Your magic is affecting it!"


    Evangeline''s body was already glowing, her radiant aura rising higher and higher, like a sun in the darkness. She was changing, ascending. She was reaching her first class. Her transformation was accelerating, but her face was pale, exhausted.


    "I can''t hold for too long..." she whispered.


    He nodded grimly. She didn''t have the mana to sustain the incoming attacks for long. Still, she raised her hands, and a luminous barrier of light magic flared around them.


    The hands struck the barrier.


    Sizzling burns and cracks spread across its surface as the monstrous limbs slammed against it over and over again, trying to break through.


    Sylvia bit her lip, fingers tightening around her bow. A blinding glow of lunar magic coiled around the weapon, her expression dark with anger. She aimed towards where the creature should be, deep within the forest, and let the arrow fly.


    Like a meteor, it shot forward, tearing through the trees, the sheer force shaking the ground as it thundered toward its target¡ª


    The spirit slapped it away.


    Effortlessly.


    "Jejejeje... your power lacks purification... let me eat you... let me consume you..."


    The glow of Evangeline''s magic finally revealed the horror that Damon had already seen.


    Unlike the others, Damon had always been cursed with the ability to see in the darkness of this forsaken place. He had seen the eyes watching them before, and now, under the light, the others finally saw it too.


    A monstrous being.


    A grotesque mass of arms, an endless tangle of limbs, as if an entire graveyard of bodies had been fused into a single entity. Pale, grey flesh stretched unnaturally over its form, and embedded in its body¡ª


    Eyes.


    So many eyes.


    The others recoiled, horror twisting their features.


    Damon tore his gaze away, forcing himself to act.


    "Xander, support Evangeline! We need to rebuild the fire and shut the tent!"


    Xander quickly moved to Evangeline''s side, his gravity magic steadying her. The fire was easy to reignite¡ªthey piled on more wood, and soon, flames roared brightly against the darkness.


    But Evangeline''s glow was fading. Her breathing was weak, her body unsteady.


    "Get in the tent! Now!" Damon ordered, ushering the others inside.


    They scrambled in without hesitation.


    "Evangeline, now!"


    She slowly backed away toward the tent, keeping her light blazing as long as she could. At the very last moment, she collapsed inside, and Damon zipped the tent shut.


    Outside, the creature roared.


    The ground shook as it slammed its massive limbs around them.


    "Let me in... let me in... jejeje... let me in!"


    But it couldn''t.


    Even a being like that had to follow the rules of the mountain. It circled them, its endless hands twitching and clawing at the earth.


    Damon exhaled sharply, turning his gaze to Evangeline. She lay motionless against him, her body radiating warmth. But as he touched her, his eyes narrowed.


    Something was wrong.


    Dark patches spread along her neck, swollen and black, as if her body was infected... but it wasn''t. Her skin shimmered with a faint golden glow, as if purging the corruption on its own.


    Damon''s grip tightened.


    ''Did she absorb the impurities into her body... and then purify them internally?''


    His stomach twisted.


    If that was going to be her first-class skill¡ª


    Then it was going to kill her.

 Chapter 252: Through The Night

    Sleep was a luxury¡ªone granted only to the blessed and the lucky.


    Damon''s party was neither.


    They wanted to sleep. They needed to sleep. But they did not dare to. Their exhaustion was so absolute that their eyelids felt like lead, yet the horrors of the night ensured they remained awake.


    Most of the night had passed before the strange creature attacked, but even after the battle, sitting inside their tent, waiting for dawn, felt like an eternity.


    Damon sat by the tent''s zipper, holding Evangeline in his arms. His grip on her was firm, protective. He had to ensure the zipper remained closed, that no thing from the darkness opened it.


    And they had tried.


    More than just the one before¡ªothers had come, scratching, whispering, clawing at their tent, trying to drag them away. Each evil spirit that passed by left them with a promise. A promise of something far worse.


    Like frightened children, they huddled together, praying for dawn.


    Evangeline''s body recovered slowly, her light working tirelessly to cleanse the dark patches that had marred her skin. Damon watched as the corruption faded under her glow.


    Yes. This was it.


    Her First-Class skill was taking shape. And if it was this powerful already, how strong would it be when fully awakened?


    Damon exhaled shakily, fingers brushing against his dagger. The weapon was cold, but the hunger in his shadow was burning.


    A gnawing desire rose within him¡ªa violent need to leave the tent, to step into the darkness, and slaughter whatever creatures lurked out there.


    Even if it meant dying.


    His head pounded, a high-pitched ringing filling his ears. His aura was shifting, changing.


    ''This is my First-Class awakening...''


    It was close. So close he could taste the power creeping into his bones.


    Then, finally¡ª


    Dawn came.


    Even then, they waited. They remained inside the tent until the sun was high in the sky, until its light was bright and unforgiving.


    Only then did they step outside.


    They scanned the area, their movements wary, tense. But there was nothing. No trace of the creatures from the night before. They had vanished.


    But none of them dared to look into the treeline. None of them broke the unwritten rule.


    They stayed on the path.


    Damon exhaled sharply. They survived.


    "Put out the campfire," he ordered, glancing at the others. "Pack everything. Leave nothing behind¡ªwho knows what might follow if we do."


    As the others rushed to break camp, Damon took a few steps away¡ª


    A shadow flickered from above.


    It latched onto him, merging seamlessly with his body.


    Damon let out a breath of relief. "You''re back early."


    He had sent his shadow to keep an eye on the war trolls chasing them. But something was wrong.


    The shadow twisted, pulsing erratically.


    Damon crouched down, his brows furrowing.


    "Shit."


    The news couldn''t be worse.


    The war trolls had gone insane.


    They had risked traveling through the night¡ªprovoking horrors¡ªall to close the distance on Damon''s party.


    Damon clenched his jaw. His shadow estimated the trolls were about three kilometers away. And they were gaining fast.


    Their hunger for flesh was insatiable.


    "Hurry," Damon barked. "We need to move. Now."


    The others were already rushing. He didn''t need to tell them twice. They grabbed their bags, their hands trembling as the forest around them rustled.


    Something else was watching.


    Some thing.


    They didn''t stop. Didn''t look.


    They had grown used to the grotesque creatures that watched them from the dark.


    So long as they pretended not to see them, they could keep moving.


    Damon unrolled the map, his eyes narrowing.


    They had two paths¡ª


    The less dangerous route: a winding mountain trail that would take two days to cross.


    The risky route: a nightmare of a path, treacherous and deadly¡ªbut if they took it, they could be gone in half a day.


    Damon''s grip tightened. The decision was already being forced on them.


    If they stayed on the path¡ªthey would die.


    If they took the shortcut¡ªthey would die.


    "Death if we stay... death if we leave..."


    As they hiked and jogged through the mountain, eating rations on the way, Damon approached Sylvia and explained his thoughts to her.


    She listened, but her lips pressed into a thin line. She understood what he was saying, but...


    "I don''t know everything," she admitted, shaking her head. "I''m sorry, I can''t be of much help. I can''t see the future... I can only give counsel."


    She bit her lip, frustration burning in her chest. If her mother were here, she could have used divination, some kind of oracle power to reveal the safest path forward. Her mother had always supported her father that way, guiding him with knowledge beyond the present.


    And yet she¡ªSylvia¡ªwas useless.


    She couldn''t help Damon. She couldn''t help their party in any way the others hadn''t already covered.


    ''If only I could see through time... If only I had all the knowledge at my fingertips...''


    Damon didn''t blame her. It was just a hunch, after all.


    His stomach growled in protest, and his frustration only grew. All this running... He could feel his shadow''s hunger gnawing at him, urging him to give in.


    Half of him wanted to.


    If he let the hunger consume him, if he became a ravenous shadow, he could slaughter the war trolls. Tear them apart. Rip them to shreds.


    But there was a problem.


    His shadow had a preference¡ªit preferred humans to trolls.


    If he let it take over... it wouldn''t just hunt them.


    It would hunt his friends.


    He gritted his teeth, shoving the thought down as he ran.


    Yet no matter how much he tried to focus, the bloodlust remained.


    I want to kill them.


    I want to kill them all.


    The war trolls.


    The ones who had wronged him.


    He was tired of running. Tired of nursing grudges.


    It was payback time.


    But reason pulled him back from the edge, and so he ran.


    Then¡ª


    The ground shook.


    A deep, guttural roar thundered through the mountains.


    The war trolls had caught up.


    These creatures were fast¡ªfaster than their size should have allowed. And they were cruel.


    They didn''t just want to kill.


    They wanted revenge.


    From behind, a booming voice thundered¡ª


    "Run, hu-man, run! We catch goddess races, we kill!"


    A second troll, even more crazed, charged forward, snarling¡ª


    "Kill all men¡ªplay with women¡ªeat! Eat them!"


    Damon''s expression twisted in fury. His fists clenched, his teeth grinding together as he looked down the mountain path.


    And then¡ª


    He saw it.


    One of the trolls.


    A hulking beast of muscle and filth, holding a massive axe in its hands.


    It grinned¡ªa sinister, cruel smile.


    "Found you, dirty human."


    Damon didn''t need to tell the others to run faster.


    They were already running for their lives.


    The war trolls were here for blood.

 Chapter 253: Death Here And There

    The war trolls were Rank One monsters¡ªbut even among their rank, they were the kind that could singlehandedly wipe out an entire party of adventurers at the same level.


    This was a well-documented fact.


    The Adventurer''s Guild explicitly warned against encountering war trolls without proper preparation. If one entered a dungeon or a region infested with them, it was advisable to bring at least three full parties, all with ample experience and a solid battle strategy.


    Unless, of course, you happened to be a battle prodigy.


    Or a suicidal fool.


    Sylvia now understood exactly why these creatures were so feared.


    The trolls rushed up the mountain path, their massive bodies moving with terrifying speed. They roared with rage and twisted excitement, their thunderous footsteps shaking the very ground beneath them.


    And they were closing in.


    She felt the world around her darken. A deep dread settled in her chest.


    Could they even survive this?


    She wished she had the power to see their odds, to know the outcome before it happened. But one look at Damon''s cold expression, the way his eyes locked onto the approaching trolls, and she knew¡ª


    He had come to the same conclusion.


    This was the end of their group.


    Two war trolls.


    Against a party of students.


    Not even a full party of seven¡ªjust six of them.


    And none of them had reached First-Class yet.


    Matlock''s wings fluttered frantically as he hovered just above the ground, speeding along the winding mountain path. He kept up with the others, but his frantic glances behind them told her all she needed to know¡ªthey weren''t fast enough.


    They had been lucky not to run into any of the horrors lurking within the Duhu Mountains. It was as if the forest spirits themselves were waiting, watching from the trees, urging them not to stray from the path¡ªnot to step into their domain¡ª


    Because the war trolls would be their problem.


    From behind, Damon felt it.


    The chilling murderous intent radiating from the trolls.


    It made his blood run cold.


    The air around them felt heavy, almost suffocating.


    At that moment, he was reminded of something¡ª


    The sheer helplessness he had felt when he was being chased by the Evil Forest Wendigo.


    He gritted his teeth.


    His Remorseless skill screamed in his mind, whispering an undeniable truth¡ª


    If he fought these trolls head-on, he would die.


    It wasn''t long before they reached a winding pass. Matlock soared up onto a nearby rock, reaching down to help Sylvia. Leona jumped up on her own, Xander and Evangeline right behind her.


    Damon didn''t need any help.


    He scaled the rock and pressed forward¡ª


    Then froze.


    A sound¡ª


    The whistling of wind.


    A massive shadow loomed over them.


    His instincts screamed¡ª


    "GET DOWN!"


    Damon lunged, pushing the others to the ground just as a massive boulder shot past them.


    It slammed into the trees, crashing into the forest below with an earth-shattering impact.


    Damon pushed himself up, yanking Leona¡ªwho was the closest¡ªback to her feet. Then he ran.


    But it was pointless.


    The trolls had already caught up.


    One of them¡ªa hulking beast of muscle and filth¡ªraised its massive axe.


    Damon could feel it.


    He spun around, raising his fingers ¡ª


    BANG! BANG!


    The air rang with the deafening roar of magic bullets, smoke trailing in their wake as they slammed into the troll''s thick hide.


    It barely flinched.


    Leona snarled, raising her sword and slamming it into the ground¡ª


    [Thunder!]


    Arcs of lightning surged forward, crackling across the earth¡ª


    But it barely phased them.


    The trolls'' bodies resisted it effortlessly, smoke rising from their singed flesh as if it was nothing more than an irritation.


    Then¡ª


    The second troll ignored the attacks completely.


    With dark glee, it dashed past them, straight for¡ª


    Sylvia.


    She loosed arrow after arrow, but the massive beast didn''t slow down.


    Damon gritted his teeth.


    The shadows around him surged, wrapping around his body like armor. He rushed forward, dagger in hand, and¡ª


    SLASH!


    He sliced into the troll''s kneecap¡ª


    Dark blood pooled, but¡ª


    It healed instantly.


    The wound closed before his eyes.


    The troll turned, eyes burning with pure hatred.


    It raised its massive hand to swat him like an insect¡ª


    Damon moved, firing his omnidirectional gear, yanking himself to the side¡ª


    But not fast enough.


    The troll''s thumb barely grazed him¡ª


    And it sent him flying.


    He felt his Shadow Armor absorb some of the impact¡ª


    But his organs felt like they had shattered.


    The wind was knocked from his lungs as he was slammed into a tree.


    Pain exploded through his body.


    Blood pooled from his forehead, dripping into his eyes as he lifted his head¡ª


    And took in the scene before him.


    Their odds were low.


    No.


    They were worse than low.


    That wasn''t even a proper hit.


    And yet¡ª


    He was already on the verge of death.


    And that was after using Shadow Armor.


    He gritted his teeth. There was nowhere to run. Fighting trolls in the open was suicide...


    His gaze flicked to Sylvia, who was slowly backing away as the troll advanced toward her.


    Damon clenched his jaw, the taste of blood thick in his mouth. His side throbbed, but he forced himself to stand.


    "Evangeline¡ªlight!"


    His shout was all the signal she needed. A brilliant flash exploded in the air, flooding the area with blinding radiance. The others wasted no time, moving toward Damon. This was one of their party''s escape tactics¡ªblind the enemy and make a run for it.


    Except this time, they had no idea where to run.


    Which direction was safe? None. The path was blocked by trolls, and the forest... might be worse.


    As they bolted, one of the trolls lashed out, its massive foot slamming into Xander''s back.


    Damon''s expression paled as Xander was launched through the air, blood spraying from his mouth. He dreaded looking at his friend, certain that he was already dead.


    "Cough... cough..."


    To his shock, Xander merely coughed and staggered to his feet, glaring at the troll with fury.


    "Where do we go?" he demanded.


    Damon didn''t have time to process the absurdity of Xander surviving that hit. He bit his lip, seized Matlock''s arm, and pushed the young fairy toward the trees.


    "Into the forest! Now! Hurry!"


    Evangeline hesitated. She stared at the dark woods ahead. On the surface, it looked like an ordinary forest... but she could feel it. Something vile lurked within, unseen and watching.


    Her lips trembled. "We¡ª"


    "Go! Now!" Damon snapped.


    The trolls were already closing in. As the group rushed into the forest, their footing gave way¡ªthey tumbled down a steep slope, rolling through dead leaves and brambles. When they finally hit the ground, the air felt... different.


    Dark.


    The illusion of a normal forest shattered in an instant. Unseen eyes bore into them from every direction.


    High above, atop the slope, the war trolls snarled in frustration.


    The smaller one grunted. "Tusk... we follow goddess race into dark forest?"


    The larger troll¡ªTusk¡ªshook his head. "No... they take shortcut. Appear on other side. We go there. Follow path. Wait."


    A simple plan, but a deadly one.


    Damon knew their only chance was to cut through the forest. If they followed the mountain''s winding path, the trolls would catch them for sure. But if they took the shortcut through the woods...


    They''d save time.


    Or die before they ever made it out.


    If they didn''t appear on the other side by nightfall, the trolls wouldn''t even need to kill them. The horrors of the forest would take care of that.


    And if they did make it out...


    The trolls would be waiting.

 Chapter 254 254: Is This The End.......

    The sound of blood dripping onto the forest floor was the only noise in the deafening silence of the mountain woods.


    Not even the chirping of insects or the rustling of leaves¡ªjust pure, suffocating stillness.


    That, more than anything, was the most ominous sign.


    Even so, they kept moving. Blood clung to their skin, dried in places and still fresh in others. Sylvia tried to heal Damon, but he brushed her off, his expression cold and unreadable. She didn''t press further.


    The others were treated for their injuries, yet the strangest thing was Xander¡ªwho had taken a direct hit from a war troll. By all logic, he should have been dead, or at the very least severely injured. But when Sylvia examined him, there wasn''t a single bruise. No swelling. No internal bleeding.


    It didn''t make sense.


    Damon staggered forward, his fingers clenched into fists, his body soaked in blood¡ªsome his, some not.


    Sylvia was scared.


    She had been for a while now.


    They all were.


    By their sides, they could hear the sounds of breathing. And whispers. The voices always seemed distant, yet they knew better.


    Whatever was whispering... was far closer than it sounded.


    This forest was a horrible place.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. "Let me heal you, please. At this rate, you''ll collapse from blood loss¡ª"


    Her words were cut off by a loud growl.


    Damon''s stomach.


    It echoed unnaturally through the trees, swallowed by the eerie silence only to return, stretched and distorted, as if the forest itself was mocking him.


    The others tensed, gripping their weapons tighter.


    They were all afraid. And tired.


    For the past three hours, they had been moving deeper into what felt like their inevitable deaths.


    Evangeline rummaged through what little remained of their rations, pulling out the last piece of preserved food she had. Quietly, she walked up to Damon, her movements cautious.


    She held the food out to him. "Here. You should eat."


    Damon''s gaze lifted.


    For a moment, he didn''t look at the food.


    He looked at her.


    Not at her face, but lower¡ªwhere her heart was.


    Then, his eyes flickered toward Sylvia.


    The hair on the back of Evangeline''s neck stood up.


    Damon''s lips parted slightly, and a low whisper left them.


    "So hungry... I just want to eat..."


    Evangeline bit her lip.


    He didn''t take the food.


    Instead, he turned away and kept walking, leading them forward as if nothing had happened.


    She forced herself to swallow the unease building in her chest.


    "We... we can eat something once we leave the Duhu Mountains," she said, as if saying it would make it real.


    "You said it yourself. We just need to reach the Whispering Forest. Then find the ruined city."


    She bit her lip, lowering her head.


    "We can survive... right?"


    Damon didn''t answer.


    He just kept walking.


    The others exchanged uneasy glances, unsure if he was lost in despair or simply too drained to speak.


    Then, for the briefest moment, something changed.


    His eyes flickered with clarity.


    His jaw clenched, and his voice, low and steady, cut through the silence.


    "I''m not dying. And neither are you. We need to leave this forest before the sun sets."


    The conviction in his words sent a shiver through them.


    Their despair lifted, if only slightly.


    They nodded, pressing forward.


    And as they walked, the voices in the forest grew louder.


    More breathing.


    More whispers.


    More unseen eyes watching them from the darkness.


    Damon took a deep breath.


    He was hungry.


    He just wanted to eat.


    His shadow wanted flesh.


    He wanted human flesh...


    But he couldn''t let his shadow take over.


    He had been using the Sacrifice skill extensively, and after sending his shadow to scout ahead, he had burned through more than 2,000 mana points just to sustain it. Now, he had no choice but to conserve every last bit of mana for what was coming.


    Thus, he was hungry.


    This hunger had its advantages¡ªit kept his strength higher than usual. But at the same time, it chipped away at his sanity. He was already at his mental limit.


    His wilder side whispered to him.


    Turn back. Kill the war trolls. Let your shadow consume. Become ravenous. Kill everyone. You can survive on your own... alone... you always have.


    Damon clenched his jaw, forcing the thoughts out of his mind.


    They pressed on, their weary bodies trudging through the cursed woods. The creatures of the forest never outright attacked them, but they toyed with them.


    Once, at noon, something unseen grabbed Sylvia''s hair and yanked her backward. When they turned to look, they found nothing but a dismembered, floating leg, swaying unnaturally in the air before vanishing.


    Another time, something had joined their group.


    It had taken on the exact likeness of one of them and walked alongside them for miles.


    No one said a word.


    No one acknowledged it.


    And after a while... it simply disappeared.


    Their faces had been pale ever since.


    Now, with the sun inching closer to the horizon, they could finally see the path ahead¡ªtheir way out of the forest.


    They only needed to leave the woods.


    Just a few more steps.


    Then¡ª


    "Jekejejekekrk... Jejejejjr... Hehehhekekekk..."


    A chorus of laughter. Sick. Twisted.


    Mocking.


    The creatures of the woods had no intention of letting them leave.


    No one who entered the forest ever left alive.


    Damon sighed, a bitter taste of despair on his tongue.


    They had been so close...


    He thought they could escape before nightfall.


    His lips curled into a self-deprecating smile.


    What horrible creatures will come to end our pathetic lives?


    From the trees, something began to fall.


    Black fur, drifting gently to the ground.


    As it fell, the dim sunlight in the forest seemed to fade, as if the very presence of this entity darkened the world around it.


    Then the fur birthed flesh.


    Bones twisted, sinew snapped into place, and grotesque bodies began to form.


    Not just one.


    Many.


    They were beasts¡ªcovered in black fur, but with human hands. Their grotesque figures resembled oversized baboons, their long fingers curling unnaturally, their breath wheezing in the silence.


    The ground was littered with them.


    Lifeless. Unmoving.


    Damon and the others stood frozen, their faces drained of all color, their legs heavy with paralyzing fear.


    Then, from the trees, something else fell.


    Ethereal forms¡ªspirits, ghastly and weightless, descending from the canopy above.


    Ghostly monkey-like souls.


    Each spirit sank into one of the lifeless bodies on the ground.


    And then¡ª


    The paralyzing fear vanished.


    But before they could move¡ª


    The corpses twitched.


    Then convulsed.


    Then stood up.


    The air was filled with noises¡ªjeering, cackling, shrieking.


    The beasts grinned, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth. Some stood on all fours, others hunched over on two legs. Their elongated snouts curled in unsettling smiles. Their fingers¡ªlong, human-like, unnatural¡ªtwitched in excitement.


    Damon exhaled slowly.


    His head lowered.


    He had read about these creatures in the old travel journal.


    Devil Monkeys.


    They had long hands, sharper fangs, and a sickening, near-human intelligence.


    He lifted his gaze toward the sun.


    It was sinking behind the trees, its light dying.


    And with it, his hope.


    Is this the end...?

 Chapter 255: Accept Your Pain

    The mountains had many horrors¡ªfrom the monstrous terrain to vile spirits and malevolent monsters. Most of these creatures adhered to the rules of the mountains, staying hidden in the day. However, there were exceptions.


    Invisible to all but ever-present in the tree line, these vile monkeys were cruel and sinister, perfectly camouflaged within the dense canopy. They were sadistic, reveling in the torment of their prey, breaking them apart in both body and spirit. Now, it was clear why the warnings spoke of never looking into the tree line.


    To whomever may come across my warnings, pray you never encounter these vile apes.


    This was the passage recorded in the travel journal about the devil monkeys¡ªone of the few Damon could read. That was why their group''s despair was warranted. Damon merely looked at the many devil monkeys with a tired expression. He was exhausted from running, from the fear, the dread, and most pathetic of all¡ªthe weakness.


    He was too tired. He was so hungry...


    He tightened his grip around his daggers, his friends pressing their backs against each other in a defensive circle.


    "What do we do, Damon...?"


    An androgynous voice whispered to him, but all he could think was¡ª


    ''So hungry... so angry... I just want to eat...''


    His shadow stirred, an abyssal hunger seething within. The cold weight of his dagger rested in his palm as the devil monkeys surrounded them, their twisted grins illuminated by the last dying light of the sun.


    Xander clenched his fists, gripping his spear tightly as he kept his eyes locked on the jeering horrors.


    "They''re trying to trap us until the sun sets. We have to fight our way out..."


    He glanced at Damon, whose expression remained eerily cold and dull under the effects of his shadow hunger and the merciless grip of his Remorseless skill.


    Evangeline didn''t hesitate any longer. If they didn''t act now and the sun set, they would be trapped in this cursed forest forever. Raising her sword high, she unleashed a beam of light at the nearest devil monkey. It dodged effortlessly.


    Then all hell broke loose.


    The ghastly monkeys erupted from the trees, their shrill, mocking laughter echoing through the forest as the group retaliated with magic and steel. Sylvia drew her twin blades, abandoning her bow¡ªthere was no point in using arrows when the enemy was this close.


    Xander charged forward, spear raised, aiming to impale one of the creatures. His strike passed right through as if he were stabbing thin air.


    The monkeys jeered, raising their human-like hands.


    "Ahhajam...ahahkkekeke!"


    Then they attacked.


    They swarmed Xander, claws sinking into his ribs, jagged teeth tearing into his shoulder. He shoved them back, blood seeping from his wounds, but he remained standing. The others weren''t faring as well. Sylvia was already injured, her arm broken.


    Leona swore under her breath, lightning arcing from her fingertips. The bolts crackled and struck true¡ªonly to pass through the devil apes harmlessly. Not even Sylvia''s lunar magic had any effect. Only Evangeline''s radiant light seemed to harm them.


    Matlock hovered above the chaos, surrounded by a storm of ice. He weaved through the air with an elegance akin to a snowflake drifting from the heavens, slicing at the creatures with an ice knife in hand. Yet, despite his skill, his strikes left no mark. They were too many. He was caught mid-air, dragged down into a mass of fangs and fur.


    Damon wasn''t faring any better.


    He was already on the ground, caked in his own blood as a devil monkey clawed at his face. He barely felt it anymore. His expression was cold, tired.


    ''Is this it...? So I die here...''


    The thought almost amused him. He had lived quite the life. The blood on his forehead stirred old, ghastly memories¡ªthe children in his village throwing rocks at him and his orphaned sister when they begged for food.


    That village of traitors still thrived, even after what they did.


    After everything his family had done for them...


    The memories came in flashes, filling his dying will with something far darker than fear¡ªhatred.


    His enemies were out there. The traitors were out there, living their best lives while he suffered.


    Pain? What pain hadn''t he endured?


    Death? He had given up on life long ago.


    If that was the case...


    Then why not use Ashborn and burn it all down? If it killed him, so what?


    His blood-soaked eyes met the devil monkey''s sinister grin. It was enjoying his torment.


    Damon whispered a single word.


    "Die."


    A black flame erupted from his body¡ªdeep as the void, searing with an immolating heat and a soul-chilling coldness. It rose like a living shadow, consuming the apes around him.


    They didn''t even have time to scream before they crumbled into drifting ash.


    Damon''s body convulsed. The agony was indescribable¡ªtenfold the pain of being burned alive. His mind reeled, his nerves screamed. Yet, amidst it all, he smiled.


    A deep, cold smile.


    Then the prompts came.


    [You have slain a Devil Monkey.]


    [You have slain a Devil Monkey.]


    [You have slain a Devil Monkey.]


    ....


    [You have gained 10 Attribute Points.]


    [You have gained 10 Attribute Points.]


    [You have gained 10 Attribute Points.]


    ....


    [You have acquired the skill: Omen of Dread]


    [Mastery: Pain Resistance +9]


    [Mastery: Pain Resistance +9]


    [Mastery: Pain Resistance +9]


    Damon stood, ignoring the flood of notifications. His body was shutting down, his mind spiraling from the sheer mental shock of burning alive. He knew this would kill him.


    Even so...


    He raised his hand.


    "Die."


    His mana and shadow energy drained instantly. He activated Sacrifice, throwing 700 points into shadow to sustain Ashborn.


    The black flames scattered like a vengeful storm, leaving behind a trail of smoldering destruction. The devil monkeys shrieked, their bodies turning to cinders, while the survivors fled into the trees.


    Damon trembled. He wanted to scream in agony, but his voice refused to obey. His face twisted in a grimace, contorted by pain.


    He lifted his hands once more, even as his friends watched in horror.


    "Arhhggggg!"


    The flames surged into the trees, burning with a darkness indistinguishable from shadows. They devoured everything¡ªsearing and freezing at once, leaving nothing but blackened ruins in their wake.


    His body convulsed. His mind could not withstand the shock of enduring the sensation of burning alive¡ªeven though, physically, he suffered no wounds.


    He would soon die from the shock, but so what as long as he delivered death. So what of he died. His body convulsed weakly as death came.


    Then¡ª


    [Mastery: Pain Resistance +9]


    [Mastery: Pain Resistance +9]


    ....


    [Acquired Mastery: Pain Resistance Lv.1]


    The overwhelming, mind-breaking agony dulled. He slowly straightened, dark eyes hollow¡ªsomething within him had burned away with those flames.


    He gazed at the ashen remains of the forest.


    Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.


    His friends watched him go, but it was as if he wasn''t entirely there anymore.

 Chapter 256: Following Death

    Slowly, he walked out of the woods, his expression distant, as if he wasn''t all there. His body trembled, yet his face remained as stoic as a doll''s. Blood covered his entire body, but he moved like a man who had lost touch with his own flesh.


    The others followed in silent horror, their gazes fixed on the destruction he had left behind. The charred remains of the devil monkeys were nothing but ash, drifting on the dying breeze of the forest.


    They staggered after him, each burdened by their own injuries, eager to leave the nightmare of the cursed woods behind. And just as the sun began to dip beneath the horizon, casting the sky into the hues of twilight, they stepped onto the mountain path¡ªDamon in the lead.


    Yet, as he stood there, staring ahead, none of them could bring themselves to speak. There were so many questions¡ªso much fear and uncertainty¡ªbut the dread that hung over them overshadowed all else.


    Damon did not move. He just stood there, still as stone, his vacant eyes devoid of the stubborn will that usually burned within him. Gone was his cold gloominess, his sharp-edged sarcasm, his teasing smirks. There was only emptiness now, a hollow abyss where his presence had once been.


    Sylvia''s gaze fell on him, a sharp pang of recognition striking her heart. She knew what those flames were. She had been possessed by the very spirit that had birthed them.


    Her fingers curled into a trembling fist.


    ''Did... did Damon take my place?''


    A deep fear lodged itself in her throat. If Ignath had taken Damon''s body, if that cursed spirit had claimed him the way it had nearly consumed her... then she would rather burn with him than lose him to the dark.


    And so, despite her broken arm, despite the agony lacing her every breath, she staggered forward.


    "Give him back..." she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, yet filled with desperate conviction.


    Damon tilted his head slightly, as if finally noticing her presence. His vacant eyes met hers¡ªand for a fleeting moment, a trace of clarity flickered within them. And when that clarity came, Sylvia saw it¡ªthe pain. The deep, wretched agony buried within him.


    "They''re coming..."


    His voice was soft, distant, almost dreamlike. His trembling hand lifted, pointing towards the road ahead.


    "This is the end of the mountain path. If you run now, you can reach the bridge. If you make it there, you''ll be safe... but if the smaller troll catches up, you''ll have to fight it."


    His expression twisted, his jaw tightening as a flicker of humanity surfaced within his hollow eyes.


    Sylvia bit her lip hard. "L-Let me heal you¡ª"


    She chose not to ask about the dark, shadow-like flames. But Damon''s gaze drifted to her, bloodied, battered, her arm hanging uselessly at her side. He turned away, staring into the distance as if waiting for something¡ªsomething inevitable.


    Then, they all heard it.


    The thunderous roars of war trolls echoed through the valley.


    Leona''s breath hitched. She clenched her fists, panic creeping into her voice.


    "Come on, what''s wrong?! We have to run¡ª"


    Damon didn''t respond. He stood there, trembling, his body wracked with the aftereffects of using Ashborn. The shock of experiencing tenfold the pain of burning alive without dying had left him drained, his consciousness barely tethered to reality.


    But there was something else too.


    Hunger.


    Not just from his shadow, but a deeper, more primal hunger. A desire to kill.


    Evangeline hesitated, her lips parting¡ª


    But Damon cut her off.


    "Go now. You have to reach the bridge."


    Xander gritted his teeth and stormed forward, grabbing Damon by the collar with a furious glare.


    "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why are you talking like you''re not coming with us?!"


    Evangeline stepped forward as well, desperation lacing her voice.


    "Damon, come on! We''re close¡ªthe bridge is right around the corner! We''ve left the Duhu Mountains and all its horrors behind! We can make it!"


    Damon''s gaze flickered, but only for a second. He turned away, his eyes locking onto the forest behind him¡ªthe one he had left in flaming ruins. Then, to the horizon where the war trolls approached, massive and merciless.


    "I''m going to kill them," he murmured.


    His voice was steady. Absolute.


    "You guys can go... or take one for yourselves."


    Sylvia''s breath caught in her throat. Her grip on her broken arm tightened.


    "I''m not leaving you behind," she said through clenched teeth. "If you''re dying here, then I''ll die too."


    Leona gave a sharp exhale and smirked. "Hah, well, I was tired of running anyway."


    Damon shook his head. "We can''t take on two at once... you''ll die."


    Evangeline raised her sword, her grip white-knuckled.


    "Well, that''s too bad," she snapped. "I''m staying, you arrogant son of a bitch."


    Matlock, his wings fluttering, narrowed his eyes. "I''m not scared. I''m done being afraid."


    Damon''s empty gaze wavered.


    The light flickered.


    Slowly, he tilted his head.


    "Okay..." He clenched his fist. "Then let''s fight. Let''s kill them together."


    He raised a hand, pointing toward the bridge in the distance. "Get there and wait for the smaller troll. The big one is mine."


    Evangeline sucked in a sharp breath. The big one was too strong. Even if it was Damon, even if he had Ashborn¡ªhe couldn''t take it alone.


    "I... I''ll help you¡ª"


    Damon shook his head.


    "Go."


    Xander clenched his jaw. He knew that look. Damon wouldn''t leave. He wanted this fight. No, he needed it. He had fought against Damon before¡ªhe knew just how stubborn he was.


    He exhaled sharply, then placed a hand on Evangeline''s shoulder.


    A frustrated tear welled in her eye. She knew him just as well as Xander did.


    "...Let''s go," Xander murmured.


    Evangeline sniffed, gripping her sword tighter.


    Leona turned around, her ears twitching as the wind carried the distant roars of the war trolls. She understood the way of the warrior¡ªshe had been raised as one, born and bred for battle. But even so, this was her best friend. She clenched her teeth, her hands curling into trembling fists.


    "If you die..." Her voice wavered, but she forced it out. "I''ll never forgive you..."


    Matlock bit his lip, his wings fluttering anxiously as he hesitated, glancing back at Damon.


    "I''ll see you on the other side... right?"


    Damon didn''t respond. He simply stood there, staring vacantly into the distance.


    That left Sylvia. Unlike the others, she refused to budge. She didn''t need to understand why he was doing this. She didn''t want to.


    "You... you can win, right?" she whispered, her voice barely holding together.


    Damon remained impassive, his body trembling from the lingering pain. For a long moment, there was silence. Then, at last, he spoke.


    "I don''t know..." His voice was quiet, yet heavy. "I always have a plan... or at least some odds of success. But this time, I don''t. I will most likely die... but I still don''t want to run. I''ve run enough for a lifetime."


    His hands clenched at his sides.


    "I will fight... for this one pathetic life. I will fight for this life that I hate..."


    Tears streamed down Sylvia''s face as the guttural grunts of the war trolls grew closer.


    "I''m not leaving you," she choked out. "I''m not¡ª"


    Evangeline and Xander grabbed her before she could lunge toward him.


    "Let me go!" she screamed, thrashing violently against their hold. "Please! We can''t go! You can''t¡ªyou''re too arrogant and selfish to give your life for someone else! Don''t start now! Please, Damon¡ªplease¡ªno, no! Let me go!"


    Damon exhaled slowly. His shadow stretched long beneath the dimming sun, twisting unnaturally, as if forming a dark abyss around him. A deep aura of dread settled in the air, filling their hearts with an instinctual fear.


    He turned to Sylvia, and for the first time since he had left the forest, there was something¡ªsomething that was Damon Grey¡ªflickering in his eyes.


    His lips parted, his voice a mere whisper.


    "Put your faith not in any god... have faith in me."


    Sylvia froze. Xander and Evangeline loosened their hold, and she collapsed to her knees, biting down on her lip until it bled.


    Then, she rose unsteadily to her feet. Without another word, she turned and ran, past Leona and Matlock.


    Xander nodded grimly. Evangeline opened her mouth, but no words came.


    As she left, she heard Damon''s final whisper.


    "If I die... tell my sister I''m sorry. I stopped living for her. But just this once, let me follow death... let her give me what I''m owed."


    Evangeline ran, her tears glittering in the dying sunlight. She never heard the rest of Damon''s words, the ones he murmured under his breath, repeating the old epitaph he had once chanted to himself.


    The war trolls'' hulking forms thundered forward, shaking the earth with their monstrous weight.


    Damon stood his ground. He tightened his grip around his dagger as the shadows at his feet stirred hungrily, coiling around him like living tendrils.


    "We are not asked to be born..."


    The shadows surged, crawling up his limbs, weaving together into an inky black armor that hardened around his body.


    He knelt, his head bowed, his voice a low prayer to the unknown. He finished the epitaph that had shaped his life.


    "All things fade..."


    Then, he rose, his eyes burning with a dire will. The ground trembled beneath him as the war trolls closed in.


    "I offer the unknown god... your souls."


    The shadows flared violently in response. The very air around him seemed to shift, thickening with something unnatural¡ªsomething hungry.

 Chapter 257 257: Tusk

    The forest was silent¡ªnot even the chirping of birds disturbed the stillness. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting golden beams across the undergrowth, creating a scene of serene beauty. But the young boy standing beneath the ancient tree had no room in his heart to appreciate it.


    He wore little more than rags, his frail frame barely covered from the elements. His blue eyes were dull, lifeless, the weight of exhaustion evident in the deep shadows beneath them. In his trembling hands, he held a frayed rope. He tied it to a thick, sturdy branch, securing it with a knot, then stepped onto a log.


    The noose hung before him. He reached for it with shaking fingers, slipping it over his head. The rough fibers scratched against his skin, but he paid it no mind. His expression remained empty, his mind already resigned.


    A quiet whisper escaped his lips.


    "I''m sorry... Luna..."


    With that, he moved to kick the log away.


    But as he shifted his weight, his foot nudged something¡ªa half-buried stone nestled among the roots of the ancient tree. His eyes flickered down, noticing faint carvings on its surface. Something about the weathered inscription drew him in, held him in place.


    His fingers hesitated on the rope.


    Then, slowly, he pulled it off his neck.


    ''It won''t be too late to die after I read it...''


    He stepped down, his curiosity overriding his despair, and knelt before the stone. His fingers brushed away the dirt and moss, revealing the words etched into its surface. He read them, his lips moving silently, his breath catching in his throat.


    Time passed, but he didn''t move. His dull blue eyes gradually sharpened, an icy hue overtaking them as something deep inside him shifted. The cold disregard for his life remained¡ªbut now, it was accompanied by something else. A stubborn, reckless defiance.


    "If I''m going to die anyway... why not live as if I was already dead?"


    His fists clenched.


    "Until I can save Luna... I will live. I dare to live."


    Years passed. His once-icy blue eyes darkened, shadowed by the hardships he had endured. But the reckless defiance that had been born on that day never wavered. It drove him forward, pushed him beyond reason, made him fight even when others called him a fool for refusing to bow his head.


    Dead men need not bow.


    What did they have to fear? Death?


    They were already dead.


    And that was why he would not run now.


    The ground trembled. The war trolls barreled toward him, their monstrous forms tearing through the forest like harbingers of doom. If they were the hands of the goddess of death, then so be it.


    He would join her in her divine realm.


    But he would not go alone.


    Either he would take them with him¡ª


    ¡ªOr he would send them there alone.


    The ground thundered as the war trolls reached him, their massive forms skidding to a halt. The sun had long since vanished beyond the horizon, leaving only the dim glow of the stars above. Their hulking bodies were stained with dried blood¡ªlikely from their rampage through the treacherous mountains. The horrors of the Duhu Mountains were not welcoming, even to creatures as formidable as them.


    The war troll in front, Tusk, surveyed the scene before him. At the center of what had once been the mountain path stood a figure clad in writhing black armor. It did not resemble traditional plate armor; instead, it moved, living tendrils of shadow rising and shifting unnaturally around its form. The very ground beneath it seemed to merge with the darkness of the armor, making it impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. For a brief moment, Tusk thought it might be one of the ancient evils of the Duhu Mountains¡ªone of the cursed things that lurked in the deep places of the world.


    But no.


    This thing... it smelled like a human.


    A human drenched in blood.


    Tusk tightened his grip on the massive battle axe resting on his shoulder. The prints in the dirt told him others had been here... but had left.


    His deep, guttural voice rumbled.


    "You stay to die, human? Not know your kind so brave."


    Beside him, the second troll, Huge, clutched a massive club, his beady yellow eyes scanning the darkness.


    "Where other goddess races go?"


    The figure did not move. The shadows clung to him like a second skin. Only after a moment did he slowly raise his head.


    "I stayed to kill you."


    His voice was quiet, cold.


    He lifted his gaze fully.


    "Do you want to fight me one-on-one... or do both of you wish to die together?"


    The trolls exchanged glances¡ªthen burst into laughter.


    This thing was just a human.


    A human child.


    No sword. No axe. Not even the signs of a first-class advancement. He wasn''t even an adult yet. How could they take this seriously?


    Huge snorted, baring his stained teeth. "Tusk, this human buy time for others to escape."


    Tusk nodded. That had to be it. But no matter. Killing him would be easy.


    The larger of the two trolls stepped forward, resting his axe in the dirt.


    "Then me fight you in duel." He glanced at Huge. "You go. Catch other goddess races before they escape."


    Huge grinned, his tusks gleaming in the moonlight, before thundering off into the darkness. As he passed, the wind howled in his wake.


    BANG.


    Tusk slammed his war axe into the earth, placing his massive hands atop the hilt.


    "Human wish to duel. Very brave. Human trap, kill Hand¡ªdishonorable. But Tusk give you honorable duel to death. May goddess and unknown god take you."


    Damon said nothing.


    Tusk took the silence as acceptance of his fate.


    What could this human do? He was tired. He reeked of his own blood. He could barely stand. Even at his best, he would not last long. And now? He was nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter.


    Tusk was stronger. Bigger. His rank was higher. He had survived years of war, clashing with warriors far greater than this boy. His body could regenerate wounds that would kill lesser creatures, and the monstrous vitality of a war troll meant he could keep fighting for days if needed.


    This thing before him?


    It was an insult.


    Tusk raised his axe lazily. He would end this quickly, then catch up to Huge and slaughter the others.


    But then...


    The human moved.


    It was subtle.


    A slow lift of his head.


    Tusk, who had been watching him carefully, suddenly felt his gut clench. He couldn''t see the human''s face¡ªnot through all that unnatural shadow. But the moment the boy raised his head, the air itself seemed to die.


    An aura of dread poured out from him like an open wound, raw and suffocating. The very wind around them turned sharp and cold, stinging at Tusk''s skin. His breath hitched. His hands trembled.


    For the first time in decades...


    He felt fear.


    This...


    This feeling... it''s the same as when I faced a high-ranking demon...


    Tusk roared, forcing himself to move past the instinct to run. He lifted his massive axe high above his head and brought it down in a crushing blow, aiming to split the human in two¡ª


    BOOM.


    The ground exploded beneath the force of the strike, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air.


    Tusk narrowed his eyes, stepping back slightly, waiting for the dust to settle.


    And when it did¡ª


    His blood ran cold.


    The human was still standing.


    A crater marked where the axe had landed, but the boy had sidestepped it effortlessly, untouched by the attack. Shadows curled at his feet, writhing like hungry serpents.


    Tusk''s mind barely had time to register this when¡ª


    The human moved.


    Faster than his eyes could follow.


    A blur of black streaked up the length of his axe¡ª


    Damon was already upon him.


    Jumping onto the massive weapon, running up its length¡ª


    And then¡ª


    He launched himself straight for Tusk''s face.


    With a crack, his heel slammed into the troll''s skull in a brutal dropkick.

 Chapter 258 258: Omen Of Things To Come

    Damon had not just been standing there vacantly while the war trolls approached. His body had been still, but his mind had been racing, his eyes locked onto his system panel as he hurriedly distributed all the attribute points he had accumulated since this hellish nightmare began.


    [HP: 253/385] +235


    [Mana: 6804/9084]


    [Strength: 134]


    [Agility: 57]


    [Speed: 185]


    [Endurance: 65]


    [Class: ¡ª]


    [Shadow: 40]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 60%]


    [Shadow Level: 7]


    [Condition: Shadow is Hungry]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze] [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn] [Omen Of Dread]


    [Mastery:]


    [Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv1] [Survival Lv3] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv2] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv2] [Trap Lv2] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv2] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv1] [Mana Control Lv1] [Magic Bullet Lv1] [Pain Resistance Lv1]


    [Locked]


    His newest skill¡ªOmen of Dread¡ªwas the result of burning the devil monkeys with Ashborn. The cursed flames functioned just like his shadows; anything they consumed was counted as being devoured. That meant their strength, their experiences, their very essence had become his.


    [Omen of Dread]


    [Description]


    These vile mountains were old and ancient, leaking a small gap to the metaverse. When Mugu came upon these mountains, he was paralyzed by the fear of the vile spirits that hid within the trees. Those who tread too close find themselves ensnared by the same terror, their bodies frozen as unseen horrors creep ever closer.


    [Effect]


    Unleashes an aura of overwhelming dread, paralyzing enemies weaker than the user and instilling hesitation in those who fear him.


    [Type]


    Active


    [Cooldown]


    3 seconds


    That was how Damon had managed to force the war troll into hesitation before it even swung its axe.


    And the moment it did, Beholder''s Gaze activated¡ª


    Time slowed.


    For exactly three seconds, his perception expanded. Every shift of the troll''s muscles, the way the air vibrated from the sheer force of its swing¡ªhe saw it all.


    In that instant, he moved.


    Dodging the descending axe by mere inches, he surged forward, using the weapon itself as his path. His feet slammed onto the massive steel surface, sprinting up the length of the war axe like a phantom¡ª


    And then¡ª


    With all the force he could muster, he launched himself.


    His boots crashed into Tusk''s face in a devastating dropkick.


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Then¡ª


    ROOOOOAAARRRR!!!


    The war troll bellowed, staggering back not from pain, but from sheer humiliation.


    A human¡ªa weak human¡ªhad not only dodged his attack... but had touched his face.


    Tusk''s rage erupted. His muscles swelled, his veins bulging beneath his thick hide. The ground beneath him cracked as he slammed his foot down, stabilizing himself.


    He raised his glowing red eyes toward Damon.


    "You... will regret that."


    The war troll''s massive hand reached out, thick fingers closing in on Damon, who was shrouded in an armor of writhing shadows. His form blended seamlessly with the night around them, an extension of the darkness itself.


    Just as the troll''s grasp was about to close around him, Damon fired a thin wire from his palm, anchoring it to the ground and yanking himself downward¡ªdodging the attack by mere inches.


    The motion triggered Beholder''s Gaze again.


    Time slowed.


    Damon capitalized on the window, closing the distance with unnatural fluidity. He rolled under the troll''s legs, his daggers flashing as he sliced into the Achilles tendons. A spray of blood painted the air as his blades dug deep.


    The war troll''s left leg buckled.


    With a snarl, it swung its massive axe backward, unleashing a powerful astral wind. Damon barely ducked in time, the force whipping past him, shredding the trees behind him like paper.


    The 5x skill amplified his speed fivefold, but even so, every move was a near miss.


    Seeing an opportunity, he lunged for the second tendon, aiming to sever it completely¡ª


    But his daggers weren''t enough.


    The cut was too shallow. His weapons simply weren''t fit for slaying monsters this massive.


    "Aargh!"


    The troll lashed out with its massive arm, swatting him like a fly. The impact sent Damon hurtling backward, his Shadow Armor absorbing the brunt of the blow. He crashed into the dirt, skidding along the ground, gasping for air.


    Shadows rose from the earth and the trees, knitting his armor back together.


    His body trembled as he tried to breathe, but his lungs refused to cooperate. Coughing, choking¡ª


    Then¡ª


    A huge shadow fell from above.


    The war troll had leapt into the air.


    Move. NOW.


    Damon forced his body to roll, barely escaping as the massive troll crashed down, sending a shockwave through the earth. Dust exploded outward, raining over him. Some of it slipped through the gaps in his helm.


    His eyes narrowed.


    ''A flaw... I don''t need vision holes. I can see just fine through the shadows.''


    Remorseless revealed the weakness in his logic. He commanded Shadow Armor to morph, sealing the gaps, making the armor sleeker, smoother.


    Then he adjusted. His gauntlets formed sharp claws, the fists now studded with spikes.


    His daggers... were too short. Useless against an enemy of this size.


    But Shadow Armor could only form armor. It couldn''t create separate weapons.


    His gaze flicked to his shadow-forged gauntlets. What if... the weapon was part of the armor?


    The thought took root in his mind.


    The war troll swung its axe in a wide arc, impossibly fast for its size.


    Damon dove into the treeline, his expression twisting in pain from the lingering exhaustion of Ashborn.


    He had no time to recover.


    He had to adapt.


    As the troll prepared for another swing, Damon willed his shadows to extend over his fists.


    They shifted. Grew. Twisted.


    A new form took shape.


    The shadows morphed into a wide blade, seamlessly fusing into his gauntlets.


    The war troll''s axe roared through the air, a whirlwind of destruction.


    At the last moment, Damon slid underneath the swing, the air howling around him.


    Then¡ª


    His shadow blade cleaved through the troll''s massive foot.


    A deep gash was left in its wake, red blood spilling onto the ground.


    Damon flipped onto his knees, immediately dodging as the troll''s axe followed, slamming into the earth with a thunderous crash.


    A crater formed where he had just stood.


    The sheer killing intent rolling off the war troll was suffocating.


    Damon exhaled, staring at the shadow blade now fused to his gauntlet.


    His eyes turned cold beneath his armor.


    ''My daggers aren''t enough. And this thing can regenerate from any wound.''


    His fingers tightened.


    ''It can outlast me in a battle of attrition. If I use Ashborn, I might pass out before it burns to death. I need time to recover.''


    His gaze flicked toward the troll''s eyes.


    A decision crystallized in his mind.


    "Fine... I''ll take those first."

 Chapter 259 259: The Hand Given

    Damon stared down the war troll, watching as its massive body regenerated from minor wounds. In contrast, he was still drenched in blood¡ªhis own. He had originally been on the brink of collapse, with only a sliver of life remaining, but after using his attribute points, he had forced his body to adapt, expanding his health points and pushing his limits beyond what they once were.


    His body trembled, aching from the abuse it had suffered, yet something deep within him was changing. He could feel it. A clarity washed over him, sharper than ever before. His strength refined itself. His speed honed to perfection. His endurance became something more than just survival¡ªit became power.


    This was an evolution.


    He was breaking free from the realm of weakness and stepping into the domain of the strong.


    If he survived this battle... he would reach the first-class advancement.


    Assuming, he thought grimly, I don''t die first.


    The war troll barreled toward him, its immense axe carving through the landscape like a force of nature. Trees snapped like twigs, toppling over in rapid succession, sending clouds of dust into the air.


    Damon took the opportunity. He lunged forward, slicing his dagger at the war troll''s stomach.


    The blade met flesh¡ª


    But it was pointless.


    The wound barely registered, sealing itself almost instantly, leaving behind nothing more than a shallow scratch.


    Damon didn''t hesitate. He rolled to the side as the troll''s massive foot came crashing down, shaking the very ground beneath him.


    His mind moved faster than his battered body. He leapt onto its arm just as the war troll slapped at its own skin, trying to crush him like an insect.


    But Damon moved with the grace of a predator. His Parkour skill activated, his feline-like reflexes allowing him to weave through the attacks.


    With a swift motion, he flipped and landed on the war troll''s face.


    The troll''s lips curled into a wicked grin.


    It opened its maw wide¡ªjagged teeth snapping at him like a bear trap¡ª


    Damon twisted mid-air, curling his body as the troll''s teeth clamped down just inches away from his legs.


    For a split second, the war troll looked amused.


    Then Damon drove his dagger straight into its eye.


    "ARRRHHH... MY EYE!"


    The troll roared in agony, stumbling back, massive hands clawing at its own face in a desperate attempt to dislodge the blade.


    But it was buried too deep.


    And its fingers¡ªtoo massive, too clumsy¡ªcouldn''t pry it free.


    Damon had no time to savor his small victory. The troll''s flailing sent him flying. He slammed into the ground, his body skidding across the dirt before tumbling to a stop. His shadow armor cracked from the impact, the living darkness writhing as it struggled to mend itself.


    A sharp, metallic taste filled his mouth.


    He coughed¡ªblood spilling from his lips.


    But he laughed.


    A broken, rasping sound.


    "Hah... ha... ha..."


    He staggered to his feet, feeling his ribs shift painfully under his flesh.


    The war troll, still clawing at its ruined eye, finally stopped its futile attempts.


    Its solution?


    It simply let it regenerate, the dagger still buried inside, leaving it blind in one eye but very much alive.


    Its remaining eye locked onto Damon.


    "DIE, TINY HUMAN!"


    The troll charged.


    Damon had no time to dodge.


    The sheer force of the troll''s massive body colliding with him sent him hurtling like a ragdoll across the battlefield. His shadow armor barely held together, the black tendrils desperately trying to knit themselves back into shape.


    His grip on his remaining dagger slipped.


    He hit the ground hard, his body bouncing before coming to a rough stop.


    Pain flared through him, but he could not afford to stay down.


    He rolled to the side, forcing himself up¡ª


    And as he did, his Pale Blood Veins skill flared to life beneath his cracked armor.


    His cold, lifeless eyes stared ahead, bloodshot and soaked in crimson.


    Even in his battered state, his gaze burned with defiance.


    And with murderous intent.


    The war troll reached out to grab him, its massive fingers closing in like a cage of death.


    Damon dodged, twisting away with desperate agility. His hand shot into the shadows of his armor, pulling free two arrows with hollow tips.


    The cold mountain air around him seemed to shudder. He could feel the spirits of the land react to the presence of the arrows. These weren''t ordinary weapons¡ªthese were cursed ore arrows.


    Without hesitation, he stabbed both arrows into the war troll''s wrist vein.


    The beast barely flinched, its pain tolerance too immense to care about something as small as an arrow wound.


    But Damon wasn''t done.


    He pivoted sharply¡ªbreaking the arrow tips inside the troll''s flesh.


    A guttural growl rumbled from the beast''s throat, but before it could react, Damon rolled beneath its massive legs, maneuvering himself up onto its broad, mountainous back.


    The war troll snarled, then fell backward, attempting to crush him under its sheer weight.


    Damon leapt off at the last second, landing on solid ground just as the creature slammed down with a thunderous impact.


    Its back was exposed.


    Damon didn''t waste a second¡ª


    He pulled out an entire quiver''s worth of cursed ore arrows and plunged them into its gut.


    One after another.


    Then¡ªhe broke them off inside its flesh.


    The war troll groaned in pain, a deep, horrible sound that shook the air. Blood poured from the wounds, dark and sluggish.


    It swiped wildly, catching Damon mid-air with the force of a landslide.


    The impact sent him flying.


    He crashed into the dirt, rolling violently before skidding to a stop. His armor of shadows cracked and writhed, the black tendrils struggling to mend themselves.


    The war troll grunted as it pushed itself up, its massive body trembling slightly.


    Then, for the first time¡ªit looked down at its wounds.


    And realized something was wrong.


    The wounds weren''t healing.


    Its single remaining eye widened in horror.


    "Me... not heal...?"


    Damon coughed, a spray of dark red leaving his lips as he forced himself to his feet. His vision blurred, his body screaming in agony.


    "You can''t heal from cursed ore..." His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Even if your kind is resistant to the poison, the curse lingers..."


    The war troll snarled.


    It gripped its massive axe in one hand now, its stance shifting.


    It no longer saw him as prey.


    It saw him as a threat.


    Damon grinned beneath his cracked armor.


    Then¡ªhe unleashed it.


    Omen of Dread.


    A crushing, oppressive aura filled the battlefield. A chill ran through the air, sinking into the bones of everything alive.


    The war troll froze.


    Its one functioning eye dilated, its massive frame locking up for the slightest moment.


    And that moment¡ª


    Was all Damon needed.


    He charged.


    The troll swung its massive left hand in panic¡ªDamon leapt onto it, using its own movement to propel himself upward. He climbed with reckless speed, dagger in one hand, and in the other¡ª


    Another cursed ore arrow.


    As he reached its face, he lunged, aiming to plunge the arrow into its skull¡ª


    But the war troll reacted.


    It let go of its axe¡ª


    And caught him.


    Its massive hand wrapped around his body, crushing him with terrifying force.


    Damon gasped in agony.


    The pressure caved in his shadow armor, his ribs creaking under the force.


    "Arghhh...!"


    But he didn''t struggle.


    Instead¡ªhe drove the arrow into the gap between its fingers, forcing its grip to loosen slightly.


    And then¡ªhe lunged forward.


    His arms couldn''t reach its eye.


    So instead¡ª


    He used his face.


    With a snarl, he removed his shadow helm, revealing his bloodied, battered face¡ª


    And bit down onto the troll''s remaining eye.


    The taste of blood and flesh filled his mouth, the thick, slimy texture making him want to retch¡ª


    But he bit down harder.


    The troll screamed.


    "RAHHHHRHHHH¡ª!"


    It yanked him away¡ª


    But too late.


    The eye was ripped from its socket, still clenched between Damon''s teeth.


    A bloody tendril of nerve and flesh snapped, the sickening taste of raw gore spreading on his tongue.


    The war troll shrieked, stumbling backward in blind agony.


    Its massive hands clawed at its ruined face, red blood streaming down its cheeks.


    Damon hit the ground hard, his body barely responding anymore.


    His armor of shadows lay shattered, his limbs trembling, blood seeping from every wound.


    He could feel it¡ª


    Death''s embrace.


    His vision darkened.


    His breath was weak.


    He was dying.


    ...No.


    Not yet.


    With a snarl, he forced his broken arm forward, dragging himself through the dirt¡ª


    Toward the battle axe the war troll had dropped.


    His cold, bloodshot eyes burned with one final, unyielding will.


    He would not die.


    Not until his enemy was dead first.


    This was the hand he was dealt.


    And this¡ª


    Would be the hand he dealt back.


    This was his hand. And he would deal it back¡ªbrutal, final, and merciless.

 Chapter 260 260: Death Dealer

    Damon''s whole life had been one long, painful journey. Crawling in a pool of his own blood just to stay alive was nothing new to him. It had happened far too many times, and each time, he had gritted his teeth, refusing to die. He lived just so his sister could have a chance.


    But this time was different.


    As he dragged himself through his own blood toward the fallen axe, there was no thought of survival¡ªonly the overwhelming desire to kill the war troll. Every inch of his broken body ached for nothing else.


    The troll thundered blindly, its massive feet crushing the earth, sniffing at the air. Blood dripped from its ruined eye socket, pooling around its nose. It paused, flaring its nostrils, snot and blood mixing as it searched for him. Its ears twitched, listening intently for the human''s movements. Surely, the human had reached his limit by now.


    It smiled, its tusks glistening.


    "Human... will eat you. Rip you to pieces... crush with jaw..."


    Damon took a slow, silent breath. The troll turned its head slightly, catching his scent in the air.


    "Got human..." it rumbled, before leaping toward him, the ground shaking beneath its massive weight.


    Damon forced his broken body to move. He rolled at the last second, his shadow-wreathed armor writhing around him as he crashed against a boulder, fresh blood smearing across its surface. His breath was weak, his vision blurring.


    Lying there, his eyes drifted upward, toward the night sky. The stars shimmered, constellations burning brightly in the heavens. The twin moons hung above him, one of them was called Luna. A name shared by the an unknown and unworshiped moon goddess¡ªA dear friend of the goddess of doom.


    But to Damon, that name meant something else.


    "Luna..." he whispered, his lips barely moving.


    His sister''s name.


    His shadow twisted erratically around him¡ªa warning. His energy was nearly depleted.


    "Goodbye, Luna..."


    That was his final whisper into the night.


    The war troll caught the faint murmur, its ears twitching at the sound. But Damon had expected that. As the monster barreled toward him, fist raised to crush him into the dirt, he closed his eyes¡ª


    And sacrificed his stats.


    A flood of mana poured into his shadow, igniting them like an infernal blaze.


    Agony.


    The pain was beyond description, searing through every nerve in his body. It was like being burned alive ten times over. His mind screamed, his body convulsed, but he held on. Black flames erupted from his hands, consuming the war troll in an all-devouring inferno.


    The beast howled in agony, its flesh blistering and peeling away. It tried to regenerate, but the fire scorched both its body and soul, severing its ability to heal.


    Damon forced himself upright, his eyes burning with shadowed fire. He barely registered the system notification flashing in his mind.


    [Mastery: Pain Resistance +3]


    It didn''t matter. None of it mattered.


    All that mattered was the troll''s death.


    "Let''s burn... together..."


    He lunged, grabbing onto its neck as the beast thrashed violently. Flames engulfed them both, the immolating heat clashing with freezing darkness. The war troll tried to shake him off, but Damon clung tighter, his grip unyielding. His body was breaking apart, his mana and shadow draining at a terrifying rate.


    If he kept using Ashborn... he would die.


    But that didn''t matter.


    "Die... DIE... LET''S ALL DIE TOGETHER!"


    His voice was a maddened roar, echoing through the night like the shriek of a vengeful specter.


    The troll crashed into trees, smashing through the ground, its charred flesh cracking and splitting. Its muscles were exposed, its remaining eye burnt to nothing. It finally collapsed, its body twitching as it struggled to regenerate. Its breath came in weak, rasping gasps.


    Damon lay motionless on the ground. Blood and shadow coated his broken body. His vision darkened.


    Then¡ªhe coughed.


    Consciousness returned in a slow, agonizing wave. He forced himself to move, staggering toward the massive troll''s axe. His fingers barely curled around the handle before his strength failed him, sending him back to the ground.


    And then, a whisper.


    Not from the system.


    Something else.


    Something far more ancient.


    [Merchant in blood... Dealer in death... Your life is drenched in carnage. Your defiance has reached the heavens. Your resentment had been heard by the Unknown God.]


    [You have awakened the unique class: Death Dealer.]


    [Class skill Dealers Hand: Give back life''s cruel hand ....with death.]


    [Your fable begins.]


    The voice faded, and with it, a rush of power surged through his broken body. System notifications flared before his exhausted eyes.


    [Rank Up... Class: Death Dealer.]


    [Class Skill: Dealer''s Hand unlocked.]


    [Class stat distribution applied.]


    [HP +200]


    [Mana +4000]


    [Strength +700]


    [Agility +600]


    [Speed +1000]


    [Endurance +500]


    [You are now known to the world. The Unseen Sovereign watches you, Death Dealer.]


    Damon didn''t have time to process it. The moment his HP replenished, strength flooded his body.


    His exhaustion vanished.


    His vision sharpened.


    He felt like he was about to explode with power.


    But there was only one thing he wanted.


    He lifted his gaze toward the dying war troll.


    And smiled.


    Damon reached for the massive battle axe, gripping it with a single hand despite his battered body. The weight felt insignificant in his grasp as he dragged it across the blood-soaked ground, the grinding noise echoing through the battlefield. The war troll, broken and burned beyond recognition, could hear death approaching but lacked the strength to resist. Damon limped forward, his body trembling, his eyelids heavy as if the weight of the world pressed down on him.


    The troll slowly lifted its ruined head, its charred face contorted in pain. Its tusks, once a symbol of might, were cracked and blackened. Yet, instead of fear, there was a calm acceptance in its movements. It raised its neck, offering itself to fate.


    "Goddess... no care about ugly trolls... Tusk pray. Unknown god... take my soul..."


    A single tear slipped down its ruined face, vanishing into the mess of blood and burnt flesh. Damon stopped in front of it, his grip tightening on the axe. The goddess of doom had forsaken this creature race. It sought peace, not salvation. He could grant it that.


    Lifting the axe high, its blade gleaming beneath the moonlight, he met the troll''s gaze one final time.


    "I offer your soul to the Unknown God."


    The troll smiled¡ªan eerie, almost grateful expression¡ªas its head was severed in a single, clean stroke. Blood erupted from the stump, a crimson geyser marking the end of its suffering.


    [You have slain Tusk the War Troll.]


    [You have leveled up.]


    [You have gained 70 attribute points.]


    [You have awakened the skill: Shadow Movement.]


    Damon exhaled slowly, glancing at his shadow as it twisted unnaturally. The darkness responded to his call, creeping toward the fallen troll''s corpse, consuming it whole.


    [You have gained 10 attribute points.]


    [You have acquired the skill: Bloodletting.]


    Kneeling, Damon tilted his head back, staring at the twin moons above. His body screamed in agony, but he had no time to rest. His friends¡ªif they were still alive¡ªmight need him. He forced himself to his feet, staggering toward their last known position.


    Then, laughter.


    Low, cruel, and echoing from the darkness of the forest. Something else lurked nearby, watching. Amused.


    Damon halted, his grip tightening around the axe as black flames erupted from his palm, darkening the night with the cold fire of Ashborn. His voice was razor-sharp, laced with exhaustion but unwavering.


    "If you don''t want to burn... I suggest you leave."


    Silence followed. A long pause, as if the creature was weighing its options. Then, its presence faded, retreating into the darkness.


    Damon exhaled, lowering his hand. Turning away, he gathered what remained of his weapons, adjusting the massive axe on his shoulder. His shadow armor flickered, unraveling to reveal his broken body and the tattered remains of his combat uniform beneath.


    With slow, pained steps, he pressed forward.

 Chapter 261 261: Thunder....

    Sylvia''s dirt- and soot-covered face bore the streaks of dried tears, but her eyes remained sharp, unwavering. Her broken arm had mostly healed, as had the others'' wounds, but the cost of that healing left her drained. Even so, exhaustion wasn''t what kept her standing. It was grief, frustration, and rage.


    She was furious that Damon had stayed behind to hold off a war troll while they retreated. The mere thought of it made her blood boil. But she had no choice but to trust him. He had told her to have faith. So she would.


    Behind her, the only path forward was a narrow, rickety rope bridge swaying over a deep chasm. Below, there was nothing but darkness, an abyss stretching down the mountain''s side. The wind howled through the ravine, rattling the fragile ropes. Crossing was risky¡ªbut cutting it off would trap Damon on the other side? That was unthinkable.


    Sylvia clutched her bow tightly, standing firm. She would wait. No matter the odds.


    A deep, guttural roar echoed in the distance. The war troll was approaching.


    The others prepared themselves for battle. Leona clenched her fists at her sides, her entire body trembling¡ªnot with fear, but with barely restrained fury. The killing intent radiating off her was thick enough to choke the air itself. She wasn''t just ready to fight; she was ready to kill.


    Evangeline took her place at the front, assuming leadership in Damon''s absence. Normally, Sylvia handled that role, her vast knowledge and ability to provide support fire making her an ideal battlefield commander. But for now, she remained at the back, her sharp eyes scanning the terrain.


    The war troll emerged from the darkness, its massive form illuminated by the pale moonlight. It exhaled heavily, mist rising from its nostrils. There were no trees in the barren mountain pass¡ªonly scattered boulders and the cold, open night.


    Sylvia bit her lip, her expression like that of a vengeful widow. She didn''t see the other war troll. She didn''t see Damon. He must still be fighting.


    The troll stepped forward, gripping its crude club in both hands. Its voice was slow, guttural.


    "Me think you goddess-race run across bridge... cut rope."


    Sylvia''s eyes darkened. That wasn''t an option. They would not abandon Damon.


    She closed her eyes, and in that brief moment, a vision surged into her mind¡ªa forest in flames, an inferno swallowing the trees. She felt the heat on her skin, saw the black smoke billowing toward the heavens. She saw it all in the pages of a book.


    When she opened her eyes, all hesitation was gone. Only cold, murderous resolve remained.


    Raising her bow, she drew an arrow, her voice as steady as the steel tip aimed at the troll''s heart.


    "I can see the future. You don''t live to see the sunrise."


    Sylvia''s bow pulsed with the full glow of her lunar magic, the energy coalescing into a spiraling arrow of radiant light. With a sharp twang, she loosed it, the streak of white slicing through the night like a falling star.


    The war troll didn''t even react.


    The arrow struck its left side and detonated with a deafening crack. Flesh and bone ruptured as the explosion ripped through its torso, sending a rain of warm blood and shredded organs across the battlefield.


    The creature gasped, staggering to its knees. The others watched in stunned silence, their eyes wide in disbelief.


    Matlock exhaled, relief washing over him. "It''s dead..."


    But the young fairy couldn''t have been more wrong.


    The war troll groaned, its hulking frame shifting as it forced itself upright. A wet, sickening sound filled the air as it reached down, scooping up its own spilled entrails and shoving them back into its open gut. Muscles twitched, flesh mended¡ªthe gaping wound sealing itself as its body regenerated.


    Its brown eyes locked onto them, dark and unyielding.


    "Me no die easy..."


    With a bellowing roar, it raised its massive club and charged straight for Sylvia.


    Evangeline''s grip tightened around her rapier, her teeth grinding. She wouldn''t let it reach her.


    With a battle cry, her sword ignited in radiant energy, her entire body glowing as she lunged forward. The troll snarled and lifted a hand to shield its eyes from her blinding light, but it didn''t stop. It closed the distance, ignoring the searing pain as her blade slashed into its thick hide, its flesh regenerating almost instantly.


    It swung its club downward, aiming to crush her.


    A thunderous boom shook the air as a bolt of lightning slammed into its side, followed by the sharp sting of steel piercing its ribs. The troll grunted, glancing down to see Leona at its flank, her greatsword buried deep in its gut. Her body crackled with raw electricity, her golden eyes burning with fury.


    "Where''s my friend, you bastard?! How dare you hurt him?!"


    Her emotions surged, and with them, so did her power. Lightning and wind spiraled around her, the air itself trembling under her rage.


    The sky grew darker.


    The troll snarled and swiped at her with a massive palm, sending her hurtling through the air. She slammed into a boulder with a painful crack, her sword still lodged in its torso.


    It reached down, gripping the blade, but before it could rip it free, a hail of lunar arrows rained down from above, slamming into its head. Ice exploded across its shoulders as Matlock soared overhead, unleashing a freezing blast.


    The troll growled, more annoyed than hurt, but before it could react, Xander slid beneath its legs.


    Instead of stabbing, he infused gravity into his spear and slammed it down exactly on Leona''s greatsword pushing it further inside the trolls body.


    Leona, groaning, forced herself to stand, dust and blood covering her frame. A slow, wicked grin spread across her lips.


    "You''re not so scary, ugly troll..."


    Electricity crackled from her palm, the charge growing, pulsing.


    "My sword''s made of walkway steel. Great conductor."


    Evangeline''s eyes widened. She turned to the others.


    "Take cover¡ªXander, barrier!"


    The bolt surged from Leona''s palm, striking the troll square in the chest.


    But she wasn''t finished.


    They were in the mountains. The storm above had been gathering for awhile. And she was furious.


    She didn''t have enough mana? Fine.


    She''d call upon the storm itself.


    Lifting her arm to the heavens, she let her fury fuel her power. The sky blackened, thunder rumbling deep in the clouds. The heavens answered her rage, a mighty pillar of lightning crashing down in a blinding flash.


    The ground beneath her cracked.


    Her skin seared.


    Her body glowed red with the intensity of the raw energy flowing through her.


    And then¡ªshe redirected it.


    Her palm pointed at the hilt of the greatsword still lodged in the war troll''s gut.


    The troll''s eyes widened in horror. Gone was its confidence.


    "Oh... oooh oo¡ª"


    The world turned white.


    A boom shattered the silence, the mountain trembling from the sheer force. The war troll''s screams mixed with Leona''s furious roar, their echoes swallowed by the storm.


    As the light faded, Leona collapsed to her knees. Her vision blurred. Her body refused to move.


    A ancient whisper echoed in her mind.


    [Heart of Glass, Bringer of Storms... you are known to the storms.]


    [You have awakened the unique class: Storm Bringer.]


    Storm Bringer


    "Your heart is pure, unfitting for one known to the storms..."


    [Class Skill ¨C Wrath]


    Your strength surges with your emotions¡ªlet the world know you as thunder.


    [Your fable begins.]


    Her eyes fluttered shut. It was over.


    But then¡ª


    A cough.


    The thick smoke cleared, revealing a monstrous silhouette.


    The war troll still stood.


    Its club trembled in its grip, its body swaying, but its wounds were closing.


    Leona''s lips parted, a single word barely forming.


    Her vision darkened.


    And then, everything went black.

 Chapter 262 262: Dawn Seeker

    The scent of blood and dirt was a stark contrast to the memory flashing through Leona''s mind as she fell unconscious...


    In her head, the dorm kitchen remained pristine as always, kept immaculate by the academy''s maids. The scent of freshly prepared food filled the air, and by the stove stood a young boy in an academy uniform, his expression gloomy.


    It was a recent memory¡ªher and Damon sneaking around the war halls after hours, seeking a midnight snack. Well, the snack was for her, though she had made Damon cook an entire course meal. Some days, he was unusually hungry and ended up eating just as much as she did.


    "Bestie, what are you making?" she had asked, leaning over the counter with a grin.


    Damon turned his head, his face shadowed with irritation.


    "I get paid to cook for you, Leona. Call me ''bestie'' again, and I''ll make your food salty."


    She pouted, puffing her cheeks.


    "You''re so gloomy and negative. No wonder I''m your only friend."


    Damon sneered.


    "I don''t have friends. We aren''t friends either."


    Leona bit her lip before her playful smile returned.


    "I''ll give you ten thousand zeni to say I''m your bestie."


    Damon''s frown faded, and a sly smirk played on his lips.


    "You''re the best, Bestie."


    Leona shook her head, the memory of softer days pulling her deeper into unconsciousness. In her mind, she whispered a small apology...


    ''I''m sorry... I couldn''t kill it, Damon...''


    Evangeline''s eyes gazed at the battlefield where Leona had unleashed her devastating lightning attack. The war troll stood in the center, its skin now charred and blackened in patches, its breath labored.


    Matlock gritted his teeth. "It survived Leona''s attack..."


    Xander lowered his barrier and rushed to Leona''s side, kneeling as he checked her condition. His eyes widened in shock.


    "S-She... she reached her first class advancement..."


    The revelation stunned the others. It was a great achievement¡ªunder normal circumstances, they would have celebrated. But right now, it was meaningless. Leona was unconscious, completely drained, unable to fight.


    Xander''s gaze shifted back to the war troll, which was now glaring at them with a dark, murderous expression. The sheer pressure of its presence made it feel even more terrifying than before.


    "We can''t beat that thing as we are... we''ll just die..."


    Sylvia stepped forward, tossing her bow aside. Her hands reached for her waist, drawing the twin short blades strapped there. Her grip tightened, her knuckles turning white.


    "Fine by me... advance or die."


    That''s what Damon would have said if he were here. She wondered if he was still alive.


    Leona had shown them the way. She had brought this war troll to its knees with her attack.


    "Let''s see how many more attacks it can heal from."


    Evangeline''s eyes widened as she looked at Sylvia. Her friend was usually reserved, but she had changed after meeting Damon. In fact, all of them had. That arrogant, stubborn, blunt person had forced them to see themselves for what they truly were.


    "Then what am I... w-who am I...?"


    She gripped her sword tightly. Something inside her told her that this battle would give her the answers she needed.


    Sylvia already knew what she wanted¡ªit was plain to see. She would go for it, no hesitation. Leona was pure of heart, always doing as she pleased. Xander was steadfast and unshakable, a wall against any storm.


    Evangeline''s gaze shifted to Matlock. She didn''t know much about the fairy, even though they were classmates. But even he had changed. The fear that once lingered in his eyes was gone, replaced by pure will. He moved through the sky like a snowflake, dancing between life and death.


    But what about her?


    ''What about me...?''


    The battlefield thundered as Sylvia roared, her twin blades flashing in the dim light. She lunged at the war troll, her body a silver streak in the night. The impact sent her flying, her body slamming into the dirt. Injured but unbroken, she dragged herself to her feet.


    Xander stood firm, using his body as a shield, taking blow after crushing blow. Matlock soared above, weaving through the air, drawing the troll''s attention away from the unconscious Leona.


    The battle raged on.


    Evangeline saw an opening and lunged, aiming for the troll''s head. But she wasn''t fast enough. A stray attack slammed into her, sending her hurtling through the air. Blood splattered as she crashed onto the battlefield, gasping for breath.


    What about her? What did she want? She had believed in justice her whole life. But Damon...


    Damon Grey...


    She pushed herself up, raising her sword, roaring as she charged forward.


    The war troll caught Xander mid-motion and smashed him into the ground. His body should have been shattered beyond repair, but he stood up, bloodied and battered, his spear still in hand.


    Evangeline struck at its arm, slicing through flesh. The troll howled. It raised its massive fist to crush her, but Matlock''s ice surged up, freezing its joints in place.


    In that moment, Evangeline understood. Damon... he was someone who did as he pleased, a man driven by a broken will that saw only darkness. He had called her justice weak, a product of blind elitism.


    Evangeline unleashed a wave of light magic, illuminating the battlefield. The troll''s blood painted the earth.


    "What were the exact words he used...?"


    She shook her head. Here she was, fighting for her life, yet all she could think about was one of her countless arguments with Damon.


    "Who have you ever helped? You speak of justice, but only the weak cling to that idea. The strong create justice and force it onto the weak."


    It was just another one of his cynical beliefs.


    "You are like justice, Evangeline. Blinded by your radiance. Justice is blind and powerful¡ªthat''s why it only punishes the weak while the strong escape it. You are like justice... blinded by your radiance."


    Her breath caught. Her body froze.


    The war troll swung.


    Xander''s eyes widened. "Evangeline, watch out¡ª!"


    He lunged, tackling her out of the way, shielding her behind a boulder.


    Evangeline''s expression was distant.


    "You''ve lived in the lap of luxury. Who have you ever helped?"


    She muttered under her breath. Not his exact words... but the meaning was there. The doubt. The truth she had ignored.


    "If I am wrong, then what is justice...?"


    She shook her head.


    "I was wrong... I have been wrong... I want justice, but what is justice?"


    The battlefield blurred. The world shifted.


    Then¡ª


    A voice. Ancient. Warm. Inviting, yet distant.


    [You are blinded by your radiance... lost in the dark despite your blinding light.... Seek the light of true justice...amid your false radiance.]


    [You have awakened the Unique Class: Dawn Seeker.]


    [Class: Dawn Seeker]


    "Your light is blinding, leaving you in the dark. Despite your radiance, it blinds you to the truth."


    [Skill ¨C Purge]


    "Absorbs the impurities your light has denied and cleanses this world with your rotting flesh."


    Evangeline felt it¡ªher body shifting, evolving. Her strength surged. Her mana sharpened, growing dense and overwhelming. Clarity washed over her like dawn breaking through the night.


    A blinding glow erupted from her.


    Slowly, she stood.


    Light surged through her veins, illuminating her entire being.


    She turned toward the war troll, eyes burning with newfound understanding.


    Then, with a burst of radiance, she charged.

 Chapter 263: Unbreakable

    Xander was in great pain. His body ached, and he was bleeding. Time and time again, he used his body as a shield to block the massive hand of the war troll from crushing his friends. He had originally created a thin layer of gravity around himself, making his body denser to withstand the blows and avoid instant death. But that barrier was too thin¡ªit shattered easily.


    It was then that Xander came to a realization. When that barrier broke, and he was sent flying, he thought he would die. His life flashed before his eyes... but death never came.


    Xander accepted a lot of things in that moment. Looking back now, he had changed.


    He used to avoid commoners, thinking they were inferior... dishonorable. But nobles weren''t that great either. The so-called blue bloods were just as bad¡ªsome even worse. He had been surrounded by people who were utterly deplorable.


    His thoughts wavered as the troll tossed him around like a rag doll. Yet his body didn''t break¡ªit was changing. He caught a glimpse of Evangeline standing behind a boulder, her eyes distant, as if she too was experiencing an awakening of her own.


    Xander was a noble. He had expectations to live up to, especially now. His older brother had returned from the demon wars as a shell of his former self, leaving Xander with an even greater burden.


    "I have to be exceptional. I have to be an exemplary noble..."


    The image of his father''s steadfast back appeared in his mind. His father would not run from a war troll. He would not lose to a commoner like Damon Grey.


    Xander raised his spear with a roar, charging at the war troll. His blade slashed through the air as he dodged its massive fists, striking its belly with a powerful thrust. Sylvia followed in his wake, her blade glowing with a white radiance, her movements almost unnatural¡ªlike a woman possessed.


    Matlock darted around the battlefield like a snowflake caught in the wind, graceful and untouchable. The troll roared in frustration, swiping at him as if shooing away an annoying fly, but the young fairy remained just out of reach.


    Xander''s eyes snapped to Sylvia. The troll''s massive arm swung toward her blind spot¡ªif that blow landed, she would die. Without thinking, he rushed forward, conjuring barriers of gravity magic. He braced himself between her and the club, the force of impact hitting him like a runaway carriage. The barriers shattered like fine glass, his magic crumbling in an instant. He gritted his teeth as blood trickled down his lips.


    "I won''t lose... I will be strong... I will be unshakable... I will live by honor... I won''t lose..."


    The force sent him skidding backward, but Sylvia used the opportunity. She rolled past the troll and slashed at its back, her blade cutting deep. The monster roared in agony as an ethereal glow surrounded her. Something was awakening within her. A spectral book began to take shape by her side, but Xander¡ªalready on his knees¡ªbarely noticed.


    The war troll''s eyes locked onto him, ignoring the others. It had smacked him down again and again, yet he refused to die. His body was battered, bloodied, but he still stood.


    With a guttural snarl, the troll advanced, each step shaking the earth. Xander tried to push himself up, but another devastating strike sent him crashing into the dirt. Blood sprayed from his wounds as the club struck him over and over.


    The troll growled, frustrated. "Me see how much pain human can take..."


    Xander''s vision blurred. His body was screaming, yet he forced himself to stand.


    Matlock, hovering above, eyes wide with horror, unleashed a flurry of ice spells. Sylvia slashed at the troll''s body, stabbing and cutting it, yet it ignored them both, choosing to regenerate so it could finish Xander first.


    Matlock turned desperately toward Evangeline. She stood off to the side, lost in a trance, her expression unreadable.


    "Evangeline! Evangeline! What are you doing?! You have to help Xander!"


    But she didn''t react. It was as if she existed in another world.


    He turned to Sylvia instead. "Sylvia! Use your healing magic! Heal him!"


    She didn''t respond. Instead, her eyes remained locked on the illusory book forming around her. A strange calm settled over her as she whispered,


    "He will live to see the dawn..."


    Matlock''s heart pounded. What did she mean? Was she refusing to heal Xander? Even as he stood there, bleeding out?


    The troll roared in frustration, striking Xander again and again. Blood splattered the battlefield as Xander staggered. His cold, determined gaze locked onto the creature''s club. That was its weapon. He crossed his arms as another strike sent him sliding backward.


    "I vow to stand until I take your weapon."


    As he uttered those words, something shifted. The club cracked as it struck him. Xander, bleeding and exhausted, gritted his teeth.


    "I''m not Damon Grey. I can''t be sneaky or play tricks. I fight the way Xander Ravenscroft does¡ªhead-on. I stand until I break. It may seem pathetic to you... but this is who I am."


    The troll snarled, lifting its club for one final, crushing blow.


    "Die! Die! Die!"


    The club came down with all its might¡ªonly to shatter into countless splinters.


    Xander remained standing. Blood dripped from his wounds, his breath ragged, but he had not fallen. A grin stretched across his face. "Heh... I won."


    The war troll''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Then, in the distance, an ancient voice echoed in Xander''s mind.


    [You are surrounded by the glitter of false gold. Lies and deceit are everywhere. Beware.]


    [You have awakened the unique class: Oathkeeper.]


    [Class: Oathkeeper]


    "Honor-bound and steadfast, yet surrounded by jackals and lies."


    Skill ¨C [The Vow]


    "Your will is as unyielding as your word¡ªonce committed, neither you nor your body will break."


    Xander collapsed to his knees. His body overflowed with newfound power, yet he had lost too much blood. Darkness threatened to pull him under.


    Then, he saw her. Evangeline, her body shining with blinding light, fully awakened as she charged toward the war troll.


    He smiled weakly. "I managed to buy her some time...heh..we''ll win."


    As the battle raged on, his vision darkened. A final whisper echoed in his ears.


    [Your fable has begun.]

 Chapter 264: The Ultimate Secret, The Ultimate Name...

    Matlock''s body ached, torn and battered. He bit his lip, holding onto the remains of his combat uniform pressed against his chest. Beneath the dirty bandages wrapped tightly around him, his wounds throbbed, but oddly enough, most of the blood coating his body wasn''t his own.


    He was filthy, slick with dried crimson, yet of the entire group, he was the least injured. It wasn''t because he had run from battle¡ªhe had fought just as fiercely as the others¡ªbut he had danced through the chaos, weaving between enemies like a lethal specter, striking with precision and vanishing before they could retaliate.


    Matlock''s gaze drifted to Xander, who lay unconscious, his body battered beyond recognition. He had taken blow after blow, shielding them with his own flesh. Nearby, Leona was also unconscious¡ªshe had been the one to deal the initial damage with her lightning, weakening the war troll just enough for them to stand a chance.


    Without her, they would have been dead already. Both of them had reached First-Class advancement, but their newfound power was useless now that they lay unmoving on the battlefield. Their only hope rested on Evangeline.


    She had advanced as well, stepping into the First-Class, gaining a class of her own. Matlock didn''t know what kind of power she had awakened, but it was their last chance to defeat the hulking war troll before them.


    With a blinding flash of light, the air rippled as Evangeline surged forward. Her fist, wreathed in golden radiance, slammed toward the troll with a roar. The beast raised its massive arm to meet her strike head-on. Their fists collided, and the very ground beneath them caved in from the force. The wind howled, kicking up debris, but Evangeline did not budge. Her golden eyes burned with unwavering determination.


    The troll snarled, raising its other arm to swat her away. Before it could strike, Sylvia appeared at its side, an ethereal, illusionary book floating in front of her.


    With a silent resolve, she slashed at the creature. The troll reacted, lifting its leg to kick her, but Sylvia simply glanced at the book. Then, she sidestepped, her movements effortless, almost as if she had foreseen the attack. Her bloodshot eyes gleamed with something terrifying.


    "Die."


    Matlock watched the two girls, his heart pounding. They moved without hesitation, without doubt, as if they had already seen the end of this battle. Their confidence was absolute.


    "I can be like them... I can be strong... I''m not scared..."


    Like a snowflake caught in a storm, Matlock''s wings fluttered, carrying him into the heart of battle. The ground trembled beneath them, the air thick with raw power. He could feel Evangeline''s overwhelming aura, and as if answering her presence, Sylvia''s own energy surged, rising to match her intensity.


    Something shifted.


    Sylvia''s illusionary book solidified, its once-blank pages filling with unseen text. The moment her eyes scanned its contents, she fell into a trance. The war troll noticed the shift, its primal instincts screaming at it to act, but instead of attacking, it leapt back several paces, taking a moment to regenerate. It watched Evangeline warily, the golden glow of her body crackling with unrestrained magical energy.


    "How you so strong?" The troll''s guttural voice rumbled across the battlefield. "Me kill many First-Class... none strong like you..."


    Evangeline didn''t answer. Her gaze remained locked onto the war troll, her senses fully attuned to the power swelling within Sylvia. If she had reached First-Class advancement, then she could be the key. Together, they could end this fight.


    Sylvia''s eyes glowed white as she focused on the book before her. A distant whisper echoed in her mind.


    [Careful what you wish to know, White Seer... The new gods guard their secrets more closely than the unknowable old ones. Pray you never uncover them...]


    The voice broke off, glitching, before speaking again, this time as if revealing a great secret.


    [...The Unseen Sovereign seeks to reveal their Lie...]


    [You have awakened the unique class: White Seer.]


    [Class: White Seer]


    "You seek knowledge unbound by time, glimpsing the future¡ªand dreading what you see... Do you dare to know?"


    Skill ¨C [Altair''s Journey Book]


    A copy of the unknown god''s tome of infinite knowledge, ever-growing with each vision. But with every truth revealed, a part of you is lost... You have glimpsed a horrible truth. Speak not of His name... Speak not of His name... Speak not of His name... This book carries the omniscience of a true god... the infinite knowledge of a true demon king... You hold all in your hands..... for a price.


    Sylvia stood frozen, a strange sense of dread washing over her¡ªyet there was also an eerie serenity. She saw the name... She tried to read it in her mind, but she could not comprehend it. She could not think it. She opened her mouth, but no sound came. It was impossible to speak it.


    In her mind, she thought of Damon. Slowly, she whispered, the book showed her images of him.... making her an offer.


    [Do you wish to reject boundless knowledge?]


    "I accept."


    The voice of the world paused before repeating,


    [Do you wish to reject boundless pain?]


    "I accept."


    [Do you wish to reject the ire of the gods?]


    "I accept."


    A deep silence followed¡ªthen the voice returned, almost resigned.


    [His influence deepens within Doom''s World...]


    [Your fable begins, White Seer.]


    Sylvia did not understand what had happened, but the first thing the book showed her was... Damon. It had offered her Damon. It had shown her Damon. It promised her Damon¡ªif she was willing to make sacrifices. It had offered her boundless knowledge as long as she was willing to pay the price.


    Those were the two things she desired, the former she didn''t even know she wanted until recently.


    If this book contained the answers to every question imaginable, then she needed nothing else. She only had to give it something of equal value in return.


    She raised her head. She had seen how the troll would die. That was her initial question: how to kill this creature that kept regenerating despite their meager strength.


    The war troll was catching its breath. Sylvia walked up to Evangeline, placing a hand on her shoulder.


    "Matlock will kill the troll. Even if you fight, it will die by his hand."


    "Save your strength...we''ll need it.."


    Evangeline remained in a battle-ready stance, her body bleeding from earlier injuries. She frowned at Sylvia in horror. Did she expect Matlock to fight that thing alone? He would die.


    She pushed Sylvia''s hand away. "No, I¡ª"


    Before she could finish, Sylvia raised her blade and struck Evangeline''s forehead with the hilt, knocking her out cold.


    The war troll looked at Sylvia in confusion, its grotesque face contorted in surprise. Matlock gasped.


    "Wh-what are you doing?! She was our strongest fighter!"


    Sylvia ignored him and turned to the troll. "You will die soon. A shame it won''t be by my hand."


    She then turned to Matlock. "Forgive me, Matlock. But if you don''t fight and advance now, you will die the moment we reach the other side."


    Matlock''s eyes widened as the troll turned toward him, smiling coldly. This was going to be an easy battle. It would eat him, regain vitality, and then kill the others.


    Matlock gritted his teeth. Sylvia had gone mad¡ªthat was the only explanation. Why else would she act so strangely?


    But Sylvia did not care what he was thinking. She merely looked at the book as her eyes bled. She forced a pained smile and whispered the words Damon had once told her.


    "Have faith, Matia."


    Matlock''s breath caught in his throat. His hands clenched into fists, ice forming at his fingertips. There was no going back now.


    Might as well fight.


    Like a snowflake in the wind, he would dance to death. But first he would freeze the world over.

 Chapter 265 265: Just Me

    Matlock could hear the blood dripping from Sylvia''s eyes. When he turned his head, she was on the ground, collapsed. He didn''t understand what she had just done... why she had taken out Evangeline... why she had knocked out their strongest fighter when the enemy still had fight left in them.


    She had said Matlock would die if they crossed the bridge. But wouldn''t he die anyway if he fought an angry war troll, even if it looked exhausted?


    Matlock had said he wasn''t afraid, but now, left alone against the war troll, he felt his nerves tighten. The others were all unconscious behind him. He had to fight.


    "No more running away... Matia." Matlock muttered those soft words to himself as the war troll finished catching its breath.


    "Hehehehe, all goddess race lose fight. Just you... tiny fairy..."


    Matlock took a deep breath, his wings fluttering behind him.


    "This isn''t Winter Haven anymore... I can..."


    Matlock flew at the war troll, its massive fist raised to punch him. Its body was slower than before, likely from the toll of repeatedly regenerating after taking damage.


    Matlock dipped low, weaving past the incoming fist. As he did, he unleashed a torrent of ice onto the troll''s chest. The beast staggered back, reaching for him, but like an agile dragonfly, he severed over its hands¡ªso close he almost felt its fingers graze his body. He soared higher and unleashed another blast of ice. Shards shot toward the troll, shattering as they struck its thick skin.


    The war troll frowned, annoyed, fresh blood mixing with melted ice on its arm.


    "Me not die. Me heal... until me eat you."


    Matlock took another deep breath. He was tired. His wings ached. He was afraid. He was hungry, wet, bleeding¡ªand worst of all, he smelled horrible. The last part was, oddly, the most unbearable.


    He glanced at his torn combat uniform¡ªunisex, practical, and now ruined.


    He would have preferred to die in something else.


    ''Am I going to die here...?'' His gaze flickered to his unconscious companions in the distance. They had done their part.


    "But how do I kill something that can regenerate...?"


    His mind steadied. The war troll reached down, grabbing massive rocks and hurling them at him. Matlock danced through the air, drifting like a snowflake as he evaded the incoming projectiles.


    Then, something changed.


    A sinister glint shone in the war troll''s eyes. It wasn''t just reacting to him¡ªit was moving away.


    A cold realization settled over Matlock.


    He had been trying to lure the troll away from his unconscious party members. But the creature had only been pretending to focus on him. It wanted to get to them.


    Matlock gritted his teeth. No hesitation.


    He charged down, aiming straight for the war troll, who was now barreling toward the motionless Sylvia.


    Matlock roared in his faint androgynous voice, shooting toward the war troll with his body weight firm in the sky. The war troll smiled coldly, turning around to grab Matlock, who had given up safety to protect the others. It reached out.


    "I catch you, fairy."


    The war troll''s massive hands stretched forward, grasping at Matlock. He tried to drift away, but it was too late¡ªthe troll''s thick fingers brushed against his wings, yanking him downward and slamming him toward a boulder far at the cliff''s edge.


    The troll had tricked him, forcing him to face it or lose a friend. Matlock felt the crack of his delicate wings, the sharp snap of bones, and the warm rush of blood covering his head.


    ''Hehe... Sylvia... you placed your faith in the wrong person... Now... we''ll all die because of me...''


    Tears streamed down Matlock''s face. He did not understand why Sylvia did what she did, but it had been an act of trust. He leaned his head against the cold, jagged boulder, his tears mixing with blood as the wind from the deep chasm below howled through the mountains.


    The war troll walked toward him, its slow, dark grin widening with malicious delight.


    ''I tried to fight... for the first time in my life, I tried to do something other than be afraid... but all I can ever do is obey...''


    He coughed, blood flecking his lips. "All I can do is dance tragically to someone''s tune..."


    With the last of his strength, he raised his trembling hand toward the sky, blood dripping from his fingertips as he attempted to summon his magic.


    "That''s fine by me... I don''t mind being stuck as someone''s shadow... Whether it''s my home, my father, or my twin brother... I''ve lived in their shadow my whole life, afraid..."


    Matlock clenched his fist, forming a single icicle, bitter and full of spite. "Just once, I want to be me. Let me be myself, even if I am only a shadow. Even as a shadow that only knows how to follow and obey... I want to be me... even if I become nothing but a snowflake¡ªbeautiful but short-lived."


    He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. The ice vibrated, jagged and lethal, his magic twisting into a deadly final act. The war troll''s eyes widened, sensing danger, as Matlock unleashed the ice toward its chest. The troll, seeing the attack coming, raised its massive fist to shield itself.


    The expected pain never came.


    Confused, the troll glanced down, but Matlock was gone. Only bloodstains remained where he had been. The next instant, a sharp pain tore through its legs. It groaned as its tendons were severed, and as it attempted to turn, its own weight betrayed it. It collapsed at the edge of the cliff, its balance lost.


    Its eyes widened in shock.


    "How...?"


    The ground crumbled beneath it. The troll plummeted into the abyss, its scream echoing through the mountains. The last thing it saw was Matlock''s cold, bloodstained eyes and his broken wings as it disappeared into the darkness.


    Matlock fell to his knees, his torn clothes fluttering in the wind, his breath ragged and heavy. Then, a gentle, ancient voice echoed in his mind.


    [Snowflakes are born in the heavens, dancing gracefully in the wind as they drift toward their graves on earth. They melt upon arrival, leaving the world in awe of their fleeting beauty...]


    [You have awakened the unique class: Dancing Fairy.]


    [Class: Dancing Fairy]


    [Oh, little fairy, dance upon the strings. Sway to the whims of your master, a fleeting waltz between beauty and death... Your demise is at hand. What form will you take in death?]


    [Skill ¨C Lethal Grace]


    [Your movements are fluid and deadly, turning every attack into a flawless dance of death.]


    [Your Fable has begun.]


    These were the last words Matlock heard as he lay beside the cliff, the cold wind brushing against his delicate skin.


    "I want to be... me... Not Matlock... I will be me..."


    He closed his eyes.


    "No longer Matlock... no longer afraid... Just me."

 Chapter 266 266: Familiar Reactions

    The sound of metal being dragged across the ground echoed through the night. A young man, battered and looking half-dead, walked down the mountain pass with a pained expression. Yet, the pain did not come from the many gruesome wounds covering his body¡ªit came from the deep-seated agony caused by the Ashborn skill, the unbearable torment of tenfold the pain of burning alive.


    Moonlight streamed down the path, illuminating the horrors lurking in the mountain''s shadows. He spread his shadow perception, indifferent to their presence. They did not approach. Perhaps they, too, sensed the madness hidden in his vacant gaze. Or perhaps the horrors at the edge of the Duhu Mountains were not as hostile as those deeper inside. Either way, Damon passed in relative peace, dragging the massive axe of the dead war troll behind him.


    It wasn''t long before he reached the bridge where his friends were supposed to be. The absence of battle sounds left him with three possibilities. The first they had crossed the bridge and cut it off, leaving him behind. The second they had somehow managed to kill the war troll. The last... the worst¡ªthat they had all perished, and another war troll awaited him.


    The latter troubled him not because he feared the fight but because he didn''t want them to die. A small, buried part of him craved to test his newfound power against another formidable foe. He suppressed that thought as he arrived at the mountain pass. The scent of blood was heavy, the silence unsettling. His vacant gaze swept over the sight before him¡ªhis friends, unmoving, covered in blood, with no sign of the war troll.


    For the first time in a long while, he felt an emotion more dreadful than the aftereffects of Ashborn''s agonizing flames.


    He raised his head, shadow perception spreading. His heart sank¡ªuntil he noticed the faint mist of breath from Evangeline. She was alive. Checking the others, he confirmed they all were.


    A breath escaped him. His body wavered, knees hitting the ground. Whether it was from his broken bones, his many wounds, or simply the relief of knowing they had survived, he did not know. He dragged the troll''s massive axe¡ªabout the size of a human¡ªand let it fall with a clang before turning his gaze toward the old, rickety bridge.


    "How did the war trolls and goblins get past the first time...?"


    The bridge didn''t look sturdy, but if it could support the weight of war trolls, then it should hold. The real question was what ordeal awaited beyond it. The forest just a few kilometers ahead hid horrors yet unknown.


    Shaking the thought aside, Damon leaned down to check on Leona. She was unconscious but very much alive. Something was different. She had reached her first class advancement. He lifted his head, scanning the others.


    ''They all have...''


    He brushed her hair aside with a deep feeling of relief... Leona was alive. One by one, he checked on the others. Evangeline was next; she was also alive, only lightly injured.


    "She must have healed herself..."


    Next, he moved toward Sylvia. As he approached, his shadow stretched unnaturally, rolling around her, its presence darkening. It stopped over her arm, where she lay in a pool of her own blood, as if clutching something. The shadow hesitated, as if sensing something unseen.


    [Ding... Ding...]


    The system panel chimed, making Damon frown. He couldn''t sense anything unusual, but his shadow remained fixated on Sylvia. Kneeling down, he gently touched her, noting the blood around her eyes. She twitched slightly, her body instinctively reacting, though she remained unconscious. Damon narrowed his eyes at his shadow, his voice low and demanding.


    "What are you doing... tell me now."


    The shadow recoiled slightly, then shook its head as if dismissing his concern.


    Damon didn''t believe it. The system had reacted strangely¡ªthere was something here. "Tell me..."


    His shadow merely gestured, a silent indication that there was nothing to worry about.


    He sighed in frustration. He wouldn''t get answers today, but he would press his shadow later. However, if his shadow had taken such an interest in Sylvia, it couldn''t be ignored. Damon paused, recalling a similar incident¡ªwhen his shadow had interacted with Lilith Astranova.


    "Is this... related to the Unknown God?"


    If Sylvia had been touched by a god, she would bear a stigmata. A thought surfaced in his mind, making him hesitate for only a moment. He needed to check. Whispering a quiet apology, he lifted the tattered fabric of her clothing just enough to examine her bare back. Shadow energy surged through his fingertips as he searched for a divine mark... but he found nothing.


    He exhaled, relief mixing with uncertainty. "False alarm... or something I don''t understand yet."


    Carefully, he placed Sylvia beside the others and moved on to Xander. His friend was still alive, though covered in blood. After confirming his condition, Damon clicked his tongue and dragged Xander forward, unceremoniously tossing him near the unconscious girls.


    "Sleep on your own time," he muttered before turning toward the cliff''s edge.


    The traces of battle were clear¡ªMatlock had sent the war troll plummeting to its death. Damon peered down into the abyss below.


    "That''s a long fall... It''s definitely dead. Or food for whatever horrors dwell down there."


    He turned to Matlock, who lay battered but breathing. Damon crouched down, placing his hand on Matlock''s chest, feeling for a heartbeat. The rhythm was steady.


    "Still alive..."


    However, that wasn''t the only reason he had checked. His suspicions were confirmed.


    "It''s as I suspected. Our androgynous friend here is actually a girl."


    His gaze lingered on the tight bandages wrapped around her chest, concealing her figure. Damon arched a brow, intrigued.


    "How did she even hide all that with just bandages? What''s her story..."


    He let out a breath before lifting Matlock and placing her beside the others. Then, settling himself next to the massive war axe, he prepared to guard them through the night. Whatever mysteries surrounded Matlock or the strangeness in Sylvia, he would get his answers eventually.


    For now, he had one job: ensure his party survived one more night.


    His head throbbed with agony, still he remained vigilant...to tired to try anything else.


    Not even basic first aid.

 Chapter 267: Shadow Movement

    The morning sun cast a radiant glow, revealing the aftermath of the battle to the world. Damon had no trouble seeing in the dark, so the blood-covered ground, shattered rocks, and torn earth failed to stir any reaction from him.


    He sat by the side of his unconscious friends, still gripping the axe that was far too big for him. His eyes were heavy with exhaustion, blood caking his body, yet he remained vigilant.


    The night had not been long¡ªmost of it was spent fighting. During that time, he had thought about what fate awaited them once they crossed the bridge and reached the Whispering Forest. Looking out toward the distant horizon, Damon saw the path they had taken. The gravity anomaly had already sealed off the region.


    He could not guess how long the anomaly would last, sealing off that part of the world. Months? Years? Perhaps it would never fade unless destroyed. For now, he didn''t have to worry about the demon army. They were trapped there.


    A distant roar shook the ground and rumbled through the air. The pressure increased creating a palpable sense of dread.


    "Ashergon..." Damon muttered, recognizing the name of that dreadful dragon. Judging by the intensity of the roar, Ashergon was awake¡ªor at least close to waking up.


    "I''d hate to be anywhere near its territory when that happens..."


    He could already imagine the dragon somehow finding them and deciding they looked delicious or maybe even flammable.


    The night had been short, but Damon had kept himself sane and awake by following a routine. He checked his system panel once more. He had reached a new level, gained two skills, and learned some new knowledge.


    He opened the system panel again, the glow reflected in his eyes even though it was actually invisible to everyone else..save for Lilith who was the exception.


    [HP: 124/585]


    [Mana: 6804/12084]


    [Strength: 834]


    [Agility: 657]


    [Speed: 1185]


    [Endurance: 565]


    [Class: Death Dealer]


    [Shadow: 50]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 50%]


    [Shadow Level: 8]


    [Condition: Shadow Is Hungry]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze]


    [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn] [Omen Of Dread] [Dealer''s Hand] [Shadow Movement] [Bloodletting]


    [Mastery:]


    [Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv1] [Survival Lv3] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv2] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv2] [Trap Lv2] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv2] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv1] [Mana Control Lv1]


    [Magic Bullet Lv1] [Pain Resistance Lv1]


    [Locked]


    His power had grown, but his HP alone made it clear he was barely holding on¡ªhe had lost too much blood. His stats had received a boost, but on the surface, it didn''t seem like much. However, Damon could tell there was a deeper difference. It wasn''t just a quantitative change; it was a shift in quality.


    If he had one mana point now, it would be equivalent to ten mana points of the version of himself before he obtained his first class.


    But the biggest change was his class.


    He had received a unique class, one he never thought he would advance into in his lifetime¡ªbecause he expected someone would have killed him long before he ever reached this point.


    After all, he knew himself. He knew his personality and his talents. And he knew the risks he had taken.


    Class advancements varied, each one stronger than the last. He didn''t know everything about them¡ªthe academy only taught them what they needed to know. And now, he had to figure out the rest on his own.


    There are seven class advancements from the first class to the seventh. It follows a linear pattern, with each class differing from the last.


    The sixth class was also a special case. According to what he had heard, the sixth class was actually three ranks suppressed into one, meaning it had three levels during the ranking change.


    One''s class might not change at all until the seventh, which was why those two were not counted as separate class advancements despite being full ranks.


    He shook his head. He could try to recall everything in one go, but even with the limited information first-years were taught, it was still a lot.


    There were different types of classes, ways to move between them, and so much more to consider.


    Each class came with a skill slot, but out of the seven advancements, only four granted skills directly. The remaining three required one to acquire skills through dungeons, magical artifacts, or personal learning. Why this was the case, he did not know.


    ''Ahh, I''m overthinking... again...''


    What mattered more was the Unseen Sovereign. The system had mentioned something about the Unseen Sovereign when he awakened. If Damon had to guess, that was the unknown god. As for why he was called that... it was probably just one of his titles. The Goddess of Doom had many titles, all tied to her divine domain.


    "So why is he called the Unseen Sovereign...?"


    Damon raised his head, staring at the sky, his heart hollow. He didn''t know what emotion to feel¡ªjoy or dread.


    "A god is watching me... a nobody..."


    He shook his head. Suppose he wasn''t a nobody anymore. Those who reached the first class advancement were awakened, recognized by the world. In the eyes of the world¡ªor even this unknown god¡ªDamon was a Death Dealer.


    What a god could possibly want with him, he did not know. Maybe the god was simply bored, but Damon doubted that. This god was cruel, giving him a system that forced him to devour others just to survive.


    "Ruthless... evil..." The words came to his mind. But at the same time, the system had granted him power¡ªthe power to seize his fate. It threw trials his way, but never something he couldn''t overcome. In that sense, the Unseen Sovereign was also... fair.


    "Unknowable..." The thought crossed his mind.


    Damon recalled the skill description for Shadow Movement. It had spoken of the gods¡ªnot a specific one, but it had mentioned them nonetheless.


    He looked at the floating panel.


    [Shadow Movement]

 Chapter 268: The True Gods

    [Skill: Shadow Movement]


    [Description:]


    The old gods were amoral¡ªbeings older than the very concepts of right and wrong, good and evil. For mortals who dared to call upon them, the worst fate was for those gods to answer, for their will was unknowable, their actions beyond comprehension. Even when they meant no harm, their mere presence could shatter lives. Their reign should have been eternal, stretching endlessly through the void... until the true gods rose.... From mortals. Boundlessly powerful, these new gods understood mortality and the emotions that came with it. Yet, along with their wisdom, they carried the flaws of mortals within their hearts.


    [Effect:]


    Allows the user to physically move within shadows, stepping from one patch of darkness to another within a limited range. Movement requires a continuous connection between shadows.


    [Type:]


    Active


    [Cooldown:]


    3 sec


    Damon took a deep breath. This was startling information. It was terrifying to realize that gods weren''t born as gods. They had once been mortals who usurped divine authority from the old ones¡ªbeings far older than emotions or even some fundamental concepts. Damon couldn''t even comprehend how something could predate concepts themselves.


    Worse, these unknowable old ones had been crushed and defeated by the new gods¡ªor rather, the true gods, who were boundless.


    Damon recalled hearing a priest reading a gospel, calling the Goddess of Doom a true god. He began making connections.


    His theory was simple.


    The new gods were of two kinds: the normal gods, who were not as powerful, and the true gods, who were boundless.


    He held his chin.


    "Which would mean they''re all-powerful beyond even concepts... I mean, they defeated the old ones..."


    Damon shook his head. Why was he thinking about something far beyond him? This was not something he would be involved in. He frowned.


    Then there was the Unknown God, the one who gave him the system.


    Where did he stand? Was he a true god or an old one?


    Damon shook his head again. The old ones didn''t understand mortals, but the Unknown God seemed to have a firm grasp on them. The fact that both he and Lilith received power from him was a good example.


    "Then he is a true god, then..." he narrowed his eyes.


    "If so, then why does it seem like the Goddess and the Unknown God don''t get along?"


    There was too little he knew, and even if he did find out, it was probably better not to. Who knew what horrors he might unlock with forbidden knowledge? And yet... he was curious.


    He sighed. He had been so focused on the power of the gods and their origins that he had forgotten the skill''s actual ability. Shadow Movement was simple enough to use. It consumed shadow energy, but its function was straightforward: it allowed him to physically sink into shadows and move through them as if they were a pool of water.


    He couldn''t teleport through them, but as long as two shadows were connected, he could move between them.


    He sighed again. The world of gods was so far removed yet so terrifying.


    "The gods were mortals once..." If that was true, did it not mean they were imperfect?"


    It was as if the Unknown God was trying to imply that very thing.


    Damon''s face paled, his heart pounding. He wasn''t a person of faith, and he was defiant, but even someone like him felt that even thinking such a thing¡ªthat the gods weren''t perfect¡ªwas a grave taboo.


    He shook his head, taking a deep breath, his eyes wide.


    ''Is... is that what the Unknown God wants to show me? That... the gods aren''t perfect? That they carry the flaws of mortals in their hearts...?''


    This was the most blasphemous thought he had ever formed.


    He took another deep breath and opened the next skill.


    [Skill: Bloodletting]


    [Description:]


    For centuries, troll-kind were persecuted by the goddess-faithful, enslaved and abused for no fault of their own¡ªsimply for their hulking nature and vast vitality. Their resentment festered until Mugu offered them an alternative¡ªa new god to swear their faith to, serving what would later become demon-kind. Eventually, they came to revile the cruel goddess races and the suffering they endured under the faith of the goddess.


    [Effect:]


    Inflicts deep, lingering wounds that bleed excessively, sapping the target''s stamina and weakening their endurance over time. The more they bleed, the slower their movements become. If the target possesses regeneration, Bloodletting disrupts the healing process, making wounds take longer to close.


    [Type:]


    Active


    [Cooldown:]


    10 sec


    The skill itself wasn''t bad¡ªan active ability that inflicted a bleeding effect, forcing enemies to weaken over time while even slowing their healing.


    But what really caught Damon''s eye was the name.


    Mugu.


    This was the second time the system had mentioned that name, and Damon couldn''t shake the feeling that Mugu was important. He had been present at the founding of the demon race... which meant the goddess race''s claims and propaganda were correct. The demons were not originally created by the goddess.


    ''Are they an alien race...?''


    He shook his head. No, that was doubtful. The demon race was definitely a native race to their world. The text had said, what would later become demon-kind.


    Yes. That was it. Demon-kind hadn''t always existed as a separate race¡ªthey had been born, or rather, mutated, from one or more of the existing goddess races.


    That would explain why the goddess races hated them so much... It could also be the reason the war began.


    He placed a hand on his chin, deep in thought.


    The war was ancient¡ªso ancient that no one even remembered how it had started.


    And this Mugu... he must have played a crucial role in the rise of the demons.


    Mugu. The Unknown God.


    What was the connection?


    "Mugu... and what would later become the demon race..." Damon muttered, his expression darkening.


    He needed to share this with Lilith Astranova.


    ''What have we gotten involved in...? This... is bigger than both of us...''

 Chapter 269: Matia

    Contemplating the existence of gods and the secrets of the divine seemed to reinvigorate him. His heart hadn''t stopped pounding since he learned that the gods were once mortals, carrying emotions and feelings much like humans.


    ''The gods are imperfect...''


    He thought about it but didn''t dare to mutter the words aloud. This was madness. How could the gods not be perfect? They were gods.


    As he wrestled with these thoughts, his narrowed eyes drifted to the unconscious Matlock, who stirred slightly in her sleep.


    Yes, her.


    Matlock was a girl, so continuing to think of her as male felt redundant. If anything, he was more curious as to why she was dressed as a boy. Frankly speaking, he wanted answers.


    It was a good thing the odds were still in his favor¡ªshe remained unconscious.


    Then, Matlock''s eyes fluttered open.


    Her body ached, her head felt unbearably heavy, but her eyes snapped wide as she took in her surroundings. Black hair drifted in the wind as she shook her head, looking from side to side as if expecting to be attacked.


    The only thing she heard was Damon''s cold voice.


    "Welcome back to the waking world, sleepyhead."


    Matlock raised her head, finding a boy perched on a large boulder, a giant axe resting against his shoulder. The sun loomed behind him, casting long shadows over them all. She squinted, trying to resist the light. That was when she noticed the dried blood on his torn combat uniform.


    His expression was calm.


    "You didn''t die. Good for you..." Damon said, tilting his head slightly. "I was pretty sure you wouldn''t last long... Matlock."


    Matlock bit her lip. She had been the weakest among them. The fact that she was still alive was nothing short of a miracle.


    Damon''s sharp gaze settled on her.


    "You''re an interesting girl... or are you just a weird crossdresser?"


    Matlock''s eyes widened. Her gaze immediately dropped to her ripped combat uniform. The badges underneath were now exposed.


    Her expression hardened.


    "Yo... you know...?"


    Damon studied her for a moment, his face unreadable. Matlock was beautiful and delicate too delicate.


    "You made it obvious. Fairies are usually good-looking, but I know a few ugly ones."


    He couldn''t help but think of the old fairy, Makia¡ªthe one he had killed and devoured. That old bastard had been quite ugly for a fairy.


    Matlock bit her lip again, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "Now that you know I''m just a woman... are you going to kick me out of the party for my lie...?"


    Damon raised an eyebrow, amused by the question.


    "Right. That makes sense. This is why you didn''t have a party when the exam started."


    He rested his chin on his hand, mulling over his thoughts.


    "...Even a loner like me has friends who put up with me. If I remember correctly, you had friends too."


    His eyes darkened slightly as he recalled.


    "Weren''t you part of a clique? Yeah... I remember now. You were in the same group as that guy, Falz. You guys even created a club together."


    He snapped his fingers as if trying to recall something specific.


    "Yeah, it was about knights or something... What was it called again? The Tower Shields?


    Matlock lowered her head, eyes wide. Their club wasn''t popular, yet Damon knew about it.


    "How...?"


    He smiled coldly.


    "I make it a point to learn as much as I can about my environment. Force of habit. Don''t think anything of it."


    She raised her head, her hair flying in the wind, and muttered under her breath.


    "Or you''re just a stalker..."


    Damon scoffed.


    "I heard that. Not scared of me now, are we?"


    Matlock bit her lip. She wouldn''t exactly say he wasn''t scary, but... not as much as before.


    He smirked at her silence.


    "Your friends were all boys. They kicked you out of the clique when they found out you were actually a girl. They must have felt betrayed... leaving you without a party, which made the professor ask my party to take you in as an extra."


    Damon chuckled.


    "You must have thought you got lucky, getting added to the strongest party. But you weren''t. We ended up being teleported to a death zone."


    Matlock gritted her teeth.


    "What do you want already? Get to the point! If you''re going to abandon me to die... just say it. I''m tired of being treated like I don''t matter. So what if I''m a girl...?"


    Damon clapped his hands slowly, a mocking grin on his face.


    "How brave. My fairy friend, you''ve changed. I expected you to be trembling in fear, not standing there with such boldness. Does it have to do with your class advancement?"


    He jumped off the boulder, landing with ease, his expression turning cold. The massive axe on his back made him look even more terrifying.


    "Since you asked for it, Matlock... I will definitely abandon you to die."


    Matlock''s eyes widened. She wouldn''t survive on her own. Not here.


    Damon raised the massive axe to his shoulder.


    Matlock gritted her teeth. Forward or backward, she was still going to die. She looked at Damon. He was stronger. Too strong. She could tell from his aura alone, he was a killer.


    But...


    She stood up, her head lowered.


    "F... fine by me. Even if you throw me into that chasm... I will crawl out. I promised to live as myself, even if I''m someone else''s shadow. So I will fight... and die as myself."


    Damon''s grin widened at her resolve.


    "If I threw you down there, you''d never live."


    He raised the axe and slammed it into the ground, crouching down to sit cross-legged.


    "But I like this new you. I knew you had a strong will from the moment you blasted that Red Cap Goblin Mage."


    Matlock''s eyes widened. He wasn''t angry that she had hidden her identity?


    All her life, being a woman had been her greatest weakness. She was never allowed to be herself. Never. She didn''t desire beautiful dresses¡ªshe just wanted someone to tell her she was strong just as she was.


    Damon glanced at her.


    "I don''t know what you mean by being someone''s shadow... but I do know you are strong, Matlock."


    He leaned against the giant axe, his gaze steady as he looked at the young fairy.


    "So... what''s your story?"


    Matlock blinked. Was he... asking for an explanation? Did he actually want to know about her pathetic past?


    Her eyes shimmered with an unspoken emotion. A tearful glint.


    She sat down beside him.


    For the first time... someone was giving her the chance to explain herself without judgment.


    She bit her lip, hesitating for only a moment before finally speaking.


    "I was born in the frost continent, Norrath... in a small kingdom of predominantly patriarchal warrior fairies¡ªWinterhaven."

 Chapter 270: No Longer Matlock

    Not too long ago, a kind hunter had sat down with Damon and asked about his past. It may not have seemed like much back then, but telling his story had helped lighten the burden, if only a little.


    Now, here he was, doing the same thing for a fairy girl who seemed to have a difficult past.


    As the kind hunter had told him in the past, kindness was reciprocal¡ªwhat you give is what you get.


    Matlock''s voice was low. He had heard about the Frost Continent; honestly, it was basic geography. The world only had nine, after all. The Frost Continent, Norrath, was the northernmost of them. As for her birthplace, Winterhaven, he wasn''t familiar with it.


    Her eyes were distant, her fists trembling as she recalled her past.


    "My father was from a family that had acted as the king''s blade for generations... a position passed down from father to son."


    She paused, taking a deep breath as a distant roar shook the heavens. She didn''t react much to it. They had heard it a few times now¡ªthe sound of the awakening dragon. But at the moment, the memories of her past were more terrifying than its distant horror.


    "Sadly, my father had no sons. He married many women, had even more mistresses, and fathered ninety-nine daughters... not a single son."


    She lowered her head.


    Damon looked at her.


    "He couldn''t let a woman inherit a legacy created and upheld by men."


    Matlock nodded.


    "He couldn''t. The next king''s guard had to be a man from the Faldren house, just like him and his father before him."


    Damon could understand that.


    She bit her lip. "My father''s fortune changed the day my mother became pregnant. At last, he would get his wish¡ªa son to carry his title, the sword of the future king."


    She looked at Damon, who wore a calm expression.


    "My mother conceived twins... a boy and a girl. My father was filled with joy, and from the moment I was born, I was a shadow, unnoticed under my brother''s radiance."


    She smiled dryly, pain evident in her expression.


    "However, my father''s joy was short-lived. My twin brother, Matlock, was a frail person, sickly and unable to carry out any of his duties."


    She raised her head to push back the tears.


    "So my father turned his rage on my mother. In the end, she couldn''t bear it and killed herself right before my eyes. I still remember the way her wings dimmed and she became cold. The blood falling on my face felt so warm..."


    She sniffed, her nose turning red.


    "Her death was of little consequence to my lord father. He had many more women where she came from. Her value was in her ability to give him a son, and she had failed... and made his son weak."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. Matlock being born weak wasn''t really his mother''s fault.


    Matlock lowered her head.


    "Even then, my twin brother was still the jewel of his eyes. He tried to train him in the sword, but he was just too weak to fight... or even hold a sword at all."


    She sighed, holding a strand of her hair.


    "It was then my father had a crazed thought. He could not allow anyone to know that his heir was weak, so as Matlock''s twin sister¡ªbeing identical in some ways¡ªI was forced to dress as him. Despite having lived in his shadow..."


    She let out a shaky breath.


    "Outside the castle, I was Matlock. Inside, I was just Matia... just a woman."


    She looked at Damon as the memories came back.


    As Matlock, there were many expectations placed on her. Many sought to duel the heir of the Faldren family¡ªthe future blade of the king. But that itself was a problem.


    Whenever she picked up any type of weapon, her father would rage, reminding her that a woman had no place wielding a sword. He would flog her until she was left bleeding and unconscious.


    However, she was also trapped. If she was challenged outside as Matlock, she could not refuse. And if she lost, her father would break her legs for dragging her brother''s good name through the mud.


    "You have shamed the family, girl... you will pay with your flesh, blood, and bones."


    She was not allowed to be Matia, nor was she allowed to be Matlock. She was just a shadow on the wall. But if she was to be a shadow, she at least wanted to be herself¡ªstrong, even if only as something lesser. A part of her wanted to be the king''s blade, just to prove that a ruler''s blade could still be a woman''s.


    However, all she did was endure, year after year, too afraid to be either.


    Until one day, her brother''s illness took a turn for the worse. Desperate to save his son, her father ordered her to sacrifice her fairy wings to save his life. The act of sacrificing one''s wings took them away forever, leaving the fairy crippled. In exchange, they could perform one miracle.


    She didn''t mind doing it¡ªto save her own twin brother. However, when the time came, her brother refused to be saved. He whispered to her in his final moments:


    "Matia... I reject your wings. I am broken, but you can still soar. I had a dream, my dear sister. One day, you will be the blade of a powerful ruler. So please... soar for the both of us."


    He died with a happy smile. Her brother had always been the only one who saw her as matia.


    Their father, however, was enraged. He beat Matia half to death until his own knights stopped him, begging him to see reason. It was not her fault. And should he kill her, there would be no one left to masquerade as the now-dead Matlock.


    And so she was spared. Allowed to live, but only as her brother. She would never get the chance to be Matia again.


    On that day she was announced dead.


    She lived a lie, deceiving everyone she met. And in the end, whenever people found out the truth, they would leave her behind¡ªbecause she was a woman.


    Damon looked at her, his expression calm. He stood up, glancing at the others before looking at the sun at high noon.


    "The others have slept enough. Time to wake them up. We need to keep moving before something worse happens to us."


    She nodded. He probably didn''t care. She chuckled bitterly¡ªwhy would he? This was the tyrannical Damon Grey.


    He turned around, snapping his fingers.


    "What are you doing, Matia? If you keep gawking, you won''t get a chance to prove them all wrong."


    He raised his head at her, his eyes full of untamed defiance.


    "Who says a woman can''t be great? Some of the most terrifying people in this world are women. Hell, even the Goddess is a woman. And I don''t think you get called the Goddess of Doom for being a delicate flower."


    She paused looking at him with an almost doubtful expression, before she felt a sense of realization.


    Matia''s eyes widened, a small, almost invisible tear slipping down her cheek. She clenched her fists, stepping forward.


    Following behind Damon as his shadow stretched long beneath the bright sunlight.

 Chapter 271 271: Alive And Accounted For

    Waking the others didn''t take long. Damon unceremoniously slapped them awake, including the girls. Xander wasn''t so lucky¡ªhe was jolted awake with a kick.


    Damon looked at them. "Quit sleeping. We need to cross the bridge."


    They all stared at him with a variety of expressions. Leona sniffled, choking down her tears before leaping up and tackling him.


    "I... I knew you wouldn''t die!"


    Damon, who was forced to the ground, felt his injuries ache as the massive axe he had been carrying fell with a clang. Even then, he smiled lightly. "I''m not so easy to kill... Now get off before you break something."


    Leona nodded. This was quite a Damon way to react. At least he wasn''t rude today.


    "You must have missed us far more than you let on," she teased.


    He sighed, pinching her cheek. "I decide to be a better person, and you give me attitude?"


    Leona smiled, hugging him again before whispering, "I''m glad you came back."


    He nodded slowly, whispering back, "Me too."


    Evangeline sat quietly, her expression stern, but he could tell she was relieved to see him. Still, he decided he didn''t like this mature, peaceful version of her. He wanted problems, always.


    "What''s with you? Why are you suddenly acting mature all of a sudden? Did that troll hit you on the head or something?"


    When he said that, she slowly turned to Sylvia. Damon followed her gaze to the elf girl, who wore a calm expression, her eyes focused on him¡ªor rather, in his direction. Then, slowly, she smiled.


    "I''ve been waiting for you," she said softly. "I''m glad I didn''t have to wait long."


    Damon blinked. That was not the reaction he had been expecting. "That was weird."


    Even so, he nodded. He was the reason, after all, the one who told her to have faith in him.


    Evangeline looked between them, her gaze lingering on Sylvia as if she wanted to say something but chose not to.


    "I''m glad you won too, Damon," she said at last.


    Xander watched the whole exchange, his body still coated in dried blood.


    "You awakened your first class too... Figures. Why else would you want to fight a war troll?"


    Damon nodded, his expression calm. "Yeah, so did all of you. But we can talk about our classes after we cross the bridge."


    He stood up, taking on the role of party leader, and gazed at the other five.


    "All party members are alive and accounted for¡ªa little beat up, but alive."


    Xander rolled his eyes. "I''d say we''re more like half-dead than a little beat up."


    The others nodded in agreement, murmuring their exhaustion. Damon smirked.


    "Good. Then that means you''re also half alive."


    He stretched, cracking his neck.


    "With our classes awakened, I can safely say our zero percent chance of surviving the Whispering Forest is now at least as high as... three percent."


    Evangeline blinked. "Wait, didn''t you say we had a higher chance last time?"


    Damon chuckled. "I lied. Obviously. I didn''t even think we''d make it past the Duhu Mountains. But you know what they say¡ªwhen there''s a will, there''s a way. And we found a way."


    He paused, glancing at them. "To potentially certain death."


    "Or worse," Sylvia added.


    He snapped his fingers at her. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sylvia. That really puts things into perspective."


    She nodded slowly. The others sighed. At this point, they had grown somewhat used to the fear of the unknown.


    Damon looked at them seriously.


    "I won''t bore you with any pointless speeches. The goal is simple cross the bridge. When we do, we cut it off to escape any potential pursuit from the demon army or Ashergon''s minions."


    He pointed at the rickety rope bridge ahead.


    "Once we cross, we can rest for a day or two before we brave the dangers of the Whispering Forest. During this time, we''ll share the details of our classes so we know what skills and abilities we have in our deck."


    The party looked ahead at the precarious bridge and then back at each other. Damon exhaled, gripping his axe tightly.


    The others nodded. This would also give them the opportunity to recover any supplies they had lost¡ªsome to the devil monkeys, while the rest had been used up.


    They needed to rest. They were tired, broken both physically and mentally. There wasn''t even time to rejoice at having survived certain death. They had to keep moving, keep running, keep surviving. But looking back, they had made progress.


    "We have a little time," Damon said, glancing at Sylvia and Evangeline.


    "You two, drink the last of our healing and mana potions. Heal yourselves."


    He then looked at the others.


    "Once they''re recovered, they''ll heal the rest of us. Our job is to make sure the healers stay safe at all costs. They''re our lifeline, especially since we won''t have any potions left after this."


    They all nodded as Evangeline and Sylvia went to work, channeling their magic to mend wounds and restore vitality.


    Damon sighed. He wanted to use his class skill, but it kept failing. Last night, he had been too exhausted to attempt it. Now, he simply watched as the others were treated. Sylvia approached him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder before pressing her forehead lightly against him in an embrace.


    "I... I''m so happy you didn''t die."


    He nodded, feeling her breath against him as he observed the others quietly eating their rations.


    Sylvia placed her hand over one of his lingering wounds, a soft glow emanating from her palm as his injuries slowly began to mend. She remained by his side, her eyes never leaving him.


    "We all got to rest when we fell unconscious. But you... you haven''t slept at all, have you?"


    Damon sighed. "If you''re going to lecture me, save it. Evangeline''s going to give me one when she''s done brooding."


    Sylvia chuckled softly. "She''s probably mad at me for knocking her out mid-battle."


    "Wait, what?"


    She placed a finger against his lips. "Shhh. I''ll explain later."


    Before he could protest further, she gently guided his head down, pulling it to rest against her lap. He tensed, attempting to sit up, but she refused to let him.


    "We''ll be here for two hours, right?" she murmured.


    "So why not use my thighs as a pillow? Get some sleep. That way, when we reach the other side, you''ll be prepared for whatever comes next."


    Damon hesitated for only a moment before conceding.


    His head rested against her soft thighs, and the exhaustion he had been ignoring began to creep up on him. Slowly, the tension in his body melted away. His eyelids grew heavy, and before he knew it, he was asleep.

 Chapter 272 272: People Of The Mist

    Damon took a deep breath. The others probably didn''t realize how dire their situation was about to become. With limited rations and supplies, they would have to survive off whatever the land provided.


    Which would have been fine¡ªif they weren''t about to walk into a Death Zone. The land ahead could be twisted and corrupted.


    The food would be inedible, at least for those who had yet to reach their first class advancement.


    Now that they had, they could do a lot of things they couldn''t before.


    Absorbing energy from the mana cores of dead monsters to enhance their bodies and magical prowess... using skills...


    Well, that wasn''t new to Damon. The system already allowed him to do that. What mattered now was that they were stronger.


    "Our odds are higher now..."


    He took a deep breath. They had to cross the bridge in front of them.


    The bridge before his eyes was an old, rickety rope bridge with some missing planks. The ropes were thick but frayed, and runes were inscribed along them and the wooden planks, emitting a faint magical glow. He couldn''t clearly see the other side due to a strange mist, and the worst part was the rumbling from the deep chasm below.


    He looked down, peering into the darkness. Even with eyes that could see in absolute darkness, he couldn''t make out the bottom. However, with the benefit of his awakening, he could faintly see shapes moving far below¡ªdrifting like clouds in the abyss.


    "Better not get their attention..."


    Whatever was down there was far beyond the rank of their small party.


    He turned around, the massive axe he had taken from the war troll secured on his back.


    His gaze swept over the group, their torn combat uniforms barely holding together. The material was supposed to be high-quality from the magic continent, but even it had limits.


    "Remember the rules¡ªmake as little noise as possible until we cross."


    He glanced at Matlock¡ªnow called Matia after he discovered she was actually a girl.


    "Matia, don''t try to fly over. We might attract something, or worse, discover some abnormal phenomenon that prevents flight."


    His eyes shifted to Xander, who had taken the time to clean off some of the blood while Leoan created a small storm cloud to gather water.


    "Use your gravity magic to make us lighter."


    Xander nodded.


    Damon turned to the others, pulling out a rope and tying it around each of their waists.


    "We stay together. The ropes will make sure we can catch each other if someone falls."


    He muttered under his breath, "Or we all get pulled down together."


    Their faces didn''t pale with fear. They had already resolved themselves.


    Damon took the first step toward the bridge, leading his party in a single file. Their fate was uncertain, but hesitation would only make things worse.


    At first, the mist was faint, almost nonexistent, but the moment Damon placed his foot on the shaky wooden planks, it was as if he had stepped into an entirely different world.


    The mist thickened instantly, curling around him like a living thing. However, he could still see in front of him¡ªfor now.


    The others stepped onto the bridge cautiously. The rope bridge swayed, the old planks creaked, and even those who had reached their first class advancement felt a sense of vertigo creeping in.


    Damon shook his head, steadying himself before taking another step. He kept his eyes forward, careful not to look down into the chasm. It wasn''t a fear of heights that kept his gaze fixed ahead¡ªit was the unsettling knowledge that something lay within that darkness, waiting.


    He hoped for a quiet, uneventful crossing.


    Slowly, they made their way across, one careful step at a time. Damon led, gripping the thick ropes on either side to steady himself. It was almost peaceful¡ªuntil they reached the center of the bridge, where the mist became even denser. Then, the humming started.


    It was faint, almost like a whisper carried by the wind, yet it sent a chill through them. The mist itself seemed to shift, forming vague, shifting shapes that might have been illusions¡ªor something far worse.


    Leona moved closer to him, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "I... I hear singing..."


    Damon nodded, his own voice hushed. "Stay sharp. We might have a monster or some unusual phenomenon on our hands."


    The others nodded as well, stepping carefully. The mist now covered the floor of the bridge, making it difficult to see where the planks actually were. Damon took a deep breath, testing each step before fully committing, ensuring that the bridge was still beneath them.


    As they approached the end of the bridge, the mist coalesced into distinct forms¡ªfigures of men and women, ghostly and ethereal. One particular figure¡ªa woman¡ªhovered directly in their path, floating above a section of the bridge where no planks should be. She opened her arms as if welcoming them.


    "Come... come to me... let us be together as one..."


    Damon hesitated. He couldn''t sense any shadows, couldn''t tell if she was real or just an illusion.


    He recalled reading something in the old travel journal, but the notes had only covered the creatures lurking in the chasm below, not this.... At least the parts that were still legible.


    Sylvia, gripping her tome, flipped through glowing pages, wincing as she read something.... This unusual tome was her skill it was invisible to others... but Damon could see it just fine.


    "We can walk past them... as long as they do not scream... we should be fine..."


    Damon studied her expression, then nodded.


    Slowly, he stepped forward. The mist woman reached out to touch him, but her hands passed through his form like vapor. One by one, they moved past her, ignoring her murmured words. The end of the bridge was in sight.


    She followed them with a pleading and desperate expression.


    Then, the woman''s face twisted. Her mist-like form shuddered, and her voice took on an eerie, anguished tone.


    "I love you... I love you, but you hurt me... you hurt me... You only want her... but she betrayed you... Why? Why, Mugu? Why? Ahahahahaha!"


    The mist let out an ear-piercing scream.


    The sound was unbearable, forcing them to their knees, clutching their ears in agony. Damon''s eyes widened as the chasm below rumbled, the mist within it beginning to swirl violently.


    Then, something moved.


    A massive black form, larger than a mountain, began to rise. Its presence alone was suffocating, ancient, and terrifying. Blood dripped from Damon''s nose as sheer terror gripped his body. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would explode.


    Panic set in.


    Damon staggered to his feet, yanking at the rope that connected them all.


    "Come on! Run! We need to get off the bridge!"


    He didn''t need to say it twice.


    They sprinted toward the end, moving as fast as they could. As long as they reached the other side before the creature fully emerged, they had a chance.


    But suddenly, the end of the bridge seemed impossibly far away...

 Chapter 273 273: Breaking Off Bridges

    Damon could feel his heart pounding against his chest as the movements of the creature deep in the chasm sent tremors through the world. The air grew heavy, and as the monstrous entity began to raise its head, the very atmosphere churned.


    In that instant, Damon knew¡ªif that thing set its sights upon them, they would die.


    There was no time to contemplate its rank or origin. Whatever it was, it was far beyond their capabilities.


    All he could do was grab his party and run across the old rope bridge.


    However, their escape felt futile. They had originally made it more than halfway across, the exit within sight¡ªbut now, the bridge seemed to stretch farther and farther away with every desperate step they took.


    A visceral sense of horror gripped Damon. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to think past his terror. His gaze snapped to Xander.


    "Use your magic! Make us lighter!"


    Xander didn''t hesitate. He raised his palms, and magic surged from him in a shimmering circle. Almost instantly, Damon felt his weight reduce under the effects of gravity magic.


    But that didn''t solve their immediate problem. They still had to get off the bridge before whatever lurked in the chasm fully emerged.


    The end was close¡ªyet felt impossibly far.


    Damon made his choice. He raised his hand and fired the hook from his omnidirectional gear, locking onto the far end of the bridge. Without hesitation, he pulled them forward with the gear''s powerful recoil.


    In a flash, they soared across the remaining distance. Just as they reached solid ground, an immense shadow loomed over the bridge.


    "Don''t look at it!" Damon''s voice cut through the madness.


    Then, they crashed onto the ground, tumbling outside the bridge''s reach.


    Their faces were ashen, their noses bleeding from the sheer terror of the aura that had washed over them. Damon forced himself to stand, gasping for breath, his mind reeling from the experience.


    When he looked around, everything was... gone.


    The mist had cleared. The monstrous entity had vanished. The eerie figures they had seen earlier¡ªnowhere to be found. The other side of the bridge was fully visible, leading into the dense trees of the Duhu Mountains.


    The sun shone brightly above.


    It was as if everything had been a nightmare.


    But Damon knew better. It was all real. The bridge still remained, now faintly glowing with ancient runes.


    They had made it to an entirely different biome.


    In the distance, just a few kilometers away, the world ahead was dark and gray. A vast forest stretched as far as the eye could see, its shadowy expanse foreboding and endless.


    The whispering forest.


    Damon stood up. They had to destroy the bridge so no one could follow them.


    He stepped closer, unbuckling the gaunt axe he had been carrying. Evangeline rose to her feet, her face pale.


    "What... are you doing?"


    Damon raised the massive, human-sized axe with one hand.


    "I''m cutting the bridge off. We can''t let any demons come after us. They also want to reach the ruined city."


    He glanced at the group.


    "If I remember correctly, one redcap goblin escaped. Where do you think he ran off to?"


    Evangeline hesitated before nodding. "But if you cut it off, that would mean no going back."


    Damon didn''t answer. Instead, Leona did, her gaze fixed on the distant Duhu Mountains.


    "There was nowhere to go back to, to begin with. We can only move forward."


    Sylvia sat hugging her legs. "Do it. Destroy the bridge."


    Xander sighed at the exchange. "At least we''ll travel safer knowing we don''t have anyone or anything hunting us."


    Matia eyed the bridge skeptically. "For an old bridge, it''s tougher than it looks."


    Damon approached cautiously, lifting the axe high. As he brought it down onto the frayed ropes, a small spark flared at the point of impact.


    In that instant, the world shifted. The mist returned. The ghostly figures drifted in the haze, and the monstrous entity in the chasm slowly began to rise once more.


    It lasted only a moment, but Damon recoiled, staggering back and dropping the axe with a groan. He collapsed to his knees, coughing up blood, his breath weak and ragged.


    The bridge was part of another world.


    "Damon! What happened?"


    The others surrounded him as he struggled to breathe. He raised a trembling finger toward the bridge.


    Sylvia and Evangeline worked quickly, their magic flowing through him. After a few minutes, Damon was more or less recovered. He spat out some blood and clicked his tongue.


    "Well, that ended up being a disaster."


    Sylvia, her eyes fixed on an unseen book¡ªa skill of hers¡ªnodded grimly.


    "The bridge is ancient. It was built as part of a trial to reach the Path of Kings. But like many things in this land, it has become twisted. Its magic can''t be destroyed by physical contact. Magic won''t work either¡ªit''s resistant to most spells."


    Damon frowned. He couldn''t rest easy with that bridge still standing. Something, or someone, could still follow.


    He stood up and walked toward the bridge again. Evangeline scowled.


    "What are you doing? Didn''t you hear what she said?"


    He nodded sheepishly. "I did."


    He raised his hand, closing his eyes as if bracing for intense pain¡ªbecause he was.


    Then, opening them once more, he whispered,


    "She said physical contact won''t work. Magic won''t work. So I''ll use something that is neither."


    A black ember-like shadow flickered in his palm. In an instant, it surged forward, erupting into a pillar of black fire. The dark flames soared, engulfing the rope bridge''s edges.


    Damon gritted his teeth, his face contorting in agony as the Ashborn skill consumed his shadow energy and mana. He fell to his knees, experiencing the searing pain of burning alive¡ªtenfold.


    Sylvia rushed to his side, pressing a hand against his chest, her expression tense with concern.


    The others watched in silence as the black flames writhed like living shadows, consuming the enchanted ropes and planks.


    The runes on the bridge flared before burning away. The ropes frayed, the bindings unraveled, and with a final, crackling snap, the bridge¡ªan ancient construct that had stood for thousands of years¡ªcollapsed into the abyss.


    The two sides of the chasm were now forever separated.

 Chapter 274: Dealers Hand

    The bridge was destroyed, leaving the party to rest easy for the first time since they had been stranded in these lands. They could finally rest before continuing their journey.


    Damon grabbed a supply bag and, without saying another word, unceremoniously tossed it to the ground and fell onto it. He knew his party would have questions for him. He would have to give them answers when he woke up¡ªor at least come up with a convincing lie.


    He didn''t know how long he would sleep, so he activated the Sacrifice skill, turning some of his mana stats into shadow energy.


    "If I don''t find a monster to devour... I''ll keep getting weaker," he muttered.


    He was in a fight against time. Either he let his shadow grow hungry and gained power, or he sacrificed that power to stay sane.


    Evangeline walked up to him, glancing at him lying on the sleeping bag despite the sun still being high.


    "Ca...can we talk?" she asked hesitantly.


    He closed his eyes.


    "No... not right now. You guys rest. We can talk later when everyone is rested. There''s no need to stand guard."


    Evangeline bit her lip, her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Isn''t that a bit risky?"


    Damon sighed, resting on the supply bag like a pillow.


    "It''s not, when I''ll have an eye out... You guys just sleep."


    Evangeline nodded, trusting in his words¡ªeven though he was actually closing his eyes to sleep instead.


    Damon, on the other hand, didn''t need to tell her that his shadow was alive and could act as a scout or even an eye. It would begin its patrol when the last of the party members went to sleep.


    However, Evangeline wasn''t convinced. She sat by his side, leaning on her supply bag.


    Damon sighed. "Go keep an eye out," he ordered his shadow.


    The dark form slithered away, circling around. It stopped in front of Evangeline and waved its hand at her.


    Evangeline instinctively raised her hand to her sword, taken aback for a moment.


    Damon''s shadow shifted back due to her reaction.


    He raised his hand and lightly smacked her arm. "Relax."


    She stood up abruptly. "How can I relax when your shadow just moved on its own?"


    Her reaction and the movement of the shadow caught the group''s attention, and they all looked at Damon as if expecting an explanation. Sylvia, however, narrowed her eyes slightly, waiting for him to speak.


    Damon sighed.


    "You guys really don''t want to rest, do you?" He sat up.


    "There''s no need to worry. My shadow wasn''t hijacked by some ancient horror or an unknowable monster."


    He paused, glancing at them.


    "This is merely one of the effects of my first-class skill... Or did you guys forget my attribute is shadow? So this isn''t really strange."


    He lay back down. "We can talk about our classes after we rest."


    Evangeline sighed with relief. That was right¡ªthey were in their first class, and some unique classes came with unusual skills. Damon just got one. It wasn''t like he was a heretic or something.


    ''He''d never make a deal with some horror,'' she reassured herself.


    Xander looked at Damon''s shadow as it cracked around the group, greeting each of them with a friendly wave.


    His face winced. "This thing is creepy... I suppose it''s to be expected from someone like you."


    Matia knelt by the shadow with Leona.


    "Hey, Leona, is it just me, or is this thing kind of cute?"


    Leona nodded, her ears perking up and down.


    "I know, look at him. He''s like a nice, friendly version of Damon... So this is where all his personality went."


    Damon, who was lying down, clicked his tongue. "I heard that."


    "I wanted you to," Leona teased.


    "What can it do? Can it attack?" Evangeline asked, somewhat wary.


    With his eyes closed, Damon tossed around. "It''s just like you to be violent."


    She scowled, ready to start an argument, but Xander interfered.


    "Right, everybody rest. We could start moving at any time."


    Evangeline''s eyebrows twitched, but she nodded. She lay right next to Damon, her head on her supply bag.


    Despite everything, the only person who remained quiet was Sylvia. She merely looked at Damon and whispered low to herself.


    "Liar."


    How could she not know he was lying about his class skill? She knew he had the ability to make his shadow move away from him even before they reached the first class. She had seen him without a shadow in the academy...


    She knew Damon to be someone who kept his secrets close to his chest. She could already imagine what lie he would tell them about his class skill, as well as whatever explanation he would give about the flames that obviously originated from the dark spirit, Ignath.


    His shadow went a fair distance from them.


    The others all lay down despite the sun, while Leona followed the shadow around, curious and making conversation, even though it only replied with gestures.


    And when Sylvia thought no one was looking, she slowly moved her sleeping bag next to Damon, watching as he breathed steady and low, almost as if he were dead.


    She was curious where he had learned to sleep so silently... it was almost as if he was wary that something would get him in his sleep.


    Or maybe he wasn''t even sleeping. She suppressed the urge to touch his face.


    Slowly closing her eyes.


    Well, she was right¡ªDamon wasn''t actually asleep. Not just yet. He spread his shadow perception and sensed Sylvia next to him and Evangeline on the other side.


    However, he paid them no mind. He was actually looking at his class and skill.


    [Class: Death Dealer]


    "You are a merchant in blood and a dealer in death. Your presence heralds demise, and your hands deliver the final price."


    [Skill ¨C Dealer''s Hand]


    "You may permanently mark a weapon as your Dealer''s Hand. This weapon grows sharper with your bond and stronger with every life it claims. Each soul taken feeds its edge, tempering it into a blade of death. It will never dull, never break¡ªso long as you live. Only in death will it lose its edge."


    His skill actually had nothing to do with shadows. It was a skill that allowed him to bind a weapon to himself.


    Except the only problem was, he had tried with his daggers and they failed. As for the reason... he could tell it was because he didn''t have a strong enough emotional attachment to the daggers.


    He had tried with objects. The only one that seemed like it would work was his mother''s locket.


    A shame it wasn''t a weapon. In the end, after mulling it over, Damon couldn''t think of any weapons that would work as a Dealer''s Hand...


    Save one...


    "I''ll have to get it... If... I... No... when I make it back home ..."


    Yes....he would have to return....to his village....

 Chapter 275: A Little White Lie

    By the time Damon woke up, the evening sun was already dipping below the horizon. He didn''t feel particularly rested. When he glanced down, he found Sylvia nestled in his arms, sound asleep. The others looked just as exhausted, their bodies heavy with lingering fatigue.


    Leona mumbled in her sleep, leaning against Matia. "Damon... make something tasty..."


    She must have been hungrier than she let on, trying to be considerate of their dwindling supplies.


    Carefully, he shifted Sylvia away, making sure not to wake her. She stirred slightly but remained asleep. He got to his feet and rummaged through his supply bag, pulling out a dried piece of jerky.


    He sighed. "This is all we have left, huh?" he muttered, taking a bite.


    Sitting down, he gazed at the evening sky, watching as his shadow returned to him. In his hands was a weathered old book, its pages heavily worn from time. He read in silence, the minutes stretching on, until a deep rumble vibrated through the ground.


    Damon''s gaze lifted from the book. He knew what would come next.


    And just as expected¡ª


    A deafening roar split through the air. The force of it sent the wind howling through the distant trees, making his hair whip back.


    He winced, gripping his ears against the overwhelming sound.


    The others jolted awake, rolling out of their sleep with pained expressions, their hands clutching their ears. Slowly, the roar faded, leaving only the eerie quiet of the evening in its wake.


    Damon, unfazed, sat there with a bored expression. He had heard the dragon''s roar many times before¡ªalthough not quite this loud.


    Glancing at the others, he remarked dryly,


    "Great, you''re all awake. I must commend your audacity to sleep in such a dangerous place..."


    Leona, still groggy, twisted her lips into a pout. "You''re the one who told us to rest..."


    Damon nodded. "And you''ve rested. Now it''s time to talk... about our plan moving forward."


    The others exchanged looks before slowly nodding.


    "We''ve made it past the demon army and put some distance between us and the dangers of the Duhu Mountains... but we''ve only jumped from the pan into the fire," Damon said.


    Leona clutched her stomach. "All these analogies are making me hungry..."


    Xander crossed his arms. "You didn''t seem too bothered by our meager rations when we were being hunted by war trolls."


    She scowled at him. "Sorry, I was too busy trying not to die."


    Evangeline waved a hand dismissively.


    "Leona''s gluttony aside... we''re not exactly safe. We''re too close to the Whispering Forest. But before we march toward our imminent demise, why don''t we address the mammoth in the room?"


    Damon rolled his eyes. "How about we address why you''re talking like my nonexistent grandfather?"


    She smirked. "I was actually talking like mine. If you want to meet him, I''d be happy to introduce you¡ªof course, I''ll be brutally honest about your deplorable personality."


    Damon scoffed, muttering, "Takes one to know one..."


    Sylvia sighed, stepping between them. "Let''s not do this, guys. I know we''re all excited to be alive, but we need to focus."


    She looked at Damon. "We have questions. And I can see you trying to rile Evangeline up, which means you don''t want to talk."


    Damon frowned. "You really think the worst of me, don''t you? Fine."


    Sylvia sighed, already exhausted. "Please don''t try to emotionally blackmail me. We need to be honest with each other, so let''s share the details of our classes and skills¡ªincluding weaknesses."


    Xander let out a low whistle, grinning as he glanced at Damon.


    "Some of us here¡ªnot naming any names¡ªhave trust issues. Especially when it comes to, cough cough, weaknesses. Not pointing fingers or anything, cough cough, Damon."


    Damon''s eye twitched. They really thought they had him all figured out.


    "I wasn''t going to hide anything, so I''ll go first."


    Leona narrowed her eyes playfully. "Pretty suspicious that you want to share the details of your class first... I smell an underhanded scheme."


    Damon sighed. "This is what I get for being a good person. Fine, I won''t tell."


    Matia, her wings fluttering, paused. "Wait... how do we know he didn''t just bait us so he''d have an excuse not to tell?"


    Evangeline nodded in agreement. "You might be new, but it seems you''ve got him figured out. Good job."


    Damon stared at them with a deadpan expression.


    "I really hate that everyone just assumes I''m going to lie and manipulate you all for my own ends while keeping my class skills secret..."


    "You will," they all echoed in unison.


    Damon sighed. "My class is called Death Dealer¡ªMerchant in Blood, Dealer in Death."


    The group fell silent as he hesitated, tension settling over his features.


    "My class skill is called Ashborn..." He bit his lip as if reluctant to speak.


    "It allows me to manipulate dark powers by stealing the abilities of the first dark entity I defeat... for a price. And there are consequences."


    The group stared at him with intense expressions, waiting for him to continue. Damon hesitated, as if debating whether to reveal the full truth.


    "The stronger the dark entity I defeat, the more severe the consequences. Naturally, the first dark spirit I defeated was Ignath... so the skill manifested before my awakening.... Come from him..."


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes. She half-believed him when he mentioned Ignath, guilt creeping into her expression. She didn''t want to think Damon would lie about something this serious... even though she knew he wasn''t telling the whole truth.


    Damon noted her reaction. He wasn''t telling any truths¡ªonly lies. As if he''d ever trust them with his actual class skill.


    Truthfully, there was no point in revealing it since he couldn''t even use it. The skill he''d rely on most was Ashborn, and this explanation would justify why he could suddenly wield the power of a dark spirit without being suspected of heresy... or accused of making a contract with an evil entity.


    He had also chosen his words carefully to guilt-trip Sylvia. Now, she wouldn''t pry too much. As for his shadow, she didn''t suspect it¡ªyet. He''d have to come up with a convincing lie for that one day.


    Sylvia met his gaze. "What''s the price?"


    Damon nodded slowly, biting his lip. "One of the consequences of using stolen power... is that I experience the pain of burning alive¡ªtenfold¡ªevery time I use it."


    The others paled. Sylvia''s face twisted in horror.


    She dreaded to think of Damon suffering like that.


    Her hands clenched. Her face went pale.


    "This... th-this is all my fault..."

 Chapter 276: Interact With

    Damon felt a horrible sting in his chest when he saw Sylvia''s expression. While it was true he got the Ashborn skill after defeating Ignath in the process of saving her, he would have gotten the skill anyway because fighting a dark spirit was part of his level-up requirements.


    He approached her, placing a hand on her chin.


    "It''s not your fault... this is just the nature of my power... besides, I can choose not to use it."


    She bit her lip, lowering her head, but from the looks of it, she wasn''t convinced. In Sylvia''s heart, it must have seemed like Damon had given up himself to save her, even though that really wasn''t the case.


    ''Geeze, Sylvia, you''re starting to make me feel bad...''


    His guilty thoughts aside, Damon had done what he did more out of self-preservation than anything.


    The origins of these flames were tied to a powerful dark spirit, and summoning, contracting, or associating with one was heresy¡ªa matter relegated to the temple or the imperial knights, sometimes both.


    However, if it was a first-class skill, then that had nothing to do with the dark spirit. That meant Damon was safe... it was a loophole of sorts.


    He wasn''t lying to them just for the heck of it.


    He sighed. "Now then, who''s next? I''d rather not go deeper into my skill..."


    Evangeline bit her lip. "I... I have a similar skill too..."


    Leona grabbed her. "So you experience tenfold the pain of burning alive too?"


    Evangeline shook her head, holding the side of her arms.


    "My class is called Dawn Seeker. It''s as Damon said before... I am blinded by my radiance. My skill is called... Purge. I can purify the world with my rotting flesh."


    Xander raised an eyebrow. "Rotting how...?"


    She gritted her teeth.


    "My skill allows me to purify anything, but I have to absorb part of it into my body and purify it. If I absorb too much, my flesh starts to rot... until my false light destroys it all."


    The others all looked at her with different expressions. This was truly a horrible skill¡ªto have to watch one''s own flesh rot in order to perform purification.


    However, while the others were weighing the horrible con, Damon was weighing the pros and how useful they would be.


    Her skill was powerful, giving her light, purifying, and decursing effects. Her power would be useful against dark magic, undead, corruption, and virtually anything impure.


    ''What an asset... she may be the most useful person here.''


    Evangeline held her sword hilt with a look of resolve.


    "If that is what it takes, so be it. Let me rot, but I will no longer turn a blind eye like before. I will no longer overlook the harsh truths..."


    She glanced at Damon. "You showed me that."


    Damon shrugged with a nonchalant expression. "Better not do something crazy and say I was the one who inspired you..."


    She smiled, nodding her head. "I''ll do something worse."


    Damon sighed. ''She used to be such a good girl... what changed?''


    He turned his sights to the others.


    "Who''s going next? If you have a dangerous skill, say so."


    The others shrugged, but his gaze stopped at Sylvia. She bit her lip.


    "I have a potentially dangerous one too..."


    He nodded. "Okay... do share."


    "My class is White Seer. Just like these two, it''s a unique class, although I don''t understand why we''re all taking having a unique class for granted..."


    Damon sighed, closing his eyes. "Get to the point, Sylvia."


    She sighed, pushing her hair aside at his rude remark. That was such a Damon thing to do.


    "My skill is called... my skill is called..."


    She opened her mouth, but no words came out. It was as if she was struggling to say them out loud. She gazed downward, taking a deep breath.


    "My skill is called Sylvia''s Journey Book..." She paused, almost as if to hide her relief.


    "This journey book answers any questions I ask, so long as I pay the price. The more valuable the information, the higher the price. Some answers are so steep that I''d die before hearing them... so I have to be careful what I ask."


    Damon looked at her. Right in front of her, invisible to the others, was a massive tome. Red and black gems adorned its cover, and the title read:


    ****** Journey Book.


    Damon could see what was on the book with his dark eyes, but he couldn''t see its name. However, he was certain the name on it was definitely not Sylvia''s. Simply because the book had a unique aura¡ªor rather, it had no aura at all.


    Yes, it was a confusing concept and didn''t make sense. But how could one make sense of a god? Especially the Unknown God...


    ''No wonder she had been acting weird.''


    He looked at her as she explained her skill to the others¡ªits strengths and weaknesses. The book itself had no weakness. The only weak link was Sylvia herself.


    The book had apparently shown her parts of the future, but for a price. It had taken two years of her lifespan.


    The others watched her as she explained.


    "That''s why I knocked you out, Evangeline. Because we needed your power for what was to come. The book also showed me that Matlock... I mean, Matia, would die if she didn''t fight the War Troll."


    She looked at Evangeline, bowing her head slightly.


    "Sorry for knocking you out. You wouldn''t have believed me then..."


    Evangeline nodded her head worriedly but remained slightly skeptical of Sylvia''s new power.


    Damon merely watched as she continued explaining her abilities to them.


    ''Her ability is dangerous. She could divine and know anything. However, she can''t know about me and Lilith unless the Unknown God allows it.''


    He paused, looking at his shadow.


    ''Which begs the question... what does the Unknown God want with Sylvia? Why give her such a powerful skill? Or... was it an object? If she wasn''t allowed to use it freely...''


    ''No. Was her skill the book, or was her skill the ability to see and interact with the book?''


    That had to be it.


    The book wasn''t hers. What she was given was merely the ability to interact with it.


    The book... still belongs to the Unknown God.

 Chapter 277 277: Fire And Death

    The next to explain their class and skill was Xander. He glanced at the group with a somewhat sore expression.


    "It seems all of us gained a unique class... That''s quite unbelievable for an entire party. None of us even got a rare class; all are unique..."


    Damon nodded. That was almost unheard of¡ªfor an entire group to obtain unique classes, especially such powerful ones.


    Evangeline and Sylvia seemed particularly strong, so much so that their abilities needed to be restricted by supposed weaknesses or flaws.


    "What''s your class?" Damon asked.


    Xander looked at him before nodding slowly.


    "My class is Oathkeeper. As for what the will of the world had to say about me: ''You are surrounded by jackals and lies...''"


    "I think you''re the jackal" Damon muttered.


    "And you''re the liar around me." Xander refuted.


    He clenched his fist.


    "My skill is called The Vow. My will is as unyielding as my word... It basically means I am virtually unbreakable when it comes to physical damage, but it has limits. If I run out of mana, I will be vulnerable. The more hits I take, the more mana I lose."


    Damon listened attentively, noting down all of Xander''s weaknesses, analyzing what his skill did and did not cover.


    He turned his head to Leona. "Alright, Leona, what''s your class? If it''s ''Foodie,'' I''m feeding you to whatever is in that chasm."


    Leona smiled, pushing her hair aside.


    "My class is called Storm Bringer. Apparently, I am someone pure of heart. My skill is called Wrath¡ªit increases my power the stronger my emotions become. Any emotion, really, but anger works best... That''s pretty much it."


    Damon nodded, rubbing his chin as he tried to analyze her skill and class. She leaned in closer.


    "So... when do we eat?"


    He sighed, placing his hand on her face and pushing her away. "Next."


    All eyes turned to Matia. Xander narrowed his eyes.


    "Before we go into Matlock''s class, aren''t we going to talk about why he''s actually a girl?"


    Matia lowered her head at his words. Damon rolled his eyes.


    "Are you blind? She''s a girl, so don''t refer to her as ''he.'' And what does that matter, you misogynist?"


    Xander''s eyes widened as he pointed at Damon. "You... You... That''s not what I meant!"


    Damon snickered. "Yeah, right." He turned to the others. "Matia is a girl. Big deal. Moving on."


    The others looked at each other and sighed. Sylvia glanced at her book. "I already knew that, though. It''s fine with me."


    Leona held her stomach with a tired expression. "I''m too hungry to care..."


    Evangeline nodded. "We should be more focused on what class she got, not her gender. This is Matia''s secret to tell."


    Xander sighed. "I suppose so... My apologies."


    Matia nodded. "No, it''s fine. If you want to know, I''ll be happy to share."


    Damon rolled his eyes. "Just share your class. We don''t have all day."


    She nodded, balling her fists.


    "My class is called Dancing Fairy. It''s a unique class. As for my skill, it''s called Lethal Grace. This skill allows me to weaponize every movement into a lethal art while making it difficult for me to get hit. I can weave between enemies while dealing carnage... like a snowflake dancing in the wind."


    Damon looked at her. "What a powerful skill... It''s more suitable for a melee fighter, someone who uses weapons."


    She nodded. "I can use most weapons... It''s just that I don''t because of my origins. My... father never approved, so I learned in secret."


    The group looked at each other awkwardly, sensing old wounds behind her words.


    "Erm... It''s fine. I mean..." Leona fumbled.


    Damon sighed. "That''s enough, guys. We ne¡ª"


    He paused, turning around and looking far beyond the chasm to the other side, at the mountains in the distance, away from the Duhu Mountain...


    The others paused as well. Their breath froze as they gazed at the sky with a deep sense of dread. Sweat fell from their brows, hands and legs trembling... Even so, they were too terrified to even fall to their knees.


    Damon felt his heart pounding, blood rushing to his head as he saw what was in the distance, rising into the sky.


    A colossal form, so massive it dwarfed mountains. Its flapping wings sent astral winds that shattered trees, creating vast hurricanes. It had reddish, reptilian scales and four legs, its wings growing on its back. Its head bore scaled horns, and its mouth had teeth longer than spears and sharper than swords.


    This entity was a dragon.


    The great dragon Ashergon.


    And he rose into the sky. In the distance behind him, many black clouds surged ominously¡ªbut they were not clouds. They were hundreds of wyverns and reptilian creatures, each acting as his minions, their massive forms stretching nearly seventeen meters in length¡ªsome even larger.


    The dragon ascended, its colossal wings casting a massive shadow that blotted out the evening sun. It soared toward the gravity anomaly where the demon army was trapped.


    It raised its massive head, and even from miles away, Damon could hear its thunderous voice.


    "I am fire... I... am... death."


    From its maw, a crimson glow illuminated its massive fangs. Then, with a roar that shook the heavens, it unleashed a torrent of destruction. A pillar of fire erupted from its mouth, engulfing the entire region covered by the gravity anomaly.


    For a moment, silence followed¡ªthen a cacophony of destruction. A massive column of fire rose, reaching toward the heavens. From the distance, Damon saw the gravity anomaly twist and churn, breaking apart and collapsing into black spheres of spatial distortion.


    The land, the trees¡ªeverything within kilometers¡ªwas washed away in a fiery cataclysm. Entire forests were reduced to smoldering embers. Even from where his party stood, miles away, a scorching wind blew past, whipping against their skin.


    They watched in abject horror as an entire region was turned to ash under the flames of the great dragon, Ashergon. And as quickly as he had come, he turned back to his nest, retreating into the mountains with an ear-piercing, heaven-shaking roar.


    The clouds of wyverns scattered, returning to their roosts, while others broke off to scout for any survivors. But could anything survive such might?


    Damon''s breath caught as he spotted a lone wyvern breaking from the formation, heading in their direction.


    Suppressing his fear with the numbing effects of his Remorseless skill, he turned to the others, still trembling.


    "Come on, we need to take cover¡ªhide."


    He didn''t wait for them to process his words before grabbing and shoving them behind a cluster of boulders.


    Praying that the patrolling wyvern wouldn''t find them.

 Chapter 278 278: Weak But Defiant

    All they could do was tremble in the aftermath of Ashergon''s destructive flames. The world was hot, even where they hid among the boulders.


    If that could even be considered a hiding spot. It had happened so quickly¡ªAshergon rising from his nest and, in an instant, eviscerating the demon army. Surely, the demons must have had powerful fighters, higher-ranked warriors among them. But there was no resistance, only fire and death.


    Damon held Sylvia''s waist, hugging her as they pressed against a boulder, the others hidden among the rocks. He remained quiet, feeling her breath on his neck and the low tremble of her hands.


    Then, in the span of a heartbeat, the distance that had taken them days to cross was breached by the wyvern. It flew toward the chasm, slowing as it reached the other side.


    The beast growled in their direction but stopped short, hesitating at the chasm''s edge. Its reptilian eyes darted between the abyss and the shattered remnants of the bridge, claws scraping against the stone as it deliberated.


    It growled low, its menacing gaze sweeping the scattered rocks where Damon and his party lay hidden. For a few tense moments, it remained still, scrutinizing their cover. Then, just as it turned to leave¡ª


    A soft sound echoed from the other side of the chasm.


    A small rock had rolled off a boulder where Xander had been hiding, nudged away by his foot.


    Evangeline paled.


    "Oh no..." she whispered, hand tightening around her sword.


    Still hidden in the shadows, Damon raised a hand, signaling against any movement.


    The wyvern, however, was now certain something lurked nearby. It raised its wings, glancing at the chasm with what seemed like unease, yet resolved itself to cross. With a powerful flap, it soared over the abyss.


    Leona paled when she heard the beat of its massive wings. She could see the wyvern''s reflection glinting off the polished steel of Xander''s spear.


    The beast was a monstrous reptilian, nearly twenty meters long, with a single set of powerful legs and bat-like wings fused to its arms. Its teeth were longer than Leona''s sword, and its entire body rippled with muscle.


    From where they hid, they could feel the dreadful aura of a third-rank monster. It crossed the chasm effortlessly.


    Matia''s face was ashen as she imagined how quickly they would die beneath those fangs and claws.


    Damon bit his lip, holding Sylvia tightly in his arms as he waited.


    "Come on, come on, come on..." he muttered.


    The wyvern stretched its talons toward the edge of the chasm, certain its prey was nearby. It could smell them. It swooped down¡ª


    And then, like a bolt of black lightning, something shot up from the depths of the chasm. A monstrous blur of blackness.


    Before the wyvern could even scream, a gaping, circular maw opened wide and chomped down, consuming the beast.


    The impact sent an explosion of blood and shattered flesh raining down.


    The remains of the wyvern¡ªchunks of flesh and massive sprays of blood¡ªflew toward Damon and his party, drenching them in warm gore. The sticky sensation clung to their skin, but they were too frozen in fear to react.


    They had just witnessed something far worse than the wyvern.


    A creature that had devoured a third-rank monster as effortlessly as swallowing air.


    They remained in their hiding spot, quiet like mice, as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon. The blood caking their skin and clothes began to dry, forming a brittle layer over them. Only then did they allow themselves to move, pushing away the hardened crust like shedding a cocoon.


    Damon stepped out from behind a boulder, his face still covered in blood. His eyes scanned the gruesome scene before him¡ªwhat remained of the wyvern lay in scattered pieces. A severed head, half a torso, and a lone wing lay among pools of thick, slowly hardening blood.


    The others followed cautiously, unwilling to go anywhere near the chasm.


    In just one day, they had learned the true meaning of dread. Their previous excitement over reaching their first class advancement now seemed laughable.


    Their egos had no time to inflate; Aetherus had crushed them before they could even dream of arrogance.


    Leona gritted her teeth, her hair matted with dried blood. "We... we..."


    "We have food." Damon cut her off. "We were worried about our exhausted rations. Now, we have more than enough."


    He kicked the massive head of the dead wyvern, his jaw clenched.


    He couldn''t let them despair now. Maybe this was their first time feeling weak, but he was used to it. Accepting death was one thing¡ªbut rolling over and dying was another.


    "We need to keep moving soon."


    Xander gripped his spear. "What''s the point? We... we''re all going to die anyway..."


    Damon nodded. "You''re right. But even so, I''m not giving up. Not yet."


    His gaze darkened, his resolve solidifying.


    "You only live once... that''s the biggest lie ever told... We all die. That''s just how the world works. But you can only die once. You live every single day. And while you''re alive, every moment is a struggle. Just breathing is a struggle¡ªif you don''t do it, you suffocate and die. You need to eat to live, or you starve and die. How is this any different?"


    He clenched his fist, his voice steady.


    "This is just another struggle. Ancient horrors, forbidden lands, death zones¡ªall they can offer is one thing: a mundane death. Whether it''s today or tomorrow, death will come. Until then, we struggle."


    His words were just as much for himself as for his party. Slowly, their eyes began to regain their luster, the fog of fear lifting.


    He chuckled coldly. "We never decided on a party motto, right? Now''s as good a time as any. The options don''t favor us. That''s fine."


    The others looked at him as he turned towards the distant Whispering Forest. Taking a deep breath, he spoke their motto:


    "IN THE ABSENCE OF THE DESIRABLE, LET THE AVAILABLE BE THE DESIRABLE."


    He clenched his fist, and the shadows around him stirred.


    "Our desirable is the Whispering Forest... and the Ruined City. Come what may, we will survive by taking whatever path is available. We kill everything in our way¡ªor we die fighting."


    The others sucked in a breath of cold air, their auras flaring. One by one, they stepped forward, their weapons drawn.


    Either to victory¡ªor to certain death.

 Chapter 279: Short Tale

    Damon was scared but functional, rational yet emotional, burdened but unwilling to collapse. This was just who Damon Grey was. He had always been like this¡ªcome hell or high water, he always survived.


    Even when no one thought he would...


    This was no different. His defiant personality wasn''t just against people; it was against the world.


    He helped his friends build a fire right by the chasm. He had already anticipated that the creature within did not allow flight over the chasm; however, it would not attack those by the side.


    The wyvern flesh was lean, even though it was only in chunks. They roasted it over a low fire and ate as much as they could.


    Damon was short on weapons, so he cut out two of the wyvern''s sword-like teeth and filed them down, creating two makeshift blades. He wrapped bandages around them to form comfortable handles while the others ate in silence.


    Xander looked at him. "Why are you doing that? Don''t you already have the axe you got from killing the war troll?"


    Damon nodded. "I do, but... I''m not used to using axes, and it''s too big. Good for huge and slow enemies, but too unwieldy. These are good¡ªthey can strike and harm even big monsters."


    Matia lowered her head. "We''ll be encountering them soon, won''t we? Big monsters..."


    Sylvia nodded, looking at the travel journal they had found on the goblin mage.


    "Yes. According to this, we''ll be meeting things a lot worse than just being big."


    Evangeline took a slow bite of the wyvern''s meat.


    "The academy already knows we''re missing by now. They may think we are dead... or worse."


    Damon shook his head, glancing at his academy-issued bracelet.


    "Doubt it. We have these bracelets, and while you guys weren''t paying attention, they have been counting our points. So far, we have... a lot. As long as these bracelets aren''t destroyed, they will know we are still alive."


    Leona grabbed a huge chunk, stuffing it into her mouth, her expression resigned.


    "So what if they know? No one is getting past Ashergon''s nest. That dragon would never allow anyone powerful enough to save us to pass through its territory, and anyone it allows to pass will be too weak to save us."


    Damon slowly filed away at the side of the heavy tooth. "Then we save ourselves."


    Leona nodded, eating in silence.


    "What''s the Whispering Forest like?"


    Matia glanced at Sylvia. Sylvia looked back at her and nodded.


    "There''s a passage here about it. Do you want to hear it?"


    Damon sighed. This was not going to be something uplifting.


    Sylvia was quiet for a moment, the fire crackling. Then she began reading aloud:


    "From the trees to the earth, this forest is aware. Perpetually, it whispers names, wishes, and dreams. All these are things that fade... The forest desires to know your name¡ªdeny it. The forest wishes to be known¡ªignore it.


    To those who dare step beneath the boughs of the Whispering Woods, hear this and heed it well: This is no mere forest. It is hunger. It is patience. It is watching. You may enter with your own name, your own face, and your own thoughts¡ªbut if you are not careful, you will leave with none of them.


    The forest demands silence, yet it hungers for liveliness. Be careful which you give it.


    The longer you linger, the more it learns."


    Sylvia paused, frowning as she tried her best to recall everything she had learned about the forest.


    "That''s what the book says about the forest... The more you linger, the more it learns. There''s also a small catalog of monsters. If you want, I can¡ª"


    "No thanks, I''ll pass for now," Matia replied with a revolted expression, she did not want to know anymore than she had too.


    Sylvia nodded. "Fine. In that case, why don''t I share knowledge of our final destination? The ruined city¡ªthe Path of Kings. The city once called Lysithara."


    The others all turned to face her. She smiled.


    Long ago, perhaps an epoch ago, when the world did not yet know of demonkind, there was a city of sages, scholars, and mystics. This city was renowned, and its lords were wise.


    Sylvia paused, glancing at the others when Damon stopped filing the wyvern''s fangs to listen.


    "Many kings and great men were trained in this city until it became a saying that one could not become a king without having learned in Lysithara. That was why it came to be known as the Path of Kings."


    "The city prospered... for a time. But they soon became lost, consumed by the same obsession as all others in the world, caught in a grand race to achieve it... on the behest of the visitors. They became lost, and the city was broken and twisted by what was beyond them all."


    Leona raised an eyebrow. "Wait, is that it? That doesn''t even make sense."


    Sylvia sighed, closing the old book in her hand. "Sorry, that''s all the travel journal says. The other pages are too torn or outright missing, so I can''t make sense of it."


    They nodded. Xander looked at the fire.


    "Who do you think the visitors were? I mean, the city was supposedly prosperous until they came... on the behest of the visitors, they became consumed by the same obsession..." He frowned, his brows furrowing.


    "What do you think was beyond them?"


    The others all paused¡ªhis words had merit. Damon glanced at the fire with a distant expression.


    "Knowledge... Knowledge was beyond them. It was what they sought. After all, it was a city of sages and scholars¡ªwhat more could they want than knowledge? The visitors must have offered them some type of knowledge... and a means to obtain it."


    Evangeline nodded, holding her chin with a solemn look in her golden eyes.


    "That''s a good theory... but it could also be power. Power corrupts. The power they wanted must have twisted them all."


    Damon nodded his head slowly.


    "Knowledge is power."

 Chapter 280: See No Evil

    A group of six teenagers trudged forward under the morning sun, their clothes tattered and patched as best they could with their limited resources. Their faces were finally clean, free from the grime, soot, and blood that had covered them just days before.


    They had rested by the chasm for a few days, using that time to recover, plan, and prepare for the journey ahead. What remained of the wyvern had been turned into dried rations¡ªa rare delicacy under normal circumstances, but for them, it was simply survival. Flavor meant little when every meal could be their last.


    Now, they stood before the Whispering Forest, a vast expanse of twisted trees so dense that sunlight failed to penetrate its canopy.


    A world of grey surrounded them, the towering trees looming like ancient sentinels, their gnarled trunks hiding whatever horrors lurked within. From deep inside the forest, whispers drifted toward them¡ªmen and women, children and elders, the dead and the living¡ªmurmuring in countless voices, their words indistinct yet filled with an eerie presence.


    Damon turned to the others, his voice kept low, never rising above the whispers.


    "Let''s go. Stay close, and remember everything we''ve discussed. This isn''t the Duhu Mountains. The rules may help, but the creatures here might not care for them."


    The others nodded in silence. No words were needed. Damon gripped his giant axe tightly, the two wyvern fangs strapped to his back like swords. He exhaled slowly, muttering a soft prayer.


    "Glory be to the Goddess of Doom... Guide our path and save us from a most dastardly fate."


    With that, he took a single step forward.


    The world shifted.


    The moment he crossed the threshold, he felt an unsettling change. The air grew thick, pressing against his skin like an unseen force.


    The colors around him dulled, draining into an eerie monotone. Before him stretched the same twisted trees, but now they loomed impossibly tall, as though he had stepped into a different realm altogether.


    He turned back¡ªonly to find the path behind them gone. The clearing where they had stood was no more. In its place lay an endless forest.


    Taking a deep breath, Damon silently thanked himself for the precaution he had taken earlier¡ªtying all of them together with a single rope so they wouldn''t be separated.


    "This is the Whispering Forest..." Leona murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Damon nodded, adjusting his grip on his axe.


    "Don''t speak above the whispers. Don''t say your name or anyone else''s. From now on, we refer to each other by numbers."


    The others exchanged wary glances before nodding in agreement. They pressed forward in silence, their senses on high alert.


    This was the Whispering Forest¡ªancient, cursed, and teeming with monsters. Here, the land itself was an enemy.


    But just like the Duhu Mountains, the forest had its own set of rules. Or rather, its monsters had weaknesses. The old travel journal had outlined some of them¡ªa guide to surviving the horrors within.


    However, judging by the state of the book, Damon suspected that its original author had not survived long enough to finish it. Each page bore a different handwriting, a testament to the many travelers who had perished within the forest, leaving behind only fragments of knowledge.


    Some had even left their bloodstains on its pages.


    But their suffering would not be in vain. Their lessons, their many deaths and failures¡ªthey would be the foothold that Damon and his party would use to stay alive.


    And so, they moved forward, into the depths of the unknown, armed with nothing but their will to survive.


    The first hour in the Whispering Forest was not entirely uneventful. Though nothing attacked them, the oppressive air of the woods made even silence feel ominous. Then again, the Duhu Mountains had seemed safe for a time before true horror revealed itself.


    They navigated the treacherous flora carefully, avoiding the deadly plants detailed in the travel journal. As they walked, they forced themselves to ignore the whispers¡ªhundreds of voices, speaking in hushed tones, weaving together in an endless, mind-numbing murmur. They had to resist making sense of the words, for understanding them meant succumbing to the madness of the forest.


    They had also occasionally caught glimpses of silhouettes in the distance, however no harm came to them.


    Even so, the first sign of their inevitable struggle began to surface.


    Leona suddenly faltered, her breath hitching as her knees buckled. A crimson trickle seeped from her ears. She clutched her head, groaning softly, never raising her voice above a whisper.


    "Ahhh..."


    Evangeline immediately knelt beside her, concern etched across her face. She placed her palms against Leona''s temples, channeling a soft, golden light that seeped into her flesh, mending the unseen damage.


    "Are you¡ª"


    "Don''t say her name," Damon cut in sharply, his voice barely above the whispers.


    Evangeline snapped her mouth shut and nodded in understanding.


    Damon turned away, scanning their surroundings. They had no landmarks to guide them.


    The map they carried was useless if they couldn''t determine their own location. Frustration gnawed at him, but he exhaled slowly, forcing himself to think.


    If nothing else, he could use his shadow perception to create a mental map, charting their course through spatial awareness alone.


    Closing his eyes, he expanded his senses, allowing his awareness to flow outward like inky tendrils. The forest was dim, the shadows long and shifting, making it an ideal terrain for his abilities.


    His own shadow quivered beneath him, a silent warning, but he pressed forward.


    As his perception slithered through the darkness, it brushed against the trees¡ªmassive, gnarled things with twisted limbs.


    It traced the contours of boulders, dipping into crevices where unseen creatures lurked. He pushed farther, threading past shattered tree trunks and stagnant mist, his senses tingling as he skirted around lurking monsters.


    And then¡ª


    Something opened its eyes.


    A grotesque form, barely distinguishable from the surrounding darkness, turned its gaze toward him. It saw him.


    It smiled.


    A slow, creeping grin filled with something ancient, something wrong. An overwhelming sense of dread crashed into Damon like a tidal wave, his heart pounding violently against his ribs.


    His shadow screamed.


    The pain was immediate and unbearable. A razor-sharp agony lanced through his mind, as though his very thoughts were being shredded.


    Blood erupted from his mouth, cascading down his chin in thick rivulets. His ears, his nose, even his eyes began to bleed, crimson soaking his clothes as he convulsed violently.


    He collapsed to his knees, fingers clawing at the ground, his consciousness flickering like a dying flame.


    "Ahhhhhh¡ª" His scream shattered the fragile silence, rising above the ceaseless whispers.


    His friends rushed to his side, panic-stricken, their voices urgent yet hushed. Sylvia and Evangeline grabbed hold of him, their hands glowing as they tried to heal the damage.


    But he knew.


    It was coming.


    He forced his trembling arm to lift, his bloodstained fingers pointing in the direction of that monstrous thing lurking in the dark.


    With a choking gasp, he forced the words from his failing lungs.


    "Run... r-run..."


    The taste of iron filled his mouth as his body went still.


    Darkness swallowed him whole.

 Chapter 281 281 / 282: Unknowable Horror / Strange Place

    Sylvia was horrified¡ªmore than that, she was at a complete loss for what to do. Only moments ago, Damon had been standing there, vigilant as ever, leading their party through this cursed land.


    Then, in an instant, he had convulsed, blood pouring from his body as if something had torn into his very essence.


    The others had all frozen in shock, but now Damon lay motionless in a pool of his own blood. Worse still, before collapsing, he had pointed into the distance and managed to choke out a single, desperate command¡ªrun.


    But run where? The panic clouded their thoughts. Had he meant for them to flee toward the direction he pointed or away from it?


    They didn''t have to wait long for the answer.


    A bloodcurdling screech echoed through the forest, a sound so unnatural and ear-splitting that their very souls recoiled.


    Then, in the far distance, the trees began to fall¡ªtoppling one after another, giving way to some monstrous force that was rushing toward them with terrifying speed.


    Evangeline gritted her teeth. She had no choice but to stop healing Damon¡ªthey had to move, now.


    She threw a glance at Xander, careful not to say his name in this forsaken forest.


    "Grab him¡ªnow!" she ordered before shifting her gaze to Leona. "Carry the axe!"


    Without wasting another second, she turned and bolted, leading the desperate escape.


    Xander slung the unconscious Damon over his back, his movements hurried but steady.


    Leona gripped Damon''s axe tightly, her hands trembling as raw emotions surged through her¡ªfear, desperation, and something else. Something that fueled her, making her stronger. With the power of her first-class advancement, she felt an unnatural surge in her speed.


    They ran faster than any normal human should have been able to, covering vast distances in mere moments. But behind them, the monstrous presence loomed ever closer.


    The earth trembled beneath their feet. The thunderous crash of falling trees and the deep, rumbling quakes drowned out even the forest''s eerie whispers.


    Terror gripped their hearts.


    Something was hunting them.


    And it was closing in fast.


    Evangeline turned to Sylvia, her voice urgent. "Number three... what do we do? Which direction do we go?"


    Sylvia''s expression was eerily calm, though her face had gone pale, and blood trickled from her nose¡ªthe price she had paid for the knowledge granted by her skill.


    The book in her hands glowed faintly, showing her a path forward. She had no idea where it led, only that it was their only chance to survive.


    "Left... we need to go left," she whispered.


    Evangeline nodded, gripping her rapier tightly. A soft light radiated from her body, her resolve firm. Damon was unconscious¡ªhe had kept them alive so far, and now it was up to her to carry them forward.


    As she sprinted ahead, she leaped over a massive branch, only for a grotesque arm to lunge from the shadows, reaching for her. Without hesitation, she swung her sword, her light magic slicing through the limb.


    "Stay close! We have to reach that place!" Sylvia called, running right behind her.


    Xander surged forward, his expression grim, while Matia hovered beside him, her wings fluttering, hands clutching sharp icicles.


    A piercing screech tore through the air, even closer than before.


    Leona let out a pained cry as she stumbled, rolling onto her back, her ears bleeding.


    "Le.... Number five!" Matia grabbed her arm, hoisting her up. She barely stopped herself from saying Leona''s name.


    The beast-kin girl regained her balance, panting. Of all of them, she had the most sensitive ears¡ªfour in total, both human and beast¡ªmaking the monstrous sound unbearable.


    Ahead, twisted, malformed creatures emerged from the mist. Their elongated arms dragged against the earth, their gaping, bleeding mouths curled into laughter.


    Sylvia''s grip on her book tightened. Her voice was sharp. "They''re in the same rank as us¡ªblast them with magic!"


    There was no hesitation. As terrifying as the creatures were, they unleashed a barrage of spells¡ªlight, storm, ice, and pure gravity. Magic erupted against the horrors, making them shriek in agony.


    The party didn''t slow down, pushing past as the creatures reeled. One raised its head to give chase¡ªthen stopped.


    It sensed something.


    Their original pursuer.


    The malformed thing turned, and in the instant it locked eyes with the abyssal force that hunted them, its grotesque head bloated, its body convulsed¡ª


    And then it exploded in a rain of flesh and blood.


    The true monster did not stop. Raising its dark, hulking head, it peered over the mist and rushed forward, vanishing into the direction they had fled.


    They ran until they reached the shelter of massive, ancient trees¡ªtrunks wider than houses, roots twisting deep into the ground.


    Without hesitation Sylvia led them inside one of the roots.


    She clamped a hand over her mouth, barely daring to breathe.


    They huddled beneath the thick roots of the ancient tree, trying to blend into the shadows.


    Then¡ª


    A massive, hairy foot slammed into the earth. The sheer weight of it made the ground sink.


    Xander trembled, cold sweat beading down his face.


    The aura of the creature was suffocating¡ªdense, ancient, and incomprehensible. It held no immediate killing intent, yet its malice was so deep, so twisted, that Matia felt as if she would go insane if she dared look upon its face.


    Their hearts pounded violently in their chests. Slowly, they inched deeper into the tangled roots, pressing themselves into the darkness.


    The ground beneath them was damp, covered in layers of mist and rotting leaves. Something slithered beneath their feet, but even that was nothing compared to the terror looming above them.


    A strange, guttural sound rumbled from the beast.


    "Hmmhhruu..."


    Then, from above, slimy, writhing tentacles slithered downward, probing into the roots, reaching.


    Searching.


    Sylvia''s breath caught in her throat as one of the tendrils moved toward her. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to move, to run, to get away¡ª


    She wasn''t the only one.


    The others, just as terrified, slowly edged deeper into the roots, their retreat silent but frantic.


    Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She was certain the creature could hear it.


    The tentacles slithered further.


    Then¡ª


    She couldn''t take it anymore.


    She turned and fled.


    The others followed. Panic overtook them as they scrambled backward, their feet slipping on the damp earth. They tripped over one another, desperate to escape, their breathing ragged and filled with terror.


    Then¡ª


    The ground vanished beneath them.


    They fell.


    Darkness swallowed them whole, the wind roaring past their ears as they plummeted.


    Then¡ªimpact.


    They hit the ground hard. Groaning, they opened their eyes¡ª


    And found themselves staring in shock at a sight they never expected.


    ---------------------------------


    [ made a mistake. So I guess everyone gets a bonus chapter today.]


    Perhaps more shocking than what they expected to find inside the cursed and twisted Whispering Forest...


    It was a complete subversion of expectations. Perhaps if it had been some grotesque interior of a living titan¡ªwalls made of organs, a floor of thick pulsing tissue¡ªthey wouldn''t have been so caught off guard.


    But what they saw before them... was a warm hearth.


    The heat that came from the gentle flames was pleasant. The place resembled the wooden interior of a cozy cottage, utterly at odds with the suffocating dread they''d just escaped.


    There were furnishings¡ªnice ones. A beautiful sets of armor and weapons rested neatly to the side, glowing softly with runes etched in intricate patterns.


    The room was finely decorated, with elegant wooden tables, carved chairs, and woven rugs.


    Far in the distance stood a massive furnace¡ªso large it could''ve been its own room. Its vault-like doors gleamed darkly in the firelight.


    It was the only object that didn''t match the aesthetic of the rest of the residence. That... and the strange cauldron beside it, filled with boiling, glowing green contents.


    Old tomes lined the shelves. Vials of potions stood on racks. It looked more like the workshop of an eccentric alchemist than a shelter buried under the roots of an ancient forest.


    For a moment, there was only silence.


    The terrified group of teenagers slowly stood up, their bodies trembling. Eyes darted around the room, each of them still gripped by the lingering fear from their flight through the nightmarish woods.


    They looked to each other¡ªsuspicion clear in their expressions.


    Evangeline''s grip tightened around her sword, the rapier humming faintly with light magic as she took a cautious step forward.


    In a normal situation, she might have called out to whomever owned this strange underground dwelling.


    But this... this wasn''t a normal situation. Not after everything she''d seen. Not after what they had run from.


    She turned to the others, raising a hand to silently signal them¡ªstay sharp.


    Her sword trembled slightly in her hand as she advanced across the room, passing advent doors and edging closer toward the glowing hearth. Her light footsteps made barely a sound against the wooden floor.


    She glanced back at her party. Damon was still unconscious¡ªhis bloodied body motionless but breathing. His shadow on the ground twisted unnaturally, writhing in slow, spasmodic pulses, as though experiencing some silent torment beyond comprehension.


    Her gaze shifted to the large rug beneath him¡ªthick, soft, made from the fur of some unknown beast.


    She turned to Sylvia.


    "Is... this the safe place your skill showed you...?"


    Sylvia bit her lip.


    "My skill showed we had a chance here... It never said we''d be safe."


    Her voice was low, uncertain. "It would be unwise to make my own interpretations..."


    She paused, her eyes flicking to Damon''s unmoving form.


    "At least, that''s what Number One told me."


    She purposefully didn''t use his name. Only his number.


    In the Whispering Forest, names were dangerous. Names gave power. So Damon had made the decision¡ªhe''d assigned them each a number.


    Number One was Damon.


    Number Two: Evangeline.


    Number Three: Sylvia herself.


    Number Four: Xander.


    Number Five: Leona.


    Number Six: Matia.


    Those were the names they would use in this cursed forest. No titles. No classes. No real names. Only numbers. It was a measure of safety¡ªan attempt to keep the forest from knowing them.


    Evangeline looked up, as if she could peer past the wooden ceiling and see the cursed trees above¡ªthe shifting mist, the tangled branches... and the horror that had chased them here.


    Even after advancing to First Class, they had run. Their new power didn''t make them warriors. It only meant they could run faster.


    Not fight.


    Not against that.


    At least not against something more than a rank above them.


    Leona looked at Damon worriedly as Xander laid him down on the rug.


    Evangeline and Sylvia squatted next to him, placing their hands on his body. Golden and white light began to flow through him, searching for wounds unseen to the eye.


    "Cough... cough..." Evangeline suddenly coughed, holding her nose as blood dripped from it.


    Sylvia halted, her eyes widening in alarm. The others rushed toward Evangeline, but she raised a hand to stop them.


    "I''m fine... it''s just my skill..." she gasped.


    "Damon''s under some kind of mental contamination. It''s a curse of sorts. My Purge skill can cure him, but I''ll have to suffer some aftereffects..."


    Xander bit his lip before nodding. This was necessary. They needed Damon up and moving.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. "My power is useless against this... In that case, I''ll heal you while you purify him."


    Evangeline nodded, and the golden light spread further across Damon''s body.


    Slowly, the color returned to his pale face, but Evangeline''s body trembled. She clenched her teeth as the side of her arm, just under her wrist, began to blacken from the backlash of her skill. The pain seared through her, but she endured it until she could bear no more.


    With a sharp gasp, she collapsed to the side, drenched in sweat.


    "I''m sorry... cough... cough... I''ve reached my limit..."


    Sylvia bit her lip, then looked at Damon.


    "It''s fine. Rest. You''ve gotten the worst of it out. We can heal him with time. Recover first¡ªyou are our party''s support, especially under these circumstances."


    Evangeline nodded weakly and sat beside the still-unmoving Damon.


    Leona, who had been on guard, gripping the gaunt axe tightly, finally voiced the question weighing on their minds.


    "Where... are we, anyway?"


    Before the others could respond, a distant cackling laughter pierced the air. It was high-pitched yet deep, an eerie shriek that sent shivers down their spines.


    "Hheeeeeeeehhhjeheeeeeeheee..."


    The laughter echoed closer, creeping toward the room they occupied. It was only then that they noticed a window they hadn''t seen before. Through the warped glass, a shadow loomed¡ªhunched, with a long, grotesque nose.


    They snapped to attention, gripping their weapons, their bodies tensed for battle.


    Then... silence.


    The laughter had vanished completely, replaced by the crackling of the warm hearth. The flickering flames cast twisting shadows across the walls, stretching unnervingly.


    Slowly, from the inside, one of the doors creaked open.


    Every head turned toward it, weapons raised, breath held.


    But what they saw shocked them.


    A woman stood in the doorway¡ªa stunning figure with long black hair neatly tied in a bun. She wore a simple yet elegant long gown with an apron, and in her delicate hands, she held a broom. Everything about her exuded the warmth of a gentle housewife¡ªor perhaps, a loving mother.


    She blinked at them, her expression one of mild surprise. Then, she smiled¡ªa warm, disarming, and kind smile.


    "My, my... I have guests." Her voice was gentle, soothing in a way that felt almost surreal in the eerie setting.


    She tilted her head slightly, her smile never faltering. "Hello, children."

 Chapter 282 283 bonus : Strange Woman

    The sight of the horror they were expecting was not there. All that stood before them was a harmless-looking, beautiful woman.


    Her presence seemed so at odds with the terror they had just escaped, her features soft, and her expression gentle, almost serene.


    She looked at them with a warm smile, her voice flowing like honey, "What brings children into this horrible place...?"


    Evangeline''s hand gripped her sword tighter, the tip of her blade pointing directly at the woman, her stance firm.


    The others quickly followed suit, weapons drawn in a protective stance. Leona and Sylvia stood especially close to Damon, ensuring he was shielded from any potential threat.


    "What... who are you?" Evangeline demanded, her voice steady but sharp, disbelief flashing in her eyes.


    The woman blinked, clearly puzzled by Evangeline''s reaction. She raised a delicate finger to her lips in a gesture of surprise, as if taken aback by the tension in the air.


    "Oh my word, where are my manners?" she mused softly, her tone almost playful. "I haven''t seen people in such a long time..."


    Her demeanor shifted then, straightening like an old noble. With slow, graceful movements, she placed a hand over her chest and made a small, elegant bow.


    "My name is Bel. It''s nice to meet you," she said, her voice calm and warm, as though welcoming them into her home.


    Evangeline narrowed her gaze, glancing at Sylvia. The elf girl nodded, whispering as she looked at the book that was invisible to all but her.


    "She''s telling the truth..." Sylvia''s voice was faint, her words carrying the weight of a revelation.


    Evangeline nodded, her eyes still fixed on the woman. She could see the faint dullness in Sylvia''s eyes, a sure sign that the elf was paying the price for the information she had extracted from the book.


    Despite the price, Sylvia was still standing, and that was enough for now.


    Still keeping her sword pointed at the woman, Evangeline hesitated. She wasn''t sure what to make of this sudden turn of events, and just as she was about to speak, the woman''s gaze fell on Damon, still unconscious on the ground.


    "He''s hurt... let me help him..." The woman''s tone was soft, almost motherly.


    Without waiting for any kind of approval, the woman discarded her broom and moved toward Damon, walking past Evangeline''s sword as if she wasn''t even concerned with the weapon''s threat.


    It caught them all off guard¡ªno one expected her to be so fearless.


    Evangeline reacted instinctively, trying to stop her.


    "Wait!"


    But it was too late. The woman placed her hands on Damon''s forehead, a gentle touch that seemed to emit some sort of calming energy.


    Leona, who had been standing vigilant, her hand still gripping her gaunt axe, exploded with anger. She shoved the woman away, brandishing her sword.


    "Get away from my friend!"


    Electric sparks danced in Leona''s eyes as her body tensed, ready for a fight. The woman¡ªwho had introduced herself as Bel¡ªsat back in surprise, her hands raised in surrender as the group surrounded her, weapons drawn.


    "There''s no need to be cautious," Bel said, her voice still calm. "I mean you no harm."


    She glanced at the vials of potions scattered around the room. "I''m an expert in dealing with herbs... I can cure him."


    The group, still on edge, exchanged wary glances, but Bel''s gentle smile didn''t waver. She then looked at each of them, noting their haggard and frightened expressions.


    "You children seem lost and afraid... don''t worry, you''re safe here. The forest has no power here."


    Their eyes lingered on her, the words hanging in the air, but the tension didn''t fully dissipate. Matia bit her lip, unsure of what to do. Damon was still unconscious, and with his condition, they were at a loss without his guidance.


    Xander''s voice was cold, filled with suspicion.


    "How can we trust someone we met in the heart of the Whispering Forest...?"


    Bel nodded slowly, acknowledging the concern.


    "That would be most unwise. However..." She tilted her head slightly, her gaze unwavering.


    "If you slay me, children, would that not make you worse than the monsters? I''m just a woman who lives in the woods. You came to my house... I just want to help."


    Evangeline''s teeth clenched as she fought with her moral compass. She understood what Bel meant¡ªit was true that they were the intruders. Still, she wasn''t sure if she could trust someone they knew nothing about. Her hand tightened on her sword as her mind raced.


    ''What would Damon do if it were him?'' she thought, her eyes drifting toward Damon.


    His shadow writhed with unseen agony, his body convulsing with an internal torment she couldn''t understand. They couldn''t just leave him like this, not with the horrors lurking outside, nor could they risk traveling with him in such a state.


    She looked at the others¡ªSylvia, who was still trying to hold herself together despite the price she was paying for the information from the book; Leona, whose eyes flashed with uncertainty; and Xander, who still seemed hesitant to put down his weapon.


    Sylvia was suffering too. Her sight was deteriorating, and though she hadn''t said a word, it was clear the effects were starting to take their toll.


    While Her flesh was rotting from the inside out, and the pain was evident in every labored breath she took.


    With a deep breath, Evangeline slowly lowered her sword.


    "One suspicious movement, and we''ll... we''ll kill you," she warned, her voice steady, though her gaze remained wary.


    Bel smiled, unfazed by the threat.


    "As long as you let me help him, you can do whatever you want," she replied, her tone calm.


    "I can''t abide seeing a child suffer..." She smiled softly, her eyes warm. "It''s against my nature."


    Leona''s eyes glimmered with caution, but she turned her attention back to Damon. She glanced over at Xander, who still held his spear close, ready for a fight if necessary.


    "You look like a big, strong boy. Help move your friend while I make some medicine," Bel suggested, her smile never faltering.


    She then glanced at Evangeline and Sylvia. "Why don''t you two help me make the potions? But I need to know what attacked him, or rather what contaminated his mind..."


    Sylvia, her vision fading and blurred, nodded despite her discomfort.


    "We got attacked by a giant entity... we didn''t see it, only its feet and some tentacles... but it was terrifying..."


    Bel raised her hand, stopping Sylvia from speaking further.


    "That''s enough. Don''t say anymore," she instructed, her tone gentle but firm. "I know what you mean."


    Her expression softened, filled with a kind of understanding that only a mother could express.


    "You children are lucky... you survived. Not many could make that claim."


    She ushered them to her work table, moving with surprising speed for someone so composed, quickly mixing herbs and potions as best as she could.


    Sylvia, though her vision was failing, could still tell that none of the concoctions were harmful. Everything seemed medicinal¡ªnothing out of place.


    The woman worked swiftly, crafting a potion and then moving toward Damon, who lay still on the couch near the hearth. Bel held the potion in her hands, ready to administer it.


    Leona raised her sword again, her eyes narrowing. "Don''t come any closer," she warned, still skeptical.


    Bel smiled warmly, unfazed.


    "You''re quite a cautious young lady, aren''t you?" she remarked, almost as if she appreciated Leona''s care. "I suppose that''s good."


    With a sigh, she raised the potion to Leona.


    "Here, feed it to him. He should get better."


    Leona, hesitant but desperate to help Damon, took the potion from Bel. She turned to Damon, carefully prying his mouth open and slowly pouring the contents inside.


    For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, Damon''s body let out a relieved gasp as his shadow, which had been writhing in torment, slowly stopped. His body relaxed, returning to normal.


    The group watched in silence, their expressions slowly shifting from tension to deep relief. The weight that had been pressing down on them lifted, and for the first time in what felt like forever, they were allowed to breathe.


    Leona eased, looking down at Damon with a small, relieved smile.


    The woman, Bel, smiled gently, her eyes soft with relief. She glanced at the group, her gaze lingering on Sylvia and Evangeline.


    "I have some healing potions. You two need healing the most."


    Her eyes softened as she took in the exhausted group.


    "You all do. How about a warm bath, a change of clothes, and then we can have dinner?"


    Her smile was genuine, full of care.


    "I''d like to know how children as young as you ended up in the Whispering Forest..."


    They looked at her with lingering unease, unsure whether to trust her completely. But when she spoke again, her voice offered something they hadn''t dared hope for in this forest of horrors.


    "Maybe I can guide you back home."


    Those words, simple and full of promise, gave them something they hadn''t dared to feel in a long time¡ªhope.

 Chapter 283 - 284: Kind Host

    Evangeline let the warm water cascade over her body, letting it wash away the lingering pain, the fear, and the trauma of their journey through the Whispering Forest.


    She sank deeper into the bath, sighing as the tension in her shoulders began to melt. The tub was wide, almost luxurious, and the warm scent of herbs clung faintly to the air.


    Bel had allowed them to use her bath without hesitation¡ªdespite their initial wariness, the mysterious woman in the woods had done nothing to harm them. If anything, she had shown them kindness.


    She had offered them warmth, clothes, healing... and, perhaps most important of all, a sense of safety.


    ''We have no reason to doubt her,'' Evangeline told herself. And yet, she couldn''t ignore the quiet voice in the back of her mind.


    This was still the Whispering Forest.


    Damon had warned them time and time again. Trust nothing. Not the shadows, not the silence... not even the kindness of strangers.


    ''Damon wouldn''t trust this...'' she thought, biting her lip.


    But Damon was unconscious, unable to lead, unable to offer his insight or guidance. And despite her instincts, despite every ounce of her learned caution, she couldn''t deny the truth¡ªthis woman had helped them. She had returned home to find a group of armed, ragged strangers in her cottage, and yet, instead of fear or fury, she saw their wounds and offered them a place to rest.


    "What reason do we really have to doubt her...?"


    She rose from the bath, the towel wrapping around her curves as her wet hair clung to her shoulders and back.


    The scent of soap and herbs followed her as she stepped out, finding a clean dress neatly folded and left for her. Her sword and supply bag were untouched, right where she had left them. That alone told her something.


    She got dressed slowly. The dress was soft and comfortable, far better than the ragged remnants of her combat gear. Glancing at her old torn clothes lying on the chair, she felt her face heat up. Just the thought of being seen in something so tattered made her cheeks flush.


    Strapping her sword at her side, she stepped into the hallway.


    The voices of her friends carried through the wooden walls¡ªfamiliar, lighter now, more at ease than they''d been in days.


    They were talking with Bel, and that caution she once heard in their voices had begun to wane.


    She followed the sound and stepped into the room. Her breath caught for a moment.


    Bel stood near the dining table, smiling warmly as if welcoming a daughter home.


    "You''re finally out," she said kindly. "Come, come, let''s have dinner."


    Evangeline''s eyes widened.


    She hadn''t expected this.


    The table was filled with food¡ªsteaming platters, baked loaves, vibrant fruits, savory meats, and pots of rich stew. It smelled divine, the aroma alone enough to make her stomach growl. After days of cold rations and near-starvation, it was like looking at a banquet laid out by royalty.


    "I didn''t think I would be having guests," Bel chuckled softly, brushing her apron down. "I hope you don''t mind this meager spread..."


    Meager? Evangeline blinked. They were all from noble families, accustomed to lavish meals... and yet even they could not deny it¡ªthis was extravagant.


    Leona stared wide-eyed at the feast before her. Her restraint broke, and with a growl of hunger, she reached across the table and grabbed a huge piece of steak, stuffing it into her mouth before anyone could stop her.


    Everyone froze.


    They watched, unsure of what would happen¡ªwould she choke? Collapse? Transform?


    Leona paused, her body unmoving. Then slowly, she muttered through a full mouth,


    "Jmmm... Delicious..." Her hand immediately reached out for more.


    Bel''s smile remained unshaken. She took a seat at the head of the table.


    "Well, dig in. There''s more where that came from."


    Evangeline looked toward Sylvia, who gave a quiet nod before lifting a spoon and tasting her food. Her eyes widened in surprise.


    "Hmmm... It''s delicious."


    That was all it took.


    Like a dam breaking, everyone began eating. There was no hesitation now¡ªforks clinked, spoons scraped, and laughter began to replace silence. It was their first proper meal in what felt like ages, and they devoured it with the unspoken desperation of survivors who had nearly lost hope.


    And through it all, Bel watched them¡ªher eyes kind, her smile unwavering. There was something maternal in the way she looked at them. Not pity. Not interest. Something softer. Warmer.


    Like a mother looking at her lost children finally coming home.


    By the time the plates were emptied, Leona had eaten enough for seven. The others slumped back in their chairs, full and content, some even smiling for the first time in days.


    When their dinner was done... she gave them dessert and made them some tea. They now sat by the hearth¡ªits orange glow flickering across the old wooden walls¡ªwhere Damon lay unmoving, his breath gentle.


    He was dressed in fresh, crisp black tunics that Bel had prepared for him... his face at peace, as if asleep.


    Matia was the first to speak.


    "You said you know how to get us back home..."


    Bel glanced at her, nodding slowly.


    "I may be of assistance... however, as you know, the Whispering Forest is a dangerous place..."


    She took a sip of her tea, her smile still gentle, almost motherly.


    "This area is surrounded by danger at every turn... the Duhu Mountains are close. Then there''s Ashergon''s Nest..."


    She set her teacup down carefully.


    "That would leave passing through the forest. However... going too deep into it is a death sentence. That would make the only option cutting across it¡ªand reaching the ancient city of Lysithara."


    They all nodded slowly... Evangeline clenched her fist.


    "That was our goal..."


    Bel nodded again, her tone even.


    "That is a dangerous undertaking. However... if you pass through Lysithara, you can reach a more stable region. From there, eventually... you''ll reach areas ruled by the goddess races."


    Their eyes lit with hope at her words¡ªsmall sparks of light in a dark room.


    Bel looked up at them, her expression softening.


    "The forest is dangerous... but Lysithara isn''t exactly safe either. Most of its ancient residents¡ªthose who survived¡ªare now twisted... monstrous things."


    She leaned back slightly, her gaze distant.


    "The worst of them... is their City Lord."


    Sylvia''s eyes, now partially blind and appearing almost milky in color, remained fixed on Bel. Even like that, her curiosity never dulled.


    Bel nodded once more, her smile still plastered across her face... but there was a shadow behind her eyes. A quiet dread.


    "Pray you never encounter him... for you will never pass his riddle. Pray you never fight him... for you may never defeat him. He will remain... until his questions are answered."


    She stared into the flames of the hearth.


    "He is no longer man. No longer king. Now... he is a creature. A thing. Called the Keeper."


    She let the name hang in the air.


    "The Keeper of False Truths..."


    The fire crackled softly¡ªbut none of them moved. Their faces had paled at her words... even saying that name seemed to make the air heavier.


    Sylvia bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly¡ªcuriosity overtaking caution.


    "Wh... what is the riddle...?"


    Bel''s smile didn''t fade. Slowly... she shook her head.


    "I do not know. All those who met him met a most grim fate... far worse than death, for most..."


    A heavy silence settled over the room... none dared break it.


    After a moment, Bel stood, brushing the folds of her apron down.


    "Well... would you look at the time," she said softly. "I suppose it''s bedtime, children. Boys in one room, girls in the other. Erm... you..."


    She paused, her eyes landing on Evangeline.


    "Ahh... right. I never asked your names."


    They all paused. Evangeline nodded slowly.


    "Of course. How rude of us. I am... Number Two."


    She proceeded to introduce the others with their assigned numbers¡ªnever once revealing their real names.


    Bel''s lips twitched slightly at that, her smile amused but polite. She nodded slowly.


    "I see... what unusual names you have. Very well then. Good night."


    She turned slowly and began walking toward one of the adjacent rooms, the sound of her steps soft against the creaking wood...

 Chapter 284 - 285: Suspicious Host

    Sylvia wasn''t stupid. Sheltered, yes¡ªher life had always been wrapped in silk and whispers¡ªbut stupid? No, not in the slightest.


    It was fine if she''d been fooled by Damon. It was alright if he had lied to her, if he had deceived her. She could live with that.


    But she would not be made a fool of by someone else. Not again. Not so easily.


    That''s why she didn''t sleep. Not a wink. Her eyes remained closed, yes¡ªbut her mind was alert. Waiting. Watching.


    She didn''t even know what time it was¡ªtruth be told, it was nearly impossible to tell in the Whispering Forest. Sure, she could''ve used her skill, but... it wasn''t worth it. Not this time. Not after the last revelation.


    She was already losing her sight.


    Slowly, she lifted her head from the soft pillow, her breath calm but her body tense. Her neck turned slightly¡ªjust enough to glance at the bed beside hers.


    Evangeline was already up, sword in hand. Of course she was.


    On the beds next to theirs, Leona and Matia stirred, neither asleep. They met Sylvia''s gaze.


    No words were exchanged. None were needed. They all understood.


    As if they''d ever trust the kindness offered in the heart of the Whispering Forest. Not without reason.


    If Damon were conscious, he''d be just as paranoid. Probably more.


    They rose carefully from their beds, still wearing the simple pajamas Bel had given them, weapons in hand. Their footsteps were silent¡ªghostlike¡ªas they moved.


    Evangeline took the lead, rapier gleaming faintly under the fire light on the walls.


    Behind her, Matia moved beside Sylvia, holding her hand gently¡ªbecause Sylvia was only partially blind now. She had used her power again... just to ask the book a small question.


    A harmless one, really: What clues exist about Bel?


    But even that had cost her something. The price was rising.


    She didn''t want to push her luck. Not again.


    At the rear, Leona moved silently, her stance ready for a fight.


    They crept out into the hallway. The door next to theirs was where Xander and Damon were resting.


    Evangeline stepped up, hand raised to knock¡ª


    ¡ªbut the door opened before her knuckles touched wood.


    Xander stood there, his spear already in hand. Damon was unconscious on his back, and the great axe hovered beside them under his control.


    His gaze narrowed at the girls.


    "I don''t like this," he muttered. "Snooping around is... dishonorable. Especially after the hospitality we''ve been shown."


    Sylvia turned her head toward him. Her eyes, now milky and dull, glimmered with disdain. She sneered, her words sharp, something Damon himself might''ve said.


    "You know what''s honorable? Not dying in our sleep."


    Leona raised a brow. "That... that was the most Da- number one.... thing I''ve ever heard anyone else say."


    She stopped herself from saying his name.


    Sylvia gave a short nod. "Thank you. I was trying to be a jerk."


    Matia crouched slightly, wings low, expression uneasy.


    "Do we really have time for this? Let''s either find something creepy... or get out of here."


    Evangeline waved her hand forward, and the group moved again¡ªSylvia giving directions, still guiding them despite her impaired vision.


    The house that had once felt warm was different now. Cold. Wrong. At night, the silence was oppressive.


    Xander followed behind, Damon still on his back as they moved deeper into the hallway.


    Then Sylvia stopped. Her voice came out low, thoughtful.


    "Don''t you think it''s unusual? For someone living alone to have this many rooms?"


    Leona narrowed her eyes. "Whatever it is... we''ll find it behind that door."


    Evangeline took point, squatting in front of the door. She twisted the knob¡ª


    "It''s locked," she whispered.


    Leona looked at Damon''s unconscious form.


    "Where''s Da¡ª I mean, Number One¡ªwhen you need him..." She caught herself just in time.


    A sigh of relief passed through the group. Matia still smacked her arm.


    "Ow! Sorry..."


    She blinked. "Anyone know how to pick a lock?"


    Evangeline shook her head. "No. But I do know how to break one."


    Without hesitation, she slammed her heel into the lock. It cracked and shattered under the force of her first-class advancement strength.


    "My grandfather always said¡ª''Better to ask forgiveness than permission.''"


    Leona muttered, "Funny... Number One says the same thing. I see why you two get along so well."


    Evangeline smirked. Could she and Damon''s endless bickering actually be called "getting along"?


    She pushed the door open¡ªand what she saw made her breath catch. Her chest tightened.


    The others froze behind her.


    "Is... is that what I think it is...?"


    No one answered.


    The room was large, lit by the soft flicker of candlelight. Shadows clung to the edges, the darkness thicker in some corners.


    At the center of the back wall¡ª


    A symbol.


    Massive.


    Carved into the stone.


    Two white wings. Two black wings. A spiraling abyss at the center. An eye that didn''t blink.


    A symbol known to demons and heretics alike.


    The mark of the Unknown God.


    Sylvia bit her lip. Even partially blind, she could see it. And considering her own book bore that same symbol, she couldn''t allow them to jump to conclusions.


    "Let''s... search for clues," she said quietly. "Worship of the Unknown God might be heresy here in Soltheon... but on other continents, it''s not considered a grave sin."


    Xander frowned. "How can you say that?"


    "I''m not supporting heresy. I''m stating a fact," she replied coolly. "Why don''t we check the closets?"


    Leona stepped forward and opened one. Her face went pale.


    Inside¡ª


    Bones.


    Neatly arranged. Small.


    Children. Teenagers. Not yet adults.


    Matia''s wings curled tightly around herself. "W-what is this...?"


    Xander slammed the closet shut, his teeth gritted.


    Evangeline opened another small door nearby. Inside¡ª


    Broken toys.


    Children''s clothes. Personal belongings.


    "I take it these definitely aren''t hers..."


    Sylvia approached a table. There were books¡ªopen books¡ªand she couldn''t read the script, so she called on her skill again. Just a short summary. Nothing more.


    She merely asked it for a small translation. Especially since she couldn''t see.


    Pain shot through her skull like a blade. She gasped softly, as words scrawled across her mind:


    Oblivion Potion... Charm Potions... Love Potions... Soul Residue... Obedience Serum... Memory Root.


    Her face twisted in discomfort.


    This was very wrong.


    Leona raised her voice, standing next to a mirror she''d found behind a drape. "Hey. Guys. Over here."


    They gathered around. The mirror looked ordinary¡ªuntil Evangeline stepped in front of it.


    Her reflection... wasn''t now.


    It was her. Years ago. A girl. Dressed in a simple gown, eyes wide and crying. Weak.


    One by one, the others saw their younger selves too.


    But Damon¡ªhis reflection made their breath catch.


    A blue-eyed boy in rags. Skin carved with lacerations. A noose tight around his neck. His eyes¡ªlifeless.


    Sylvia''s reflection was of a girl dressed in finery... sitting inside a beautiful room lined with golden bars. A cage.


    Evangeline whispered, "W-what is this place...?"


    Her chest tightened. She turned fast, voice sharp¡ª


    "We need to go. Now."


    They nodded¡ª


    ¡ªbut froze.


    At the door stood Bel.


    Her smile was there, but it no longer felt kind. It didn''t reach her eyes.


    It was eerie. Wrong.


    They brandished their weapons. Their expressions hardened¡ªready to fight, to flee.


    Evangeline''s voice dropped cold as ice.


    "Who are you...? What are you...?"


    Bel''s smile never wavered. Her tone was soft.


    "Me...?" she said gently.


    "I am... a witch."

 Chapter 285 - 286: Innocent Until Proven Guilty

    The words that came out of her mouth instantly made them all tense up. A witch. That was always a grey area¡ªwitches could be good or evil depending on countless circumstances.


    However, what mattered now was whether she meant them harm.


    She slowly walked in, her steps soft, almost hesitant, before she sighed.


    "I''m sorry," she whispered, lowering her head with deliberate slowness.


    "I did not mean to hide this from you..."


    Still, they remained in a battle-ready stance, weapons and magic at the ready.


    "Please do not be wary... I can explain everything," she continued, her voice trembling slightly, "so long as you give me a chance to."


    Evangeline gave Sylvia a side glance. She had expected Bel to attack them the moment her identity was revealed¡ªbut the woman did no such thing. She didn''t even raise her hands.


    Instead, Bel slowly bowed her head, her guard completely down.


    "If you wish to kill me or do me harm... that is fine. I only ask that you hear my side first."


    Evangeline bit her lip. She was at a loss. If she didn''t listen to this woman, would that make her cruel? Tyrannical? Her class¡ªDawnseeker¡ªwas all about seeking justice, not judgment.


    Xander took a slow step forward, still carrying the sleeping Damon on his back.


    "We will listen to your side," he said calmly, though his gaze remained cautious. "How do you intend to explain all this?"


    Bel nodded slowly, her smile faint but sincere.


    "Thank you..." she murmured, barely audible.


    "I don''t often get a chance... most persecute me before I can speak."


    She glanced around the room, her expression distant, almost melancholic.


    "I can understand your doubt... This forest is an evil place. I should know¡ªI had a hard time surviving its horrors when I first came here."


    "Then why are you here?" Sylvia asked sharply. Though blinded by the side effect of her skill, she tried to look at her¡ªat least tried to aim her face in Bel''s direction.


    Bel nodded, her lips curling into a sad smile.


    "I was exiled..." she said softly.


    She slowly reached for one of the books nearby and picked it up, her fingers brushing gently over its worn cover. She sighed.


    "I love children. That has always been... I''ve always dreamt of being a mother. Sadly, I am barren. So to cure my predicament... I became an alchemist."


    Xander narrowed his eyes. Behind him, Damon stirred slightly. He felt lighter on his back.


    "What does that have to do with you being here?" he asked.


    "I studied for years," she continued, "but no potion worked. Eventually, I gave up on natural birth. War was always perpetual in this world, and I traveled all around it. I saw the precious lives of children wasted, forgotten..."


    "So you turned to dark arts," Evangeline accused, her eyes narrowing.


    Bel quickly shook her head.


    "Goodness no..." she paused, steadying her breath. "I became a healer. I joined the Temple, hoping to stop the wars, but¡ª"


    "The Temple glorifies war," Sylvia interrupted, her voice colder now.


    Bel nodded solemnly. "Yes, they do. So I found a new faith¡ªin the Unknown God. At least there, I did not have to wage war, kill, or bring suffering to children."


    "I quit the Temple and became a head matron for an orphanage I founded."


    She looked at them, her eyes glistening.


    "It was only then I learned just how horrible war was on children. So I took to raising them the right way. However... the Temple didn''t like my philosophies."


    She smiled again¡ªbut it was the smile of a mother who had lost everything.


    "Nor did they like that I was spreading them. And so... on one dark night, they came into my home and slaughtered my children."


    A single tear slipped down her cheek.


    "They called them demon spawn... heretics."


    She clutched her head, her voice trembling.


    "It should have been me... It should have been me..."


    Sylvia bit her lip. It sounded horrible¡ªbut the Temple had done worse.


    "Somehow... I alone survived. I was left to bury my children... but they didn''t even give me that chance. So I took their remains as I was hunted and labeled a witch. I eventually ended up here... in the Whispering Forest."


    Leona looked at her, her voice soft and confused.


    "Then why didn''t you bury them... after all these years?"


    Bel sniffled, her nose red.


    "I couldn''t. This land is cursed. I couldn''t allow them to become undead... or worse. I just wanted them to rest."


    Matia looked at her with narrowed eyes.


    "Why didn''t you cremate them?"


    Sylvia shook her head slowly.


    "Faith in the Unknown God does not accept cremation as a burial rite. Even in the Temple of the Goddess... it''s not always acceptable."


    "I was happy seeing you all," Bel said softly. "I... I''ve been so lonely over the years..."


    Evangeline bit her lip again. If all that was true... then they had truly wronged her¡ªdug up her past, opened old wounds.


    Her voice came out weaker than she expected.


    "Then... what about the mirror?"


    Bel let out a bitter scoff.


    "A cursed artifact I found in the forest... It sometimes shows me images of my children. I don''t really know what else it does, so I covered it."


    "What about the books on memory root and mind potions?" Sylvia asked sharply.


    Bel looked toward Damon, whose eyes flickered¡ªas though he were waking.


    "I used them to make cures for mental contamination... like the one I gave your friend."


    They all went quiet, a deep sense of shame washing over them.


    This woman had helped them. Fed them. Given them a safe place to rest in this cursed forest... and this was how they repaid her.


    For a few long moments, no one spoke.


    Bel gently wiped her tears with the back of her hand.


    "If there''s anything else you want to ask... please do. And if you still wish to condemn me... you are free to do so."


    She stepped forward, walking slowly toward Evangeline.


    "As those who worship the Goddess... if you wish to kill me, I won''t fault you. And if you wish to leave¡ªI wouldn''t stop you. Although I wouldn''t advise it."


    Evangeline bit her lip, her heart twisting in her chest.


    "I... I... we... this..."


    "We apologize for any trouble we may have caused you..." a weak voice suddenly spoke from Xander''s back.


    Damon''s dark eyes were open now, staring straight at Bel.


    He slowly pushed himself off Xander''s back, wobbling with every step as he approached¡ªhalf-staggering, barely conscious.


    "I apologize... on behalf of my friends..." he mumbled.


    He placed a hand on his head, clearly dizzy.


    "Allow me to apologize... my name is..."


    Before he could finish, Damon''s eyes slowly fluttered shut¡ªand he fell forward, straight toward Bel.


    The beautiful, dark-haired woman quickly caught him, cradling the boy against her chest, gently nestling his head against her.


    The others rushed over with anxious expressions, but Damon was already unconscious¡ªhis ear resting softly over her heart.

 Chapter 286 - 287: The Mirror Sees All

    Guilt was a horrible feeling¡ªit gnawed at one''s heart, left a bitter taste in the mouth, and for days after, they couldn''t bring themselves to suspect Bel anymore.


    She had helped them more than they could ever repay.


    During those two days, Evangeline had tried her best to purify Damon from the mental contamination, and while she worked, Bel also offered her aid, providing some of her potions.


    During that time, Damon had stirred several times... until two days ago, when he finally regained full consciousness.


    To celebrate his recovery, Bel suggested having a feast. She''d asked Damon for a list of his favorite dishes.


    Sylvia had half expected Damon to say something rude¡ªor at least something Damon would usually say.


    But instead, he''d given her a list of actual favorites. Sylvia had taken notes.


    His favorite dish of all... was Tamberry cake.


    So Bel had made him some.


    When he took a bite of the cake, a single teardrop slipped from his hazy, dark eyes.


    The sight of tears in the eyes of the normally cold Damon had stunned the others.


    Sylvia still remembered what he had said that night¡ª


    "The last time I had Tamberry this delicious was when my mother was still alive..."


    And then, somehow, Bel had hugged him and consoled him. Much to the group''s surprise, her behavior was... strangely gentle. His reaction wasn''t what they were used to. But what they found even more odd was the fact that Damon¡ªof all people¡ªhad opened up.


    At the time, it hadn''t felt too strange. Just... a side of Damon they''d yet to see. His vulnerable side.


    Sylvia had always known that part of him existed, hidden behind his usual edgy coldness and that defiant, arrogant personality.


    Still, seeing it up close was... unusual.


    She bit her lip, the fresh scent of honey and cinnamon hanging in the air.


    Except now, that sweet, homey aroma made her want to retch.


    These past few days had been... off. With each passing day, Damon had started acting strangely.


    Sylvia wasn''t sure anymore if he was pretending or not.


    She blinked, her newly restored vision clear as day, eyes fully focused on Damon¡ªwho took another bite of the Tamberry cake in front of him.


    He smiled at Bel.


    "Mother, can I have more?"


    Sylvia felt her heart sink each time Damon uttered those words.


    That... that was what unsettled her. Damon had started calling Bel mother.


    It began as a joke, shared over dessert by the hearth. But then... Bel insisted.


    And Damon accepted.


    Leona ate quietly, the liveliness of nights past now replaced by the solemn clatter of utensils.


    Evangeline bit her lip, her eyes drifting toward Sylvia with a silent nod before she spoke.


    "Erhm... Bel... when... do we leave? I mean... you said you knew a safe way back home..."


    Bel didn''t respond at first. Her smile remained gentle, but it didn''t quite reach her eyes.


    SLAM.


    Damon''s hands crashed down on the table.


    "What is wrong with you?" he snapped. "Why do you want to leave so badly? Are you blind to the dangers of the Whispering Forest? We can''t leave. No, we have to stay."


    Evangeline''s eyes widened with a flicker of fear. How could she not be terrified when Damon¡ªwho had been their leader all this time¡ªwas now speaking the opposite of what he would normally say?


    Bel gently stroked his head.


    "It''s fine, my dear child. Mother knows best. Mother will protect you... I swear."


    Then her eyes turned to Evangeline. She smiled kindly.


    "Don''t worry. Let the dangers pass, my children."


    Leona had been silent up to this point, but now, the fork in her hand melted from the surge of electricity coursing through her.


    "We are not your children..."


    Xander narrowed his eyes, his appetite for Bel''s masterfully cooked food now completely gone.


    "When do we leave?"


    Matia nodded, her fairy wings carefully concealed in her body.


    "You have to tell us. We can''t just stay here forever."


    Bel smiled softly, eyes lowered as she muttered in a barely audible voice,


    "Forever? No... you won''t stay that long..."


    Evangeline frowned. "Come again?"


    Damon stood up, glaring at her.


    "That''s rude."


    Evangeline snapped back. "Why are you defending her? I didn''t even say anything rude!"


    His face contorted with anger. But before he could say more, Bel raised her hand, interrupting them with a calm yet ominous reply:


    "Soon... but not yet."


    Evangeline bit her lip again. This was getting under her skin.


    Sylvia watched it all with a detached gaze, her mind spinning for a plan. This¡ªthis was how things had been going for them lately.


    And from the look of it, not well.


    Too many things were off. Suspicious.


    Sylvia remembered once hearing Bel''s voice crack¡ªshe had claimed to have a bad cold.


    She''d noticed, too, how Bel made no sound when she walked. Bel had said it was due to years of training.


    She''d felt how cold Bel''s skin was when they''d been cooking together in the kitchen. She''d brushed it off back then...


    Until she noticed the skin on Bel''s neck.


    It was... peeling away.


    That had been the final straw.


    Now, with her sight fully restored, Sylvia decided it was time. She would use her First-Class Skill to ask the question burning in her mind. But she knew the cost...


    Each question she asked came with a price: her life. At least when related to Bel.


    Or at least, a part of it. This was proof she was a powerful entity...far beyond them.


    So instead of asking directly who or what Bel was, she asked:


    How do I expose her?


    She accepted the price¡ªher skill would be temporarily sealed. She wouldn''t be able to use the book again for some time.


    But the book had answered.


    "Look at her reflection in a mirror."


    That struck her as odd.


    Bel didn''t own any mirrors... except for one hidden away. And that one was cursed.


    Luckily, Sylvia had bought a small mirror for herself. Back when this entire ordeal had started, Damon had told the girls to ditch their makeup¡ªbut girls being girls, some had still bought small items, including the hand mirror Sylvia now kept hidden under the table.


    Carefully, she slid it out, angling it low beneath the table, tilting it just right...


    Right toward Bel.


    And what she saw¡ª


    Nearly made her drop the mirror.

 Chapter 287 - 288: Beautiful Skin

    The mirror showed her something vile... something she did not wish to see... it unveiled the hideous truth before her eyes.


    Under the table, from the angle she tilted it, Sylvia stared into the mirror¡ªat Bel''s reflection. But the beautiful black-haired woman... was gone.


    What stared back at her was something else.


    Sylvia looked upon pulsing, pale skin stretched over a twisted frame. Horrible, chalk-white hair was scattered across a half-bald scalp, her head unevenly shaped and grotesque. Her face¡ªgaunt, with sagging wrinkles¡ªwas riddled with warts. A long, thin chin jutted downward from a sunken face. Her teeth were tiny, brown, and rotting... maggots squirmed between her gums.


    She was hunched, draped in tattered clothes, the sleeves of her gown loose like shed skin. Her eyes¡ªpitch black¡ªheld eerie, irregular brown irises that glowed faintly in the dim light.


    Sylvia''s breath caught in her throat.


    The name rose in her mind unbidden.


    "Bel... her name was Bel... she''s... she''s a beldam..."


    How? How could Sylvia not have seen it before? How could she not have known what a beldam was?


    Bel had claimed she was a witch. And when Sylvia asked her book, it had confirmed that she was telling the truth. But witches and beldams... they weren''t the same.


    All witches were beautiful¡ªglamorous, ethereal. Supposedly kind priestesses of the forest.


    But beldams... were something else entirely.


    They were the nightmares children feared. A beldam was still a witch, yes¡ªbut one of ancient malice. A predator that fed not on power, but on innocence.


    ''She preys on children...''


    Sylvia''s heart thundered in her chest as she racked her memory for everything she had ever learned about Beldams.


    They lured children in with warmth and false kindness. They gave love, attention, comfort¡ªuntil the child''s guard fell. And then...


    They would fatten them. Feed them. Nurture them.


    And then devour them.


    Their souls were twisted, consumed for dark arts... bound and trapped in eternal suffering.


    "Never to find peace..."


    The mirror trembled in Sylvia''s hand.


    ''She won''t act yet... not until she''s revealed... she''s still gaining our trust...''


    Sylvia glanced at Damon, her lips twitching as a knot of dread formed in her gut. He seemed calm... almost trusting toward the Beldam.


    No... that didn''t make sense.


    Damon was too cautious. He never trusted easily.


    There had to be an explanation.


    Sylvia bit her lip, mind racing, combing through the events, until it struck her.


    When they first entered the Beldam''s home... Damon had been unconscious.


    In their panic... Evangeline... she had said his name. Just once.


    Sylvia clenched her fist.


    "She wasn''t present... she didn''t hear his name... and even if she did... it shouldn''t have worked on him..."


    But then it all clicked into place.


    This place... this house... it wasn''t part of the Whispering Forest anymore.


    It was the Beldam''s domain.


    ''If she can establish her own area of influence... then...''


    Sylvia''s blood ran cold. Sweat dripped down her face.


    ''She''s in the fourth class...''


    Her legs nearly gave out beneath her.


    If that was true... then there was no hope of defeating her.


    They had to escape... into the forest.


    "Sylvia...? Sylvia..."


    Damon''s voice snapped her back. She looked up, blinking, her face pale as she struggled to keep calm.


    "Y-Yes...?"


    Damon frowned, concern flickering in his eyes, though there was a distant haze behind them.


    "You okay? You look like you''ve seen a ghost..."


    Bel smiled gently at Damon... but beneath Sylvia''s hidden mirror, the Beldam''s true form smiled back¡ªa hideous grin, full of maggots.


    And then... she looked down. Right at where Sylvia hid the mirror under the table.


    A knowing glance.


    "Maybe she did... perhaps she saw something she shouldn''t have..."


    Sylvia''s heart pounded, her veins running cold.


    ''She knows...''


    Evangeline sighed loudly beside her, oblivious to the danger Sylvia had uncovered. She was annoyed, but unaware¡ªunaware that the six teenagers in the room, including herself, were now seated with a Beldam.


    "This is about when we leave... I want to go to the ruined City. As party leader, you should prioritize our mission. You said to put your faith in me..."


    Sylvia barely heard her. The Beldam''s eyes never left her. A crawling, suffocating dread coiled around her chest, tighter and tighter. She could barely breathe.


    Damon''s voice cut through again, sharp with frustration.


    "I know what I said. I said put your faith in me..."


    Sylvia''s fist clenched. Her elf ears twitched slightly. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet the Beldam''s.


    She still wore the skin of a beautiful woman.


    ''I''m the only one who knows... I have to...''


    The Beldam smiled again, warm and maternal¡ªon the surface. She turned her attention to Damon, who had now shifted his gaze to Evangeline.


    "Ahh, my dear child... you never quite told mother your name..."


    The sound of clattering utensils stopped instantly.


    Everyone froze.


    Damon had set that rule himself: never speak your name in the Whispering Forest.


    He looked at her¡ªat Bel¡ªhis expression unreadable, yet faintly... warped.


    "Of course, mother..."


    He placed a hand on his chest, smiling softly.


    "My name is Damon."


    A hush fell across the room.


    The Beldam glanced sideways at Sylvia.


    "What about your friends...?"


    The others turned toward Sylvia, finally sensing the danger. Leona shot up, slamming her hand against the table.


    "You can''t do that!"


    But Damon stood, his voice low and cold as he glared at her.


    "Sit down. It''s rude not to share our names after so long. Mother told us her name... we can trust her."


    He turned toward Sylvia, who stared at him, stricken with horror.


    "Trust me."


    Xander flinched as Damon pointed at him.


    "The ugly one is Xander. The fairy girl is Matia..."


    He gestured at Evangeline, whose mouth had gone dry.


    "The golden-haired one¡ªEvangeline."


    His eyes fell on Leona... then Sylvia.


    "Argh..."


    There was hesitation.


    But then...


    "Those two are Leona and Sylvia."


    The Beldam''s smile widened. It was gentle. Warm. But Sylvia saw through it now.


    It was the grin of a predator.


    "I see. Thank you, Damon. You are a good boy... you''ve made mother very happy..."


    Damon smiled... not like himself. It was soft. Innocent. Wrong.


    "Thank you, mother... you''re so... kind..."


    Bel stood from her seat. Her body moved silently as she turned.


    "I suppose we should all go to bed now. I have some work to do. You children should rest."


    She drifted away, her steps soundless.


    Her shadow¡ªon the wall¡ªtwisted and warped. The shadow of a hideous hag.


    The others sat pale and stunned as Damon followed her, his smile unwavering... devoted.


    Sylvia watched him go, her body frozen in lingering fear.


    ''She''s going to make preparations...''


    ''If I can prove she''s a monster... Damon will come to his senses.''


    ''We have to escape tonight.''


    She clenched her fist, her jaw tight with resolve.


    "We''ll take our chances with the horrors of the forest outside..."

 Chapter 288 - 289: Escape To Hell

    The sound of the door clicking shut made Sylvia''s heart finally ease.


    Damon stood outside slowly. He turned to the others. "Let''s get to bed..."


    Sylvia nodded her head while the others all looked at Damon without saying anything. Leona opened her mouth to say something but... Sylvia shook her head.


    She looked at Damon.


    "Let''s go to sleep."


    He nodded slowly...


    As they walked past the dining hall, by the hearth, Sylvia subtly picked up a paper and a quill when no one was looking. She tucked it under her arm and walked quietly in the middle of her friends.


    Carefully, she scribbled something and shoved it into Xander''s hand. He frowned a bit but wordlessly squeezed it into his arm, holding it tight without even reading its contents. He wasn''t stupid¡ªif she was handing him a hidden note, then clearly, she couldn''t speak out loud.


    Damon and Xander stopped outside the room that belonged to the two boys. Damon looked at Sylvia.


    "Good night..."


    He unlocked the door with a tired yawn. Sylvia nodded slowly at Xander, who nodded back.


    The girls walked in silence to their room just down the hall¡ªthe next door over.


    Evangeline led, slowly opening the door. It made a creaking sound, a detail she alone seemed to register. She stood by the frame, waiting until all three girls entered. Then she slowly glanced at the dim hallway one last time before gently shutting the door.


    Turning around, she found the others standing still, watching her.


    She looked at them in silence for a few seconds. Then she whispered,


    "I... I''m not the only one who''s noticed something weird..."


    Matia bit her lips.


    "Weird is an understatement. Bel... she''s becoming more eerie. Every day."


    Leona''s beastkin ears drooped low.


    "Damon... he''s... he''s acting weird. Not quite like Damon..."


    Her voice wavered.


    Sylvia''s hands trembled at her sides. She bit her lips hard.


    "Bel... Bel... she''s a... Beldam..."


    Her voice was barely audible. A whisper. She looked up, expecting fear, dread¡ªsome reaction in their eyes.


    She found none.


    Evangeline narrowed her brows.


    "Figures. No way a nice lady lives in the heart of the Whispering Forest..."


    Matia clenched her fist.


    "I can''t believe we bought her sob story..."


    Leona''s golden eyes burned with rage.


    "That''s why Damon was acting weird... she must''ve done something to him. Or he knows¡ªand he''s pretending. He has to be..."


    She whispered the last part, almost as if she was praying it were true.


    She looked at the others.


    "Let''s kill her."


    Matia raised her hand to stop Leona.


    "We can''t. We don''t know her rank..."


    Evangeline looked at Sylvia.


    "What''s her rank?"


    "Fourth class... I''m not sure, but she''s surely more powerful than us. It should be a mage class, so she may be weak to close-range and physical attacks... but we''d never get that chance..."


    Evangeline''s face paled.


    Fourth class... a whole three ranks above their meager First Class strength. She could wipe them out as easily as breathing.


    Matia''s eyes were cold.


    "If she''s a mage type... a single spell will kill us. Maybe if we¡ª"


    "No." Sylvia cut her off with a whisper.


    "We won''t win... We need to leave her house..."


    Evangeline bit her lips.


    "What about Damon and Xander?"


    "I left Xander a note... we leave at midnight. She should be neck-deep in whatever she''s doing by then. Grab your weapons..."


    Evangeline took a deep breath. Their bags were already packed¡ªthat was the easy part.


    "How do we intend to leave?" Leona''s ears twitched. "Which way is out?"


    Sylvia nodded, recalling something.


    "We take the kitchen door. I remember she opened it once¡ªI heard whispers from the forest... It must be the way out."


    Matia nodded.


    "Okay. We leave at midnight. Head to the kitchen... then run."


    Sylvia clutched her bag.


    Midnight wasn''t far, but for them... it felt like an eternity. When it finally arrived, Evangeline opened the door slowly. The hallway was dim.


    She stepped out, rapier in hand. She knew it wouldn''t help much against the Beldam¡ªbut still, she gripped it tightly. It made her feel safer in the suffocating dread.


    At the far end of the hallway, a door creaked open.


    Xander stepped out. Damon stood beside him, his expression blank. He walked toward them casually, unbothered by the idea of being caught.


    He looked at them with a frown.


    "You don''t actually have evidence. But I''ll take your word for it."


    Sylvia let out a sigh of relief. At least he was still himself... She smiled, knowing something had snapped him back.


    He turned to the others.


    "Hurry. Let''s go to the kitchen..."


    Their five shadows stretched long beneath the flickering lights as they walked in fearful silence.


    Sylvia noted the absence of Damon''s shadow.


    She smiled faintly. He must''ve sent it out to scout a path... He''s back to normal...


    There were no obstacles along the way. The house was quiet. Too quiet. A blessing¡ªit meant the Beldam was still busy. Still unaware.


    Damon led them, navigating the halls until they reached the doors to the kitchen.


    Seeing the doors, their hearts lightened. Escape was near. The dreadful nest of the Beldam would soon be behind them.


    Damon slowly opened the doors and stepped into the kitchen. The others followed¡ªpitch black.


    As soon as he entered, he stopped. Turned back.


    The others had just stepped inside when his voice cut the silence.


    He looked toward the darkness¡ªwhere a towering shape waited, nearly three meters tall.


    "I''ve brought them, Mother."


    Sylvia didn''t scream. Her breath didn''t even hitch. Her heart simply cracked¡ªclean and quiet.


    At that moment, the stove lights flickered on.


    And the illusion shattered.


    There she stood¡ªno longer wearing the skin of a beautiful woman. She had no need for it now.


    The Beldam.


    Grotesque. Her true form monstrous. Teeth riddled with maggots.


    Her skin sagged like melted wax. Maggots nested in the hollows of her gums. Eyes, milky and deep, blinked sideways like a lizard''s.


    Her shadow¡ªDamon''s missing shadow¡ªslithered across the floor, returning and fusing back with him.


    She smiled.


    A hideous smile.


    Sylvia''s heart sank with dread. But even more than that¡ªwith betrayal.


    Leona''s eyes widened, blazing with fury.


    "What... what have you done to him, you monster!"


    She lunged¡ªtried to scream. But the Beldam merely waved her withered hand.


    "Sleep," she shrieked, voice shrill and ancient.


    Leona dropped first¡ªcrashing onto the floor. The others followed like puppets with cut strings.


    As Sylvia hit the wood, her body weak and heavy, she raised her hand toward Damon. Tears streamed down her cheeks.


    She whispered his name.


    "Damon..."


    Then the world went black.

 Chapter 289 290: Toss Her Into The Fire

    Evangeline slowly opened her eyes, finding herself sprawled across the cold stone floor... The warm heat of the hearth spread through the room, but her wrist throbbed with a dull, cold pain¡ªsomething biting into her flesh.


    Groggily, she raised her head... her skull pounding with pain. She looked down¡ªher wrist was shackled in a cold black cuff, a chain rattling from it, anchoring her down.


    Her eyes flared. She yanked on the chain with all her might, pouring her first-class advancement strength into the pull.


    The metal rang out with a sharp clang, but it didn''t break. The chain shimmered faintly¡ªrunes etched across its length, glowing in response.


    "Don''t try to escape... you won''t."


    Her heart sank. She raised her head toward the voice¡ªand her face went pale.


    "Da... Damon... why? What did she do to you...?"


    Damon turned his head, expression blank. The Beldam stood beside the furnace, her hideous silhouette framed by flickering firelight. She stirred a bubbling pot of green sludge.


    "Hehe... Double, double, toil and trouble... fire burn and cauldron bubble! Hehejejej..."


    Her laughter echoed like cracked bones in a tomb. Damon barely glanced at her before speaking, loud enough for her to hear.


    "Mother opened my eyes to the truth."


    He looked around at the others¡ªstill unconscious.


    "They should hear this too... Mother''s almost ready."


    Evangeline''s face contorted in fear. She yanked at the chains, each pull creating a thunderous clatter.


    "Damn it, Damon! Come to your senses! She''s going to eat us¡ªplease, wake up!"


    Her voice rang through the chamber¡ªand though it may have fallen deaf on Damon''s ears, the others began to stir.


    Leona''s eyes snapped open, sweat beading down her forehead.


    Xander coughed, tugging at his own shackles. Matia''s wings fluttered¡ªbut she couldn''t fly. She couldn''t even feel her magic. Her mana had been sealed.


    Sylvia sat quietly, staring at Damon with glassy eyes.


    "I... I''m sorry, everyone... I''m sorry, Damon... My plan wasn''t good enough... I couldn''t anticipate everything... I couldn''t be more patient or cunning..."


    Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I''m so useless... even with limitless knowledge in my hands... I''m still so weak..."


    Damon looked at her, eyes empty.


    "Shut up. Your tears will ruin Mother''s soup."


    Xander growled, biting his lip, glaring hard at Damon.


    "Shut up. Since when did you become so pathetic? The Damon Grey I know is too damn insane to bow to anyone."


    Damon''s eyes flared. He raised a leg and kicked Xander hard in the chest. Xander flew backward, yanked to a halt by his chain.


    "Shut up. Don''t act like you know me... you don''t."


    Leona bit her lip.


    "I do know you."


    Damon raised his hand¡ªbut hesitated.


    The Beldam walked over, waxy skin sagging in grotesque folds. Her fingers¡ªlong, hideous, and slick¡ªgently stroked Damon''s head from behind.


    "Good, my child... the preparations are almost done... hehe... Now then... which one should I eat first?"


    Her mouth twisted open in a crooked smile¡ªmaggots writhing between her yellow teeth. Damon stood beside her, a serene smile on his face.


    "Whichever one you want, Mother."


    The Beldam''s grin widened. Malice oozed from every inch of her.


    "In that case... why don''t we pick which one will be roasted alive first?"


    She cracked her neck¡ªemitting a horrid stench that made them all gag.


    She raised a small vial of flickering fire.


    "Hehe... This little thing contains flame from the dragon Ashergon... Good thing I gathered some while he rampaged recently..."


    Sylvia''s eyes widened¡ªrecognizing it instantly. Ashergon''s flame... The same inferno that had reduced an entire region to ashes.


    That explained why she hadn''t been home when they''d first come.


    The Beldam sauntered over to Evangeline. Her hand slowly crept toward Evangeline''s chest¡ªgroping without shame.


    Evangeline snarled and smacked her hand away. "Don''t touch me, you filthy creature¡ª!"


    The Beldam''s face twisted in rage. She raised her hand to strike¡ª


    But Damon moved first. He slapped Evangeline across the face¡ªthen followed up with a hard kick to her gut.


    "How dare you strike Mother."


    The Beldam let out a satisfied purr. "Hehejeje... Good boy..."


    She turned her attention elsewhere. "That one''s quite fatty... but not good enough..."


    Leona''s jaw clenched, sparks of lightning flashing in her eyes despite the mana-suppressing shackles.


    "What have you done to him..." she spat. "Doesn''t matter. When I break out of these... I''ll kill you."


    The Beldam leaned close, drooling spittle onto Leona''s face. She turned next to Sylvia, who simply stared at her, unflinching.


    "Yes... this one will do just fine."


    She turned toward Damon and snapped her fingers like he was a dog.


    "Bring that one to the furnace. She''ll be the first."


    Damon smiled. "Of course, Mother. She would be honored to be of use to you."


    She walked away.


    The Beldam stood by the cold furnace. She uncorked the vial. A spark of dragonfire slipped out¡ªlanding on a massive pile of magical wood. The flames exploded instantly, licking the walls of the iron furnace.


    She chanted, raising her arms to the fire. "Bring her here... hehe..."


    Damon pulled Sylvia''s chain. Evangeline tried to stop him, biting at his ankle¡ªbut he kicked her head away with no hesitation.


    "Don''t interfere."


    He grabbed Sylvia by the hair, dragging her across the floor.


    "No¡ªlet me go! Damon, please¡ªdon''t do this!"


    She struggled, kicked, fought... His face twisted with anger. He slammed his fist into her gut.


    "Shut up. It''ll be over soon."


    He kept pulling¡ªher nails scraped the floor, leaving bloody trails behind. Her screams tore the air. The others pleaded, begged¡ªXander roared curses, Leona watched in silence, Matia trembled with resentment.


    Evangeline screamed until her voice broke.


    But Damon didn''t stop.


    Sylvia struggled, crying, bleeding¡ªher breath ragged.


    The Beldam didn''t even turn around. Damon dragged Sylvia right to the edge of the furnace.


    "Throw her in," she commanded.


    "Sure," Damon said casually¡ªand then, with all his strength, he kicked beldam forward.


    Her body jerked caught completely off guard, and her eyes widened as she was sent flying into her inferno.


    "You talk too much."


    Before the Beldam could even react¡ªSylvia''s bloodied hands slammed the vault door shut. The furnace roared.


    The dragon flame surged violently¡ªengulfing the room.


    And the Beldam screamed¡ªher shrieks high-pitched and inhuman¡ªas the flames consumed her.


    The others could only stare in shocked silence.


    Damon turned to Sylvia¡ªwho immediately threw herself into his arms.


    "I was so scared... I almost thought your plan wouldn''t work..."


    "I''m glad you did," he whispered, holding her close.


    Damon finally let himself relax the tension slowly leaving his body. He held Sylvia tight. She felt warm and alive. He wanted to keep it that way.


    A soft system chime echoed in his mind.


    [You have slain: Beldam of the Whispering Forest]


    [You have leveled up]


    [You have gained +80 Attribute Points]


    [You have awakened the Skill: Shadow]

 Chapter 290 291: Better Days

    [Mastery: Mental Contamination Resistance Lv2]


    [Mastery: Deception Lv3]


    The system notifications finally faded, and Damon let out a long, shuddering breath. That was a close one... too close.


    He had nearly died¡ªagain. That thing in the woods... the grotesque, creeping horror with a voice like dead leaves and tentacles. And just when he thought it was over, he woke up slumped over Xander''s back, barely conscious, only to realize his friends were standing face-to-face with a woman that was clearly lying.


    A suspicious woman, whose heartbeat gave her away.


    He''d thrown himself onto her just to listen¡ªand it had confirmed everything. Her pulse was off. Wrong. Not human.


    Her skin was too cold...to fake.


    She was a Beldam.


    And the system had already listed her soul as a requirement.


    [Level Up Requirements]


    Beldam Souls Consumed: [0/1]


    He didn''t need to connect the dots. It was already too convenient, too neat. He would''ve gladly taken the risk of killing an innocent woman if it meant keeping his friends alive.


    But this wasn''t an ordinary woman.


    She was far too powerful.


    Damon slowly let go of Sylvia as the others watched, their expressions shifting from uncertainty to pure confusion. Each of them looked ready to say something ¡ªbut they hesitated, waiting.


    He stepped forward calmly, his breath even, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.


    Leona was the first to break the silence. She took a deep breath and exhaled like she''d been holding it the whole time.


    "I knew it... I knew you wouldn''t be taken over so easily..."


    Damon smiled faintly. "I was almost taken over... Lucky for me, I have resistance."


    He wasn''t bluffing. The system had rewarded him with a new mastery¡ªMental Contamination Resistance. The Mastery Mechanic was incredible, truly. As long as something didn''t outright kill him, he could develop resistance to it.


    ''At this rate, maybe one day I''ll have a resistance to everything... Should I start drinking poison next?''


    Evangeline slowly stood up, still shackled, her voice raspy and strained from all the screaming earlier.


    "Y-You should''ve clued us in... I was terrified... I thought you wanted to kill Sylvia... I thought she had you..."


    "Actually... he did clue us in," came a quiet voice.


    Sylvia.


    Her voice was low and raw, her fingers bleeding and bent at awkward angles from clawing at the wooden floor. She kept her eyes on the ground as she spoke.


    "He did it at the table... The first clue was when he told us to ''have faith.'' That was when you and Damon were arguing."


    Evangeline turned to face her slowly.


    "You knew...?"


    Sylvia shook her head with a hollow look. "Not at first. I was terrified too. I thought we lost him. But... he looked at me¡ªand said ''trust me.'' He never broke eye contact. It might''ve sounded like he was defending her, but he was trying to tell us something."


    Her eyes flicked toward the house.


    "This whole place was under her influence. The walls had ears."


    They followed her gaze to the Beldam''s house. The power that once radiated from it now flickered weakly¡ªits dark, eerie presence fading slowly with her death.


    Damon stepped forward and knelt beside Evangeline, pulling out a blackened iron key he''d pickpocketed from the Beldam just before tossing her into the flames. With a soft click, he unlocked her chains.


    "The final clue was risky... but I had to make sure you guys caught on."


    Evangeline rubbed her sore wrists as the strength returned to her limbs.


    Xander tilted his head, curious. "What was the third clue?"


    Evangeline''s eyes narrowed, a mix of irritation and understanding dawning.


    "He said... the ugly one is Xander."


    Matia''s eyes lit up. "Of course! If he was under her control, he wouldn''t be unnecessarily rude. That''s something only Damon would do."


    Damon smirked as he moved from one friend to the next, undoing their shackles.


    "But," he added, "you guys were too dumb to figure it out."


    Leona didn''t argue. She simply stood up and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, her silence louder than any thanks.


    "Hey¡ªLeona¡ªI can''t breathe¡ªlet up a bit!"


    She reluctantly let go. Damon smiled at her, chest still heaving.


    "Leona didn''t believe I was taken over. But I couldn''t confirm her suspicions directly... She''s too pure to pull off a scheme like this."


    Leona scoffed. "Awww, how sweet. That''s the nicest way you''ve ever called me stupid."


    He bowed with exaggerated grace. "Thank you. I''ve been working on my people skills. I''m almost a better person now."


    He glanced toward Sylvia¡ªwho, despite her exhaustion, was tending to her broken nails, slowly healing herself with trembling hands.


    "You''ve still got a long way to go, you bastard..." Evangeline muttered.


    He rolled his eyes, raising his arms in mock defense.


    "Ehm. You''re welcome... for saving your lives."


    Xander looked at Sylvia. "Since when did you know...?"


    She nodded, her nails now fully healed. "After dinner. He looked at me¡ªI noticed his shadow. After that, I was sure he was okay... well, I had some doubts, but I took the risk."


    Matia blinked. "Wait, wait a minute. So you never actually planned for us to escape this house...?"


    Sylvia slowly shook her head.


    "Why would I make such a momentously, stupid plan? The whole escape was predicated on failure. I was meant to fail, so Damon could gain her trust."


    Evangeline raised an eyebrow. That was a level of deception that fooled even their closest friends...


    "Did he tell you his plan? Were you completely sure?" she asked, voice sharp with disbelief.


    Sylvia looked away awkwardly, scratching her chin. "Hmmm... no. But¡ªbut I had faith... and the power of friendship..."


    Evangeline smiled coldly, lifting her fist at her sarcasm.


    "I have a strong urge to smack you right now. More than I want to beat the hell out of Damon."


    Damon groaned. "All that work and this is how I''m thanked? Shouldn''t you all be groveling? Showering me with gratitude for saving your lives?"


    Evangeline sighed. At the very least, they could finally breathe. The tension had eased enough that they were back to making jokes¡ªstupid ones, but still they had gotten somewhat used to the horrors.


    "So... you were sure your plan would work?" she asked.


    Damon looked away, not meeting anyone''s eyes.


    "I had a zero percent guarantee. But hear me out... I had faith. Don''t look so appalled."


    Evangeline smiled coldly.


    Xander sat there quietly, just glad they were all still alive. Somehow, they''d survived another horror. Barely. They almost didn''t make it...


    He returned his gaze at Damon, who was currently being throttled by a frustrated Evangeline.


    "Now what? We survived, sure. That doesn''t change the bigger problem. We still don''t know which part of the forest we''re in. We''ve got no solid gear left. Our weapons are practically crumbling."


    Damon looked over at him, still held in Evangeline''s grip. Her soft skin against his head.


    "Actually, all our problems are solved."


    Everyone stared at him.


    He shrugged. "What? I did say the beldam talked too much. Also, aren''t those magic weapons and armor?" He pointed toward the far end of the room.


    Their eyes followed. In the dimming light of the house''s fading magic, racks of enchanted gear gleamed¡ªenough to outfit all of them twice over.


    "We''ve also got a better map now," Damon added. "And a route to Lysithara. We''re not that far from the Whispering City."


    He turned slowly, his gaze locking onto the hearth. Reaching into his neck, he pulled out his mother''s locket, the soft metallic clink echoing in the silence.


    "We''re almost there."

 Chapter 291 292: Doom Stole It

    The house was falling apart... with the Beldam dead, the power that once kept the Whispering Forest from creeping in was weakening with every passing day. It wouldn''t be long before the forest swallowed what remained.


    Lucky for Damon, he wouldn''t be staying that long.


    He tossed a few more magic crystals into his shadow, solving its insatiable hunger with his [Sacrifice] skill. It also helped boost his mana. The Beldam had quite a few magic crystals¡ªbut also a number of magical artifacts. Cursed ones, in her case. His heart ached as his shadow consumed them.


    But he had to endure. So what if he could''ve sold those artifacts for millions of zeni? His shadow needed to eat.


    So he sacrificed them all, keeping only the ones his party had deemed safe for use... and a handful of magic crystals. But even those were rare. He was going to need more soon.


    He opened his system panel:


    [HP: 585/585]


    [Mana: 13,457/13,457]


    [Strength: 834]


    [Agility: 657]


    [Speed: 1185]


    [Endurance: 565]


    [Class: Death Dealer]


    [Shadow: 900]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%]


    [Shadow Level: 9]


    [Condition: Shadow is full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze]


    [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn] [Omen Of Dread] [Dealer''s Hand] [Bloodletting] [Shadow Movement] [Shadow]


    [Mastery:]


    [Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv1] [Survival Lv3] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv3] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv2]


    [Trap Lv2] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv2] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv1] [Mana Control Lv1] [Magic Bullet Lv1]


    [Pain Resistance Lv2] [Mental Contamination Resistance Lv2]


    [Locked]


    Damon smiled faintly. He had grown in some areas. His [Deception] had leveled up. So had [Pain Resistance]. The [Mental Contamination Resistance] likely came from the horrors he''d seen in that cursed forest.


    He bit his lip.


    ''If I see some of those things with [Shadow Perception]... they can passively kill me. Which means my most useful navigation skill is now off limits...''


    It pained him to make the decision, but he had no choice. They could all die if he slipped up.


    As the saying went: If you gaze into the abyss, it gazes back at you.


    So it was better not to look.


    Shutting off [Shadow Perception] dulled his view of the world. What was once a kaleidoscope of images, lights, shadows, and hidden forms... now reduced to his single, humble vision. He almost felt disoriented.


    He always had it on¡ªfully or partially. Now, without it, he felt blind. As if some part of his awareness had been ripped away.


    "How ironic... I couldn''t even process all that information when I first got the skill..."


    Speaking of skills¡ªhe had a new one.


    Its name was simple. Straightforward. Damon stepped on a shadow, and like slipping beneath water, his body slowly disappeared into the darkness. He moved through the shadows as if gliding through liquid, and slowly, he emerged again.


    With a sigh, he stared at his palms.


    "The [Shadow Movement] skill lets me enter shadows physically... but this new one changes everything."


    He took a step forward¡ªand with that single step, his body unraveled into shadow. His human form collapsed into a dark mass. His very essence lost shape.


    He fell to his knees, clutching his chest.


    "Huhuhu... what the hell..."


    He had become formless¡ªa living, intangible shadow. His body no longer existed, and his mind wasn''t used to such an alien state.


    It made his thoughts swim in a terrible wrongness. A sickening feeling of being too hollow.


    That was the skill¡ª[Shadow].


    He stood slowly, dusting off his clothes with a breathless groan.


    "This would be useful in a fight if I can transform mid-battle... but it''d be hindered by bright light or sudden flashes."


    A faint smile crept onto his lips as he looked down at his hand.


    "Still... I can already see its potential."


    He glanced at the hovering system panel.


    The skill description caught his eye¡ªdragging his attention away from the flickering shadows and giving him something to ponder once more.


    [Shadow]


    [Description]


    Magic is built in one''s heart and imagination, with countless attributes tied to the three main sources of energy. Among these three, magic is the most free¡ªborn of dreams, shaped by will.


    Anyone was free to create and be whatever they wished. Of the three, mana was abundant and the easiest to wield.


    But on this vile day, Doom denied the children of Aetherus their birthright. No longer could they shape the world as they pleased. Doom bound all to a single attribute, caging creativity and shackling the spirit.


    Doom had denied them the gift of choice.


    Yet magic always finds a way. And so did the witches¡ªfavored by the Unknown God¡ªwho cheated Doom''s decree.


    [Effect]


    You are a Shadow, born between light and darkness. Take on an ethereal form, untouchable and intangible.


    [Type] Active


    [Cooldown] 0 secs


    The words carved themselves into his thoughts.


    The description wasn''t just technical¡ªit was telling... revealing something that felt unbelievable.


    "There are three main sources of energy," he muttered to himself, voice low and uncertain. "Mana''s just... one of them?"


    ''What are the other two...?'' the thought buzzed through his head like a gnat he couldn''t swat.


    But no¡ªthat wasn''t what he should be focusing on right now.


    His eyes narrowed. His breath caught.


    The real revelation¡ªthe one that made his heart thud against his ribs¡ªwas far more mind-shaking.


    Magic... wasn''t always restricted to one attribute.


    People used to wield multiple attributes¡ªfire, water, space, light, shadow, and more¡ªall at once. Not just one element handed to them like a collar around the neck... but true freedom. True creativity. They shaped the world with dreams and will alone.


    His gaze traced the phrase again.


    "But on this vile day... Doom..."


    Of course he knew who Doom was. Everyone did.


    The Goddess of Doom¡ªthe one who created their very world. Worshiped by all. Praised. Loved. Feared.


    But why would she do this?


    Why would the goddess bind the people of Aetherus? Why would she rob them of something so natural... so right?


    ''This is her world... why would she cripple it?''


    Damon''s fingers curled into trembling fists as something boiled deep inside his chest¡ªhot, bitter frustration rising like bile in his throat.


    Shadow... his attribute.


    Rare. Obscure. Non-destructive. And until now, he''d always seen it as a burden¡ªan unfortunate draw in the divine lottery.


    But now?


    Now it felt like a shackle.


    "You''re telling me... I could''ve had a choice? I would''ve had a choice..." His voice cracked as he hissed the words out loud. "Doom took our right¡ªour right to freely use all magic attributes..."


    For the first time in his life, Damon felt it.


    A weight¡ªcold and suffocating¡ªcoiling around his neck.


    Something rightfully his had been stolen.


    And the thief? She was too powerful. Too distant.


    It didn''t matter whether he knew or not¡ªshe had taken it all the same.


    His eyes fell to the final passage.


    Magic always finds a way. And so did the witches¡ªfavored by the Unknown God¡ªwho cheated Doom''s decree.


    Witches.


    They knew. They had found a way to slip through the cracks, to spit in Doom''s face and do the impossible. They were bound by her law.... But still cheated it.


    Damon clenched his fist tight¡ªnails digging into flesh.


    He didn''t want another attribute just for power.


    He wanted it because it was his choice.


    He wanted to defy¡ªeven if it was in the smallest way... even if he was just an ant staring up at the stars.


    He wanted to take back his right to choose.


    Even if it meant standing against the goddess herself.... The goddess of fate...

 Chapter 292 293: Ascendant Armor

    Damon stood in front of the others... all of them dressed in armor. These weren''t ordinary armors¡ªno, these were the ones the Beldam had once kept like decorations, proudly displayed in her lair, untouched by dust or decay. Oddly enough, unlike the other artifacts they had uncovered¡ªmost of which were cursed or rotten with dark magic¡ªthese were different.


    These were pure. Untainted. Almost reverent in design.


    Each armor was a set, complete with a weapon... save one.


    That one... was called Pale Crown.


    It came with nothing¡ªno blade, no spear, no staff. Just the armor alone.


    For the past few days, they''d contemplated, argued, and tested who would wear what. And after much trial, they decided. The armors at first looked dead¡ªdull, lusterless, like tomb relics drained of soul. But the moment they were worn... they responded. Awakened. Shifting and morphing to mirror the magic attribute of their new bearer.


    His eyes fell on Sylvia.


    She had regained use of her book again, and for whatever reason, the cost of prying information from it this time wasn''t as steep. Just a two-day headache. Though, even so, she had been bedridden, wrapped in fevered silence, twitching beneath cold sheets.


    A price was still a price.


    But that was how they learned the names of these armors.


    Damon glanced toward Xander¡ªhis body now swallowed by gleaming silver-gray heavy armor. It gave the already towering boy an almost monstrous silhouette, shoulders like bastions, footsteps like anvils. The weapon that came with it was a massive spear, thick and unbending, already pulsing with gravitational weight that bent the dirt around its head. It didn''t stay rigid for long either¡ªit shifted, adapting to his gravity-aligned magic.


    That set was called Armor of the Bound Colossus.


    Its enchantment¡ªWeightbreaker: Amplifies spear strikes with gravitational force, turning every swing into a shockwave.


    Each of these was no ordinary relic. Sylvia''s book had shown them¡ªthese were Ascendant Armors. Only six in existence. No replicas. No duplicates.


    Damon nearly scoffed under his breath.


    The Beldam... she must''ve suffered to collect them, dragging them out from the ruins of Lysithara... only for them to kill her and claim the prize.


    He turned his gaze back to Sylvia.


    She now wore a much lighter set¡ªcloser to robes than armor. A breastplate hugged her torso, thin pauldrons over her shoulders, and flowing cloth ran down her sides. It was elegant. Subtle. Dangerous. This was one of the three forms every armor could take.


    The first form¡ªAwakened Form¡ªmore fabric than metal. Nimble and reactive.


    The second¡ªAscendant Mantle¡ªa balanced blend of cloth and steel. Still mobile. Still light.


    The final¡ªSovereign''s Mantle¡ªa full suit of heavy armor from crown to toe. That was the form Xander now bore.


    Of course he did.


    He was the group''s tank.


    "...Sylvia," Damon muttered, "you never told us everything before you passed out."


    She nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I told you most of it... didn''t I?" Her voice was hoarse, but steady. "The armors were forged for six of Lysithara''s mightiest champions. Made to fight the Rot. Each one has a soul core¡ªit aligns with your magic. And each one holds four enchantments..."


    Her eyes flicked across the group. They listened. Quiet. Armored.


    She continued.


    "There''s more. A trial. A counter. If you vanquish ten thousand foes... the armor binds to your soul. Forever."


    Damon frowned. "You mean... until something kills us."


    She gave a shallow nod. "The first armor... the one you''ve got... is armor of Pale Crown."


    Damon sighed. He already knew his was called Pale Crown¡ªthe only armor that didn''t come with a weapon. Just like the others, it held four enchantments... but like them, he could only use one.


    Soul Veil ¨C Allows the user to phase through solid objects for short moments.


    Basically, something he could already do with his shadow skills¡ªexcept this time, he didn''t need to slip into shadowform. This... he could do in his physical body.


    Sylvia''s armor was different¡ªArmor of the Crescent Seer.


    The enchantment she could tap into:


    Lunar Echo ¨C Arrows fired during the full moon double in number and damage.


    Coincidence or not, the weapons it came with¡ªa bow, a quiver, and two short swords¡ªwere exactly what Sylvia always used.


    ''Yeah, no, I''m not buying this... this is not a coincidence.''


    All of them had gotten weapons that matched them.


    Sylvia''s armor was silvery white, delicate and elegant, with crescent motifs lining the edges. It clung to her form like moonlight, complimenting her white hair and grey eyes with a grace that felt less forged and more... destined. It was ceremonial, draped in white fabrics that swayed when she moved.


    Evangeline had received the Armor of Duskglass.


    Her enchantment:


    Refraction Halo ¨C Light bends around her body, granting evasion boosts and illusionary afterimages.


    She looked beautiful¡ªsleek and radiant, like sunlight caught in crystal. Even in the dimmest corner of the chamber, her form glowed faintly. Silver and gold traced her helm, and her new rapier shimmered with stored light magic. She stood quietly, listening to Sylvia, her eyes flickering calmly across the others.


    Leona wore Armor of Stormwake¡ªand unlike the rest, she had jumped straight into its third form: full plate. Heavy. Intimidating. A greatsword hung across her back.


    The armor was jagged, like storm clouds beaten into steel. Sparks crackled around her shoulders even when she stood still, like the armor was breathing with thunder.


    Her enchantment:


    Flashstep Edge ¨C Can teleport short distances during sword swings, leaving a trail of thunder.


    Then came the most unusual of the group.


    Matia''s Armor of Shattered Ice.


    At first glance, it seemed to have no weapons. But that was wrong. The armor itself was the weapon. All she had to do was think, and a weapon would form in her hand, forged from soul-infused ice.


    A flowing set of icy-blue armor that never kept one shape¡ªalways shifting, refusing to stay fixed. She stayed locked inside its third form, silent and motionless. Heavy and stalwart. A sentinel of frost.


    Her enchantment:


    Frost Arsenal ¨C Can generate ethereal weapons made of soul-infused ice at will.


    Each armor held four enchantments. But they could only access one.


    They were too weak. They hadn''t passed the trial.


    The trial to slay ten thousand.


    Sylvia''s gaze moved toward Damon. He hadn''t said a word since she began speaking. Just stood there, armored like a fallen king reborn. The second form of Pale Crown suited him far too well.


    It was regal¡ªfull-body plating veiled in cloaks of smoke that constantly shifted with his movements. No helmet. Just that crown... a pale, ashen ring of light like a dying halo, hidden in his messy hair.


    She smiled, gently.


    "That used to belong to the former Lord of Lysithara," she said softly. "The one who became the Keeper of False Truths..."

 Chapter 293 294: A Thousand Miles

    Damon didn''t bother with any long morale-building speeches... their conditions had changed.


    The Beldam''s house was a death trap¡ªbut amid the danger, they had gained a fortuitous encounter.


    Now they were enjoying the spoils. Preparations were done for their next travel.


    They had better weapons, upgraded gear, food...


    Well, except Damon. He was still lugging around the wyvern''s fangs, the giant axe, and his old bow and arrows.


    The previous lord of Lysithara apparently hadn''t needed any weapons with his armor, but Damon wasn''t that lucky. Wearing Pale Crown wasn''t enough. He needed a weapon.


    "This would be more convenient if I had my dealer''s hand..." he muttered.


    Too bad the skill rejected every weapon he tried to link to it.


    He took a deep breath, gazing at the pale white sphere in his hand.


    It wasn''t just a ball¡ªit was a mana core. To be precise...


    A 15cm wide core from the Beldam.


    A rank four monster.


    Therefore, this was a rank four core.


    Its market value? Easily several hundred million zeni. And he was holding it casually in his hand like it wasn''t enough to buy half a small city.


    It pulsed with dim light, its surface veined with pale runes.


    "This... I could buy my sister and I a new life with this," he whispered.


    But he shook his head. He couldn''t sell it now¡ªnot here, not yet.


    More importantly, low-level monsters would chase them just for a chance to consume it and grow stronger.


    And it wasn''t just monsters who could gain power from a mana core¡ªhumans could too.


    Those who had reached their first class advancement could absorb it, refining their bodies and mana circuits. Laying the foundation for their second class advancement.


    He held it with both hands. After the Beldam burned to ash, this was all that remained.


    "If she left a corpse, I could''ve devoured that... maybe gain some attribute points, maybe even a skill..."


    He frowned. No¡ªhe couldn''t get greedy. He had already gotten too much from the ordeal.


    The voices were growing louder¡ªthe whispering. Faint, eerie. The Beldam''s power was fading.


    ''It won''t be long before this whole place comes down...''


    He turned to the others.


    "Okay, who gets to use the mana core?"


    Xander raised a brow, lounging in the awakened shell version of the Bound Colossus.


    A minimalist armor light fabric layered with small heart-guard and shoulder plates.


    "Are you still bragging about that?" he asked, deadpan.


    Damon gave him a flat stare.


    "I don''t see you slaying a rank four monster in one strike. Even the legendary Seras Blade hadn''t achieved something that phenomenal on her first advancement."


    Leona rolled her eyes.


    "So you are bragging."


    He nodded with a smirk.


    "A little, yes. But I was actually asking¡ªwhich one of us should refine their body with this core?"


    Evangeline exhaled slowly, brushing a few strands of golden hair behind her ear.


    "You made the kill. Use the core."


    Sylvia nodded. "That''s how it is in most parties."


    Damon sighed. That was true. But...


    "I want to," he admitted. "However, it would be unwise¡ªespecially where we are. The best option is empowering the one with the most utility."


    Matia stepped forward, having shed the Sovereign Mantle form of Shattered Ice.


    Her figure now revealed, black hair braided down her back. Her wings, hidden beneath the light armor plates that shimmered with frost.


    "Isn''t that you?" she asked. "You can see far ahead. Your shadow can scout. Your information is crucial."


    Leona nodded, the sparks from her full Stormwake armor giving her the look of a walking thunderstorm.


    "You''re also the strongest among us."


    Sylvia silently agreed, holding a thick tome. Her grey eyes glanced at him beneath white bangs.


    "And a sound strategist."


    Evangeline snorted. "You mean scheming and conniving..."


    Damon brushed his hair aside, the cold ash of the Pale Crown brushing his fingertips.


    He couldn''t tell them, those abilities of his were no longer safe to use.


    "You guys are so sweet. You shouldn''t have. You''ll make me blush... You guys suck too, might I add."


    Matia turned to the others.


    "I almost thought he''d let it go..."


    Leona didn''t even flinch.


    "I had no doubt he''d be rude."


    Damon raised the core in one hand, tossing it lazily through the air¡ªthen flicked it toward Evangeline.


    "While you all make strong arguments... the most useful here is Evangeline. Her Purge skill gives us all an edge."


    He closed his eyes, as if visualizing something rotting, vile, and cursed.


    "Lysithara is a city consumed by rot and corruption¡ªlike most ancient ruins. This isn''t some low-level dungeon. We''re walking into hell."


    He clenched his fist.


    "We could encounter relics, monsters, or fragments of beings that can taint us... her power is the only safety net. After all, when I was mentally contaminated... I would''ve died if not for her."


    Evangeline looked at him, unsure. "But this is your kill..."


    He nodded. "I know. This is my thanks for saving my life."


    Xander snapped his fingers. "That''s right! We did save him. Why did we forget that...?"


    Evangeline sighed, voice low.


    "Because we went through three days of him rubbing his victory in our faces..."


    Leona smiled dryly.


    "The bastard made me wish I''d let the Beldam eat me. Anything to avoid another day of that smug grin."


    Damon couldn''t help but smirk. They''d been through hell together.


    This was his way of easing the mood¡ªhis way of leading. As party leader, it was his job to keep morale high... to make them believe hope still existed, even if it didn''t.


    ''I can''t make them face their fears all the time... sometimes, I have to act like those fears don''t exist.''


    He clapped his hands.


    "Alright, people. Get some sleep. We leave at first light tomorrow. Might be the last night you sleep for a week or two¡ªdepending on how long it takes us to cross the forest, the Silent Marsh, and whatever hell we meet in between."


    Matia stretched out, lying on a rug.


    "I thought you said it was close."


    Damon smiled¡ªbusted.


    "Distance is all in your head. The journey of a thousand miles isn''t that far..."


    "This is no time for a figure of speech..."


    He smiled coldly.


    "It''s not. It''s literally a thousand miles away."


    Evangeline twitched. Her eye, her brow, her soul.


    "A thousand miles... in hell... before we even reach Lysithara."


    "This bastard..."

 Chapter 294 295: Now, Its Your Turn

    The forest was filled with whispers, just as it had been days ago before they all fell into the Beldam''s house. There was a faint fog drifting through the forest, and towering trees loomed like sentinels. The flora was as deadly as they remembered.


    Worst of all, this forest still hid monsters and horrors alike.


    However, this time, the odds were different. They were no longer a group of tired teenagers¡ªthey were now a heavily armed and well-equipped party wearing high-level magical gear.


    With enough supplies and well-rested bodies¡ªmore than that¡ªthey had a sure direction, a map, and a clear path ahead.


    The tree that had once been the Beldam''s house was slowly being consumed by the whispers. As the last of the Beldam''s power faded, the tree changed, regaining that eerie sensation¡ªlike a living creature watching them.


    Damon took a deep breath, his body covered in Pale Crown. The armor was in its Ascendant form, a light armor now refined and sleek. The ashen crown hovered like a halo above his head... When he heard the whispers, it was as if they were trying to gnaw at his mind, numbing him... but he knew they didn''t. It was merely the armor protecting him.


    He exhaled slowly, resolving himself. The task at hand would be grave.


    ''I''ll make sure we all make it to Lysithara... safe and alive.''


    A thousand miles wasn''t very far. If a normal human were to move without rest, it would take roughly thirteen days to complete the journey. However, that wasn''t taking into account that humans needed to sleep.


    If rest and stops were taken into consideration, it would take weeks.


    But none of them were normal humans anymore. They were all at their first-class advancement¡ªthey could cross kilometers in moments if needed.


    They were also all unique class holders, with a class only they possessed.


    Damon had given two weeks as an estimate. Not because they needed rest, but because of the terrain... and the monsters they''d have to face to reach their destination.


    After this, they would not be resting any time soon.


    "Alright, boys and girls, time to go. Remember the rules¡ªif it looks killable, we kill it. If not, run like hell."


    Matia, clad in Shattered Ice, remained in the Sovereign Mantle form¡ªheavy armor cloaked in an icy aura. Her figure was completely hidden behind its helm.


    "How do we know what''s killable?" she asked dryly.


    Damon smiled, finding her words amusing. "Because we''ll be alive."


    Leona chuckled, shaking her head inside her own heavy armor, her frame hugged tightly by the storm-forged metals.


    "That''s a great way of saying you don''t know..."


    Evangeline held her rapier, light stored within its core. Her body was encased in the Ascendant form of Duskglass¡ªa light armor of silver sheen with golden inlays. Her helm caught the dim fog-light like a mirrored moon.


    "Let''s go already..."


    Damon nodded as the group took formation. Xander and Leona moved to the front¡ªthe group''s heavy vanguard.


    Evangeline followed just behind in her lighter armor, acting as support.


    Damon kept close behind her, alongside Sylvia. At the very back, Matia marched in heavy armor. She was versatile, capable of wielding any weapon, but her main purpose was guarding Sylvia¡ªtheir seer, magic archer, and primary healer¡ªagainst sneak attacks


    Damon, as the party''s leader, stayed close to Sylvia for a reason. Any intel she provided would be vital for quick decisions. Evangeline acted as their secondary healer.


    Their movement through the forest was quiet, deliberate. All they had to rely on were the map and Sylvia''s insight. Damon couldn''t risk sending his shadow ahead¡ªif it was destroyed, it could kill him. Likewise, he couldn''t use shadow perception without risking detection from something powerful.


    They advanced in silence, slow and steady, until they reached a narrow path surrounded by jagged trees. Sylvia glanced toward Damon.


    "We need to stop..."


    He raised his hand, signaling the group.


    "Stop..."


    Xander halted, his heavy spear in hand as he eyed the twisted forms ahead.


    "These are smaller than the trees in the forest..."


    Leona nodded, her voice low beneath the whispers. Her face vanished beneath the helm of her Stormwake armor.


    "They also don''t have leaves."


    Sylvia nodded, activating her skill to appraise them.


    "Wraithwood Stalkers. Humanoid creatures... animated by the forest."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes. "Like undead?"


    Sylvia shook her head and opened the weathered journal.


    "There''s a passage here in the old travel journal."


    "Once a tribe of forest dwellers. When the Rot spread to the woods, they became obsessed with the forest. Eventually, they were enthralled by the rot-filled land. Even in death, they remained animated by its power. Masked like trees... glowing eyes... flesh of hollow wood and bark. They seek to offer living souls to the forest."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. "Weakness... and rank."


    Sylvia''s gaze stayed on the page. "They''re weak to light and fire¡ªit disrupts their bond to the forest."


    She raised her head.


    "Oh, and they''re the killable type..."


    Damon grinned, pulling free the Wyvern''s Fangs.


    "Just what I wanted to hear."


    The others drew their weapons¡ªtools forged from their ascendant armors. It was more accurate to call them Ascendant Weapons.


    The murderous aura they radiated caused the Wraithwood Stalkers, once hidden as trees, to react immediately.


    The forest twisted with movement. Withered trunks bent and shifted. From branches and bark, humanoid shapes formed¡ªgrotesque wooden figures with glowing eyes. Some crouched high in trees, massive like warped stumps, while others clung to bark like malformed limbs.


    The first one rose¡ªit stood two meters tall, wide as a trunk, its eyes a glowing, hollow green. Human-like wrinkles etched into its barken face.


    It raised a hand and opened its jagged mouth¡ªemitting a low, warbling shriek.


    Damon scoffed. "Let''s get ourselves some first-rank mana cores..."


    Xander surged forward, spear gripped tight. With a powerful swing, he sent one of the Wraithwood Stalkers flying.


    He cracked his knuckles.


    "I''ve about had it with monsters trying to kill us... Now... it''s our turn."

 Chapter 295 - 296: Wood Land Creatures

    Xander''s frustration was shared by the whole party. They had been running all this time¡ªafraid, cautious, haunted by the thought that everything could kill them.


    But now... now they could fight back.


    The feeling was liberating. To finally push back instead of retreat... to strike instead of survive. All their gear, all the mental torture, the endless horror¡ªthey finally had the strength to kill.


    Damon sighed. These things wouldn''t help him meet his level-up requirements, but at least he was cutting something down.


    ''Maybe if I devoured them... I could get some skills out of it.''


    He charged forward, falling into position just behind Leona and Evangeline in the center of the formation.


    "Stay in formation..."


    Xander raised his armored hand, pulsing with heavy gravity, and brought it down with a thunderous crash on a Wraithwood Stalker. Bark exploded. His face twisted in barely restrained rage.


    Leona''s body crackled¡ªher armor erupting in a blast of lightning as a Wraithwood Stalker lunged at her from behind. She raised her sword, and in a flash, her figure vanished¡ªreappearing in mid-swing just ahead of the creature.


    Damon raised an eyebrow.


    ''Right. Stormwake armor... enchantments let her teleport while swinging.''


    Her blade carved through the wooden husk, lightning trailing in arcs behind her. The creature''s body split in half, cauterized by the searing current.


    He watched her move¡ªrelentless, untouchable.


    ''She''s become a monster with that armor and weapon...''


    "How the hell''s anyone supposed to fight someone constantly radiating that much lightning...?"


    And that wasn''t even her full power. Her attribute was Storm¡ªmeaning she could manipulate rain, snow, wind, and ice if she wanted. She was that damn powerful.


    A sharp crack came from behind.


    Damon didn''t even turn.


    He simply raised the Wyvern''s Fangs in a backward guard, blocking the gnarled wooden claws of a Wraithwood Stalker aiming for his back. A moment later, a spear of ice punched through its chest.


    He glanced over his shoulder.


    Matia stood at the rear, already forming a new spear¡ªher Shattered Ice armor pulsing with magical energy.


    ''That armor of hers is really busted...''


    The ability to create any weapon¡ªand wield each as if it were one of the Ascendant Weapons. It wasn''t just versatility. It was overwhelming force.


    ''I bet the funds that should''ve gone into giving me a weapon went to that thing...''


    Unlikely. The Ancient Lord of Lysithara simply hadn''t needed a weapon. So Damon had inherited an armor that came without one.


    He turned fully, facing a small cluster of Wraithwood Stalkers slithering from the treeline, eyes glowing, limbs creaking.


    His hand tightened around the hilt of the Wyvern''s Fangs.


    The party didn''t seem to be struggling with the Wraithwood Stalkers at all. That gave Damon the freedom to stop worrying about them¡ªand focus on testing his new powers.


    Holding both Wyvern Fangs felt off. The jagged, curved bones weren''t designed for dual wielding. He returned the one in his left hand to his back and kept the other, gripping it in a firm single-handed hold.


    It was as long as a proper sword, and just as sharp.


    But it felt foreign.


    His usual fighting style¡ªfluid, unpredictable¡ªwas gone. Now, he moved stiffly, like a student imitating sword forms. His stance was rigid. His swings, overly precise.


    He could almost hear his father''s voice nagging him about the importance of the basics.


    No trickery, no cheap shots. No daggers slipping between ribs or sliding under a chin.


    These monsters didn''t have vital spots like humans. No soft throats. No lungs to collapse.


    They were walking wooden nightmares.


    He needed a better weapon. But all he had was this oversized fang.


    And a handful of fundamentals.


    "Guess I''ll have to make it work... learn through battle, fail, bleed, try again..."


    He smirked. The Stalkers looked slow now, their movements dulled beneath the weight of his murderous aura.


    Remorseless kept his mind calm, his logic clear.


    He shut out the violence his allies were unleashing around him.


    Evangeline''s magic flashed in the air. She had already left a graveyard of splintered corpses behind her¡ªbut she was clearly holding back. Giving the others space to vent.


    Damon exhaled.


    He didn''t want to rely on skills¡ªnot yet. He wanted to learn the sword. Earn it.


    He opened his eyes¡ªthen, betrayed his resolve.


    Omen of Dread flared to life.


    ''Yeah, right... I am giving it my all.''


    He couldn''t afford to die here. He had no talent for the sword. Not yet. But he was going to male it work... he had too.


    The aura of fear exploded outward. The Wraithwood Stalkers faltered¡ªtheir wooden faces twisted, human-like eyes wrinkling as if flinching.


    He smiled.


    Spinning the Wyvern Fang in his hand, he gripped it like a dagger instead of a sword and dashed forward.


    One of the Stalkers broke free of the aura and swung.


    Damon barely dodged. Instinct flared¡ªBeholder''s Gaze activated, slowing time for a fraction. He struck for what he assumed was its torso. The fang cut clean through.


    Green ichor spilled across the roots. The creature wheezed, as if trying to breathe¡ªthen collapsed, its eyes dimming.


    [You have slain: Wraithwood Stalker]


    He smiled. This¡ªthis was what first-class advancement was supposed to feel like. Rank-one monsters... nothing more than fodder.


    But the others didn''t care. They charged recklessly¡ªdriven by compulsion to guard the forest, to feed it with souls.


    One surged at him¡ªits fist drove straight through his chest.


    Only... there was no impact.


    His body dissolved into black mist. Untouched.


    He grinned, staring down at the Pale Crown armor.


    It had let the attack phase right through him.


    Raising his bone weapon, he swung wide¡ªhooked a Wraithwood by the neck and slammed it into another. Another leapt from the trees above, a crude wooden spear in hand.


    Too fast to dodge. Too late¡ª


    He smirked.


    His form flickered¡ªturned to shadow, becoming formless. The Stalker looked confused. Too slow. Damon materialized behind it, plunging his blade through its skull before it could react.


    "These two abilities together... they''re insane."


    He touched his temple, wincing. Using Shadow Form was disorienting¡ªbeing without a body was difficult to comprehend. He needed practice.


    If he could craft a technique around it...


    He''d be almost impossible to stop.


    "How does it feel," he asked softly, "to fight something you can''t touch...?"


    The remaining Stalkers stared at him, fear glowing in their wooden sockets. As if rallying courage, they turned to one another¡ªthen charged.


    Damon raised his hand, took a deep breath.


    "...Do you know how quickly wood burns?"


    Pain surged through him as Ashborn awakened. Black fire coiled up his arm. His pain resistance was high¡ªhe could use this once. Maybe twice.


    The flames exploded outward¡ªan inferno of darkness.


    [You have slain: Wraithwood Stalker]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points]


    [You have slain: Wraithwood Stalker]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points]


    ...


    The notifications kept flooding in.


    He smiled¡ªignoring the pain, welcoming the fire.


    Until it stopped.


    And he realized¡ªsomething was wrong.


    He looked down at the ash with an expression of horror.


    "...Where... the hell are my mana cores?"


    The answer was already burning inside him.


    The flames had consumed more than the enemy.

 Chapter 296 - 297: The Difference Between

    A few minutes had passed, with Damon silently lamenting the destruction of the mana cores. Ashborn was both flame and shadow... the shadow devoured flesh, but the flame? The flame obliterated the first-rank mana cores inside the Wraithwood Stalkers.


    A shame there were no more left to kill¡ªhe''d gotten carried away and burned them all at once.


    Using Ashborn was dangerous, but it was a powerful trump card. And with his new mastery in Pain Resistance, he''d wanted to see just how much agony he could endure. Even at level 3, the resistance barely dulled it.


    Any more, and he risked mental burnout. He''d have to avoid using it too often... unless he wanted his mind to snap.


    He paused, breathing out. Mental anguish. He wasn''t feeling it¡ªnot really. Not even after enduring ten times the pain of burning alive. His gaze dropped to the Pale Crown armor hugging his body. Passive. Light. Calming.


    It helped relive the anguish in his mind.


    Heavy is the head that wears the crown... Pale Crown was designed for the lord of Lysithara¡ªenchantments forged into the armor meant to ease the crushing weight of leadership.


    He sighed. He''d have to explain to Evangeline why he didn''t have any mana cores.


    "She''s so going to nag..."


    And then he''d have to explain to Sylvia why he was using Ashborn when it wasn''t even necessary.


    Another sigh. Turning around, he saw the others had finished off the Wraithwood Stalkers¡ªand from the looks of it, they''d carefully extracted the cores.


    His lips twisted. He was going to return empty-handed.


    He straightened his shoulders, adopting the posture of a party leader, and strode forward slowly.


    "Good job, everyone. We''ve all grown... Now, as discussed, half of the mana cores will be used for the group, the other half to empower Evangeline."


    The others nodded. Damon exhaled quietly, almost relieved. Maybe they hadn''t noticed he hadn''t added a single crystal to the pile.


    Leona tilted her head. "Where''s yours?"


    ''Damn it, Leona. She always notices...''


    He coughed, looking away. "Ahem... as I was saying, we will continue our march to the¡ª"


    Evangeline cut him off, frowning. "Yeah. I almost didn''t notice."


    Xander sighed, rubbing his temples. "Don''t tell me you''re hoarding them for yourself..."


    Damon gave a deadpan nod. "That''s exactly what I''m doing."


    Evangeline held out her hand, voice flat. "Well, give them. This was your idea, remember?"


    Damon placed his hands together slowly. "Ahem... in terms of mana cores... we have no mana cores."


    Matia let out a quiet sigh, already seeing where this was headed. She sat next to Leona, resting her chin on one hand.


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes. "Who is ''we''?"


    Sylvia groaned. "He used Ashborn and ended up destroying the mana cores¡ªalong with the corpses. I watched the whole thing. And worst of all, our fearless leader here was using that extremely dangerous skill without rhyme or reason..."


    She walked up to him, arms on her waist. "Am I right?"


    Damon muttered, "I think you''re a bigger stalker than the Wraithwood Stalkers..."


    "I heard that."


    "I wanted you too."


    Evangeline sighed, brushing back her hair. "Let''s just get going."


    Damon nodded, clapping his hands. "Great! We can divide the mana cores and be on our way¡ª"


    Evangeline raised an eyebrow. "We... means us. Not the guy who destroyed the mana cores. These were the weakest monsters here."


    Damon blinked, realization dawning on him.


    "No way... you guys aren''t still sour about me gloating after saving all our lives from the Beldam?"


    Xander snickered. "You killed a rank four monster with a single hit... surely you don''t need a few measly rank one mana cores."


    Damon glanced at Leona. She looked away awkwardly.


    "You did say that..." she muttered.


    He clicked his tongue. "Fine..."


    Sylvia couldn''t help but smile at his childish expression. This... this was the most relaxed they''d been in a while. It felt like a day back at the academy. Maybe, if they survived this hell, those days might return.


    She stood up and handed Damon a single mana core with a small smile. "Here. Have one. We''re not stingy."


    Damon grinned. "I have no pride, I''ll take it. In fact¡ª"


    "You pride yourself on having no pride. We know."


    They all said it at once¡ªexcept for Matia, who blinked, clearly hearing it for the first time.


    Damon smiled, crushing the mana core in his hand. Its magic surged through his body. Warmth spread through his mana circuit, his heart beat stronger, and his mana felt... purer.


    [Your shadow grows stronger...]


    Damon blinked. This was the first time he was hearing this kind of message from the system¡ª"Your shadow grows stronger." His shadow energy didn''t increase. No stat gains, no numbers. Just that phrase. It didn''t make sense... unless it wasn''t talking about energy at all.


    ''Was it referring to my soul...?''


    He paused, closing his eyes briefly as he focused inward. His mana felt smoother, more refined. Its flow was cleaner, faster. His body felt more grounded, more... whole.


    A pleasant surprise.


    Without hesitation, he picked up another mana core and crushed it, watching as the crystalline energy shimmered up and into his hand, flowing into his circuits like molten silk. His party didn''t stop him. They''d only been teasing earlier anyway. He grabbed another. And another.


    By the fourth core, he noticed it¡ªa small but noticeable shift. Not in his stats, but in quality.


    His muscles didn''t bulk up, but they felt denser. His body didn''t grow faster, but it moved with more precision. His soul¡ªor whatever that shadow part of him was¡ªfelt... tougher. More defined. Even his sight sharpened. The world had more edges now.


    He stared at his hand, curling and uncurling his fingers slowly.


    ''So this is the difference... this is why first class advancement are monsters compared to others. The ability to absorb mana cores doesn''t just boost stats. It refines you.''


    His eyes flicked to Evangeline. Her aura had become weightier, more forceful. She''d taken in the rank four core, and the others had agreed to give her extra on top of that. It made sense¡ªshe was becoming a proper first class.


    And Damon?


    He grinned darkly to himself.


    ''I''m going to have to squeeze her for every last one of those cores...''


    His eyes drifted to the treetops. The Whispering forest was still crawling with monsters. That meant opportunity.


    "We need to gather as many cores as possible before we reach Lysithara," he muttered.


    His hand clenched tighter.


    ''That place... it''s where my next step lies.''


    He didn''t know how, but the Pale Crown Armor was proof. Its weight... its voice in the back of his mind... it all pointed to something waiting in Lysithara.


    And now, the system had confirmed it.


    [Level Up Requirement: Mist Knight Souls Consumed ¡ª 0/10]


    He was certain, killing even one of them wouldn''t be easy.....


    "Lysithara"

 Chapter 297 - 298: Human Torche

    Their journey continued through the forest, formation tight and disciplined. With Sylvia''s skills guiding them, they avoided most of the powerful monsters and charted out a path... one that was relatively safe¡ªwell, it would be more accurate to say "relatively dangerous."


    The beldam''s map had been built around her routines. The hideous witch had marked out the areas with monsters she considered a threat... and those she didn''t.


    Which was helpful¡ªexcept the beldam was a rank four monster. So what she considered "non-threatening" could very well be the death of them.


    Damon had used his shadow to devour the corpses of fallen monsters, quietly stealing attribute points. He did so in secret, none the wiser.


    They encountered a few monsters of the first rank, but made short work of them, collecting their mana cores. There were moments they had to hide¡ªfrom lurking horrors that prowled through the thick mist¡ªbut those moments were rare.


    Although the constant skirmishes were beginning to wear down even their armor, surprisingly... the armor could mend itself.


    Their day in the Whispering Forest was drawing to a close. The sun was setting¡ªwell, not that they could actually see it. The forest had no sky, just a high canopy of gnarled limbs and creeping mist. But judging by how dim it had become, the mist thickening at their feet... light would soon die out completely.


    And with it would come the moonless night¡ªalong with whatever horrors lurked in the dark.


    There would be no rest tonight.


    Which was fine. Damon wasn''t about to make them stop anyway. What would be the point? Camping would only leave them vulnerable¡ªto monsters... or worse.


    He turned to the others.


    "Keep moving. Switch formation. Number Four, you''re behind me. Number Two, support position."


    Xander¡ªcalled Four¡ªnodded, his massive form shifting back in heavy Ascendant armor, metal plates groaning softly.


    Damon stepped to the front, leading the formation. He could see in the dark. That was why he was in front. Evangeline stayed close behind, her presence marked by her soft glow and the ever-reliable purge skill.


    They moved with discipline. Silent steps. Controlled breaths.


    The whispers of the forest grew louder.


    The deeper they went, the more alive the forest seemed to become. The mist began to rise slowly from the ground, curling around their boots like skeletal fingers. Damon felt a wrongness crawling along his spine. He couldn''t even point out where the feeling came from¡ªit was everywhere. All around them.


    He drew the wyvern''s fang, fingers tightening on the makeshift hilt.


    The others stopped. They felt it too. Of course they did. After all they''d seen, it was impossible not to.


    One by one, they quietly reached for their weapons.


    The mist drifted in thick sheets now, the forest whispering so intensely Damon''s ears began to buzz.


    He didn''t dare spread his shadow perception¡ªnot now. Not when the air itself carried faint, prickling traces of killing intent.


    Then it struck.


    From the mist, a pale, semi-formed claw shot out and wrapped around Damon''s neck, lifting him into the air.


    His feet dangled, throat squeezed tightly.


    He struggled to breathe, clawing at the limb. His hand flashed as he swung the wyvern''s fang in a sharp arc, but the blade passed through it¡ªit was mist, intangible and impossible to strike.


    He clenched his teeth, growling.


    Magic surged into the weapon. A second swing.


    This time, it connected¡ªhe felt resistance.


    He hit the ground hard, rolling through the cold, damp fog. Coughing. Eyes scanning.


    A blast of light tore through the mist from behind him¡ªEvangeline.


    Her magic hissed through the air, striking the vague shape in the fog. The mist recoiled.


    Then it began to form.


    Shape condensed from nothing¡ªsluggish, unnatural. A shapeless mass with glowing red eyes flickering within.


    Then it scattered¡ªbreaking apart into dozens of fragments.


    No... not fragments.


    Beasts.


    The mist had birthed creatures, each small and hunched with jagged limbs and long, curved fangs. Misshapen, almost feral.


    They were about the size of dire wolves.


    Damon blinked.


    And then realized how insane he must''ve gone¡ªbecause something the size of a dire wolf wasn''t "small" by any normal standard.


    For what it was worth... each of these mist-born things carried the aura of a first-class monster¡ªsame rank as them.


    And they were everywhere.


    Damon raised his hand, considering the use of a magic bullet¡ªbut in the Whispering Forest, even a whisper was too loud. He had theorized a faster, quieter variant of the spell... but this wasn''t the place for experiments. Not yet. So, up close and personal it was.


    "Number Three, what are these?" he asked, eyes narrowing as mist slithered around them like living fog.


    Sylvia nodded, her eyes glossing over as the invisible Journey Book revealed its truths to her alone.


    "Mist beasts... beasts turned to mist, their forms lost," she whispered. "They''re intangible... only harmed by magic. The light of day repels them... They''re the lowest of the mist dwellers. Their origin is¡ª"


    He slashed at one. "Just tell me a weakness."


    Sylvia bit her lip, guarded in the center of the formation by the others. "Light... they''re afraid of light."


    He looked to Evangeline. "Let there be light."


    She gave a nod, rapier in hand. The golden inlays on her duskglass armor pulsed to life, radiating waves of golden brilliance that illuminated the darkness.


    The mist beasts¡ªonce formless and gliding¡ªshuddered violently as the light hit them. Their bodies cracked like glass, splitting into wisps of fog that faded into the air.


    The ones further from the light disintegrated at the edge, but soon reformed in the darkness beyond the reach of her glow¡ªhiding behind trees, lingering just out of sight.


    Damon narrowed his eyes, his expression twisting in annoyance.


    "Where''s the damn mana cores?"


    Sylvia sighed. "That''s what I was trying to tell you before you rudely interrupted. These are the lowest of the mist. They''re not alive. They don''t have cores. They don''t even have a will... just phantoms of the forest itself."


    He clicked his tongue. "So we''re wasting our energy on fog..."


    Evangeline looked at him, wary. "But won''t they keep following us?"


    "They will," Damon nodded. "But don''t worry. We have our very own walking torch."


    He smiled at her with a glint in his eyes. "You''ve been munching on mana cores like candy... Time to earn your keep, freeloader."


    Evangeline''s lips twitched. "Wait... you''re not seriously going to make me keep this up all night, are you?"


    Damon placed a hand over his armored chest, feigning scandal. "I''m aggrieved that you would think so little of me."


    She smiled, visibly relieved¡ªonly for him to continue. Right he was a jerk not heartless.


    "You''ll be doing this every night."


    All the others turned toward her slowly.


    Their eyes glowed with deep, solemn pity.

 Chapter 298 - 299: Missing Names

    Evangeline''s eyes were wide, dark circles staining the skin beneath her beautiful golden irises. Her exquisite face was marred with soot and dust, and yet... even then, it did nothing to diminish her beauty. When Damon said he was going to make her walk for those mana cores, he wasn''t kidding.


    Her head throbbed from the strain of using mana without pause... her legs ached from the unending battles... she hadn''t closed her eyes or rested in four days.


    That''s right¡ªfour days.


    That''s how long they had gone without rest. Four days of fighting, surviving, barely clinging to their sanity. Beyond the mental strain and trauma of battle, they had to endure the presence of things... strange and eldritch... horrors that twisted the world around them.


    People were surprisingly... adaptable. Even unimaginable fear and terror¡ªafter enough time¡ªjust became normal. Maybe that''s what made humans terrifying in their own right... or maybe they''d all just gone mad.


    The sun had risen, a pale thing above the mist-choked trees. She didn''t need to light up the area herself, but the forest remained no less dangerous.


    Between the unceasing whispers and that pale sun that couldn''t pierce the veil of trees and fog, this place felt like it existed outside the world they once knew.


    She glanced at Damon. He had a small smile on his dried lips...


    She was certain now¡ªthey''d all gone mad. And Damon, who led them without hesitation, was the maddest of them all.


    "Now that I think about it... has he ever been sane...?"


    Not that she could recall. He always did whatever he pleased. It was stupid in hindsight¡ªsomeone who refused to conform to things he didn''t accept...


    Especially back when he was weaker...


    She wondered what kind of will and resolve drove a man to such lengths. Or was it because he was sure¡ªso sure¡ªthat he wouldn''t die? That he couldn''t be killed?


    She shook her head. That was doubtful.


    "Maybe he just didn''t care if he died..."


    And if that was the case, then her feelings shifted¡ªfrom admiration... to sadness.


    What could''ve driven a boy her age... to have no regard for his own life?


    Her gaze remained on his back. He walked forward like he didn''t doubt¡ªnot even for a moment¡ªthat he would live through this hell. He accepted the horror. He accepted the suffering. But not death. He had accepted pain... but he refused to believe it could kill him.


    Her golden eyes narrowed slightly as he came to a halt. He turned to them.


    "There''s something ahead..."


    They all drew their ascendant weapons. Ready for another battle. One of many.


    In the past four days, sometimes they ran. Sometimes they fought. Sometimes they bled. And sometimes... they hid. Whispering prayers to whatever god might listen¡ªhoping they would be ignored by whatever nightmare lurked too close.


    Damon smiled thinly, his eyes as dark as ever.


    Their reactions had become fast. Automatic. Gone were the weak academy students¡ªnow, they were something else entirely.


    He glanced at the academy-issued bracelet on his wrist. It was still counting points, accumulating like it was still part of a game.


    "We aren''t under attack... not yet at least..."


    He pointed just beyond the fog.


    "There''s something there... I see runes and rock... I think..."


    He couldn''t be sure with the mist this thick... but one thing was certain.


    He saw statues.


    They say fortune favors the bold... but in the Whispering Forest, that saying might very well lead to a horrible demise.... Or worse.


    It was for that reason Damon and his party approached with caution¡ªevery weapon drawn, every step measured.


    For safety, they all equipped the third form of their Ascendant armors¡ªeach of them covered from head to toe in thick, heavy plating. It would hinder their movement, slow their escape if things went south... but it might be the only thing that kept them from being killed in a single hit.


    At least, Damon hoped so.


    Some monsters could tear through even enchanted steel like wet parchment.


    The mist ahead of them slowly parted as they advanced. The damp leaves underfoot gave off a soft, wet rustle with every step, muffled but ever-present.


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes, her gaze flicking to the worn map in her hand.


    "We''ve arrived... this is one of the forest shrines," she murmured.


    Xander glanced up, his gaze sweeping the eerie, hollow space. It was a ruin¡ªabandoned, broken, forgotten. Massive runes had been carved into the rocks. Statues, monoliths, all in pieces, shattered by time or something worse.


    The place was exposed to the elements, a circular structure open to the pale sky.


    "More like the ruins of one..." he muttered, voice low.


    Damon took a slow step forward, eyes scanning every shadow.


    "Let''s check it out," he said, his tone calm but firm. "This is a sign... we''re close to Lysithara. The architecture¡ªdefinitely that of the ruined city."


    Evangeline gave a small nod. Her armor shifted, the heavy plating receding and becoming lighter as it adapted into its second form. The edges of her steel shimmered faintly as her rapier snapped into her grasp.


    She turned toward one of the cracked monoliths forming a ring around the clearing.


    "Let''s enter, then."


    Damon nodded in return. His voice was quiet.


    "Keep your wits about you..."


    He stepped forward, crossing the invisible boundary of the shrine¡ªwalking right past the first monolith. The moment he did, he felt the world ripple.


    It was subtle, but unmistakable.


    A familiar sensation washed over him. The tingling hum of arcane power brushing against his skin... the telltale feeling of crossing a barrier.


    What lay before him looked the same¡ªstill the shattered shrine, still the broken circle of stone¡ªbut now...


    Something had changed.


    The mist had cleared.


    The whispers were gone.


    And in their place¡ªsilence. A thick, unfamiliar silence that pressed against his ears like a weight. After days of hearing constant voices in the mist, the quiet felt unnatural.


    But that wasn''t what froze him.


    All across the ground, there were traces of battle. Dried blood. Gouges in the stone. Weapons left behind. And corpses... so many corpses.


    Some had been ripped apart. Others shattered like glass. Some were little more than withered husks... and a few had already rotted down to skeletal remains.


    They wore armor, now dulled and caked in grime. Some wore robes, shredded and stained.


    This wasn''t a scouting party.


    This had been a full force.


    And something had killed them all.


    Sylvia stepped closer, her voice catching in her throat. Her eyes stopped on a particular figure slumped against one of the monoliths¡ªa corpse still in armor.


    Or... what remained of it.


    Its helmet had fallen off.


    Its head... had no face.


    No eyes. No nose. No mouth.


    Just smooth, pale skin stretched where a human face should be. Yet somehow... somehow it was still unmistakably human.


    A single word left Sylvia''s lips, her heart freezing over.


    Its fate was obvious.


    "...Face Stealer."

 Chapter 299 - 300: Forest Mission

    The Face Stealers...


    How could Sylvia not know what these vile creatures were? They weren''t exactly commonplace, but they weren''t rare either. These faceless horrors plagued all nine continents, pale-skinned and shaped like humans.


    She paled, staring at the bodies¡ªonce people, now faceless, nameless, stripped of identity.


    Her mind echoed with a passage from the old travel journal:


    I can no longer remember their names or faces. The forest had taken them¡ªor so we assumed. By the sixth month of the expedition, we had stumbled upon the nest of a group of Face Stealers. These creatures, normally solitary, had defied expectations. They had formed hordes. Many of us fell¡ªour names and faces taken. The battle was dire. We wiped out most of these vile abominations... save for one. Too weak, we thought, to pose a threat.


    We sent a hunting party to finish it. But we''ve forgotten their names... their faces... slain by the creature.


    Loathe as I am to admit it, we lack the resources to pursue vengeance. We cannot even bury our lost. They belong to the forest now. We can only pray the Lady of Death grants them peace. We shall all return to Doom''s embrace... though I pray it is not yet our time.


    Sylvia felt a flicker of relief. If the journal was accurate, then most¡ªif not all¡ªof the Face Stealers here were dead. At least her friends wouldn''t have to face something that could rob them of something as irreplaceable as their identity.


    Damon narrowed his eyes. "This place is pretty well preserved. The battle must''ve been years ago."


    Evangeline knelt beside a corpse, eyeing the faded emblem etched into dulled armor and rusted weapons.


    "They''re from Valtheron. Houses tied to the imperial cabinet..."


    Damon''s eyes sharpened. "That''s obvious. But why would the imperial cabinet¡ªor even the emperor¡ªsanction a clandestine mission into the Whispering Forest?"


    He directed the question to Evangeline and Xander¡ªboth from powerful grand duchies, their families wielding influence rivaling the imperial throne.


    Evangeline shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. The cabinet has more secrets than stars in the sky."


    Xander scoffed. "As if they''d tell that to a bunch of teenagers."


    Leona stepped closer, her expression tight. "These bodies are old. Might not even be from this era¡ªor at least not recent years."


    Matia pulled off her helm, her braid falling over her shoulder. "And it wasn''t taught in any history class I know."


    Damon sneered, rising from where he''d inspected a corpse. "Why would the imperial propaganda machine ever talk about their failures?"


    He dusted his hands off, voice flat. "History class never teaches the truth. Only a set of lies everyone agrees on."


    Xander''s gaze hardened, his noble pride flaring.


    "How dare you blaspheme the Imperial Family?"


    Damon met his glare with an icy stare. "Screw the Imperial Family."


    Bound by honor, oath, and pride, Xander drew his spear with a sharp whisper of steel.


    "You dare... take that back."


    Damon didn''t even glance his way.


    Before blood could spill, Evangeline stepped between them, her sword raised at Xander.


    She knew Damon wouldn''t back down. His resentment toward the imperial family ran deep¡ªtoward all nobles, really. And pushing this now would only end in disaster.


    Damon sighed... this was one of the reasons he didn''t like Xander. But just like Xander couldn''t discard his ideals, neither could Damon let go of his defiant resentment...


    Evangeline stood between them.


    "We don''t have time for this. We aren''t in the academy anymore. As for why the imperial cabinet or the imperial family sent this many people to a death zone... that''s not our concern right now."


    She glanced at Damon. "As party leader, you know that well."


    Damon scoffed, feeling slightly irritated.


    "Yeah, right..." he muttered, walking over to a corpse and picking up the sword of the nameless knight. It was rusted, brittle... for all intents and purposes, it was a dead weapon.


    Damon glanced at the crumbled corpse.


    ''I wonder if my shadow can eat something this dead... they''ve been gone for at least a few decades or more.''


    He shook the thought off. He would try that later¡ªafter they left. He''d send his shadow back... hopefully it would gain a skill, or at least some attribute points.


    Sylvia walked past him, raising her hand to the others.


    "Hey, come check this out..."


    Damon raised his head, discarding the old sword. None of the weapons were any good for him anyway.


    He glanced at the others... they had scattered slightly, though he could still tell Xander was sour about his disregard for imperial authority.


    He began walking toward Sylvia when Evangeline suddenly grabbed his arm¡ªher golden eyes glaring at him.


    "I don''t know what your issue is... but sometimes, it''s good to know when to bow your head."


    Her voice was almost a whisper.


    "It''s fine because it''s us... but anyone else, anywhere else¡ªand what you said would be considered treason. Le?se-majeste?."


    She took a deep breath, her eyes softening slightly as she looked at Damon with a trace of worry before walking ahead of him.


    "You might not care... but this is just Xander''s way of looking out for you. Be careful."


    Damon sneered. He already knew that. He had always known that.


    He smiled faintly. "What can they take from me... just my little life. At least I die as myself¡ªunchanged, unbroken."


    Evangeline opened her mouth but said nothing. Her eyes merely flickered with concern.


    By now, the others stood before a broken monolith, staring at the words inscribed with a strange mix of reverence and dread. Damon frowned.


    ''What''s with them...?'' he looked at the strange language carved into the stone. It looked familiar.


    ''Come to think of it... isn''t this the same language as the system panel?'' He had never really paid it any mind¡ªuntil now.


    It was like a fog had lifted. The system panel... it hadn''t been written in his native tongue.


    These words... they weren''t just written. They were translated directly into his soul.


    The first part was familiar. Anyone who worshiped the goddess knew them by heart.


    It was the last part that gave him pause. A chill swept through him, like he stood on the cusp of uncovering something dreadful.


    Sylvia''s eyes glazed over, blood dripping from her nose¡ªbut Damon was too enticed by the words to even notice.


    The monolith read:


    Hail Minerva, Goddess of Doom.


    Lady of the Inevitable.


    Mistress of Final Judgment.


    She Who Weighs the Scales.


    Bearer of the Black Thread.


    The One Who Watches from the End.


    Mother of Dread and Silence.


    Queen of Shattered Realms.


    She Who Writes the Last Law.


    Matron of War Unending.


    Lady of Death.


    The Fate Unyielding.


    The Hand Behind the Curtain of Destiny.


    Hail the Goddess of the Abyss, Bride of the¡ª


    The last line...


    It wasn''t something he knew. It wasn''t just unfamiliar¡ªit was wrong. Distorted. Heavy. Like it didn''t belong.


    Bride of the¡ª


    It broke off there.


    The monolith itself had shattered¡ªas if that final phrase was a burden too heavy for even stone to bear.


    Damon''s eyes drifted to the last line of the writing... it was signed:


    Ashcroft.

 Chapter 300 - 301: Divine Will

    The Goddess of Doom had many titles... she was the Goddess of Doom naturally. Her titles were comprised of everything that fell into the broad definition of the word doom¡ªthus, her titles.


    She is the living embodiment of doom¡ªits inevitability, its terror, and its authority. Not merely a herald, but Doom personified, encompassing every aspect of the term: fate, judgment, destiny, dread, death, and law. All of it. Everything that could be defined with the word doom.


    ''Lady of the Inevitable''¡ªthat signified her authority over Destiny, absolute and unchanging. One could never defy Destiny... even if they went against Fate.


    As ''Mistress of Final Judgment'', she passed down the final decree... beyond which, there was nothing.


    Damon could think of all her dreadful titles... all the horror of her power... but never had he seen or heard of the title¡ª


    Goddess of the Abyss.


    Never in his life had anyone referred to Doom as the bride of anything.


    He narrowed his eyes.


    Was this title saying she was the bride of something? Maybe a concept? Or was it... an entity?


    The goddess was often depicted wearing a veil, but her veil seemed more like a widow... not a bride.


    He could think of one¡ªbride of Chaos or bride of Destruction¡ªthat would still fall under her domain and would still be her title... but if she was the bride of someone... something... then that would be a whole other story.


    Damon bit his lip until blood flowed.


    That was doubtful. The former had to be it. He just... couldn''t confirm it.


    Which left the original title:


    Goddess of the Abyss.


    ''The Abyss has to be a word to define what happens when something is destroyed...''


    Yes... that had to be it.


    This was the Queen of Shattered Realms, after all. The goddess who brings an end to worlds. Every world supposedly had a story about how it would end... and Doom was always the reason for it.


    Her authority was absolute... in every world, every reality... stories of doom coming into being always exist. Every world had tales of how the world would end...


    This was merely Doom''s authority.


    Damon wasn''t very religious, but his heart still pounded. He felt like if he thought too much, he might touch upon something terrifying... something that would cause him to be erased.


    Not killed¡ªerased.


    He took a deep breath, forcing his mind to shift focus¡ªlocking in on Ashcroft''s name... completely ignoring any horror his friends would have been feeling. He could hear their horrified breaths, the way their silence cracked around them...


    But he could only focus on the name of the one who had dared to carve these words down.


    ...The arrogant demon lord from myth, whose existence was always debatable.


    The Demon Lord of Domination¡ªAshcroft.


    The one who had almost conquered the known world...


    Why had the Demon Lord of Domination carved these words into this stone monolith?


    Ashcroft was only born after Lysithara fell. He didn''t exist in that era... if anything, he too should''ve stumbled upon the ruins like they did.


    ''Then does that mean... he was real?''


    Ashcroft had actually existed.


    According to legends... he died here. In Soltheon. In the temple of the Goddess, where he had spoken blasphemous words...


    Damon also recalled a prophecy left by the Unknown God.


    A prophecy that had promised the demons:


    "The Dominator shall return."


    Till this day, demonkind waits...


    ...along with any fool who believes the tale.


    Waiting for Ashcroft¡ª


    ¡ªto usher in a new era.


    "Arrhgg..."


    Damon heard the gasp beside him¡ªsharp, wet, cutting through his thoughts like a blade. It broke him out of his reverie. He turned around, just in time to see Sylvia staring at the invisible journey book... floating in front of her.


    Her nose and eyes were bleeding.


    She raised a trembling hand, a scream twisting out of her throat¡ªand then her head smashed against the monolith with a sickening crack.


    Damon froze.


    He wanted to move. He should have moved.


    But he... just couldn''t.


    His body would not obey.


    His soul screamed, his instincts roared, but nothing answered.


    Behind him, the others were just as still. Every muscle locked, every breath caught in their lungs, as an aura slowly began to bleed out from Sylvia.


    The book... visible only to Damon... glowed with the mark of the Unknown God. Its pages flipped with no wind, moved by an invisible power. The weight of that presence suffocated the air.


    Sylvia stood up, covered in blood, screaming in agony.


    Damon wanted to move.


    He grunted, forcing his will to rise, but his body and his will were misaligned¡ªdisconnected. None of them dared move.


    Even the shadows remained still.


    But from his own shadow, Damon felt the swirl of something else¡ªsomething alive and alien and wrong.


    Not evil.


    Just... wrong.


    Like reality had cracked.


    No one made a sound.


    For a moment, it was as if the world had relinquished its authority to the book... and Sylvia... she was no longer just Sylvia.


    She was a vessel.


    A mouthpiece.


    A truth.


    Slowly, she walked toward an empty monolith nearby. Unlike the others, its surface was smooth¡ªunbroken¡ªuntouched. As if it had waited for this.


    She raised her fingers.


    Then carved.


    Her blood became the ink. Her bones snapped under the pressure. Yet she did not scream. She whispered instead... whispering the words she etched into stone.


    They all heard her.


    Her voice¡ªa tragic sigh of someone recounting a tale long buried¡ªcut through them, soft and haunting.


    Her eyes had turned black. Swirling like the abyss itself.


    They knew not to look.


    And luckily, she wasn''t looking their way.


    Still, they heard.


    They were forced to hear.


    "...The Weeping Star came first, and the god who gives names devoured its light. All names that followed were lies."


    "...The Weeping Star came first, and the god with no name devoured its light. All names that followed were lies."


    "...To speak his name is to invite him in."


    "...So the goddess took it, carved it from the hearts of men and cast it into the void."


    "...In oblivion, she bound them. In silence, she damned herself."


    "...He called her Bride, but the veil she wore was never white¡ªit was woven of false fates."


    The god who blessed names hated his own...


    Ohh, tragic tale of the abyss and his bride...


    She turned.


    Slowly.


    To face him.


    Damon''s head dropped instantly¡ªinstinct overriding thought.


    He could not look into those eyes.


    He would not.


    His body trembled.


    He felt alone.


    Truly alone.


    Left in a dead, godless universe to face something unimaginable. Something that wasn''t even malicious¡ªjust unknowable. A thing beyond dread. Beyond horror. A concept that horror itself would flee from.


    And then¡ª


    It ended.


    Just like that.


    A sound echoed. Soft. Final.


    Sylvia''s body collapsed to the forest floor, her breathing faint... but alive.


    Still... no one moved.


    They all remained frozen.


    Mortals, locked in the grip of something ancient and unknowable, their hearts scarred by a fear that would never leave them.


    Not ever.

 Chapter 301 - 302: A Righteous Lie

    Damon did not know how long they all stood there unmoving. He didn''t even know if his perception of time still existed, or even if he was still himself. All he knew was his heart didn''t even feel like it was pounding.


    It was only after Sylvia stood up, looking around¡ªher face still covered in blood¡ªthat she frowned a bit, as if she didn''t realize what was happening. She stood up, confused, her brow raised.


    "Emm... is there any reason why you guys aren''t moving?"


    Sylvia''s confused expression and her words seemed to pull them back to reality. It was almost as if their sense of fear finally returned.


    Their legs gave out, trembling with beads of sweat... their faces were almost lifeless...


    Damon forced down the fear, his head buzzing. He looked at Sylvia, who was covered in blood, but she looked alright. She wasn''t even hurt. She had used her fingers to carve the words she was saying into the monolith...


    But now her fingers looked fine. Her head¡ªwhich she had bashed into the monolith¡ªwas unhurt, only covered in blood. But she didn''t even seem to notice.


    Damon looked at her, his body wouldn''t stop trembling. From the terror...


    "Y...y... are you okay?"


    Sylvia looked at him with an expression of confusion.


    "I should be asking you that... you guys don''t... I mean, you guys are... you look like you''ve seen a living nightmare."


    Damon looked at her, his eyes widened with fear and shock...


    ''She... she doesn''t remember...''


    He knew Sylvia well enough. True, she was picking up some of his less-than-savory habits, but even then, he could tell if she was lying... Right now she was just confused why they all looked so horrified.


    Leona looked at her...


    "You... I... yo... we... are covered in blood..."


    Sylvia blinked. "What are you talki¡ª"


    She paused, her eyes wide. Her armor''s awakened shell¡ªher Ascendant armor¡ªwas matted with blood, its fabrics slick with red...


    She did not understand where the blood came from.


    "This... when..."


    Evangeline looked at her.


    "It... the blood is yours..."


    Sylvia looked horrified, her hands suddenly trembling. She didn''t remember anything. She couldn''t. The last thing she remembered was reading the last line on the monolith...


    The line that had called the goddess of doom... the goddess of the abyss... When she read that part, everything had gone black...


    Now here she was, supposedly covered in her own blood. Her friends looked like they''d seen something horrible¡ªsomething terrifying beyond what words could define...


    While she was covered in blood¡ªher blood¡ªyet she remained unharmed. If anything, she felt better than ever...


    Damon stood up, his hands trembling. He bit his lips to suppress the shaking. Even his Remorseless skill didn''t dare kick in...


    That was how horrible, it had been.


    He placed his hands on her face...


    "Are you okay..."


    She nodded slowly...


    "I... I am fine... I don''t know..."


    She couldn''t be sure... Hearing her say those words, Damon nodded. He held his trembling hands. The others were all on their butts... fear in their eyes...


    He took a deep breath, slowly sitting down on the ground...


    For a few minutes, there was silence.


    Leona slowly spoke... not addressing anyone in particular.


    "Wh... what was that..."


    Damon bit his lips. He was hoping no one brought it up... he didn''t even want to think about it.


    But sometimes it was best to share one''s fears. He couldn''t deny them that relief...


    Matia lowered her head into her knees.


    "I don''t know... it... it felt like I was looking at the end... not like dying... just... the end..."


    She bit her lips, her eyes wide... "It was looking at me..."


    Evangeline gritted her teeth. "It wasn''t attacking us... I just couldn''t even imagine doing anything... I didn''t even dare feel fear..."


    She pulled her golden hair. "Why... why did something like that have to be here... why, why..."


    Xander looked at the sky... "It felt like a god... but not... it felt good, benevolent, right? But so evil... so wrong..."


    Sylvia lowered her head...


    "I was possessed, wasn''t I... by it..."


    The others were all quiet... Xander bit his lips...


    "Thi... this is something the temple would know how to handle best..."


    Sylvia paled. The others all lowered their heads...


    Involving the temple was the worst possible outcome...


    Damon sucked in a breath of cold air... the kind that bit at his lungs and sent a shiver down his spine. What they had seen here today was more than enough for the temple to want them dead a million times over... and Sylvia... her getting possessed? That alone would be enough for the High Clerics to brand her as an abomination.


    Even if she was born into power¡ªeven if she stood at the summit of noble bloodlines¡ªthe temple wouldn''t hesitate.


    They''d send assassins in the dark. The kind who didn''t miss.


    Damon stood up, his legs barely cooperating. He had to protect her. Somehow. He forced a laugh, dry and hollow, scraping past his throat like sandpaper.


    "A god... yeah right. As if a god would possess Sylvia," he muttered, shaking his head with exaggerated disbelief.


    "I can''t believe you guys didn''t realize it when it was so obvious..."


    They all turned to him, eyes wide, clinging to the hope in his words, desperate for a reason¡ªany reason¡ªthat would make what they saw easier to swallow.


    "That wasn''t a god," Damon continued, his tone sharpening with each word, "It was the same horror that attacked me earlier... if I had to guess, it''s because Sylvia has spirit affinity. That''s why it managed to get to her."


    Their expressions shifted¡ªless shock, more realization. Still frightened, but now clinging to reason like a lifeline.


    "Spirit affinity makes her vulnerable to possession," he said slowly, eyes fixed on the broken monolith smeared with dried blood. "Especially if her heart is full of doubt..."


    He pointed to the ruined stone monolith, his hand trembling slightly.


    "Sylvia''s heart must''ve cracked the moment she saw the monolith referring to the goddess with such... blasphemy. That doubt¡ªit must''ve opened a gap inside her... the horror used that gap to slip in and take control."


    He clenched his jaw as he finished spinning the lie.


    "If I had to guess... it used her to carve those words into the stone. But it didn''t kill us, so it left. Possessing Sylvia must''ve cost it something....or we weren''t killing..."


    The silence that followed was heavy, but not empty.


    Their shoulders dropped. The terror in their eyes softened into a cautious understanding. If it wasn''t divine, then maybe it was just something that could be fought... avoided... even defeated.


    Xander let out a shaky breath, head lowered. Dark rings hung under his eyes like bruises from a nightmare that refused to fade. A tear slipped quietly down his cheek.


    "It... it was just a trick... thank the goddess..."


    Damon nodded slowly, his face unreadable. But deep down, he knew what he''d said was a lie.


    That thing hadn''t just been a trick. Sylvia hadn''t been possessed by some random spirit. No, she''d been used¡ªcontrolled by a divine artifact. One capable of channeling a god''s will, even if only briefly.


    True she wasn''t possessed by a god...but she still carried out his divine will.


    He turned his gaze to the monolith, the words etched in blood still flowing faintly on stone.


    ''I was right,'' he thought. ''The unknown god has plans for Sylvia... but why? What isn''t she telling us... what did she do to be given such a vile gift?''

 Chapter 302 - 303: Not Ignorance

    Whatever lingering fear had existed began to fade... they had been dealing with an incomprehensible entity¡ªbut if it was something they could understand, something they could grasp, then the fear was no longer unimaginable.


    Fear was an ancient emotion, and the oldest kind of fear... was the fear of the unknown. But if it was known... then that fear lost its edge.


    Damon had eased that fear. Even as he carried the horror in his own heart¡ªa silent burden only he would carry.


    He felt as if the ashen crown on his head grew heavier.


    Truly... heavy was the head that wore the crown. Those responsible for the lives of others... were bound to the heaviest of burdens.


    That was, of course, assuming they cared enough... about those they led.


    He knew the truth¡ªmost of the nobility in his world... to put it in lighter words¡ªwere scum.


    ''To think a mere street urchin like me has the noble duty of leading blue bloods.''


    Nevertheless... he soon found himself standing before the monolith. The words were written with Sylvia''s blood. She was uninjured. Unhurt. Her fear had come slowly, gradually¡ªonly settling in after the others explained what had happened.


    Four hours had passed since then.


    He didn''t look at her, even though she stood beside him¡ªstaring at the strange inscription, written in a language they could all read, yet none of them could write.


    This language didn''t just speak to the mind... it touched the soul. Damon could understand it... but he knew, somehow, he could never write it.


    "Weeping Star..." she muttered, her voice low. "What do you think this is about...? It gives me a feeling of tragedy... and the inevitability of fate..."


    Damon looked again at the words... written in her blood, yet this was not her handwriting. It was too perfect. Too beautiful. Not something a mortal could have written.


    He turned the question back to her. "What do you think it means...?"


    Sylvia paused. "I think... it''s a poem. It''s sad too. I don''t understand all of it though..."


    He nodded, trying to make sense of it himself.


    "Tell me what you think."


    She nodded slowly, shaking her head as if uncertain. "I can try..."


    "...The Weeping Star came first, and the god who gives names devoured its light. All names that followed were lies."


    "...The Weeping Star came first, and the god with no name devoured its light. All names that followed were lies."


    She paused again. Her grey eyes met his darker ones.


    "It must be tragic... being the Weeping Star. It was devoured by the god who gave names..."


    Damon nodded. "I actually think... the god who gave names is the Weeping Star. I mean... if the Weeping Star came first, then who gave it that name? Wouldn''t it make more sense if the god who gave names was first... and named himself?"


    Sylvia held her chin thoughtfully. "Then... why would he devour his own light? Maybe... the Weeping Star wasn''t even an entity. Maybe it was a phenomenon..."


    Damon shrugged. Nothing really made sense when it came to gods...


    His eyes moved to the next line.


    "...To speak his name is to invite him in."


    Damon didn''t need to guess who it was¡ªhe and Sylvia had the same thought. The god whose name was now gone.


    "This line is probably talking about the unknown god, isn''t it...?"


    Damon nodded. "I don''t think the Weeping Star and the god who gave names are different. They''re probably just titles for the same being... the unknown god."


    She continued reading in a small whisper, voice barely above breath.


    "...So the goddess took it, carved it from the hearts of men and cast it into the void."


    "...In oblivion, she bound them. In silence, she damned herself."


    "...He called her Bride, but the veil she wore was never white¡ªit was woven of false fates."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. The goddess took it...


    He knew¡ªshe was the one who had taken away the freedom to use all magic. She had bound every soul to only one attribute.


    ''Was that... because of the unknown god?''


    Sylvia didn''t know what he was thinking. She spoke slowly, her eyes low.


    "The other monolith called the goddess a bride... but never finished the thought. But here, the unknown god calls her bride... and says her veil was never white. It was... woven from false fates."


    He narrowed his gaze.


    "So... what are you saying? The goddess defied him? Refused her fate as his bride...?"


    Sylvia nodded. He lowered his voice, a whisper.


    "You trying to tell me the unknown god is throwing a temper tantrum because he got rejected?"


    Sylvia shook her head. "I... I don''t know. But... he hated his name."


    She read the next line.


    The god who blessed names hated his own...


    "If he hated his name," she muttered, "then maybe he let doom take it. Made himself an unknown god..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. "That would make sense... I was almost under the impression the goddess was stronger..."


    Sylvia shook her head. "I find that doubtful. I think... when you reach their level, the concept of strength becomes irrelevant. Just another idea they''ve already surpassed..."


    Then came the final line. The one that confirmed the most important speculation:


    Ohh, tragic tale of the abyss and his bride...


    "If the goddess defied him, then why is she called the Goddess of the Abyss? Why is their tale tragic?"


    Damon shook his head slowly. "I don''t know... but I do know this: when the Temple of Doom finds out what we''ve seen, said, or even thought here... we''ll be victims of a tragic story too."


    Sylvia bit her lip. She knew it. She knew the name of the unknown god¡ªnot just his title, but his actual name...


    She bit her lip harder.


    "To know his name is to let him in... What happens if someone in our world actually knows his name?"


    Damon shook his head. "I don''t know... they''d probably let him in."


    He didn''t say anything more. He only hoped Sylvia didn''t actually have the name of a god living in her head.


    The only name permitted was that of the Goddess of Doom¡ªand even that was only spoken aloud by High Clerics during the largest of ceremonies.


    He turned around, holding her hand. Ignoring anymore dangerous thoughts. His silence was leadership, not ignorance.


    He did not wish to end up like Ashcroft.


    "All our speculations are wrong. We saw nothing. We were never here."


    He said it loud enough for the others to hear.


    "Let''s get out of here. This shrine gives me the creeps..."


    They left silently... almost eager to.


    But Damon''s shadow remained behind. Slowly, it began to devour the corpses¡ªone after another¡ªuntil every faceless corpse was swallowed into it.


    It stopped in front of the monolith... for an instant, as if it hesitated. As if it... resigned itself.


    Then it slithered after Damon, leaving the shrine''s territory.


    Moments later, the sound of leaves being crushed underfoot echoed faintly.


    From one side of the shrine... a creature stepped out.


    White-skinned. Bipedal. Its body smooth, surface unmarred. Fingers long and pale. Its face¡ªor lack of one¡ªwas blank. No eyes. No features.


    It approached the monolith with fear. With reverence. It bowed slightly, then bent forward¡ªfingers gliding toward Sylvia''s spilled blood still clinging to the cold stone.


    It brought the blood to its face, touching it to where lips should have been...


    And slowly... the blood formed lips. Delicate. Feminine. Lips similar to Sylvia''s.


    It smiled.


    Then the blood faded. The lips vanished.


    It stood, looking in the direction Damon and his party had gone.


    And followed.


    Slowly... it followed.

 Chapter 303 - 304: Danger Sense

    Damon had long since stopped contemplating what they had seen and heard... he had chosen to ignore it.


    Focusing on their current problems was far more important than trying to make sense of something as far and distant as gods. He already had enough mortal problems¡ªhe didn''t need to add divine ones to the list.


    He walked, the giant axe slung casually in his hand. Two days had passed. Two days without rest.


    Though honestly, it had been six since they left the Beldam''s residence. So close to a week with no real sleep. They had come across horror after horror, fought battle after battle... yet they were still alive.


    There were a few reasons for that.


    The first was their strength¡ªeach of them possessed a unique class. The second was Sylvia''s skill. The third would be the Beldam''s map.


    But the most important one... was luck.


    That was all it was. They were still alive simply because they were lucky.


    Other than that, Sylvia''s skill had changed somehow. Damon could feel it.


    It was subtle¡ªbut it was like the elf girl could now use it more freely.


    Almost as if she no longer had to pay a price for the knowledge she gleamed from it.


    He narrowed his eyes, frowning faintly.


    ''Did she pay in advance... when she was possessed...?''


    Damon couldn''t tell. The nature of Sylvia''s skill was still a mystery.


    He sighed.


    Things were still fine. There was no need to go digging for more trouble.


    He continued on, walking at the center of the formation.


    Speaking of skills... he had gained a few of his own.


    He''d sent his shadow to devour the nameless, faceless corpses of the dead knights. It had returned with some shadow energy¡ªbut it was negligible, almost insignificant.


    ''They''ve been dead for too long... that''s why I didn''t get much...''


    He''d also gained some stat points¡ªbut the numbers were pitiful. Sometimes, he got none at all.


    However, it hadn''t been a fruitless endeavor.


    He had gained two new skills.


    [Skill: Faceless]


    [Description:]


    The face is a lie. The name is a leash. The soul is a chain. Those who wore none could not be bound¡ªneither by fate, nor memory, nor death.


    The Face Stealers did not kill to feed. They devoured to erase. And now, that curse has become part of you.


    Your presence is like mist in the wind¡ªfelt, but never grasped.


    You are no one.


    You are everyone.


    You are forgotten before you are even seen.


    They will look... and forget.


    They will hunt... and find nothing.


    [Effect:]


    Distorts the world''s perception of the user¡ªerasing sight, magic, voice, and presence. Even unique abilities leave no trace.


    But the longer it remains active, the more it distorts the user''s own sense of self.


    [Type:] Active


    [Cooldown:] 0 seconds


    It was an active skill. Its power would grant Damon the ability to distort his appearance¡ªnot in the physical sense, but in perception.


    In his own eyes, he would remain unchanged. But to others... he would become like mist.


    They could look at him, but they wouldn''t be able to connect what they saw.


    Like trying to grasp fog with your hands¡ªclose, yet so far away.


    However, the skill was dire. Honest. Dangerous.


    Damon wasn''t sure he wanted to pay its price.


    If he used it for extended periods, he risked losing memories¡ªperhaps even forgetting himself entirely.


    ''I don''t need this right now... but when we eventually go up against the Temple... it''ll be invaluable.


    A perfect skill to keep my identity hidden while letting me use all my signature skills and abilities without reservations...''


    He walked on, silent, deep in thought as his shadow stretched behind him.


    The entire party was vigilant. Watchful. Tense.


    The next skill... the next one had been part of the luck that kept them alive.


    It was truly a godsend.


    [Skill: Danger Sense]


    [Description:]


    Bound by honor and duty the knights swore secrecy. As they began this mighty undertaking, they swore to find traces of Ashcroft''s return and perhaps that which the visitors had shared with the Lysithara...


    Once again the children of Aetherus lust after its promise of power... though they will never reach it... forever they remain oblivious to the dangers.


    [Effect:]


    Grants the user a heightened awareness of immediate threats. Hostile intent within close range triggers a subtle instinctive reaction... too much can be overwhelming. The dangers everywhere are sensed although just as fickle as the word of the visitors... do not put too much faith in this skill. Some dangers are beyond you.


    [Type:]


    Passive/Active


    [Cooldown:] 0 sec


    The skill was incredible... but in the Whispering Forest, it was both a gift and a curse.


    A gift¡ªbecause it allowed him to sense danger.


    A curse¡ªbecause danger was everywhere.


    The moment he entered this wretched forest, the skill had become a screaming buzz in the back of his skull¡ªwarning him of threats from every direction.


    And there were so many directions.


    Too many.


    Some dangers whispered softly. Others howled. But the worst were the ones that buzzed like an angry hornet behind his eyes.


    Fortunately, though it was a passive ability, it could be deactivated.


    So Damon used it sparingly¡ªonly when he needed to tell if a place was safe, less dangerous, or a complete death trap.


    He had forced himself to get used to the noise.


    He''d endured it.


    Endured the shrieking warnings that pressed against his senses like a thousand invisible daggers.


    And honestly, it was that decision¡ªthat luck¡ªthat had kept them alive.


    He thought about the skill''s description again...


    It mentioned why the knights came to this death zone.


    ''They came here searching for traces of Ashcroft''s return...''


    Damon''s eyes narrowed slightly.


    ''So that means... the Demon Lord of Domination is actually real?''


    "Of course he was. The monolith was proof enough..."


    But it didn''t end there.


    They were also searching for what the visitors had given Lysithara.


    Whatever it was... Damon had a gnawing feeling it was that very thing that had twisted the once-great city.


    That had flooded it with rot and corruption.


    It wasn''t just monsters or decay.


    It was design.


    Intent.


    He could feel it¡ªwhatever it was, it had fed their lust for power. Spreading to the rest of the world


    It was why the ancient cities of Aetherus now lay in ruins...


    Damon was lost in thought¡ªuntil he felt a buzz.


    His danger sense flared.


    Mild... yet intense.


    A soft vibration just beneath the surface of his skull¡ªlike static brushing against bone.


    "Curses..."


    The voice didn''t come from Damon.


    It came from Xander¡ªwho stood frozen ahead, staring up into the trees.


    Damon rushed forward, his boots thudding against the moss-covered ground.


    "Damn it! Don''t look at her¡ª!"


    But it was too late.


    Xander had already looked.


    So far, they had avoided this vile species of monster.


    So far, they''d survived by doing so.


    But now... it was too late.


    She hung from the tree, suspended by threads that looked like woven flesh.


    Her limbs dangled like broken branches, her head tilted to the side at an unnatural angle, hair like dried grass clinging to her face.


    This was one of them.


    The Hanging Mother.


    Slowly she fell... towards the forest floor.

 Chapter 304 - 305: Hanging Mother

    The Hanging Mother was a horror common in the Whispering Forest.


    The old travel journal had mentioned them¡ªvague, hurried scrawl between blood-stained pages. It even spoke of their weakness. A cruel irony, really... knowing what to do didn''t always mean you''d live long enough to do it.


    She was a monster that only reacted when observed.


    To that end, it was eerily similar to a horror from Lysithara known as the Weeping Angel.


    Once seen, it dropped from the trees.


    And once it touched the ground... it killed everyone.


    The only chance was to run before that happened.


    Unfortunately for Damon and his party... they wouldn''t be so lucky this time.


    Perhaps their luck had run out.


    But Damon wasn''t about to let that happen.


    He gripped the giant axe tightly, the hilt biting into his palms as the Hanging Mother began to fall¡ªher hair like dried weeds, tangled and lifeless as she descended in silence.


    Then she screamed.


    A sound that carved through bone.


    That ran its cold fingers along his spine and curled around his soul.


    Even so¡ªhe didn''t stop moving.


    "Run now..."


    The others didn''t hesitate.


    They''d survived too much to falter now.


    They ran¡ªnot away from the Hanging Mother, but toward her falling form. Straight past her.


    Damon surged forward, his boots digging deep into the mossy earth as he activated the [5x] skill to speed¡ªhis body becoming a blur.


    His speed was now fivefold what it had been.


    He raised the massive axe¡ªnot to strike, but to anchor.


    He slammed it down with all his force, burying its head into the forest floor just as the rest of his party passed by him like a gust of wind.


    He closed his eyes.


    He felt her falling.


    The Hanging Mother''s withered limbs swaying, her form descending directly above the anchored axe.


    And then¡ªimpact.


    She fell onto the axe.


    Her feet didn''t touch the ground.


    The axe groaned.


    Its steel cracked.


    But it held.


    Damon clenched his teeth, arms locked, his muscles burning under her monstrous weight. The blade tilted... the metal shrieked.


    But he refused to let it fall over.


    Through the mist, his companions vanished, one by one.


    As soon as the last of his friends disappeared into the thick fog¡ªthe axe shattered.


    Perfect timing.


    Damon dived into the shadow of a tree, his body vanishing as if plunging into a pool of ink.


    [Shadow Movement] activated.


    He flowed through the darkness like liquid thought¡ªthrough the interconnected web of shadows beneath the forest.


    The Hanging Mother shrieked, her kill stolen, her hunger unmet.


    Damon''s body shot out of the shadows right beside a fleeing Evangeline¡ªher armor shimmering faintly, its glow deepening the shadows around her, guiding his escape.


    He tumbled out from the darkness, heart pounding like a drum against his ribs.


    That had been too close.


    He turned to Xander with narrowed eyes.


    "You owe me a giant axe. For each day you don''t pay... there''s a 70% interest rate..."


    Xander smiled, relieved¡ªclearly happy to see him alive.


    "That''s daytime robbery..."


    Leona chuckled, lightning sparking softly along her armor as it cracked with residual static.


    "That''s the usual rate I get. I thought you''d charge him more."


    Damon ran after them, a smirk tugging at his lips.


    "I was feeling generous..."


    They ran¡ªthrough roots and fog, trees stretching like claws overhead.


    Six days they''d survived in this cursed forest. Six days of adapting. Of bleeding. Of escaping death by moments.


    Evangeline and Sylvia exchanged a glance, a faint smile passing between them.


    Once again, they had dodged death.


    As they continued, something shifted.


    The whispering¡ªthe constant, maddening whispering¡ªbegan to fade.


    Low.


    Faint.


    Almost... quiet.


    Leona''s beast-kin ears twitched first.


    "I smell water... The whispers are lower here..."


    Sylvia''s elven ears flicked slightly as she reached for the map secured to her pack.


    "We... we''re here... We made it. We made it to the Silent Marsh..."


    Matia took a long breath, her shoulders sagging with pain and exhaustion.


    "We are almost at Lysithara..."


    Evangeline''s eyes fixed on the marsh¡ªjust beyond the mist.


    "This is the final obstacle..."


    Damon nodded slowly... but he knew better.


    More obstacles would come.


    This forest never gave anything easily.


    Yes¡ªLysithara was just beyond the marsh. Behind a wall of trees, concealed by mist and madness.


    But this place... this place might be worse than all that came before.


    He turned to the group, voice low.


    "We can''t talk past this point... In this marsh, even a whisper can mean death."


    He narrowed his eyes at the silent fog ahead.


    "Make no noise...


    Or you''ll become part of the silence."


    Damon gave all of them a small lecture on the dos and don''ts of the Silent Marsh. He had already covered it back in the Beldam''s Nest, but he went over it again.


    They all listened solemnly¡ªno one seemed eager to go in anyway.


    Damon nodded, activating Danger Sense as he approached the final part of the forest. The moment the skill kicked in, he felt it¡ªa buzz just as intense as what he''d felt in the Whispering Forest. Danger was everywhere.


    He scowled, eyes narrowing as he shut the skill off.


    As he looked at the marsh ahead, it was... silent. The mist here wasn''t as thick as the forest''s, but that didn''t make it safer.


    Large plants with broad, waxy leaves sprawled out across the ground, hiding the terrain. A few thin, skeletal trees jutted from the waters like broken spires. Stagnant pools stretched far into the distance, dark and slow-moving, choked with moss and reeds. Glowing patches of grass and wet moss clung to the land in uneven clusters, casting an eerie light that flickered like dying fireflies.


    The marsh was silent¡ªdeathly so. He couldn''t tell which part was land, which part was shallow water... and he sure as hell couldn''t tell what horrors might be hiding in between. All he had was the rule carved into his memory, passed down from those who''d barely escaped this place.


    Once you step onto the Silent Marsh... never make noise.


    And never... never, ever look back. No matter what you hear.

 Chapter 305 306: Dont Think Of It

    The ground in the Silent Marsh was sticky and muddy... the air was bleak and dark, and mist covered most of it...


    The moss glowed in some parts, and the air was humid¡ªso much so it irritated the nose. Perhaps that was why Leona found this silent place almost as intolerable as the Whispering Forest...


    Her nose felt irritated...she felt the mist irritate her nostrils with every breath she took.


    She pressed her hand to it. She made no noise. Honestly, none of them did.


    In the Silent Marsh, noise could mean death... luckily, they had taken a potion from the Beldam''s Nest that allowed telepathy¡ªtemporarily.


    Leona felt lighter knowing she could still communicate with the others in this soundless world.


    Moving through the marsh wasn''t easy, so she shifted her armor into its first form¡ªturning it into a lighter fit, more fabric than plate, covering only her vitals.


    Even with telepathy, they remained silent in the marsh...


    Damon leapt from one patch of glowing moss to another, holding the fang of the wyvern in his arm like a sword.


    Leona couldn''t help but think about how rigid he was when using a sword¡ªit was like he was obsessed with following the formal route.


    She couldn''t even afford a sigh, lest she make any noise... the Silent Marsh wasn''t too big. They should leave this cursed place in a short time.


    ...Until then, silence would reign supreme¡ªfor all their sakes.


    Or so she thought.


    Until she heard a footstep behind her¡ªsomething emerged from the water. There was a deafening splash, or rather, it seemed deafening, due to the deep silence.


    Leona suddenly felt a strong compulsion to turn her head and look at what was behind her.


    Her head slowly began to turn.


    "Don''t look back..."


    Sylvia''s voice echoed in their heads. Leona''s gaze remained forward, sweat beading down her temple.


    ''It''s a Nameless One... don''t look at it. Don''t think of it. Don''t acknowledge it... and most of all, don''t speak of it. I''ll be cutting off communications¡ªjust to be safe...''


    Damon stepped forward onto another glowing patch of moss, nodding silently, never looking back. He agreed with Sylvia''s decision.


    Leona took a deep breath. ''Don''t think of it...''


    That would be difficult. Especially since she could feel its gaze... and its breath on the back of her neck...


    She suddenly found herself thinking about everything she knew of them...


    No one knew what they looked like. They had no known weakness¡ªsave one: do not see them. If you do... you will be lost.


    She tried not to think. But the more she fought it, the more it crept in.


    And then... from behind, she felt something slowly touch her hair, lifting a few strands... she felt it sniff her hair, letting out a warm, damp breath on her nape.


    Her face paled. She almost jerked around on reflex¡ªbut stopped herself, continued walking...


    "Think of something else... think of something else..."


    But that was getting harder with every second. The more she tried not to think of it... the more she did.


    She gritted her teeth, too afraid to make a sound...


    She wanted to gulp¡ªbut feared it would make a noise. Her eyes shut tight. Something touched her head¡ªas if it were climbing her shoulders...


    It was.


    Because she suddenly felt weight on her shoulder. And when she glanced down¡ª


    She saw what appeared to be legs, dangling¡ªas if something was seated on her shoulder.


    She closed her eyes, resisting the urge to use magic and eviscerate everything in the vicinity.


    Instead, she focused on Damon¡ªhe was in the lead. She forced herself forward, hopping from one patch of moss to the next, step by step...


    Not daring to even glance at her reflection in the thick, murky waters of the marsh.


    She passed the others, and the weight vanished from her shoulders. A sigh escaped her lips¡ªrelief, pure and raw.


    Then she heard it. A familiar voice


    A gentle, masculine voice from behind her.


    ''Leona... you can always tell how strong someone is by how much they eat...''


    Her father''s voice.


    She nearly turned¡ªnearly snapped her neck back¡ªbut caught herself. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as she moved to stand beside Damon.


    She closed her eyes.


    Think of something else... just think of something else.


    The tension in her body began to ease. Slowly, deliberately, she allowed herself to drift¡ªsomewhere distant, some corner of memory she could lose herself in.


    And then, just as her nerves began to untangle, the irritation in her nose returned with a vengeance.


    A gust of breath slipped out.


    She sneezed.


    It was a small thing¡ªbarely even a sound in any normal place.


    But in the Silent Marsh...


    It was a bang.


    Damon''s eyes snapped open, wide with horror.


    Leona''s blood turned cold as she clutched her nose, her expression frozen.


    She couldn''t have stopped it.


    And then¡ª


    A rustle.


    From the thickets of the marsh, something emerged. A black blur, fast¡ªunnatural.


    It burst through the plants.


    A hulking shape, its skin pitch black, stretched and veined. Its wide mouth hung open without sound, a shriveled circle where eyes should''ve been. No eyes¡ªjust torn skin and folds. A hunched frame dragged itself upright as it turned toward Leona.


    Every nerve screamed.


    Run.


    She bit her lip, hands tightening around the hilt of her Ascendant Sword. She stepped forward.


    If this was her end¡ªso be it. Her friends would live.


    The thing darted forward.


    Fast. Too fast. Faster than anything she could dodge.


    She raised her blade anyway.


    But just before it reached her¡ª


    Damon.


    He grabbed her. One hand over her mouth and nose, muffling her breath. The other sealed his own face, locking them both in silence.


    The creature stopped.


    Inches away.


    Silent.


    Breathing heavy. But not from its lungs.


    It loomed, soundless, head twitching unnaturally. Its skin stretched as it leaned close, too close.


    Leona stared at Damon.


    And in her eyes¡ªapology.


    He shook his head.


    Still.


    Unmoving.

 Chapter 306 307: Old Haunt

    Damon didn''t even dare breathe. Neither did he look at the creature in front of them. He shut his mouth and pinched his nose closed, his other hand gently doing the same for Leona.


    He could feel her trembling, even though she remained completely still. The others had frozen too¡ªmotionless, not even a twitch. Each one of them kept a hand over their mouth and nose, holding in their breath.


    The creature made no sound. Its maw hung open, revealing a long, grotesque tongue that slid out¡ªslowly reaching for Damon. It slithered across his face in a deliberate, testing motion. The thing had no eyes¡ªcompletely blind to the world around it.


    He felt the sticky drag of its tongue trail across his skin, thick with vile-smelling mucus that burned his senses.


    Still, he didn''t move.


    His lungs tightened, screaming for release as the air within begged to be let out.


    Even his shadow stood still¡ªas though it were lifeless.


    But he couldn''t risk it. If they breathed... if they made even the faintest sound, the creature would drag them into the suffocating silence of the marsh.


    Damon''s heart had gone cold. He prayed the telepathy potion hadn''t worn off yet...


    With his eyes tightly shut, he reached out with his mind¡ª Matia...


    For a moment, she didn''t move. His heart sank. If the potion had worn off, she wouldn''t know what to do.


    But then... ice shimmered.


    Matia''s ascendant armor fractured with a quiet glimmer, and slow streams of cold air began to seep out around them¡ªdropping their body heat signatures to match the marsh''s frigid surroundings.


    The creature lifted its head, confused. Its tongue curled back in. It sniffed, or whatever the blind thing used in place of scent.


    It slithered forward, brushing its grotesque form against Evangeline, then slowly turned away... fading into the fog like it was never there at all.


    Damon''s hands shook as he slowly released Leona''s mouth.


    The others moved too, their faces pale with dread.


    Damon let out a silent sigh of relief.


    Leona looked at him and mouthed, "I''m sorry..."


    He shook his head. It wasn''t her fault. No one could be blamed¡ªnot here.


    At least they survived.


    He stood, reaching for a vial of the Beldam telepathy potion and took a quick sip before passing it to Leona. She drank and passed it around until the last of them had taken their share.


    Their minds connected.


    Be careful... we''re almost across the Silent Marsh... This is the last stretch. If we get careless... we''ll die.


    No one responded through the link. They all just nodded in grim silence.


    Damon exhaled again, finally soothing his burning lungs. The wretched smell of the slime on his face made him gag. He crouched low into the marsh, dipping his hands into the murky water.


    He began to wash his face slowly, careful not to make a sound. The others watched in silence, too shaken to move.


    Then his hand dipped into the water again¡ªthen froze.


    His eyes widened in horror.


    He hadn''t seen them.


    How... how could he have missed it?


    Right next to him, just inches away, was a vast, motionless creature submerged in the water. Its reptilian eyes stared directly at him¡ªunblinking. Its scales were the same color as the swamp, perfectly camouflaged. Its fangs were as large as his hands.


    It didn''t move. It didn''t need to.


    It was watching.


    He paled and began to slowly back away, heart pounding in his ears. Its eyes still locked on him.


    Daring the risk, he extended his shadow perception outward¡ªdespite knowing the danger.


    And then he saw them.


    His breath caught.


    All around them¡ªbeneath the marsh''s surface¡ªthe same type of creature waited in silence. Dozens... maybe more. Watching. Waiting. Ready to drag them into the mire.


    They had been there the entire time.


    Stalking them like prey.


    Even they didn''t dare to make noise in the marsh.


    Damon backed away, gripping the Wyvern''s Fang tightly in his trembling hands.


    They had been this close to death... all this time.


    He glanced at the patches of glowing moss dotting the swamp floor.


    Those... those were the only things keeping them alive.


    He took a deep breath... silent, he moved to the next bright patch of moss...


    The others followed, leaving the area with silent dread, weapons brandished¡ªready to fight for their lives at any time.


    They moved through the moss without any issues, the creatures hidden beneath staring at them... hoping... praying they''d fall into the murky water.


    Damon made sure they didn''t¡ªcombining different spells from each of them. The most useful were Sylvia and Evangeline''s use of light and foresight. Next came Matia''s ability to freeze water and allow them to pass unharmed.


    With the murky water frozen solid, they walked over it without issue.


    They could already see the end of the slimy marsh in sight¡ªsoon... all their troubles would end.


    But Damon knew better than to let his guard down. The closer one was to their goal, the more reckless they became.


    Even so, he could feel his party becoming elated with the thought of finally leaving this silent hell...


    Damon bit his lips... the edge of the marsh was right there. The vast tree line ahead¡ªhiding what would be Lysithara.


    Yet he couldn''t relax... not until he heard a voice that should never have been in the Silent Marsh.


    "It''s just like you to expect the worst in everything..."


    Damon froze¡ªhis legs almost gave out when he heard that voice in front of him.


    It was a voice he thought he would never hear again.


    His lungs stalled, his legs trembled¡ªalmost giving out beneath him.


    No...


    That voice... it was impossible.


    It couldn''t be...


    He shouldn''t have.


    After all... he had killed and devoured the man himself...


    It was him.


    Exactly as he remembered.


    Every detail.


    Right in front of his eyes stood a man holding an old hunting bow with a gentle smile on his face... he looked just like Damon remembered...


    His eyes widened¡ªbetraying emotions he thought he had long since buried...


    The name came to his mind... but his lips did not dare utter it.


    This was one of the only people who had ever shown him kindness.


    Carmen Vale...

 Chapter 307 - 308: Mire Of Self-Doubt

    They say the dead never die...


    Damon never believed that. After all, all who died never returned¡ªat least as far as he knew. That was why even seeing Carmen Vale right in front of him... despite the shock of it all, like seeing an old haunt...


    He still knew this wasn''t real. It was just an illusion conjured by the marsh. It wanted to breed doubt in his heart... it wanted him to make noise... to break the silence of the marsh with its ghost.


    Why else would it bring out the memory of the kind hunter?


    His beard and face still looked the same as Damon remembered. The old man still just as well-built, wearing the same worn hunting gear from that day... the day they met... the day Damon killed him.


    Damon lowered his head...


    Carmen smiled. "Why can''t you look at me, little fella... are you feeling guilty...?"


    Damon bit his lips and continued walking forward... surrounded by glowing moss... his party right behind him. They didn''t seem to see the kind hunter.


    "I suppose you won''t... after all, you don''t have a conscience... how could you? You killed someone who only showed you kindness..."


    Carmen''s smile faded. He stepped in front of Damon.


    "No surprise you would awaken a class as vile as Death Dealer... a merchant in blood... a dealer in death... it''s all you know how to do¡ªtake."


    Damon paused, his body refusing to move. His party behind him stopped as well, waiting... watching.


    Sylvia sent him a telepathic message.


    "Is something wrong..."


    He shook his head, walking around Carmen.


    The hunter smiled. "My poor daughter... she was orphaned for no reason... simply because I decided to help you... a strange kid in the woods..."


    Damon bit down harder... the taste of blood on his lips.


    He knew it was all in his head. Even so... he wanted to defend himself... but no words came.


    ''I... I was... I was just trying to survive...''


    He thought the words¡ªbut no sound came from his lips.


    "You did, didn''t you?" Carmen said coldly. "By killing someone who had never done you harm... I wasn''t even indifferent to your pain like the others... I was trying to help you..."


    Damon nodded slowly.


    "I know... I know... I... I didn''t..."


    "You didn''t what?" Carmen spat, his voice suddenly sharp¡ªharsh in a way the real Carmen never was.


    "Didn''t mean to kill me? You did. You knew from the moment you got that power¡ªit demanded human souls and flesh. And what did you do? You trapped yourself in denial. You were complacent. You were weak. And I had to pay the price..."


    He paused.


    "No... Iris had to pay the price. You took her father away from her..."


    "How do you even look her in the eye and lie..."


    Damon trembled. Even with the tactical precision of the Remorseless skill, his emotions surged, unable to be suppressed.


    He walked across the moss, his face pale and his steps heavy.


    "Did you think taking her under your wing would make up for it? You pushed her down the path of an avenger¡ªgave her a long list of enemies to kill¡ªbut you forgot to include yourself... her so-called teacher..."


    Damon''s heart went cold. Carmen...


    He gritted his teeth.


    Carmen looked past him, to Damon''s party.


    "You must be hungry again, you cannibal..."


    He gestured behind Damon.


    "These fools are following you... maybe they should know you''re a monster too. The moment you get hungry¡ªthey''re food."


    Damon''s hands trembled. He was hungry. But he wouldn''t... he wouldn''t eat his party.


    Never... never...


    "I won''t... I won''t... I have..."


    "Not changed. By the time this is over, one of them will die by your hand. That¡ªI promise you."


    Damon took a deep breath... his eyes burning.


    "I won''t... I won''t... You aren''t even the real Carmen Vale. You''re just all my doubts taking shape..."


    "Am I"


    He looked up, thoughts louder¡ªfirmer.


    "This part of the marsh is called the Mire of Self-Doubt. You''re just my doubts."


    Damon raised his head higher.


    "I can''t make peace with my past, so I continue to move forward. I''m not Carmen Vale, so I can''t embody his philosophy¡ªbut I can make mine..."


    "Kindness is reciprocal... but so is malice..."


    He stood taller, eyes sharp. "I carry my shame and my doubt like a mantle... even if they eat away at my flesh. I carry every name I''ve slain as a shadow in my heart... never forgetting."


    Carmen looked at him quietly...


    Then vanished¡ªdissolving into mist that spread outward, flowing over the others in his party... each now trapped in their own illusions.


    Some more intense than others, but as they reached the end... of the marsh, they all remained themselves¡ªkeeping their doubts to themselves, save for one.


    Matia''s fist remained clenched, the doubts had hammered away at her in the shape of her father... so much she wanted to scream. Even so, she remained ¡ªstalwart... unshaken...


    As they reached the edge of the marsh... the water changed, darkened, and her father''s voice echoed¡ªlow, accusing¡ªas she overcame her doubts...


    "You will die, Matia, you will lose those wings you didn''t give to your brother..."


    Matia felt herself falling¡ªwithout end. Her head bleeding, her vision hazy as she looked up at a bleak, colorless sky... she felt herself being dragged into a timeless darkness...


    She saw her corpse... she saw her party mourn... her death... she saw Damon''s eyes¡ªdark and lightless... She saw something beyond her death... and her name carved in stone...


    She jolted¡ªher head trembling as she ripped herself away from the illusion... her skull throbbing like it had been cracked open... it felt so real...


    She bit her lips, hard¡ªblood welled up¡ªas she finally heard a sound she didn''t think she''d ever hear again... it was the howling wind... she felt the ground turn solid beneath her boots...


    Damon stood in front of them¡ªhis fist clenched¡ªhe turned around for the first time since they had walked into the silent marsh...


    "We made it... we made it across the marsh... we made it... we are just three kilometers away from Lysithara..."


    Xander stabbed his spear into the ground, leaning heavily on it...


    "We... we actually survived a death zone... we survived the Whispering Woods... we''re almost... home..."


    The others followed, collapsing to their knees. A week of sleepless nights, hunger, fear, and horrors too painful to name¡ªall crashing down at once.


    But they had made it.


    They were still alive.


    For now.

 Chapter 308 - 309: The Last Obstacle

    The tree line was silent¡ªno rustle of forest critters, no flapping wings, not even the wind. Only the distant howls of horror echoing from beyond the shattered city gates broke the stillness.


    The gates had once stood proud, towering more than sixty meters high and just as wide. Silver, etched with countless ancient runes, they had been marvels of craftsmanship. Now, they lay in ruin, shattered into fragmented greatness¡ªas if kicked down by a mighty titan. Their remnants littered the ground like fallen relics of a forgotten age.


    The sky overhead was bright, but bleak... a pallid gray that seemed almost too vivid compared to the eternal gloom of the Whispering Forest. Here, ruins of broken man-made constructs sprawled in every direction, silent reminders of a civilization long lost. Despite the epochs and the brutal passage of time, shrines still stood nestled along the inner wall¡ªmoss-covered and cracked, but enduring.


    The stone walls surrounding the ruin had not collapsed. Carved with symbols, they remained strong, untouched by whatever horror had ravaged the gate.


    The air was thick with the scent of dust and death. Damon could feel it¡ªrot, dread, and something older, buried deep within the bones of this place.


    All around them lay corpses. Some were so ancient even Damon could not fathom when they''d fallen¡ªnothing left but brittle bones, gnawed clean by scavengers or worse.


    Among the skeletal remains were behemoths, their twisted forms broken and scattered.


    The more recent dead were easier to identify¡ªtheir weapons and armor still partially intact, their bones fresh.


    "Redcap goblins... a few war trolls... and more than that¡ªlesser demons..." Damon muttered under his breath.


    Xander stood beside him, encased in the silver-gray armor of the Bound Colossus.


    His heavy spear rested in hand, his massive presence like that of a titan trapped in human flesh. Just standing near him made the air feel heavier, as if gravity itself bowed to his weight.


    "No surprise. If they were sent to scout a death zone, the demon army would''ve deployed more than a single regiment. They must''ve sent many."


    Evangeline nodded. Her duskglass armor shimmered in its Ascendant Form¡ªa perfectly balanced blend of mobility and defense. Golden inlays glowed softly along its surface, casting warm light against the grim backdrop.


    "Which is good for us," she said quietly. "Imagine if we had to deal with more of those things. We would''ve all died..."


    Leona, encased in heavy storms forged plate, held her helm in one hand, her sword sparking with tendrils of lightning.


    "I''m not so sure about that," she said, a faint smirk tugging her lips. "With our current strength, we can wipe out all of them."


    The others didn''t argue. Power-wise, they were already at the peak of their First-Class advancements. They''d slain countless horrors without rest. Monster after monster. Beast after beast.


    They say those who fight monsters become monsters themselves... and Damon''s party had long since crossed that line.


    A dreadful force... yet in this place, there were things far more dreadful still.


    Matia remained quiet, encased in her Shattered Ice armor. Its Sovereign Mantle form looked lighter than Xander''s, but she radiated a suffocating, silent cold. Her very presence was enough to freeze breath in one''s lungs.


    Damon said nothing. His danger sense was flaring. Every instinct screamed not to cross the broken gates of Lysithara.


    But they had to.


    Lysithara held a teleportation gate¡ªor perhaps a waypoint. If it still functioned, they could use it to return to safety. Even if it didn''t, the far end of the city past its walls was known to be less dangerous. If they could cross, they could reach the outskirts and make it back to Brightwater. The Dukedom was just beyond.


    "What do you think killed them?" Leona asked, her voice low.


    "I don''t know, Leona... but from the look of it, most of them died to weapons. This one here¡ªhe has a sword wound..."


    "A single strike, too," Sylvia added softly.


    She was relieved they could speak each other''s names again¡ªbut even so, the words felt heavy on her tongue, as if the city itself was listening.


    Damon stared at the fallen corpses. Only one remained untouched by scavengers¡ªleaning against the wall, sword at his side, armor still whole though battered.


    "We''ll find out soon enough, won''t we..."


    The moment the words left his mouth, the knight stirred.


    With a groan of rust and a grinding hiss, the figure stood. His armor was dented and broken, his sword clutched in hand. Red light glowed beneath the visor of his helm. The blade he raised was rusted, etched with runes so ancient and vile that Damon''s blood ran cold.


    Mist began to rise around the knight¡ªthick, unnatural... deathless.


    He spoke, voice low like a distant hiss carried on the wind:


    "You shall not pass..."


    Damon pulled out the Wyvern''s Fang and willed his Ascendant Armor into its second form, regal plates curling up along his limbs, with the ashen crown hovering on his head like a broken halo.


    The party readied themselves, silent, focused. The air was thick with dread.


    His eyes remained fixed on the knight¡ªthe lone sentinel¡ªits ruined helm lifted high


    "Sylvia, what''s its rank?" Damon asked, voice low.


    She smiled faintly.


    "Bit late to ask now, but since you did... it''s a Rank Two Mist Knight. Heavily injured. Likely the captain of a gate squad... stationed here to guard the ruins until he ran into the demon army regiment."


    Leona''s face was hidden beneath her helm, but the disbelief in her voice was sharp.


    "You''re telling me one knight squad wiped them out?"


    Sylvia shook her head. "Not a squad¡ªjust this knight. The rest were Mist Soldiers. This one nearly wiped out the entire regiment on his own....several actually."


    Xander shifted, the earth groaning underfoot as gravity warped around his armor-clad form. His spear gleamed with quiet menace.


    "So he''s at least as strong as we are... maybe stronger. And it''s just one knight."


    Leona cracked her metal-clad knuckles, her gauntlets sparking with lightning.


    "These are the ones that shift into mist during attacks, right?"


    Sylvia nodded grimly. "Exactly. But this one''s different. It''s carrying a cursed item. Forged from cursed ore, laced with runes older than our current knowledge. A clean hit might not kill you instantly, but it''ll rot you slow... start with your soul."


    Evangeline raised her rapier, duskglass armor faintly shimmering in the light. Her eyes were cold.


    "My purge skill can counter the curse."


    Sylvia nodded but added, "It could¡ªbut only if you''re skilled enough to touch the soul directly. You aren''t there yet, not yet."


    Damon gave a low chuckle, dark amusement flashing in his eyes.


    "So we can kill it, but one hit from that sword and we''re screwed. Makes you wonder what the hell they were trying to hide in Lysithara."


    He raised the Wyvern''s Fang, the jagged blade pulsing with his mana, and pointed it straight at the Mist Knight.


    "Allow me to put you out of your misery."


    Without another word, he charged. The impact of their weapons colliding echoed like thunder across the ruined field, sending shockwaves through the mist.


    This was it.


    Their last obstacle to Lysithara.

 Chapter 309 - 310: Alazard

    Damon''s strength surged fivefold the instant his skill activated. The moment his blade met the Mist Knight''s, he felt it¡ªWyvern''s Fang cracked slightly against the steel of that cursed sword. The sheer force of the clash sent him skidding backward, boots dragging against bone and dust. But he wasn''t fazed.


    He gritted his teeth, gripping the hilt tighter.


    ''So I can match someone in the second class advancement... at least in raw strength.''


    He timed his retreat perfectly¡ªjust in time for Xander''s spear and Leona''s blade to follow up behind him, both aimed straight at the Mist Knight.


    The knight raised his sword with cold precision, deflecting Xander''s spear¡ªand in that same moment, his form shifted into a thin, ghostly vapor. Leona''s strike passed right through him.


    Damon lifted two fingers sharply. With a silent snap, he fired a volley of magic bullets. Where thunder should have cracked, there was only a dull thud against the knight''s armor. No sound. No recoil. Just resistance.


    This was the improved magic bullets.


    The knight turned toward him.


    He leapt¡ªclearing several meters in a single bound¡ªand brought his sword down with a monstrous swing.


    "Matia!" Damon shouted, firing the omnidirectional gear toward her.


    She caught the wires with practiced ease and yanked him back just in time, his body skimming the ground as the knight''s sword tore through where he had just stood.


    Matia didn''t stop. Ice coalesced around her fingers, forming a spear, and she launched it at the Mist Knight.


    Then Evangeline moved, her body a blur of white and gold. She leapt, rapier aimed straight for the visor.


    The knight twisted. His hilt came up like a steel wall, parrying her thrust. Then, flowing like water, he dodged the next volley¡ªSylvia''s arrows slicing the air, missing their mark.


    Damon''s eyes tracked the knight as he weaved through them¡ªsteel in hand, shifting effortlessly between mist and masterful swordsmanship. His grip on the Wyvern''s Fang tightened.


    He could feel the weight of the blade. The history etched into its edge.


    ''What beautiful swordsmanship...''


    His eyes slid shut for a moment. He''d wanted to learn swordplay. Not for elegance or style¡ªbut because daggers... daggers were useless against monsters like this. Against knights that couldn''t bleed.


    "I need a sword," he whispered.


    "I can kill it," Sylvia said behind him, taking a deep breath. "But I need time... Buy me that time."


    Damon nodded.


    He charged.


    Eyes narrowed, watching everything. How the knight stood. How he held his sword. How his feet shifted, how his shoulders turned. The rhythm of his stance. The calm weight of experience.


    The best way to learn... was to imitate.


    And more than that¡ªwhat made this worth the risk... was the knight''s ability to turn to mist.


    Damon could turn into shadow. He could become mist too.


    This was a chance. A rare one.


    He shifted his stance, mirroring the knight. Around him, his party struggled¡ªoverwhelmed by the knight''s skill.


    He reached for Leona, grabbed her by the ankle mid-dodge, and hurled her at Xander.


    For a heartbeat, his eyes locked onto the knight again¡ªdrawn not to the sword this time, but the ashen helm.


    The knight started back looking at Damon''s ashen crown on his head. Those red eyes beneath the visor...


    They flickered.


    Like he was in pain.


    The knight paused. Then, from beneath the helm, a hoarse voice rasped


    "My lord... why are you unwilling to sacrifice anything...? There can be no victory... without sacrifice..."


    Damon''s jaw clenched.


    He wasn''t the Lord of Lysithara.


    But the armor he wore¡ªhad belonged to that man. That title. That cause.


    And maybe... just maybe, that''s why¡ªeven corrupted by rot and rage¡ªthis ancient knight had remembered something. Regained a sliver of who he once was.


    But all Damon could feel was fury. And sorrow.


    The knight roared, charging him with renewed wrath.


    Even in rage, his swordsmanship didn''t falter.


    Damon raised The Wyvern''s Fang and met him head-on.


    He copied everything. Every movement. Every angle. Where he saw improvisation, he adjusted. He adapted. He learned. Strike for strike.


    The knight drove him back¡ªbut Damon''s eyes stayed calm. Focused.


    Steel rang against bone¡ªdirt echoed beneath their feet¡ªas the two warriors clashed.


    One fighting with fury.


    The other fighting to learn.


    With every blow exchanged... Damon''s hand felt numb. Even so, he quietly absorbed the knight''s techniques and footwork. It was a style that was flexible, yet guarded¡ªdesigned to draw a circle around the wielder.


    Everything within that circle... was within reach of their sword. And from any direction, they could strike, as long as the opponent remained within range.


    Damon felt like he was close to grasping it.


    Just then, the knight did something he hadn''t done before¡ªhe raised his leg and kicked Damon square in the chest. Damon barely had time to raise the battered Wyvern''s Fang. The bone shattered from the blow, already weakened from the previous clashes.


    He coughed up blood, body flung backward like a ragdoll.


    The knight raised his sword, ready to end it¡ªonly for Matia to intercept, conjuring a blade of her own. She blocked the strike but dropped to her knees under its weight.


    The knight''s eyes flickered.


    "It''s just like you... to protect him, even when he refused to lose anything to save Lysitharaaaa..."


    Matia gritted her teeth, straining under the crushing force of the blade.


    "I don''t know..... what you''re talking about."


    Behind them, Sylvia was chanting¡ªher voice low, urgent¡ªmagic circles pulsing around her feet, glowing with moonlight. And then, in a flash, she unleashed the spell.


    Damon surged forward, shadows at his feet, pushing Matia out of the way just as a brilliant white beam fired toward the knight.


    He tried to shift into mist, but it was too late.


    The light struck him head-on, knocking him to his knees. His armor turned red-hot, glowing from the impact. Steam hissed from every joint as the radiant light melted through him. When it faded... the knight remained kneeling, unmoving¡ªblood seeping through the cracks in his armor. The red glow in his visor dimmed.


    Damon exhaled slowly, cradling Matia.


    His danger sense faded.


    The knight was dead.


    Matia removed her helm, her voice breathless.


    "We won..."


    The others looked on, relief flooding their expressions.


    Sylvia collapsed to her knees¡ªthe spell had drained everything from her.


    Damon looked down at the broken Wyvern''s Fang, now nothing but splinters of bone.


    "Great... I lost another weapon."


    Matia glanced at the knight''s sword, still impaled into the stone. She smiled faintly.


    "You can always use his."


    Damon nodded, stepping toward the unmoving knight who still refused to fall.


    Heat radiated from the armor as he reached for the sword.


    His fingers brushed against the knight''s hand¡ªwhen suddenly, the visor blazed red.


    The knight moved.


    In one final burst, he swung, the cursed blade aiming straight for Damon''s chest. Damon dodged¡ªbut not fast enough. The blade grazed past his armor, pinning his shoulder to the ground.


    Gritting his teeth, Damon thrust the broken Wyvern''s Fang upward, driving it through the gap in the knight''s chest plate.


    Black blood seeped from the visor. The knight chuckled.


    "You wouldn''t sacrifice anything, my lord... Victory demands sacrifice... Your choice doomed us all... You must sacrifice. That... is the burden of the crown..."


    The knight collapsed, his cursed blade still lodged in Damon.


    As the body turned cold, Damon felt a burning pain in his chest. His shadow trembled violently.


    [You have slain Mist Knight Alazard.]


    Sylvia and Evangeline rushed toward him, spells ready, trying to heal him as he groaned¡ªblood staining his armor.


    Leona''s eyes narrowed. "Are you okay?"


    Damon stood slowly, the pain already fading from his body.


    "I''m fine... I think."


    He looked down at the knight''s sword... and picked it up. The blade glowed faintly in his grasp.


    "Let''s go... Lysithara awaits."


    He staggered toward the gates¡ªruined, but still standing.


    He paused at the massive arch, taking a long breath. His party followed silently behind.


    They passed beneath the mighty archway, into lands that had once forged kings...heroes and now bore only ruin.


    Before them... lay a new hell.


    The ruins of Lysithara did not welcome.


    A bleak sky stretched above them, and what greeted them was no sanctuary¡ªbut a city filled with horrors.


    Damon''s voice was quiet, but steady.


    "We made it to Lysithara..."

 Chapter 310 - 311: Lilith Gets, No Free Time

    The sunlight was gentle, casting a golden hue over the courtyard as the breeze rustled the trees, sending a few leaves drifting through the air like forgotten memories. It would''ve been serene¡ªpeaceful, even¡ªif not for the occasional blasts of magic cutting through the stillness and the rhythmic sound of deep, exhausted breaths echoing from the training ground.


    Lilith stood nearby, arms folded, her expression unreadably calm. This had become a part of her daily routine¡ªwatching the pink-haired girl train with single-minded focus.


    Iris was relentless, devotedly following the rigorous regimen Damon had left behind for her before he disappeared for his end-of-semester evaluation.


    Which, as it turned out, had gone disastrously wrong.


    Damon and his party were now missing, vanished without a trace.


    Normally, the academy would''ve feared the worst. But the enchanted bracelets they were all issued were still active, and stranger still, their party''s point tally continued to climb at an absurd rate with each passing day.


    Proof they were alive.


    Frustratingly, however, the academy had been unable to trace their location. After exhausting their own efforts, they''d petitioned the Temple for a diviner¡ªonly to be met with failure once more.


    Lilith sighed just as a raven swooped down beside her, landing gracefully on the outstretched arm of the third girl present. She was pale, with soft white hair and sharp grey eyes. Her expression lit up at the raven''s arrival as she downed the contents of a small potion bottle in her other hand.


    "Welcome back, Croft," she said softly, smiling at the bird. "Did you happen to find news of my brother?"


    The raven gave a shake of its head¡ªtimidly, almost apologetically.


    Luna chuckled lightly. "It''s fine. Damon will come back. He always does."


    Iris, her chest rising and falling as she paused from her training, wiped sweat from her brow and turned toward her.


    "You say that with so much certainty."


    Luna tilted her head, brushing strands of hair behind her ear. "Of course I do. He''s not that easy to kill. Although... sometimes the trouble he finds himself in is completely his own fault."


    "How so?" Iris asked, frowning.


    Lilith smirked. "Because he''s an egotistical maniac who doesn''t know when to bow his damn head, even when he''s completely outmatched."


    Luna nodded, almost cheerfully. "Exactly what I wanted to say¡ªbut, you know, less cruel. Also, hey! How dare you say mean things about my brother before I did."


    Iris let out a small, tired sigh. "So what? There''s nothing wrong with having dignity. Self-respect shouldn''t only exist when you''re strong."


    She looked at them both, her tone growing firm. "If you only have an ego when you have the strength to back it, isn''t that just cowardice? But having pride when you''re weak? That''s something I can actually respect."


    Lilith and Luna glanced at each other... and then burst out laughing.


    "She''s just like my brother," Luna said through her giggles. "Birds of a feather really do flock together."


    Lilith grinned. "I suppose you''re not his apprentice for nothing. But¡ª" she paused, her tone softening, "sometimes, knowing when to lower your head is the wiser path. I just hope Damon learns that someday."


    Luna nodded slowly. "He''s not a very likable person... but I like him."


    Iris scoffed playfully. "Isn''t that just because you''re his sister?"


    Luna gave a light smile. "Fair enough."


    Lilith smiled at the sight before her¡ªLuna, finally free from the Healing Institute. Not because she was cured, but because her condition had stabilized. The cost of that stability? Everything Damon had left behind. All twelve million zeni.


    An average family in a prosperous empire like Valtheron could survive on about seventy-two thousand zeni a year, covering all their expenses. Luna''s medical bills were enough to bankrupt a noble household, yet her brother never once wavered.


    ''Magic circuit cancer is a chronic illness...''


    Lilith had contributed as well. She''d spent a few million on experimental potions, cutting-edge drugs, and had even commissioned a custom-made elixir specifically tailored to Luna''s unique physiology. One vial cost several hundred thousand zeni, and Luna had to take them regularly, like clockwork. As for the formula? Lilith had invested close to fifty million just to secure it.


    All the funds she had saved to prepare for potential war with the Temple were now gone.


    ''With that much money, I could''ve raised an army... Guess I''ll have to make Damon pay me back... assuming he''s still alive.''


    Her plans against the Temple were already in motion. Slowly but surely, she was closing in on the identity of the dark spirit summoner¡ªshe could feel the web tightening. Soon, they would be within her grasp.


    And then there was her political strategy¡ªseizing control of a small kingdom bordering the empire. A bold move, but calculated. She wanted Damon''s input. His twisted perspective, his unpredictable genius... they were partners in crime, after all.


    Her thoughts drifted as the two girls continued chatting nearby. There was so much on her plate now...


    Thanks to Damon and his missing party, the academy had been thrown into political disarray. Damon might''ve been a no-name commoner, but the rest of his group? High nobles, each with influence and power.


    Their sudden disappearance¡ªwith no official explanation¡ªhad sparked outrage.


    The academy had prepared for this, of course. Every student had signed a waiver acknowledging the possibility of death before the semester exams. But Damon''s group had vanished before the exams began.


    A legal grey area that the noble families were quick to exploit.


    ''This is so troublesome.''


    She stood up.


    Luna and Iris paused their conversation to look her way.


    "Where are you going?" Luna asked.


    Lilith turned with a small smile, her long red hair catching the wind as it fluttered behind her.


    "Maybe you two forgot," she said lightly, "but I''m the student council president. Which means I have meetings to attend."


    Luna narrowed her eyes slightly. "Is it about my brother?"


    Lilith nodded. "Who else would cause me this much trouble?"


    Iris opened her mouth to speak, but Lilith cut her off before she could even try.


    "Yes, yes, I''ll tell you what it''s about¡ªso long as you promise to keep it a secret."


    And before either of them could respond, she vanished in a flicker of light, teleporting away and leaving the two younger girls behind.

 Chapter 311 312: Old Monster

    Lilith once again found herself walking toward yet another noble meeting¡ªbecause of Damon. Even in his absence, even without his meddling hands cooking up some new scheme, he still found a way to cover the heavens with a single palm. A commoner, and yet somehow, nobles were being forced to move, to react, all because of him.


    She stopped in front of the towering grand doors, their engraved surface humming faintly with old enchantments. Slowly, she pulled one open and stepped through. By the time she entered, the two official representatives of the academy were already seated.


    The meeting room was vast and silent, the air laced with a faint tension. Several massive crystals stood embedded into the walls¡ªarcane constructs designed for long-distance visual communication, their surfaces still dormant, waiting for activation. The floor gleamed under the chandeliers'' soft light, polished to a pristine finish. Classy decorations lined the room: ancient tapestries, gold-framed portraits, and sculptures so lifelike they almost seemed to breathe.


    No surprise there. Some of the people they were about to speak with held enough influence that even stepping out of their private domains caused ripples across the political sphere.


    She walked toward the two academy representatives. The first was the headmaster, who had only recently returned. Even now, seated calmly, there was something heavy about his presence¡ªa subdued pressure that bent the air around him as if the world itself leaned toward his will.


    Lilith recognized that sensation. The weight of someone who stood high on the class advancement hierarchy. His rank surpassed her own, of that there was no doubt.


    She bowed slightly in greeting.


    The headmaster returned her nod with a composed expression. He appeared middle-aged with a long, well-kept beard and lines of age on his face, though she knew he was centuries old¡ªhis vitality preserved by rank, magic, and whatever other secrets the upper class wielded.


    Beside him sat Marabel Defontee, an old woman clad in ceremonial mage robes. She too had presence¡ªher aura sharp and refined. She was Fourth Class, one full tier above Lilith.


    The old woman offered a quiet nod of acknowledgment.


    "Well then," Marabel began, her voice calm and clear, "shall we begin? I apologize for putting you in this position, but... among all the students and faculty, you''re the best suited for this meeting."


    Lilith returned the nod, though her expression was unreadable. "Is it because I''m the student council president... or because I know Damon Grey quite well?"


    The headmaster let out a long, quiet sigh. "Both. He''s the only one from a common background in that group. I suspect some of the lords we''ll be speaking with today will be quite... curious about him."


    "I see..." she said, eyes narrowing. "The others are all known to them¡ªnobles, heirs, names that carry weight. But Damon isn''t. So you expect their anger, or their suspicion, to shift onto him. And you want me to manage that fallout."


    The headmaster met her gaze. For a moment, something passed between them¡ªacknowledgment, and perhaps even guilt.


    "I don''t like that," she muttered.


    "There''s no need for anger," the headmaster said gently. "No harm will come to him. I am still sworn to protect all our students. But... I have a feeling a certain sly someone may take an interest in him."


    Lilith frowned. There was something about the way he said it, something she didn''t like.


    "Who are you talking about?"


    The headmaster closed his eyes. "What a small world we live in..."


    Lilith''s fingers twitched. Rage slowly simmered in her chest, subtle but rising. She glanced toward Marabel.


    The old woman met her eyes and let out a sigh.


    "Don''t look at me like that, dear. I don''t know what he''s scheming either. But we''ll be dealing with a rather troublesome collection of individuals..."


    She hesitated, her tone softening. "Damon is a good... he''s a... he''s a good student."


    Lilith''s eye twitched. That hesitation hadn''t gone unnoticed.


    ''She was about to say good boy... but stopped herself.''


    Even calling him a good student felt like a stretch. Damon Grey, chaos in human form, was anything but ordinary¡ªand now, his shadow stretched into this room too.


    Lilith sighed, steadying her breath as she stood in the center of the quiet chamber. She understood her task well enough¡ªkeep her guard up, represent the academy, and, if she was lucky, maybe even find a way to turn Damon''s chaotic presence into an advantage. Or at the very least, she hoped these powerful nobles wouldn''t care enough about some no-name commoner to press the issue.


    She frowned. Why would any of them care about him?


    The headmaster smiled faintly at her question, but said nothing more.


    This old man is too sly for his own good, she thought, watching him with narrowed eyes.


    She mentally reviewed the figures involved in today''s meeting¡ªevery one of them a titan in their own right.


    First, there was the father of Leona¡ªa chieftain from the Wild Continent. He was known across nations as the Incarnation of Destruction. His name was Leon, often called the Roaring Gale. A being of pure force and wrath.


    Then came Duke Ravenscroft, a high noble from Valtheron. A Duke was always trouble, but worse yet¡ªhe was close. Too close for comfort. Lilith had met him only a few times, back when she still accompanied her father to diplomatic gatherings. She remembered him as a quiet but stalwart man, the type whose silence held more weight than most people''s words.


    Next was a high noble of Norrath, second only to the Crown of Winterhaven. He was Matlock''s father, a cold, calculating man whose name was feared in the northern courts. His presence here meant serious eyes were being turned on the academy.


    But the one exerting the most pressure¡ªby far¡ªwas the Elf King of the Verdant Continent. Sylvia Moonveil''s father.


    Kadelas Moonveil, The White Ruler.


    He was an ancient sovereign whose affection for his daughter bordered on obsession.


    Sylvia was his only child, and Lilith knew without a doubt¡ªhe would watch the world burn to keep her safe. That he hadn''t already declared war was, frankly, a miracle.


    ''Did his wife find a way to pacify him...?''


    From what Lilith''s intelligence networks reported, there was only one person he ever truly listened to¡ªhis wife. Sylvia''s mother. She was his queen, his oracle, and the only one capable of calming the storm that was Kadelas.


    The academy had been under immense pressure ever since the incident with Sylvia''s possession by a dark spirit, and now... with this? The noose had only tightened.


    And then there was the final piece of the puzzle.


    Duke Brightwater.


    Lilith had met him once, and that single encounter was enough. Everything about the man screamed danger. He was the type who walked through war, not just unscathed, but unchanged. Unbothered. Terrifying in that cold, effortless way.


    He reminded her of Damon.


    Cassian Brightwater¡ªThe Golden Death.


    He wore the nickname like a crown, and she feared him for good reason.


    She swallowed hard, a pit settling in her stomach.


    ''I really hope Damon took my warning about Evangeline seriously...''


    Because if he got too close to her¡ªeven as friends¡ªdeath would no longer be a distant threat. It would be a certainty.


    She took a deep breath, letting the tension coil through her chest.


    ''Why do I feel like he''s not going to care...?''


    And then, as if summoned by her thoughts, the room dimmed. The great crystals shimmered to life, their dormant runes now glowing with brilliant azure light. Slowly, the projections formed¡ªfaces, regal and grim, flickering into clarity. One by one, the most influential beings in the world of Aetherus appeared before her.


    And Lilith stood alone, ready or not, as their eyes turned to her.

 Chapter 312 313: No Name Target

    The room suddenly felt heavier, as if the very air had thickened with power. Even though none of them were physically present, their sheer will and presence leaked through the visual communication crystals, pressing down like invisible mountains.


    Lilith clenched her fist. This is going to be troublesome...


    "Ahhh, this is some good tea... You should try some."


    She blinked, glancing to her side. The headmaster, somewhere along the line, had produced a full tea set, complete with steam rising from a porcelain cup.


    When did he...?


    She gave up trying to understand. Why would I ever expect an old monster like him to be comprehensible?


    Across the crystal array, Kadelas Moonveil''s icy gaze cut through the silence. The Elf King looked utterly unimpressed, his patience threadbare. His long white hair shimmered faintly with magic as his anger surged.


    "That''s enough. You''ve wasted our time long enough. No more stalling. I want an explanation. Where is my daughter?"


    Lilith remained silent. This wasn''t her place to speak¡ªyet. Not until she was addressed.


    The headmaster simply stroked his beard with maddening calm.


    "Your daughter? Ahhh, you must mean sweet Sylvia. Why, of course..."


    The magic around Kadelas pulsed, his fury barely restrained. The crystal trembled faintly from his leaking power.


    The headmaster offered a polite, almost amused smile.


    "Careful not to break your communication crystal. These things are quite fragile..."


    Before Kadelas could retort, another voice cut in¡ªlow and gravelly.


    "Calm yourself, King of Elves. Sylvia is not the only one missing. Leona is gone as well. It would behoove us to hear the academy out before pointing fingers."


    Leon. The Roaring Gale. His dark hair hung like a black mane over his shoulders, and despite the calm in his voice, there was power behind it¡ªrestrained, but unmistakable.


    Kadelas took a long breath. He knew it. Fury would gain him nothing here.


    "Very well then..." he said tightly.


    Lilith studied the beastkin chieftain. He was measured and controlled¡ªfar more thoughtful than his daughter, who let her heart steer her more than her head. Then again, Lilith couldn''t be sure if that was truly the case or just surface-level perception.


    Faldren of Winterhaven looked on, his expression carved from ice.


    "If Matlock dies, it is of no consequence. However... I would still prefer he did not."


    Cassian Brightwater turned his golden eyes on Faldren with unveiled contempt.


    "What kind of parent says that about their own child? Is Matlock not your only son?"


    Faldren offered no response, the silence damning in its own right.


    Until now, Duke Ravenscroft had been silent, observing the storm from behind folded hands. But at last, the stalwart Aspen Ravenscroft spoke.


    "Let us proceed. The longer we waste time here, the greater the danger to our children."


    The headmaster gave a slow, respectful nod, his expression finally turning serious.


    "Very well then..."


    Marabel slowly stood, a small stack of documents clutched in her hands. Her voice was gentle but carried the weight of authority.


    "If you would excuse this old lady... ahem," she cleared her throat softly, "as of the start of the semester evaluation, the Academy had intended to train the first-years by giving them real-world experience. An open-world scenario that was meant to last a week. Danger¡ªand even death¡ªwas a real possibility, though this particular case strayed far beyond expectations."


    She glanced around the room, her expression tight with concern.


    "We had planned to teleport the students to various locations across the region. However, a mishap occurred¡ªand the party consisting of Damon Grey, Sylvia Moonveil, Leona Valefier, Evangeline Brightwater, Xander Ravenscroft, and Matlock Faldren... all disappeared."


    Cassian''s voice cut in sharply, laced with suspicion.


    "A mishap... or sabotage?"


    Marabel nodded grimly.


    "We suspect sabotage."


    Lilith felt her heart pound against her ribs. This is where things are going to spiral.


    Kadelas narrowed his eyes, voice sharp.


    "Could someone be targeting my daughter?"


    Leon exhaled with quiet frustration.


    "All our children are of high nobility. It could be any of them." He paused, then added, "Though... I''ve never heard of House Grey."


    Marabel nodded. "There isn''t one. He''s a commoner."


    Cassian muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.


    "Grey... a commoner?"


    He looked up. "Where is he from?"


    Marabel opened her mouth, but Kadelas interrupted with rising anger.


    "I don''t care where he''s from. I want to know who did this. Who was the target?"


    The headmaster stroked his beard, his expression unreadable.


    "Yes... by all means, it should have been one of your children. You have many enemies¡ªboth within and beyond your borders. But this time... that''s not the case."


    Cassian frowned, his voice laced with disbelief.


    "You''re telling me the commoner was the target? Someone wanted him dead, and our children were just caught in the crossfire?"


    Lilith''s chest tightened. Cassian Brightwater¡ªcold and calculating¡ªhad drawn his conclusion with terrifying speed.


    "Yes," the headmaster said softly. "Someone wanted him dead."


    Kadelas clenched his fists, power rippling through the crystal projection.


    "You''re telling me a lowly commoner was meant to die, and my daughter was dragged into it as collateral damage? Do you know how absurd that sounds?!"


    The headmaster only smiled, calm as ever.


    Lilith''s eyes narrowed. The old monster was sending all of this toward Damon¡ªlaying the weight of it at his feet.


    Then Aspen Ravenscroft asked the one question that finally mattered.


    "Who did it¡ªand why?"


    Lilith decided it was time to speak. Her voice cut through the tension.


    "A dark spirit summoner."


    All eyes turned to her.


    "Sylvia Moonveil was possessed by a dark spirit. The summoner had planned to use her body as a vessel to extract its power."


    She paused, glancing at the headmaster briefly.


    "The spirit in question... was the great spirit Rashi Ignath."


    Cassian stared at her, clearly unimpressed.


    "I don''t see how that''s relevant. Or how she even survived."


    Lilith nodded.


    "It is relevant. She survived because Damon Grey rescued her."


    Aspen stroked his chin, his voice calm and thoughtful.


    "Must be quite the commoner, if he managed to defeat a dark spirit... Ignath, no less."


    The headmaster nodded, casting a look toward Cassian Brightwater.


    "Yes, he is. After all, he received a golden ticket from Seras herself... and rose to the top of his class through sheer grit."


    Cassian''s eyes narrowed, skeptical.


    "I see. So, he''s connected to that woman."


    The headmaster shook his head with a smile.


    "No. They''ve never met. The ticket was something she gave to his parents¡ªhis father, Noctis Grey, and his¡ª"


    "I don''t care who his parents are," Cassian snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence. His hands trembled slightly.


    "Enough. Why are we discussing this no-name commoner when we should be getting answers and finding a way to save our wards?"


    That final word silenced the room.


    The others slowly nodded in agreement. Lilith blinked, momentarily confused by how quickly Cassian had driven the topic away from Damon Grey.


    ''What... just happened?''


    But there was no time to think. The nobles launched accusation after accusation, their voices rising and clashing like swords. The headmaster deflected each with calm precision. Eventually, it was agreed that the missing students were trapped in a death zone¡ªone of the many within the region¡ªbut which one remained undetermined.


    After hours of tense discussion, the meeting finally adjourned.


    Cassian''s crystal was the first to flicker out.


    He sat alone, his golden eyes cold as the pale light of twin moons bathed his room in silver. The polished opulence of his chair reflected his status¡ªimposing and absolute.


    "Jarvis."


    A shadow knelt behind him, silent and obedient.


    "I want everything. Every detail on the student named Damon Grey."


    The shadow disappeared.


    Cassian turned to the window, voice a low murmur.


    "Damon Grey..."

 Chapter 313 - 314: House Hunting In The Apocalypse

    The city was bleak¡ªits ruined beauty stubbornly endured even amidst the desolation.


    A once-great civilization, now reduced to broken architecture and despair.


    Shattered spires pierced the sky like jagged bones, their splintered remains stretching upward toward a heavens ripped open by a massive black tear that floated ominously, casting an endless shadow across everything below.


    The buildings, twisted and crumbling, leaned like corpses refusing to fall. Abominations crawled through the streets¡ªmisshapen horrors of varying sizes, some barely human, others the stuff of nightmares.


    Far in the distance, colossal creatures moved without concern, their sheer size rendering all lesser beings beneath them insignificant.


    Winged monstrosities soared overhead, occasionally diving to snatch prey from the ground before disappearing into the high towers where they nested.


    And among the ruins, mechanical constructs¡ªancient and hulking¡ªstood as rusted sentinels of a bygone age, humming faintly, speaking to the silence in voices of static and ancient code.


    And yet, towering above it all, dominating the desolate skyline, stood a massive crystalline spire.


    Its base vanished into the earth, its peak stretching so far upward it seemed to pierce the sky itself. Cracks webbed across its surface, glowing faintly like old scars. It was distant¡ªso very distant¡ªyet its sheer size made it feel oppressively near.


    Damon took a deep breath, letting the thick air fill his lungs as he gazed at the ruined landscape bathed in grey daylight.


    "Take it in, guys," he said with a small smile.


    "You''re standing in the heart of greatness... this was once the place where all legends were forged."


    "I''d rather be anywhere else right now..." Evangeline muttered, crossing her arms, clearly unimpressed by Damon''s attempt to romanticize the ruin.


    Her eyes scanned the looming city with a quiet unease.


    How could she not be worried? They were stranded in a place infested with monsters, forced to navigate a dead city in search of a functioning waypoint¡ªor worse, cross all the way to the opposite side of the ruins.


    Sylvia folded her arms under her cloak, her expression calm but sharp.


    "A waypoint in this mess won''t be easy to find," she murmured.


    "But Lysithara was built with many. If any still work, the safest bet is to head toward the old gate on the other side."


    Xander exhaled and dropped onto a broken statue base, running a hand through his hair.


    "Assuming we survive long enough to get there..."


    Matia turned toward Damon, her expression stern.


    "What''s the plan?"


    Damon coughed, glancing around as if he could improvise one from the shattered cityscape alone.


    "The plan? Of course..."


    Leona raised a brow, her greatsword resting lazily on her shoulder.


    "You don''t have a plan, do you? You didn''t even think we''d make it this far."


    "Pfft... don''t be ridiculous, Leona. You''re always jumping to conclusions," Damon shot back with a grin. "I have a plan."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes.


    "Then let''s hear it."


    Damon''s grip tightened slightly on the cursed sword slung across his back¡ªthe one he''d earned after slaying the Mist Knight.


    Devouring the creature had granted him a fragment of its skill. Swordsmanship Lv2. That alone gave him a little more confidence than he probably deserved.


    He grinned.


    "First, we secure shelter. Something defensible. Then we map out the immediate region, locate a waypoint, and teleport out of here. Flawless plan, if I do say so myself."


    Sylvia chuckled, shaking her head.


    "I can already see the many, many ways we die horribly."


    Damon waved a hand.


    "Don''t be so grim. Death might be the better fate here."


    Leona stared up at the sky, the shadow of the black rift drifting lazily in the distance.


    She smiled.


    "We actually did it. We made it to Lysithara. Honestly, this feels like a dream... maybe it is a dream. Someone punch me."


    Bang.


    Before she could even finish her sentence, Damon''s fist connected squarely with her jaw. The smack echoed briefly in the open square.


    Everyone stared at him, stunned.


    He shrugged.


    "What? She asked for it."


    Xander looked at him in open disgust.


    "What kind of man punches a woman?"


    Damon chuckled.


    "The kind that respects her wishes."


    Leona groaned and rubbed her face, standing back up with a crooked smile.


    "Huh. I''m not dreaming... was hoping this was just a bad nightmare. But I guess it''s real."


    Damon looked over at Evangeline, his smirk softening into something more sincere.


    "I think the poor thing''s delusional. Thought she could escape without us, didn''t she?"


    Evangeline sighed, brushing a lock of hair from her face.


    "I know we''re all feeling good about surviving, but we need to move. This place... gives me the creeps."


    Xander leaned on his spear, scanning the distance with narrowed eyes.


    "Which part, exactly? This whole place feels like Damon''s twisted imagination come to life."


    Damon''s grin widened.


    "If I made this, I''d have trapped you here alone."


    Sylvia exhaled and adjusted the strap on her bag.


    "Let''s just go. I''m not eager to stay out here in the open..."


    Damon nodded, gazing out over the vast ruins. Despite the destruction, many structures remained surprisingly intact. The houses, though weathered, still stood¡ªsome even looked livable.


    "Did I ever tell you guys I dreamed of living in a mansion?" he asked, voice laced with a strange sort of longing.


    Evangeline glanced at him calmly.


    "No... not that I remember."


    He lifted the cursed sword he''d claimed from the Mist Knight, its dark edge still humming with residual energy.


    "Well, I did. One of the perks of living on the street is seeing and hating those who live in beautiful houses..."


    Leona looked at him, one brow raised.


    "That''s sad¡ªand kinda dark... no wonder you turned out so edgy."


    She smashed her gauntlet-covered fist together, sparks of lightning dancing between her knuckles.


    "Let''s go get you a mansion, then."


    Her teasing tone reached him loud and clear. Damon couldn''t help but remember how she''d forced her way into his life¡ªinsisting on being his friend even when he wanted nothing to do with anyone.


    And now here she was, seriously ready to risk her life to fulfill some childish dream of his. Honestly, even a run-down house would''ve been enough... just a place to rest.


    Sylvia gave a soft smile.


    "Let''s get one with a shower... ehm¡ªnot because I stink or anything. I just prefer a shower."


    Evangeline nodded with a trace of warmth. "I concur."


    Matia raised her hand, eyes gleaming.


    "I want a fireplace. This city looks like it''d get cold at night."


    Damon smiled and turned toward Xander, who had been unusually quiet. The young man sighed, slinging his spear over his shoulder.


    "If there''s a powerful monster in there and we die... I''ll haunt you guys. It better have a courtyard for training."


    The others chuckled lightly. Damon, now clad in the battered armor of Pale Crown, lifted the cursed sword high, its cracked edge reflecting the bleak daylight.


    "Alright, let''s go house hunting... in a post-apocalyptic city crawling with monsters way out of our league¡ª"


    "And rot," Sylvia added, brushing dust from her light armor.

 Chapter 314 - 315: Strange Face, From A Familiar Place

    The city had once been paved and beautiful... or at least, it must have been. Now, the streets were cracked and uneven, worn down by time and ruin. Towering houses lined the road, their shattered windows casting glints of broken glass across the dusty pavement.


    The sun hung high over the outskirts of the bleak city, casting long shadows over Lysithara''s forgotten remains.


    Damon could hear the distant shuffling of monsters moving through the streets, just out of sight¡ªwatching. Low-level beasts, no different than his own party in rank... scavengers, clinging to survival in the ruins of a once-great city.


    These creatures weren''t attacking yet. That was good¡ªfor them. Because had they tried, they''d already be dead.


    Damon''s party had faced far worse than stragglers like these. To them monsters like these, weren''t the hunters. They were prey.


    Still, that didn''t mean they wouldn''t attack. For now, they chose to observe. Waiting. Watching.


    Leona, her hand resting on her sword''s hilt, glanced at the cracked remains of a window.


    "Should we just kill them?" she asked, her tone calm but cold.


    Damon shook his head, rubbing his shoulder with an irritated expression.


    "No... it''s not worth wasting our strength."


    Sylvia walked ahead, bow in hand, her expression tired but collected.


    "At this point, we should be used to being watched by monsters. At least here we have the power to kill them if we want to."


    Matia nodded in agreement.


    "The monsters we dealt with before were way worse... the kind that could kill you just by being seen."


    Evangeline didn''t want to remember the things they''d encountered in the Whispering Forest.


    "Or drive you insane... just by being near them," she muttered, glancing at Damon as he scratched absently at his shoulder.


    "I''m not even sure we''re still sane," she added. "Why else would we be looking for a mansion in a ruined city?"


    Xander sighed, hoisting his spear over his shoulder.


    "That was my point exactly. But we''re already here¡ªmight as well get that mansion."


    Damon flinched slightly as a small sting pricked at his shoulder.


    "It matters now, doesn''t it?" he muttered under his breath.


    Silence followed. Not because there was nothing left to say¡ªbut because the city seemed to demand it. Every step felt like it echoed too loudly. They didn''t want to draw attention.


    "What do you think actually caused this city to fall?" Sylvia finally asked, her voice cutting through the heavy silence.


    Damon looked up at the ruins around them.


    "Who knows. Hubris, maybe... Lysithara was the heart of the ancient world. Civilization''s center. It was where knowledge converged. Even now¡ªwho knows how many thousands of years later¡ªit''s still mentioned in books."


    The group fell quiet. The light-hearted tone they''d started with had long since faded. The weight of history¡ªof death¡ªpressed down on them.


    "Do you think we''ll make it back home... I mean..." Leona''s voice was soft, almost afraid to ask. It was the question they''d all avoided since stepping foot in the final stretch of their journey.


    Damon nodded. He wanted to tell them he didn''t know. That he didn''t have all the answers. That he was just like them¡ªjust another student caught in something far beyond his depth. But he couldn''t say that. He couldn''t afford to show weakness¡ªnot here, not now.


    "Yes, we will. We''ll find a waypoint and teleport out¡ªor maybe even a gate. This city''s massive. It has to have one."


    Evangeline clenched her fist.


    "And if we don''t?"


    "Then we cross to the other side of the city," Damon replied without hesitation, eyes sharp. "Kill everything in our way and get out. Home''s just one wall away."


    He gave them a small smile, tired but resolute.


    "We made it this far, didn''t we? We''ll be fine."


    A rasping voice echoed out from the shadows, just past the broken stone archway up ahead.


    "Ahhh... don''t be so sure about that, boy."


    Damon froze when he heard the strange voice. He instantly drew his weapon, and the party shifted into a battle-ready formation, eyes scanning their surroundings with quiet tension.


    His gaze swept across the area. They were on the outskirts of the city¡ªold, crumbling houses with shattered windows stood like gravestones around them. Withered trees reached skeletal branches into the sky, a broken fountain sat dry in the center, surrounded by collapsed market stalls. It was a wreckage of what once might''ve been a thriving place.


    "Over here..." the voice called again, strained with pain. "I''m right here..."


    Damon turned in the direction of the sound but saw only a tree. His danger sense was active¡ªsharp and instinctual¡ªbut oddly enough, there was no warning, no pulse of incoming threat... at least not from that direction.


    He tilted his head slightly¡ªand what he saw made his stomach twist.


    There was someone, or at least something that once resembled a person¡ªits body half-fused with the thick roots of the tree. It hung grotesquely from the bark, flesh torn and half-eaten, skin decayed and sloughing away. Bones jutted from open wounds, organs hung loosely, tangled like ropes. The limbs were stretched and unnatural, grotesque in shape.


    "Turn back... turn back..." the creature rasped. "He is here... he will find you... turn back... but please¡ªkill me... free me from this torment..."


    Damon raised his sword, voice steady.


    "Who are you... what are you?"


    The voice that came back was hollow, like wind through a tomb.


    "W...who... am I...? I don''t... remember..."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes. She''d noticed something tucked within the bark-infused fabric of the creature''s chest¡ªan emblem, partially swallowed by the tree.


    "You''re... part of the Imperial Knights... are you from Valtheron?"


    The man groaned, trying to lift his head. As he did, skin tore from bark with a sickening rip. A tear fell from one lifeless eye.


    "Valtheron... I... I am from Valtheron... ahh... please... kill me... kill me... make it stop... please..."


    The rest of the party stood in uneasy silence.


    He was from Valtheron. Just like them.


    And yet he had ended up like this¡ªa cursed existence, suspended between death and life, pain without end.


    Damon looked at the roots coiled beneath the tree. They pulsed faintly, feeding the poor soul. Keeping him alive. Just enough to keep suffering.


    Sylvia took a step forward, but Damon quickly grabbed her wrist, pulling her back with a firm grip.


    "Careful. We can''t trust anything here... remember the Beldam?"


    She nodded silently, then opened her skill. She wanted to confirm if the man spoke the truth¡ªshe was sure Damon had more questions, and he''d want answers.


    "I''ll free you from this torment," Damon said, lowering his blade slightly. "But first... a few questions."


    The man began to silently weep.


    "T-Thank you... thank you..."


    Damon''s voice remained calm, steady.


    "Don''t thank me yet."


    "You''re from Valtheron... so that means you must''ve been part of the expedition unit¡ªsent here under a clandestine mission..."


    The man''s eyes trembled, pain flickering in the dull glow of his half-rotted sockets.


    "I... I don''t remember... I..."


    Damon''s expression darkened.


    "Who did this to you?"


    The man shivered violently. Even in his twisted state, fear bloomed in his chest. Damon could feel it¡ªit wasn''t just terror... it was dread. The kind that settled into your soul. The kind that made men go mad.


    He took in a deep, raspy breath. For a moment, the world fell into a deep, deathly quiet.


    Then, in a whisper as frail as cracked glass¡ª


    "The Keeper of False Truths..."

 Chapter 315 - 316: Unwinnable Game

    The Keeper of False Truths...


    Saying that name aloud made the air feel heavier. Damon felt a subtle shift in the armor of Pale Crown¡ªit reacted, ever so slightly, to the mention of that cursed title.


    This wasn''t the first time he had heard it. The Beldam was the first to mention it... She had claimed he was the city lord of Lysithara, before rot and corruption had swallowed the city whole¡ªtwisting its citizens into nightmares and mockeries of flesh.


    The one who had once worn the Pale Crown armor... had fallen just like the others. And in his fall, he became the Keeper of False Truths.


    Damon was certain now¡ªhe still lurked within Lysithara''s ruined walls. Even in his corruption, the city lord lamented his once-glorious kingdom.


    "Why did the Keeper of False Truths do this to you...?" Sylvia''s voice cut through the silence.


    Though fear lingered in her eyes, curiosity burned brighter. She needed to know¡ªperhaps more than she feared the answer.


    The man¡ªno, the thing¡ªmerged with the tree gave a twisted, hoarse laugh. There were tears in his eyes, tears and madness.


    His laughter boomed with despair, the kind that echoed from some pit of torment no sane mind could endure.


    "Heh... ha... hahah... why did... why didn''t I just choose death...? Why¡ªwhy did I answer... why did I choose to answer... ahhhh! Why?! Why! I¡ªI just want to die... please... kill me..."


    His arms tore from the bark with a sickening rip¡ªflesh half-decayed and fused to wood gave way, revealing blood and rotted bone. They all watched, frozen in quiet horror. He had once been human. Like them.


    "I will free you," Damon said softly, stepping forward, sword held still. "I will kill you. But only if you answer my questions."


    The creature stilled. His eyes, wet with blood and tears, flickered with a fleeting clarity.


    "I... want to go home..." he whispered. "I want to go home... Why did I join... why did I become a knight...? Why... why did I fight their wars... why did I seek glory...?"


    His voice broke.


    "Hahaha... glory is a lie... glory is a lie..."


    He clutched his head, trembling.


    "The Imperial Family... Ashcroft... why did they send us to search for Ashcroft...? He''s not even real... why did my comrades have to face that horror...?"


    His words dissolved into broken sobs and wild, meaningless sounds. He thrashed, body writhing and screaming in madness¡ªhis form neither man nor tree, covered in decay, dripping with blood and sap. For how many decades had he been like this? How many years of torment?


    Even the silence felt sick.


    Damon stood still. Calm. He did not flinch, and neither did the others. They had all seen too much. They had grown numb to horror.


    Sylvia stepped closer, a trace of pity in her eyes. Even Damon¡ªdespite all he had endured¡ªcouldn''t help but silently lament the pain this soul had suffered.


    Time passed. Minutes, maybe. His body finally slumped, mouth agape, silent. The bark and flesh of his grotesque form slick with blood.


    Then... he raised his head.


    "I remember..."


    His voice was hoarse, but clear.


    "I remember... we didn''t find anything related to Ashcroft''s return. He had been here¡ªin the distant past¡ªbut he would not return. Not here."


    His eyes dimmed. A bitter chuckle escaped him.


    "We found some clues... fragments of why Lysithara had fallen."


    He swallowed, or tried to, his whole form shaking.


    "Many of us were lost. Only a handful remained. We wanted to leave the city... through the Black Gate on the other side."


    A tear fell, mixing with blood on his cheek.


    "We thought we could leave... until he came from the mist..."


    "The Keeper of False Truths."


    He closed his eyes, blood dripping from his chin.


    "He didn''t attack us. No... he only asked us... to play a game."


    A tremor went through the tree. Through him.


    "Moromer... refused," he groaned. "His refusal... was against the rules."


    He opened his eyes, wide and broken.


    "So he died."


    Damon''s heart thundered in his chest.


    He lowered his head, a soft, bitter chuckle escaping his blood-caked lips.


    "He... would not allow those who entered his city uncorrupted... to leave without playing his game... without answering the riddle that torments him."


    His head slowly tilted back, eyes staring blankly into the bleak, grey sky above¡ªlike he was seeking something that was no longer there.


    "Those who failed the questions... were damned."


    Xander swallowed hard. The sound of his gulp echoed too loud in the hollow silence.


    The man turned to them¡ªhis rotted face half-consumed by bark, his chest rising with labored effort. One eye stared with human grief, the other clouded with rot.


    "It''s too late for you now..." he rasped. "You cannot leave... not without playing his game. But beware..."


    His voice cracked with finality.


    "His riddle has no answer... you are damned... as well."


    Damon clenched his fists, veins pressing tight beneath his skin. That did not bode well. Not at all.


    The man''s gaze turned sharp¡ªpiercing, almost desperate.


    "If he finds you... when he finds you¡ªhe will find you¡ªyou must not play. Choose death. Die."


    Their faces turned pale, blood draining from them like retreating tides. Even Damon couldn''t hide the tremor of dread creeping through him.


    "How do we avoid him...?" Damon asked, his voice low.


    The man''s voice was fragile now¡ªfading, like a candle in a storm.


    "He is inevitable... If you see him within the city... do not listen to his words. That may buy you time. But... that won''t work when you try to leave. He will not allow it... not until you answer."


    Sylvia bit her lip, drawing blood. "What is his riddle?" she asked, her voice trembling despite herself.


    The man''s decayed lungs wheezed, struggling.


    "It''s a game... with simple rules. Two questions... only two..."


    He swallowed a mouthful of blood.


    "The Keeper... asks you to play. These are the rules:


    ¡ªYou must play the game.


    ¡ªRefuse... and you die.


    ¡ªFail to pass... and you are damned.


    ¡ªYou must answer both questions correctly.


    ¡ªYou may not delay the game indefinitely.


    ¡ªPass... and you receive a reward. Safe passage through Lysithara.


    ¡ªYou may play as an individual... or as a group.


    ¡ªYou get only one lifeline. Fail again, and it''s the end.


    ¡ªThe answer to the first question must not be the same as the second.


    ¡ª You must pass the second question."


    He looked at them with hollow eyes, red tears running down his wooden cheek.


    "The First Question..."


    "I can only exist when I am not. I am always true and always false. What am I?"


    His body shuddered¡ªroots cracking beneath him.


    "The Second Question..."


    "What happens when an unstoppable force... meets an immovable object?"


    His head dropped, as though the weight of the words alone had broken him.


    "Now... the game begins..."


    Damon''s jaw clenched as he turned toward Sylvia. She was already looking at him, her white hair catching the dull light, her fingers trembling. She had come to the same conclusion.


    The others were silent¡ªstaring at one another, confused, pale. They hadn''t grasped the nature of what had just been spoken.


    This game was deceptive.


    The first question¡ªthere was hope in it. An answer could be found... perhaps something philosophical, or paradoxical. But the second...


    Damon''s breath caught in his chest.


    The second question had no answer. It was the very definition of paradox. It was the trap.


    "This isn''t a game anyone can win..." he muttered under his breath.

 Chapter 316 - 317: Never Forget A Name

    Pain spread through Damon''s body, his arm felt numb and stiff. Even so, he endured the pain just long enough to summon Ashborn...


    The shadow-like flames licked up from his hand, writhing as if alive. They surged forth and engulfed the figure before him¡ªa man who had become more tree than flesh, long lost to the rot. The flames clung to him, seeping into bark and bone, freeing him from his eternal torment in a blaze of silent mercy.


    Damon had wanted to ask more questions, but the man''s mind had strayed too far after revealing the Keeper''s hopeless game. He''d rambled¡ªsenseless words spilled from cracked lips, muttering fragments of a poem... a song known in Valtheron.


    The melody was soaked in homesickness. It bled from his voice¡ªlow, shaking, and deeply familiar. A feeling they all shared, having been trapped for so long in this nightmare... in this ruined city.


    But his voice was soon lost, devoured by the cackling flames that feasted on both body and soul.


    A small sigh escaped Damon''s lips as the man''s voice faded...


    "Take me home... to a place... I belong...


    Take me home... to a place steel was made...


    Take me home to the hearth... of the sword...


    Take me home to the land..."


    He never finished the last line. Just as the final word died in his throat, Damon heard the familiar soft chime in his head.


    [You have slain: Damned Knight Melos]


    [You have gained: 50 Attribute Points]


    [You have gained Mastery: Swordsmanship +50]


    Damon lowered his head.


    He was no stranger to suffering¡ªbut this... this was twisted. Crueler than the mundane tortures he had seen while running with the gangs in Valerion.


    Evangeline lowered her gaze, her eyes reflecting the flickering flames.


    "Take me home... to the place I belong...


    Take me home... to the land of knight...


    Take me to the high skies..."


    The others turned toward her, silent. Xander opened his mouth and joined her softly.


    "Take me to where rivers never end...


    Take me to the..."


    Their voices were fragile, low, but one by one, they all joined in¡ªan unspoken memorial for the knight who had been lost to the rot.


    Damon looked up at the bleak, grey sky. His voice came as a whisper.


    "Take me to the place I will lay my bone, part of the blessed dust... where steel finds rest..."


    It wasn''t a national anthem. Not something official. Just a song. A song everyone in Valtheron seemed to know.


    "Here and now..." Damon''s voice was quiet.


    The others stood in still silence, watching the last embers as Ashborn finished its work¡ªturning both man and tree to ash.


    "Lysithara isn''t the most welcoming place... but he can rest," Damon muttered. "Here and now belongs to us. Our fate is rot or death..."


    Xander nodded. "A shame we didn''t know his name... when we return, we could''ve at least given his family or any relative closure..."


    Damon could already think of a dozen reasons why that was a bad idea. He wasn''t sentimental enough to ignore what had brought the knight here in the first place.


    The man was on a secret mission, likely sent by the Imperial family. It was better not to know who he really was... even so¡ª


    Damon now knew his name.


    Melos.


    The system had revealed it to him, as it always did.


    Not surprising. The system had come from the Unknown God¡ªand that god was said to be the one who blessed names.


    A god who knew the name of every being and thing.


    ''Then what about me... why do I know the names of everyone I kill...''


    Was this his curse? Was he damned to remember them all?


    Even now, Damon hadn''t forgotten a single name the system had whispered into his ear...


    He didn''t know what purpose the Unknown God had in the world of Aetherus¡ªbut deep in his gut, Damon had a feeling that here in Lysithara...


    He''d find some answers.


    The Unknown God had been setting up different pieces on his board... Lilith was a piece¡ªshe bore the god''s stigmata. Damon was another, with his unusual shadow and a system that demanded souls. Then there was Sylvia''s journey book¡ªa tool belonging to the Unknown God.


    He turned to his friends.


    "Let''s go... it''s almost dark. Let''s get to that mansion... I don''t want to find out what this city looks like at night..."


    The others all silently nodded.


    They walked for a few minutes. The entire journey was uneventful¡ªno creature attacked them. Maybe it was because they were still in the outskirts, or maybe it was because they were actively avoiding confrontation with the monsters.


    Still, the signs of past battles were everywhere.


    They passed through remnants of older times¡ªtraces of ruins, forgotten belongings, and corpses from different eras. Most had turned to bone, brittle and dry. Others crumbled into pieces at the slightest touch.


    The city felt like a hollow monument. A bleak, ruined beauty.


    Not far ahead, they found a mansion.


    It wasn''t particularly large¡ªmore of a big house than a true mansion. But Damon seemed satisfied.


    The others, born into blue-blooded families with wealth and lineage, saw it as a modest residence. Nothing special. But none of them wanted to spoil Damon''s small joy. In the middle of this apocalyptic wasteland, even a house like this felt like a miracle.


    They stood at the front gate of the so-called mansion. Calling it "ruined" would''ve been unfair¡ªit was in relatively good condition. A large yard stretched before them, guarded by a wide, barred gate.


    Damon smiled, cursed sword in one hand, the other resting over his shoulder.


    Evangeline looked at his shoulder with a hint of worry.


    "We found a nice mansion... this place looks absolutely safe... in fact, I don''t even sense any danger..."


    "This is different. The best place to be... oh, there''s no monsters in there at all..."


    As soon as he said that, a large tentacle burst out of one of the mansion windows with a shriek that echoed like metal scraping stone.


    He coughed slightly, eyes flicking to their deadpan expressions.


    "Well, who needs a mansion anyway... I like that run-down house more..."


    Sylvia smiled faintly, her journey book floating in front of her, pages shifting on their own.


    "That is called a Lesser Metaverse Worm... it''s only at the first rank..."


    Damon stared at them, his face a perfect picture of indignation.


    "I hate when pests get in my house... let''s kill it..."

 Chapter 317 - 318: Slow Acting Consequences

    Knowing the monster they were about to face was in the same rank as them gave them some confidence... they could hardly think of a monster within the same rank they couldn''t kill.


    Even so, they had learned caution from their days in the Whispering Forest. Most monsters in death zones were not like typical monsters¡ªthey were eldritch.


    Some rules might not even apply to them... one mistake could mean death.


    Luckily, they had a seer in the group.


    Sylvia had already gotten a map of the mansion and had determined there was only one monster.


    Leona poked at the copy Sylvia had created using a magic quill they had gotten from the Beldam''s Nest.


    "Hey, if you can create a map of the mansion, why not the whole city..."


    Sylvia sighed... "Thanks, Leona, I''m glad I didn''t think of that..."


    Leona looked away. "You''re being sarcastic, right..."


    Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Obviously... think I didn''t try that? I can''t pay the price for the map of the city..."


    Damon looked at her. "What''s the price..."


    Sylvia lowered her head a bit... "It''s not a short-term price... just my ability to have children in the future. So basically, I''ll be barren..."


    Damon nodded. That was a horrible price for a map they could probably get from a city library or one of the abandoned shops.


    Leona scratched her chin. "Sorry... I asked."


    "It''s fine... if I don''t ask something, it''s probably because the price is too steep. Ever since the incident in the forest, this skill has changed. It now tells me some things for free and gives me the details of the price, rather than just taking... basically, I get a choice..."


    Damon nodded. "Didn''t you get that before..."


    She shook her head. "No. Only a vague feeling..."


    Evangeline sighed. "That''s enough... about that. Before we discuss how to kill whatever is in there... Damon, how has your arm been feeling..."


    Damon shrugged. "I only got stabbed by a cursed sword. No big deal... I''m only slowly losing feeling in my arm..."


    Evangeline bit her lip. "My purge skill didn''t work..."


    She had tried to heal him, her skill seemed to work. Sadly all it did was delay the spread of the curse.


    The curse was tied to his soul, she didn''t have the finess to reach it without obliterating his soul.


    "No, it did. It''s not spreading to my body¡ªjust my arm. That''s a success in my book... worst case, I lose an arm..."


    Matia bit her lip, feeling her heart twist. "I''m sorry..."


    Damon looked at her, a bit confused.


    "Why are you sorry..."


    She pulled clenched her fist, a small chill spreading from her armor.


    "It''s my fault. If I hadn''t suggested for you to take the knight''s sword, he wouldn''t have stabbed you..."


    Damon sighed, smacking Matia on the back.


    "It''s my fault... I said don''t be careless but was careless myself. An arm will teach me never to let my guard down even when I think the enemy is dead."


    Matia lowered her head. "But still¡ª"


    "But nothing," Damon cut her off. He glanced at Sylvia.


    "Shall we... kill a worm..."


    She nodded. "Its body can phase out of our reality... its heart is stored in silk cocoons in its nest... so unless you destroy the body beyond repair, it won''t die... it can teleport, control space..."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes. "Basically a space attribute fighter..."


    Xander crossed his arms. "So destroy the heart. Easy enough..."


    Damon clenched his fist around the cursed sword... soon he might lose the use of his right arm. The journey here had cost him something after all... no potion could fix him¡ªhe had tried. There was also a possibility he could gain a mastery that gave him resistance to curses....but he hadn''t gotten any notifications from the system.


    ''Well, no matter... I''ll just have to adapt... when the time comes...''


    For now, he still had his arm... He walked up to the mansion gate...


    He looked at the bars. The gate was slightly ajar... he held his sword, his party in formation. Slowly, they entered the mansion yard.


    This place had once been elegant¡ªnow the land was surrounded by ruin. The grass was green, yet uncared for, having grown long and spreading onto the mansion pavement and walls.


    The statues were covered in moss with faint, dying runes¡ªmost had long since lost their magic.


    ''Lysithara seems to have a lot of magic runes... the runes are inscribed almost everywhere...''


    Which was a contrast from Valtheron of the present day. Having runes was luxurious. Runesmiths and artificers were highly regarded.


    In fact, those who awakened the class related to runesmithing were well-regarded... even if it was a common class.


    ''A shame the knowledge of runes is hard to come by...''


    He walked closer to the door... when he reached it, he heard a buzzing sound.


    Biometric authentication not recognized...


    He heard the voice from a small display on the door.


    "What''s that..."


    Sylvia looked at it with some curiosity.


    "A relic of Lysithara... their magic technology was more advanced. It requires a recognized magic signature..."


    Damon nodded, realizing he couldn''t get in. The owner of the mansion was long dead¡ªgetting the right biometric signature was impossible.


    "No worries... I have the biometric signature right here..."


    He then proceeded to kick down the door of the mansion. With a boom, the door caved in on itself, swinging open.


    He scoffed. "What do you know... it wasn''t even locked..."


    Evangeline sighed. "And it seems the worm also knows we''re here..."


    Xander looked up into a world of pulsing white silk. A horrible worm-like creature with many tentacles and mouths filled with rounded teeth stared at them. The mansion was bright enough for the outside light to slip through parts of the windows the silk hadn''t covered up.


    "A little hard to sneak in with that many eyes watching..."


    Matia looked up at the ceiling full of cocoons.


    "I had a feeling finding the heart wouldn''t be easy..."

 Chapter 318 - 319: The Worms House

    Fighting hideous-looking creatures was now a norm for them¡ªbut even they had to admit this was one of the uglier ones.


    Many tentacles and heads... and a slimy body coated in some strange mucus...


    Damon sighed.


    "I really don''t want to break my house... so burn..."


    Black flames erupted from his hand and covered the ceiling of the mansion. The worm groaned, space twisting subtly... as the flames disappeared into some unknown void.


    Damon blinked, completely surprised. Ashborn was one of his stronger skills¡ªhell, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call it his strongest. Yet some worm, in the same rank, had sent the flames¡ªboth hot and cold¡ªinto some other space.


    His surprise didn''t last long before a volley of arrows flew at it.


    Sylvia''s white arrows¡ªpowered from her Ascendant weapon¡ªrained down on the worm.


    Her armor was called Crescent Seer. It came with a bow and dual blades¡ªhowever, not as individual weapons. The bow was collapsible into two blades if needed.


    Damon heard the worm shriek as it fired a ball of pulsing silk.


    He couldn''t help but feel jealous about not having an Ascendant weapon with his armor¡ªbut that was fine.


    He had a Alazard''s-cursed sword.


    The mansion broke into a canopy of violence. The worm was spread all over the grand entrance, so the party split up, attacking different parts of it.


    Damon held the sword in his hand.


    His swordsmanship had grown drastically thanks to Mastery. He could absorb the skills of the enemies he killed¡ªor fought.


    He had also imitated the skills of the Mist Knights. Alazard.


    He''d gotten the skills of the Valtheron knight who was damned by the Keeper.


    Which meant¡ªwithin his mind and body holding different sword skills¡ªall he needed was the experience to perfect and grow them.


    Right now, his swordsmanship was Lv2.


    He stood unmoving, tentacles rapidly shooting toward him.


    His eyes opened¡ªhe swung the sword with deadly finesse. Without moving a single step, he imitated the skills of the Mist Knight.


    He created a small area within his sword''s reach. Any tentacle that crossed into the invisible circle in his mind was sliced to pieces.


    He felt his body heating up¡ªhe sent mana into his sword, making it sharper.


    The worm shrieked in pain. It was bombarded from every angle.


    Evangeline unleashed a purging glow of golden light, illuminating the entire mansion.


    Her eyes were focused on Damon.


    She clicked her tongue, swinging her rapier at a tentacle.


    "I swear, the next time he tells me he has no talent for the sword just to avoid sparring with me... I''ll kill him..."


    Matia and Sylvia were doing their own part. They had one objective¡ªand that was to find the cocoon hiding the worm''s heart and destroy it.


    Sylvia was using her skill, while Matia was in charge of protecting her with her arsenal of ever-changing weapons.


    Xander was a little farther off, with Leona acting as the vanguard of their offensive.


    His spear smashed the heads of the metaverse worm with relative ease.


    Gravity around him distorted, causing the ground to tremble.


    "This thing kinda reminds me of something..."


    Leona teleported with the enchantment of Stormwake, her body unleashing bolts of lightning.


    "What..."


    He pulverized a head with his armored fist.


    "Damon..."


    Leona really didn''t have a response for that. Was he insinuating Damon was like a worm, or was he trying to say he was resilient and always got back up?


    She opened her mouth to ask¡ªbut his helm-covered face turned to respond before she even said a word.


    "Both. I mean both."


    She teleported to the old chandeliers, cutting them down along with a few cocoons.


    "I didn''t even say anything... yet."


    Xander grabbed the chandelier mid-air and smashed it into the face of the worm¡ªor one of its faces.


    "You didn''t need to."


    Damon turned into a shadow, diving between the tentacles about to overwhelm him with sheer numbers... he was improving, but not yet at the level of the mist knight¡ªhe only got a part of his skill...


    He turned back into human form, the alien feeling of being a formless shadow disappeared...


    "Well, that''s fine... I still want to try a few more things..."


    He raised his fingers. Now that he was in the first class advancement, he could increase the output of his magic bullets... he had already learned how to make them more muted in noise...


    Now he wanted more range and damage...


    He unleashed a blast from his fingers...


    "No... that won''t work. More is more... I have five fingers..."


    He opened his palm, spread around his finger phalanges... small balls of shadow mana formed and shot at the tentacles, creating a slash of green blood and flesh...


    He narrowed his eyes. "Now... faster."


    Slowly, rapid bang sounds began to fill the mansion until they fused into one loud hum... he felt his bones groan... his hand was red...


    He stopped with a sigh.


    "Almost there..."


    "Shjjooosoodo..."


    The worm didn''t like the pain being inflicted on its body. It pulled back its many heads and formed a single mass of folded heads and tentacles... the space which had been filled by its massive body was now clear, only dulled with silk and ruin...


    Damon looked at the others... his eyes stopping on Sylvia...


    "Did you find the cocoon it hides its heart in?"


    She nodded, pointing at the center of the metaverse worm.


    "Yes, it''s hidden right in all that mass of tentacles..."


    Damon nodded... looking at Evangeline.


    "Do you mind... giving us some light..."


    She muttered bitterly. "I''m not a human light bulb..."


    She closed her eyes, gathering her mana for one attack...


    He glanced at Leona and Matia.


    "Make it rain, Leona..."


    She smiled coldly.


    "Say less."


    Storm clouds filled the room... water began to pour as Leona''s mana was absorbed at an alarming rate...


    The water was mostly harmless¡ªthe worm merely shrugged it off as Xander and Damon trapped it and prevented it from spreading...


    Matia raised her hand, creating a spear-shaped weapon... she poured her mana into it... the air went frigid...


    "Freeze... over..."


    She launched her ice spear at the metaverse worm¡ªright at the center of the writhing mass of heads and tentacles... the water made her magic spread easily, creating a moment of frost. The magic of the worm weakened for a moment as it slowed down.


    Which was what Damon wanted... he didn''t need to freeze the whole thing¡ªjust where the heart was hidden...


    He glanced at Evangeline... she opened her eyes¡ªthe room was illuminated by a false, fierce, destructive light that sought to purify everything...


    "Shhhkskjsjsknnsksk..."


    The worm hissed as the golden light washed over it... Damon slowly opened his eyes, free from the harsh light... it took him a moment to regain his sight fully...


    When he looked at where the worm was, he only saw a mass of scorched tentacles...


    Its center was gone¡ªand so was part of the mansion wall, which had a gaping hole...


    He glanced at Evangeline, who was on her knees taking deep breaths...


    "Woman, you broke my house... we just moved in, dammit..."


    Xander sighed, removing his helm.


    "Does someone need to remind this lunatic this isn''t his house... if anything, I think the worm owns it..."

 Chapter 319 - 320: House Cleaning

    Damon had a fabric tied around his head, holding a broom. Never in a million years did he think he''d be cleaning a mansion... in the middle of a death zone.


    The worm was dead, leaving behind only a few twitching tentacles. Once again, Damon opted to get rid of the corpse. But to avoid suspicion, he let them see only part of the truth¡ªhow he reduced bodies to ash using Ashborn.


    He couldn''t exactly show them how he devoured monsters with his shadow.


    Afterward, they''d taken a tour of the mansion. Other than some scattered bones and decayed furniture, they didn''t find anything.


    No monsters.


    No ghosts.


    And worst of all¡ªno treasure.


    That last one hurt Damon the most.


    He bit his lip.


    "The owners of this mansion must''ve been poor... Next time, I''ll get a castle. A magic castle..."


    The more he thought about it, the more pleasant it sounded. Evangeline, who was holding a mop and bucket, sighed as she glanced at him.


    "Your love for material things is gonna get us killed before any monster does, isn''t it?"


    Damon sneered. "I don''t expect¡ª"


    "¡ªsomeone rich to get it, I know," she cut in flatly. "You''ve said that a billion times. You''re poor. We get it. But if I find out you''re some secret heir to a billion zeni fortune, you''ll never hear the end of it."


    Damon scoffed, wiping sweat from his brow.


    "My father was born into poverty. In fact, he inherited it¡ªjust like his father before him."


    She tilted her head. "What about your mother, then?"


    Damon shrugged. "Who knows? She was probably rich. Had a fancy portrait with her brother or something... I even have it with me. Been carrying it as a good luck charm."


    Evangeline glanced around at the dusty ruin they were stuck cleaning. They''d survived goblins, war trolls, eldritch horrors in cursed mountains, nearly been wyvern food, stumbled through haunted forests, and nearly got devoured by a beldam... again and again.


    "I think¡ªwait. How long have you been wearing that thing?"


    Damon pulled out his mother''s locket. "This thing? Umm... since the semester evaluation started."


    Evangeline gave a bitter smile. What a coincidence.


    "Isn''t that also when our luck took a nosedive?"


    Damon looked at her... then at the locket.


    "Pfft. I guess so. Now that I think about it, my little sister also got an incurable disease after she started wearing this..."


    His head lowered slightly, eyes distant.


    "Maybe... my mother''s heirloom is actually cursed. I should''ve let it get buried with her..."


    The mood suddenly shifted. Evangeline blinked, caught off guard by the weight of his words.


    "S-So that thing has a portrait inside? Wow... I''d love to see it. Actually... now that I think about it, my grandfather has a ring made of a similar-looking material."


    Damon glanced at her. "Erm... sure, but I can''t open it easily. You need a luminous magic attribute to unlock it. If I use mine, it''d take forever."


    She raised her hand, summoning a small orb of glowing light.


    "Well, you''re in luck. I happen to be a walking light bulb."


    Damon gave her a long look, then nodded. "Okay."


    Evangeline placed her hand over the locket. After a moment, a soft click echoed. Damon opened it slowly.


    "Hey, are you guys working or chatting?"


    Sylvia walked up to them, covered in dust from scrubbing a far-off corner of the mansion.


    Evangeline turned away awkwardly before getting a proper look at the portrait.


    "Right, sorry... we were already done."


    Damon coughed. "Don''t worry, princess. I was just telling this one not to slack off. In fact, I did most of the work. You should''ve seen her¡ªshe wouldn''t shut up."


    Evangeline shot him a glare, muttering under her breath.


    "I regret feeling sorry for him... that jerk..."


    The work of cleaning the mansion was about done... Honestly, it was relatively easy, considering they were practically superhuman. With the strength granted by their first-class advancements, they had managed to finish scrubbing the ancient mansion in record time.


    Well, everything in Lysithara was ancient¡ªthe entire city was a ruin, after all.


    They left one wing untouched, only cleaning the parts they intended to use for now.


    Leona created rain, so they had water.


    The sun was still a few hours from setting, and with the bathhouse finally cleaned, the girls seized the chance for a proper soak¡ªleaving Damon and Xander alone in the grand entrance hall.


    For now, they had decided against sleeping in any of the upper rooms. Instead, they''d camp out near the large hearth in the main hall. It was safer that way. They didn''t know what horrors might show up at night... or if something¡ªor someone¡ªwas already watching them.


    So, the two boys began covering up the mansion''s exposed openings with wooden barricades.


    With that, Damon lit the hearth, even though the sun had yet to set. The temperature had already begun to drop¡ªLysithara was getting colder.


    The hearth seemed to run on magical energy. He tossed in a low-level mana core, and the runes carved into the stone flared faintly with heat.


    He couldn''t help but marvel at the rune-craft and magitech embedded into it.


    There were also heated floors and ceiling panels that allowed precise temperature control. The academy had luxuries like that, sure, but the tech here¡ªdespite being ancient¡ªseemed far more advanced.


    Soon, the girls returned, hair damp, faces relaxed. Damon and Xander washed up next. They all prepared a simple dinner and settled down.


    Tonight''s meal was a modest soup made with dried jerky. The sun hadn''t even set, but the toll of the past week¡ªendless battles, exhausting travel¡ªhad finally caught up to them.


    One by one, they drifted into sleep... leaving Damon''s shadow as their silent sentinel.


    The city outside darkened further. The last remnants of sunlight faded beyond the shattered skyline of Lysithara. No lamps, no torches, no magical glowstones. Just pitch-black ruin.


    No light came from anywhere...


    Except for a single crack in one of the old, dust-smeared windows¡ªthrough which the faint glow of their fire cast a thin, wavering line across the floor.


    And that small flicker of warmth... was seen.


    Something rushed toward the mansion.


    Its form was grotesque¡ªlurching, fast, unnatural.


    It slammed a bony, mottled hand against the glass.


    Its wide, glistening eyes focused on the group inside.


    Then it raised its hand again.


    And slammed harder.

 Chapter 320 - 321: Lamp Snatcher

    The creature was skinny... plated... with grey skin stretched tightly over a hunched frame. Its back was bony, almost skeletal, and its long hands¡ªthin and gnarled¡ªtwitched as it raised one slowly.


    With a sharp crack, it shattered the glass slightly.


    Most notable was its long, black tongue... slithering like a snake''s, dripping with dark saliva.


    It reached through the broken pane and began lifting the wooden barricades one by one, pushing them aside with unsettling patience. Then it paused¡ªits gaze drifting toward the night sky, where the rift lingered in the distance, indistinguishable from the dark canvas above.


    It seemed... anxious.


    Without a sound, it leapt inside the ruined mansion. Its eyes locked on the soft flames of the hearth... and the sleeping figures curled beside it.


    It approached them slowly¡ªmovements quiet, measured... like a predator. Closer, step by silent step, it crept.


    Then... as soon as it was within reach...


    Its tongue stretched out¡ª


    "Don''t you think it''s rude to sneak in uninvited?"


    Sylvia''s gentle voice cut through the silence, calm yet sharp.


    It froze.


    The others burst into motion. Whatever sleep they feigned, it ended in a flash.


    Xander struck first¡ªan uppercut straight to the jaw.


    "As if we would sleep in a mansion in the middle of a death zone..."


    Leoan unleashed a bolt of lightning. Before it even touched the floor, a white arc surged through the creature''s body.


    Matia followed up with a giant hammer, conjured with a shout¡ªshe brought it down in a thundering blow, smashing the creature into the polished floor.


    Damon moved last, pinning it to the ground with his sword.


    The thing shrank back, trembling violently. Its black tongue writhed as it reached... not for them¡ªbut for the fire.


    It stretched toward the hearth, as if the flame was some ancient, hated enemy.


    They hadn''t been so stupid as to actually sleep. Each of them had remained alert to some degree. They knew the dangers of the night more than most. They had seen what horror slept beneath its silence.


    Light was always the nemesis of nocturnal terrors.


    Damon stepped forward.


    Before he could act¡ªits long tongue lashed out again.


    And smothered the hearth.


    The fire died instantly.


    The creature slumped, body twitching... and for a moment¡ªit almost looked relieved.


    Damon frowned.


    He was the only one who could see clearly in the darkness now.


    "Were you trying to take out the light...? Too bad... Evangeline, light up."


    Evangeline sighed, annoyed.


    Her duskglass armor flared to life¡ªglowing with a bright, golden light.


    "You forgot to say please..."


    Damon sneered.


    "I also forgot to give a damn."


    Sylvia flipped through her skill, journey book. Her eyes narrowed as the entry came up.


    "Hmm... it''s called a Lamp Snatcher... it says¡ªand I quote:


    ''Corrupted and broken, many of Lysithara''s citizens became hideous monsters. Among them, some retained fragments of humanity.


    A shame... the Lamp Snatcher retained none. Only fear. Fear so pure it twisted into instinct.


    They seek to extinguish any light that reaches the sky... in fear of what it may call... of what might see it.


    Only the spires were ever safe to illuminate. Darkness became safety.


    So they kill light.


    They snatch it away. Every. Single. Night.''"


    Damon turned to Evangeline¡ªher armor still shining, casting rays that reached the ceiling.


    Suddenly... he had a very bad feeling.


    "Evangeline... kill the lights."


    The ground rumbled.


    He felt the mansion tremble.


    "Evangeline¡ªnow!"


    She didn''t need to be told twice.


    Damon ran toward the barricade and ripped it off with brute force. He stepped to the window, staring into the endless night.


    His vision, unaffected by the dark, adjusted instantly.


    And his face paled.


    At the sight of what hovered in the sky...


    From the black rift that loomed eternally above Lysithara¡ªlike the sky itself had been shattered, like the heavens were just a jagged shard of broken glass¡ªsomething had begun to spill through.


    A fragment of a broken heaven, moving... breathing... rupturing.


    It wasn''t just darkness.


    No, when Damon looked closer, it became clear. It was a sea¡ªa tide made not of darkness...something worse, of monsters. Hundreds... no, thousands of them. Crawling. Slithering. Flying. Each one different, yet unified by a single trait:


    Their bodies were black. So black they made shadows look pale.


    Ink incarnate. Living voids.


    And they were coming.


    Though they were still far, Damon could make out their forms¡ªsome humanoid, others alien and unnatural. Towering ones with spindly limbs and wings made of bone... serpent-like ones that swam through the air... twisted horrors that looked like they''d crawled out of the mind of a dying god.


    Then the rift shook.


    Not from the monsters.


    But from something... worse.


    A colossal hand reached down¡ªmassive, thick-fingered, and clad in fractured lightlessness. It pushed against the boundaries of the world, fingers clawing for entry.


    But the rift was too small.


    For now.


    All around them, the city began to stir.


    Lysithara... dead for centuries... moved.


    From alleys, rooftops, graves, and shattered buildings, the corrupted remains of its ancient inhabitants rose again. Some barely skeletons, others wrapped in spectral armor, others bearing the sigils of forgotten houses and fallen orders. Their eyes glowed with rage¡ªnot at the living, but at the thing that dared invade their ruins.


    They rose not to kill the intruders.


    They rose to make war.


    Giants shook off centuries of dust.


    Colossi dragged broken limbs across collapsed bridges.


    All of them... answering the call.


    A tide of darkness was descending, and the broken city answered.


    Damon could only watch. He felt small¡ªso small.


    He couldn''t move.


    His body refused to answer.


    He stood frozen watching the endless sky, a single man before a battle of forgotten gods and monsters.


    And then...


    Evangeline appeared beside him.


    He hadn''t even noticed her move.


    The others were there too.


    "Wh... what is that...?" she whispered.


    Her voice snapped Damon back into himself. His eyes widened¡ªhe looked to the Lamp Snatcher, which now scurried away in sheer terror.


    It had been trying to escape the light.


    Avoid the flame.


    That was why they snatched the lamps.


    To smother the glow that would draw attention to Lysithara.


    They were never predators.


    They were just... afraid.


    And they had been right to be.


    They were too close to the rift. The hearth''s fire, Evangeline''s glowing armor¡ªit had all acted like a beacon. A signal flare to the things beyond the void.


    They had called it here.


    Damon''s grip tightened around his sword.


    The Lamp Snatcher vanished into the ruins.


    The city rumbled. And in the distance, battle began. Titanic. Deafening.


    A war between the broken rotten dead and the abyss-born horrors had ignited.


    "Come on¡ªwe need to go..."


    Damon''s voice pulled them all back to reality. No more awe. No more fear.


    Remorseless dulled his fear...slightly.


    Just survival.


    They grabbed their packs.


    Damon looked once more at the sky¡ªno longer dark. It was now lit by alien stars. Something... some entity had wiped away the bleakness with a single attack. A clear sign.


    A warning...a warning of things to come.


    His Pale Crown armor pulsed¡ªits soul core burning with purpose.


    It wanted to fight. It was calling him to battle.


    He ignored it.


    He wasn''t suicidal.


    The others felt it too¡ªthe hum, the whisper, the pull of their enchanted gear, yearning to clash against the impossible.


    But they all knew the truth:


    Fighting meant death.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. "They''re heading here. We need to move."


    Damon took the lead, eyes sharp.


    "We need to get out of here. No one uses flashing or glowing-type magics."


    His voice was steady but hard¡ªgritted with urgency.


    "That''d be like painting a target on our backs."


    He paused.


    "In fact... no magic at all."


    Then he leapt out the window¡ª


    ¡ªand landed right in the middle of hell.

 Chapter 321 - 322: Ancient Battle

    Lysithara had been a ruin to begin with¡ªits sky bleak even in the day... the sunlight had seemed dull, filtered through a haze of gloom, and the shattered city was almost solemn in its ruined beauty... alive only with distant monsters and the skeletal wreckage of a forgotten age, its towering spires standing as gravestones beneath the black crack in the sky, that fractured wound casting everything beneath it into shadow.


    But now¡ªunder the darkness of nightfall¡ªthe city was at war with itself.


    Evangeline''s light had drawn something out... something that existed within the black rift... and in response, the ancient denizens of Lysithara¡ªthe cursed, the malformed, the dead and the defiled¡ªrose from the stones, clawed from the gutters and walls and collapsed cathedrals.


    Some had once been human... others had never been anything close.


    They rose to fight¡ªfueled by vengeance, hatred, or the memory of duty¡ªagainst the horrors from the blackness of the rift.


    The moment Damon landed on the cracked, dust-covered street outside the broken window... he was swallowed by the maelstrom.


    The sky screamed with battle. The earth shook with every clash of the titans. The heavens themselves quaked under the fury of those powerful enough to tear through continents. The air was aflame with destruction¡ªmolten rocks and blazing meteors were being wrenched from the sky by sheer force of will.


    And Damon¡ªhe was in the center of it.


    A warzone.


    The creatures around him were weaker, yes, but it was no less chaotic. Flares of sickening color lit up the ruins as malformed horrors fought pitch-black beasts¡ªsome like hounds made of liquid night, others like crawling masses of teeth and bone.


    At his feet, his own shadow began to swirl... darker... thicker...


    He didn''t notice how cold it had gotten.


    He ducked low, rolling beneath the legs of a four-meter skeleton wielding a chunk of stone as a mace.


    Evangeline was beside him¡ªhe barely registered her presence before raising his hand to beckon the others.


    When a chunk of a nearby house¡ªwall, roof, everything¡ªwas hurled like debris into the sky, straight in their direction.


    Xander rolled forward, diving out of the way just as it slammed past.


    Damon grabbed Sylvia''s hand, dragging her into a narrow alley that seemed less choked with carnage. As they passed one of the pitch-black creatures from the rift, it turned its featureless face¡ªif it even had a face¡ªtoward his shadow... then toward Evangeline.


    There was a pulse in its form, a swirl in its void-like eyes...


    It ignored its current opponent entirely, and reached for her with one of its long, twisted limbs¡ªits fingers like tendrils of dripping ink.


    Damon swung his sword, and it felt like slicing through a thick pool of stagnant water. No resistance. No impact. But it recoiled.


    He shoved Evangeline deeper into the alley.


    The creature tried to follow¡ªbut the malformed rotfolk it had been fighting wasn''t about to let it escape. The two crashed again, vanishing behind a collapsing building.


    And then the realization struck Damon cold.


    It was just as he feared¡ªthey were after Evangeline. She had acted as the beacon. He didn''t even need to ask why.


    They hadn''t appeared during the day¡ªno, it was probably one of this cursed city''s eldritch laws. They sought light... and Evangeline, with her illuminating magic, had become their lighthouse.


    That meant things didn''t look good for their party.


    Evangeline''s magic was light itself... and without light, she was fighting with one hand tied behind her back. Sylvia''s moonlight magic was just as glaring. Leona? She was a walking Incarnation of the storm¡ªand storms didn''t come without lightning.


    Which meant the only ones who could truly fight at full power under this cursed night... were him, Xander, and Matia.


    Half their strength would be bound by the rules of this damned city.


    And the black tide was still coming.


    Something smashed through the buildings, crashing down from the heavens above¡ªits form grotesque, twisted, its blood a void-like blackness that oozed and stained the air. It was a creature of the rift... something far higher in rank than anything they''d faced. It was injured, half-dead even, yet it still turned its eyes toward Evangeline.


    Damon gritted his teeth.


    "Sylvia... use your skill. Lead us to safety..."


    It was a gamble. A brutal one. He had no idea what toll it would take on Sylvia, but he couldn''t¡ªhe wouldn''t¡ªleave Evangeline to die. He couldn''t abandon her... even if her death, or the horrors that might follow, could end this madness.


    Sylvia was already moving.


    "Left¡ªnow," she snapped, her voice slicing through the canopy of violence above them.


    The dying void creature¡ªits chest caved in, its spine snapped¡ªslit its own arm in final defiance, releasing a twisted essence that birthed five six-meter tall humanoid creatures with four arms. The moment the creatures emerged, its parent dissipated into darkness.


    Those monsters came after them immediately.


    Damon''s party, small and compact, were all at the first-class advancement¡ªthey could slip between most monsters with relative easy. Under Sylvia''s guidance, they sprinted, weaving through the chaos of the battlefield. But these new creatures¡ªoffspring of that higher void being¡ªwere fast. Faster than expected. Though weaker than their origin, they were still far beyond what most could handle.


    They carved through the monsters in their way, their black forms violent, single-minded, each one fixated on Evangeline.


    Damon clenched his teeth, thinking, Anything... anything I can do...


    At his feet, his shadow swelled unnaturally.


    A giant blade dropped from the sky. He barely dodged it¡ªthrowing himself into a dive and shoving Leona out of harm''s way. His lip split as he hit the ground. But he didn''t care. His mind was on fire. His shadow¡ªit was acting strange. No, it was reacting strange.


    He bit down, a wild thought forming.


    "Sylvia... where are we going?" he called out.


    Her face was pale, blood dripping from her nose, eyes strained as she peered into countless futures. She was going blind again¡ªpaying the price. But this time she''d learned from last mistakes. She was only sacrificing one eye.


    "There''s... a cathedral," she said, barely holding her voice steady. "It''s protected... the magic there will keep us safe. Hurry!"


    Damon nodded grimly. "Go. I''ll buy you time."


    He clenched his fists. "Do you still have that orb? The one we took from the Beldam''s nest¡ªthe one that absorbs magic?"


    Sylvia pulled it from her pouch and threw it to him.


    He caught it, then without pause, tossed it to Evangeline. "Charge this. With your magic."


    She didn''t hesitate¡ªpouring her light into the orb. When she tossed it back, there was no question in her eyes¡ªjust urgency.


    "What are you¡ª"


    He caught it, grinning through the blood on his lips. "Lead them to safety. I''ll catch up."


    Her eyes widened. "No...Damon "


    But it was too late. His body dissolved into shadows, disappearing like smoke on the wind.


    Evangeline stood frozen¡ªuntil a flare of light ignited on the rooftop above, catching the attention of one of the twisted beasts. It turned from her, lured by the decoy. It was already wounded, torn apart by Lysithara''s native horrors.


    She bit her lip, her breath caught in her throat, and shoved Sylvia and Leona forward.


    "Move!" she shouted, pushing them into motion.


    A single tear rolled down her cheek as she turned and ran.


    Up above, on the shattered rooftop, Damon took a slow, deep breath.


    He was the fastest. And there was still that one skill... the one he''d never used. But maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªit would work.


    He raised the orb in his hand, now gleaming with Evangeline''s magic, and pointed it at the advancing creature.


    "Shadow Control..." he whispered, the air trembling around him. "The skill that allows me to command all Masterless shadows..."

 Chapter 322 - 323: Self Sacrifice [updated]

    Shadow Control was the skill that allowed Damon to command intangible shadows, moving them freely with massive consumption of shadow energy. But more than that... it could command masterless shadows¡ªphantoms that had no bodies, no anchor to the world.


    He wanted to try something.


    These creatures... they made his shadow react. He wanted to see if he could control one of them¡ªuse Shadow Control to bend it to his will.


    His hand pointed toward one of the humanoid void-born, its eyeless face locked on the orb of light Damon was holding.


    He willed it to stop¡ªpushed with everything he had.


    It didn''t even flinch.


    The curse burned in his arm, and he fired his omnidirectional gear, the line latching onto a shattered rooftop. He pulled himself out of the creature''s reach just as it lunged.


    "Well... it was worth a try," he muttered, a self mocking grin cutting across his face.


    The attempt had failed. But that had only been his secondary objective.


    His real goal had been to draw attention away from Evangeline¡ªgive them the time they needed to make it to the cathedral.


    He had the most mobility. It made sense. It was the only thing he could do.


    Landing on the roof with a thud, Damon took a slow, deep breath. The world trembled around him¡ªthe ground split, monsters roared below, but his heart was calm. Unshaking.


    Remorseless made him.


    Calm enough to realize¡ª


    What he was doing... this was completely against his character.


    He jumped down, turning into a shadow before he hit the ground, diving into a pool of darkness just as a massive pillar of destruction came roaring from the battle raging in the sky.


    He quickly shifted back into his human form, the orb''s light disrupting his shadow.


    ''What is wrong with me... since when did I start caring about someone else but myself...''


    The creature from the rift chased the small light as Damon swung through broken buildings, using his omnidirectional gear and his Parkour skill.


    This wasn''t who he was. Damon Grey was spiteful, jaded, and bitter¡ªhe only cared about his sister.


    Then why... why was he here, risking his life for anyone else?


    He bit his lips, hard.


    Was it because he was the party leader?


    He shook his head.


    Was it because he wanted to be kind...?


    A massive black wave slammed into the rooftop as he rolled, barely avoiding it. His back hit a chimney¡ªit shattered, sending him crashing through the window of a nearby building.


    Damon raised his head, feeling his vision swim. His Danger Sense screamed. He felt the direction it was coming from and dove out of the window, using Shadow Movement to evade a horde of giant rats tearing into one of the void creatures.


    Then why was he doing this?


    He bit his lip again until he tasted blood.


    He didn''t understand anymore.


    All he knew was¡ªhe didn''t want his friends to die.


    Was this the kindness Carmen Vale had spoken of? The man who had told him kindness was reciprocal...?


    But was he even going to receive anything of equivalent value for his actions?


    He pulled himself into the air, mist swirling around his body as the armor of Pale Crown activated, just as a giant sword severed the hand of one of the void creatures chasing him.


    The Astral Winds from the monsters'' battle pulled at him, threatening to scatter him like ash.


    "If I die... will anyone actually take care of my sister...?"


    He opened his eyes wide.


    All around him¡ªhe could feel it.


    The shadows he had called with Shadow Control...


    He wasn''t just running around without a plan.


    He was gathering. A massive tide of intangible shadows surged behind him, moving like a living storm as he avoided the creatures from the rift, while the native monsters of Lysithara fought them.


    He held that small light¡ªthe orb¡ªlike a beacon in a world of horror.


    Something brushed against him¡ªhe tried to move, but his right arm stiffened.


    The curse from the Mist Knight sword ¡ªit hadn''t fully healed.


    He took a deep breath, turning into mist at the last moment¡ªbut not fast enough. His body was lacerated all over, even his armor shredded.


    He groaned, sent crashing into the ground in a rain of blood. Even so¡ªhe gritted his teeth.


    Yes... there was someone who would... Lilith...


    "But can I even trust anyone... to save Luna...?"


    He bit his lips harder.


    He wanted to be needed.


    He needed to be needed by Luna.


    That was why he let himself live so long¡ªno matter how bad it got for both of them.


    He had long since given up the delusion of being a hero.


    So he wanted to be her hero. Even if he was a monster in other people''s eyes.


    He had lived for her.


    "AHHHHH!!"


    He roared, his heart swelling with emotions too fierce to contain. The tide of shadows behind him rose up like a monstrous wave, drowning the streets in darkness.


    Not now... he wasn''t dying now...


    What was he even thinking?


    He pulled out the orb, and the surrounding shadows formed around it, smothering its light. Quickly, he tied the orb to an arrow, its glow sealed under layers of shadow.


    He pulled out his collapsible bow, nocked the arrow, feeling his shadow energy running dry.


    He fired into the sky where the real horrors battled¡ªand then dispelled the shadows.


    The light erupted¡ªbright and unmistakable.


    The monsters sensed the magic¡ªand turned their attention toward it.


    Damon fired his omnidirectional gear at a building and swung toward the cathedral.


    The battle raged behind him. He was so close¡ªhe could see the anxious faces of his party standing by the ruined door, holding it open for him.


    He smiled faintly.


    But just as he neared the front steps, something caught the wires of his gear¡ªpulling him violently to the ground. He landed hard, groaning, his head slick with blood.


    He staggered to his feet, legs broken¡ªbut he dived into a shadow to dodge a black claw swinging for his throat.


    He moved through the darkness, emerging at the shadow''s end and sprinting....limping toward the cathedral doors.


    A small creature¡ªlike a blackness-born wolf¡ªlunged at him.


    Sylvia raised her bow, magic gathering¡ª


    Damon shook his head desperately.


    If she used magic now, it would draw all of them straight to her.


    He swung his sword at the wolf, leaping over a shattered angel statue as it smashed into it, snarling and reaching with blood-stained fangs.


    Just as he reached the threshold, it sank its teeth into his arm¡ªtrying to drag him away from the cathedral''s warded protection.


    Damon gritted his teeth¡ªlet go of his sword¡ªand with his good arm, plunged a dagger straight into the creature''s eye.


    It shrieked¡ªbut it didn''t relent.


    Xander and the others charged forward, attacking from every direction.


    Matia fired a blast of ice before even closing the distance¡ªbut the nightmare spawn was relentless.


    It ripped Damon''s right arm clean off.


    Blood fountained from the wound¡ªDamon''s eyes twisted with rage.


    He didn''t fall.


    He got up.


    He jumped¡ªstraight into the creature''s face¡ªeyes burning with resentment¡ªand drove his sword into its skull with everything he had left.


    A soft chime echoed in his mind:


    [You have slain Lesser Nightmare Spawn.]


    Leona rushed forward, grabbing Damon just as more creatures came charging.


    She hoisted him over her shoulders, sprinting back toward the cathedral doors.


    Xander smashed the ground with his spear, blasting a wall of shattered stone and dust behind them as cover.


    They fell back into the cathedral¡ªits ancient runes glowing to life¡ªas they slammed the doors shut with a deafening bang, sealing themselves inside.


    Outside, the nightmare raged.


    Inside, Damon knelt, holding his sword with his one remaining hand.


    Blood pooled beneath him, from where his right arm had once been.

 Chapter 323 - 324 Bleeding [re]

    Sylvia bit her lips, watching Damon''s bleeding arm¡ªor rather, the stump of ripped bone where his arm had once been.


    She rushed to his side, pressing her hand over the bleeding wound. Damon let go of his sword and placed a hand on her arm.


    "Don''t..." he muttered, his voice strained, his teeth gritted as he looked at Evangeline. "If you guys use your magic, you''ll give our location away..."


    Matia gritted her teeth. "You''re bleeding¡ªyou won''t last like that."


    Sylvia shook her head. "I don''t care... I just need¡ª"


    "No," Damon said, his voice hoarse. "If you heal me, the light will summon them here... and we all die..."


    Evangeline lowered her head, feeling so pathetic, so weak, so foolish. She hated how she couldn''t do anything...


    Leona clenched her fist. "If we opened the door, we could get your arm. We can reattach it with magic... We still have some low-level healing potions left from the Beldam''s Nest."


    Damon sighed. "My arm got ripped off because I couldn''t move it in time... the curse from that sword was already taking my arm away..."


    He smiled bitterly. "I would''ve lost it anyway."


    For a moment, there was silence. As much as they hated it, they had to agree with his logic.


    Xander walked up to him, opening his bag and pulling out a roll of bandages. "We need to stop the bleeding... you''ve lost too much blood..."


    Sylvia touched his armor. Parts of it were dented from the strain of battle, but the Ascendant armors all had a special quirk: self-regeneration. They could mend themselves, but it would take time.


    "Take off the armor... you''re bleeding inside too... you have several broken ribs, your legs are a mess, your¡ª" she bit her lips. "You''re a wreck..."


    "We need to¡ª" Evangeline started, but Damon cut her off.


    "Don''t... think... just patch me up without magic... I''ll be fine... I''m used to things like this..."


    Matia looked at him. He had lost an arm, was covered in blood, was losing more with each moment, yet he was ''used to it''. He was just their age...


    ''What kind of life did he live to be used to being half-dead?'' she wondered.


    Sylvia and Evangeline acted as medics, while Leona helped remove the armor and clean the blood. Xander washed the bandages. Matia just stood there, staring at him, feeling helpless.


    Once they finished, Damon was covered in blood-soaked bandages. The stump was wrapped tight to stop the bleeding.


    His expression barely changed, as if he hadn''t just lost something as vital as his right arm.


    Matia bit her lips.


    ''That''s his sword arm... he was a swordsman...'' she thought.


    '' He had a talent for it... he also used a bow... he wouldn''t be able to anymore... he used twin daggers too... and now he''d lose that.''


    The air was solemn. Damon''s face was pale, woozy from the blood loss.


    Yet he smiled, sitting there with his body wrapped in bloody cloth.


    "You guys get some sleep... you can use magic at first light, when all this horror is over..."


    Sylvia lowered her head, refusing to move.


    He propped his one hand under her chin, lifting her face gently.


    "You''ve gone blind in one eye, haven''t you...? It''ll take a few days to get back to normal..."


    "Get some rest..."


    She bit her lips. "I should be telling you that..."


    He nodded, sitting down, his back resting against the broken wall. The world outside seemed to shake with the violence of the battle raging on. Sylvia sat beside him.


    "This will go on all night... until dawn, when the Rift Dwellers return to the rift... Only then will the monsters resident in this city go back to normal..."


    Damon nodded, feeling the bitter phantom pain where his arm had once been.


    Why was he even feeling pain in something that wasn''t there anymore?


    "You don''t have to worry. I''ll be fine... We haven''t rested at all for about a week... I know we''re in First Class, but even we have limits..."


    Sylvia bit her lips. "How can I rest when..."


    "The battle won''t reach here. This place is safe..." he reassured.


    She shook her head. "I don''t care about that... You expect us to just go to sleep when you''re in pain...?"


    Damon sighed. "Fine. How about we pass the time instead..."


    The others all sat in the darkness. With their limited vision, the ruined cathedral was a broken shadow of the temple it once was.


    Outside, the battle between the two sides created booming roars and flashes of unnatural light.


    The goddess''s statue still stood, defiant amidst the decay. The Goddess of Doom¡ªunchanging in a world that crumbled around her.


    Evangeline''s head was lowered, her shoulders trembling. Damon sighed, wondering if she was blaming herself.


    "Hhu... why the dull mood? This isn''t the first time we''ve suffered. Why is it so somber now..."


    He coughed, blood leaking from his lips.


    Evangeline''s head snapped up instinctively, wanting to rush to heal him.


    Damon raised his lone hand. "I''m fine..."


    Leona glared at him. "You shouldn''t even be talking in your condition..." she snapped, her voice trembling slightly.


    He smiled wearily. "Fine... who goes first? Tell us a story..."


    Evangeline lowered her head. "My... father used to tell me a story... No one really knows it... I guess it''s something of a family folktale..."


    "It''s about a rabbit and a jackal..."


    Damon raised his brows. He was familiar with that one. The others didn''t seem to know it.


    "Wait¡ªis it the one where the rabbit tricks the jackal into chasing the setting sun, hoping to catch a spark to start a fire?"


    Evangeline blinked in surprise. "Yes, but... how did you¡ª"


    Damon scoffed to hide the pain from his side. Blood oozed down his torso.


    "Family folktale. My mom wouldn''t shut up about it... It''s part of a whole series. I know every one¡ªsongs included."


    Evangeline''s eyes widened. She called out more stories, and Damon knew every single one.


    The others watched them bicker with faint smiles, forgetting the nightmare clawing at the cathedral walls.


    For the rest of the night, Damon lifted the party''s mood. For that short moment, they forgot their fear.


    And slowly, a few hours before dawn, when the titanic battle outside began to die down, one by one¡ªthe others fell asleep, their eyes finally closing.

 Chapter 324 - 325: Wings Of Frost

    With the others asleep, Damon gritted his teeth.He made no sound... almost having long since grown used to being covered in his own blood.


    He leaned by the wall, pulling at the bandage to inspect his wounds. Sylvia and Evangeline had used the last of their healing potions on him.


    The wounds clung sticky to the fabric as he peeled it back with a calm, almost mechanical expression.


    "Well, that''s gonna leave a mark..." he muttered, staring at the raw gashes.


    And here he was, almost celebrating how the system had gotten rid of all his scars when he first got it...


    Damon sighed. He didn''t bother trying to get up ¡ª that would be pointless. His whole body ached, but Pain Resistance at Level 3 was helpful, at least.


    He had been planning to use the Ashborn skill to cauterize the wounds ¡ª he just needed to make sure the others stayed asleep.


    He was sure they had reached their limits.


    Opening his palm, he prepared to activate the skill, bracing himself for the surge of agony.


    "You''re really good at this..." Matia''s voice drifted from beside him.


    She had shed part of her armor, wearing only the awakened shell of her shattered ice armor, her fairy wings fluttering lightly behind her in the dusty air.


    "Ahhh, Matia... hehe, you caught me..." Damon said with a wry grin.


    She sat down next to him in the crumbling cathedral, kicking up a small puff of dust.


    "You''re really good at getting people to do what you want... really good at lying too... How did you keep your voice from quaking in pain?" she asked, lowering her head.


    Damon leaned his head against the pillar, his bloodied body giving off a faint, fishy smell.


    "What are you on about..." he muttered.


    She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips.


    "I never really knew what to make of you... the guy always eating alone in the cafeteria. You always forced your way into the nobles'' section ¡ª like you just wanted to get into a fight."


    He chuckled weakly. "But I had a golden ticket ¡ª the academy rules said I could be there..."


    She shook her head more firmly this time.


    "But you didn''t need to. I always thought you were violent... and a little bit scary, after you burned down the Evil Forest..."


    Damon sighed. "I was just trying to win... Guess I was a little desperate."


    "No. You were insane," she muttered.


    He smiled faintly, blood staining his teeth.


    After everything that had happened... being trapped here... she still didn''t understand him.


    "I told you about my past... my home..." she said, waving her hand awkwardly.


    "So I... I want to know yours. If you want to tell me, of course... I''m not prying."


    Damon closed his eyes. His past ¡ª there was a lot of it, for a mere sixteen years.


    "There really isn''t much to tell..." he started slowly.


    "My parents died early, so I lived on the streets of Valerion. I used to run errands for a smuggling ring. Sometimes I didn''t shut my mouth, so the boss or the higher-ranking members would teach me a lesson..."


    He chuckled darkly. "Well... not that I learned. Sometimes I starved. Sometimes worse."


    His eyes narrowed, memories gnawing at him.


    "Honestly, I should have died. But there was this elf..." he said, voice trailing.


    Matia''s eyes sharpened.


    "He freed you, then?"


    Damon shook his head, a bitter smile playing on his lips.


    "No... he didn''t free me. If anything, he exploited and manipulated me. Everything he told me was a lie."


    A long silence. Damon pressed a hand against his face, a realization dawning slowly.


    "Come to think of it... he told me I had no talent for the sword..." He let out a hollow laugh.


    "That''s probably another lie, huh?"


    Matia looked at him seriously.


    "But you''re stellar with the sword."


    Damon sighed. "Took me all this time to realize that... But you know... I hated him.


    And now... I can''t be so sure anymore."


    Matia clenched her fists, thinking of her own father.


    She hated him too ¡ª had prayed for his death every single day of her life.


    Damon smiled faintly.


    "But now that he''s dead... all I can think about are the times he saved me. Even if it was twisted and toxic... he was still someone I wanted to prove myself to."


    Matia understood him now. Deeply.


    She, too, had always wanted to prove that being a woman did not make her weak.


    Damon leaned back.


    "He taught me a lot... about surviving the streets... about people... how their minds work... Even if he was scum."


    Matia watched him carefully.


    "What about your father? What was he like?"


    Damon met her gaze. "My father was someone I loved. Respected. Looked up to..."


    He hesitated, pain flickering in his eyes.


    "I would be ashamed to look at him now... because I grew up to hate people like him."


    The others, supposedly asleep, listened silently in the background, holding their breath.


    Matia frowned, confused.


    "Why?"


    Damon exhaled heavily.


    "My father was stalwart. Steadfast. He had principles he never abandoned. I hated people like that... because they reminded me too much of him... while I became the exact opposite. Dishonorable. I would forsake any principle... How could I ever look him in the eyes again?"


    He lowered his head, as if weighed down by the ghost of his dead father.


    "I would steal. I would lie. I would do anything to survive. Push comes to shove... I was human garbage, without an ounce of nobility left."


    He bit his lip, trembling slightly.


    "How could I not hate people like that... when I had failed to become one myself?"


    His voice cracked slightly.


    "Maybe that''s why it was so easy to believe I had no talent for the sword... because a sword was one of the few things that reminded me of him. Maybe... the only thing I learned from him."


    Matia''s wings fluttered gently in the cold, musty air.


    "Do you... like the sword?" she asked softly.


    Damon scoffed.


    "I like what it does to my enemies... My father said a sword was a noble weapon... but the truth is ¡ª like all weapons ¡ª it''s just a tool for killing. There is no nobility in violence. Or war."


    Matia shook her head firmly.


    "That''s not what I saw today. A sword can be used to protect people. Your father... he would have been proud of you today. You risked your life to save all of us."


    Damon chuckled, a rare, fragile smile tugging at his blood-streaked lips.


    Matia sat up straighter, determination burning in her eyes. She knelt by his side, wings gleaming in the darkness.


    "So let me give you a miracle..." she whispered.


    She placed her hand over the stump of his right arm ¡ª where it had once been.


    "Let me give you my wings."


    Her wings spread wide, frozen for a moment ¡ª then began to crack, shards of ice and frost falling like frozen glass around them.


    Damon''s eyes widened in horror as her wings shattered.


    "Wait... huj¡ª"


    But it was too late.


    Matia''s wings fell from her back, shattering completely ¡ª sacrificing her ability to ever fly again.

 Chapter 325 - 326: Bonds Forged In Fear

    The act of sacrificing a fairy''s wings ¡ª this was something unique to fairy kind.


    Not even the fae, who prided themselves as being superior to fairies, could do so.


    It was something a fairy could only do once in their lifetime: the act of giving away their wings in exchange for one miracle.


    It was an act of ultimate selflessness and sacrifice, where the fairy, of their own free will, would grant that miracle to someone.


    The price was dire.


    They would lose their wings forever, never again able to soar through the skies.


    They would become like any ground-bound creature... they would lose the blessing that defined them.


    Fairy kind would naturally recoil from them.


    They would be outcasts among their own people.


    And for a fairy who gave up their wings, there was one added downside ¡ª they would suffer one ill fate.


    It could be anything... though many deemed it mere superstition.


    Even so, Matia''s miracle was real.


    She had sacrificed her wings... for Damon.


    She had given him her miracle.


    Her wings shattered like glass, the fragments rising up into the air.


    The others, who had been pretending to sleep, all turned their heads to witness the sight.


    Like voiceless snowflakes, the fragments danced around Damon, touching his body, seeping through every pore.


    Where his arm had once been ripped off, a new arm was growing, covered in frost.


    His wounds began to vanish, carried away by a chilling wind and swirling flakes.


    He felt the pain fade away.


    The lightheadedness disappeared.


    Matia smiled weakly and collapsed to the side.


    Damon, moving on instinct, reached out with his new arm, catching her before she could touch the ground ¡ª his arm strong, whole, and free from the curse.


    A soft chime rang out.


    [You have received the Blessing of the Fairy.]


    [All depleted stats have been restored.]


    [You have gained Mastery: Disintegration Resistance.]


    Matia smiled faintly in his arms.


    The others rushed to his side.


    He looked at Matia...


    He didn''t ask why.


    He simply looked at her ¡ª and whispered something he hadn''t said in a very long time:


    "Thank you."


    In his heart, he had every reason to feel grateful for Matia''s sacrifice.


    He had doubted his choice.


    But even in death, Carmen Vale had been right:


    If you see the worst in people, that''s all you''ll ever see.


    Kindness was reciprocal.


    He had risked it all ¡ª and in return, he had not only been freed from Alazard''s cursed blade, which would have eventually taken his arm ¡ª he had been given something more.


    A second chance.


    Evangeline looked at him ¡ª he expected her to say something... but she didn''t.


    She simply spread her arms and pulled him into a hug.


    Sylvia followed, and soon, he and Matia were covered in a group hug.


    The party of teenagers smiled and laughed, having survived yet another ordeal.


    The world outside had gone silent.


    The battles had come to a stop.


    Dawn was still far off.


    Evangeline looked at Matia.


    "Thank you," she said softly.


    The wingless fairy blinked, looking at her with a confused expression.


    "Why are you thanking me...?"


    Evangeline hesitated, then looked down.


    "Right... I should be apologizing. My incompetence is the reason¡ª"


    Matia raised her hand sharply.


    "Stop. Don''t say it."


    She shook her head firmly.


    "I made my choice. We''re a party. We''re meant to support each other... covering for each other when we fail."


    Matia''s eyes drifted toward Damon, who was flexing his new arm a short distance away.


    "Damon''s been carrying us all as party leader. He''s shown just how noble he can be... even if he doesn''t think so.


    He might not be the best person around... but I still have faith in him.


    I choose to have faith in him.


    Even if he isn''t the most righteous, I will follow him.


    One day, I''m sure he will change this world... forever."


    Evangeline stared at her.


    This was the highest praise she had ever heard for Damon.


    "How can you be so sure?" she asked quietly.


    Matia shrugged, a small, almost mischievous smile tugging at her lips.


    "I''m not."


    Evangeline turned her gaze toward Damon.


    He was someone who had won the position of party leader despite being a commoner ¡ª even Xander, who had once been his rival, had acknowledged him.


    She walked up to Damon, a small smile creeping onto her face.


    "I suppose it took a miracle to heal that curse," she said.


    Damon nodded.


    "Not surprised your power didn''t work... considering it wasn''t a curse," he replied coolly.


    He lifted the sword ¡ª Alazard''s sword, the cause of his suffering ¡ª into view.


    "This sword doesn''t curse.


    Its ability is disintegration.


    That''s why you couldn''t purify my wound."


    He looked at her, his voice steady.


    "Purification is a form of destruction. So is disintegration ¡ª breaking things down.


    You can''t fight destruction with destruction."


    Evangeline smiled faintly at his explanation.


    He was back to normal.


    But her smile dimmed when she looked at the cathedral doors.


    "What do we do next?" she asked.


    Honestly... he didn''t know.


    He felt restored, thanks to Matia''s miracle.


    Even so, the others were all exhausted.


    He looked around at the cold, broken cathedral.


    Dawn was still a long way off.


    "We take the day off," he said finally.


    "Plan our route.


    The more eager we are for success, the more damned we''ll be.


    The city nights are cold ¡ª and we can''t make a fire."


    He clenched his fist tightly.


    "We can''t afford to sleep at night.


    So we won''t.


    We sleep during the day... and move when we can.


    It might take months... but we''ll leave Lysithara.


    And we''ll return home."


    He placed his sword in front of him, driving it lightly into the ground.


    Evangeline smiled and placed her sword next to his.


    Xander scoffed but stepped forward, resting his spear next.


    "This is childish," he muttered under his breath.


    Leona grinned and raised her greatsword, adding it to the pile.


    Sylvia hopped closer, holding her bow, and did the same.


    They all looked at Matia.


    The wingless fairy smiled gently, forming a sword from pure ice ¡ª and placed it with them.


    Together, they spoke the party''s motto:


    "In the absence of the desirable, let the available be the desirable."

 Chapter 326 - 327: The Place Beneath

    The sun rose from the horizon into the bleak grey sky of Lysithara. As its light climbed higher, the last of the creatures from the rift disappeared... like a cloud of black fog dissipating into the wind...


    These nightmares left behind no corpses... it was almost as their names suggested... illusions born from some endless nightmare, meant only to bring horror upon the world.


    Damon quietly listened as the last echoes of battle faded... the horrors of Lysithara slowly retreating back to where they belonged... as if the dire need to battle the creatures had itself been nothing but an illusion.


    The city returned to its ruined silence... but this time, it carried more scars than before.


    Sylvia sighed, relief washing over her.


    "We survived yet another ordeal..."


    Damon nodded, his brows furrowed.


    "I think it''s almost sad... no, it is sad... yet beautiful..."


    Sylvia tilted her head as the rays of sunlight washed over the ruined cathedral.


    "How so?"


    He shook his head, a somber look crossing his face.


    "It''s just... some of these creatures had once called Lysithara home before the rot. It''s beautiful because, even now¡ªcorrupted and broken¡ªthey rose to protect it..."


    Sylvia nodded quietly.


    "And the sadness... is it because they''re always fighting? Always trapped in war?"


    He chuckled sadly.


    "Yeah... but it''s not just them... it''s our whole world. Everywhere, every day... we are always at war. Why is that? Why can''t our world have peace?"


    Sylvia nodded, her gaze heavy.


    "That''s actually blasphemy... but since it''s just the two of us, I can share something."


    Damon raised an eyebrow, sensing she knew something he didn''t.


    Sylvia smiled faintly, guessing his thoughts.


    "It''s nothing so grand... just hypotheses from some great minds."


    She leaned against the crumbling wall.


    "You''re not the first to come to that conclusion. Some scholars came to the same thought... our world, it''s not normal. Other worlds exist, and they have wars too, but not like ours. We''re always at war..."


    She looked at him seriously. Even now, they were at war among themselves, not to mention with the demon races¡ªtheir greatest enemies. Without demons, they would simply tear each other apart instead.


    "This is considered blasphemous. The Temple executed anyone who thought or wrote about such things..."


    Damon scoffed with disdain. He already saw that coming.


    Sylvia sighed.


    "Who knows... maybe it''s because we worship a goddess of doom. Maybe our world is always moving towards self-destruction. War is part of doom, after all..."


    She turned her gaze to the statue in the cathedral. Her brow furrowed.


    "Hmm... I didn''t know the goddess was ever depicted with four wings..."


    Damon raised an eyebrow.


    "She isn''t..."


    Sylvia crossed the threshold of the ruined cathedral, walking toward the altar at the center where the statue stood.


    Damon frowned and followed her. Their actions didn''t go unnoticed¡ªEvangeline raised a brow, setting her sword down, while Xander, leaning by a broken pillar, raised his head slightly. Leona and Matia, mid-arm wrestling match, froze and glanced over.


    One by one, they all followed Sylvia and Damon to the altar.


    Sylvia stopped in front of it, her eyes lifting to the massive statue of the goddess of doom.


    Unlike a mere temple, this was a cathedral¡ªan ancient and sacred place.


    The statue depicted a woman in a veil, standing proud, her features hidden behind the cloth. She held a sword in one hand, and even as a statue, an imposing will radiated from her¡ªone that spoke not only of doom but something more... something eternal.


    Damon had seen many statues of the goddess, but this one felt almost alive.


    Still, that wasn''t what caught his eye.


    Behind the statue, on the cathedral wall, was a hidden mark. From the entrance, it appeared as though the goddess had four wings¡ªbut it was merely an illusion created by the placement of the mark.


    The mark depicted an abyss, with two swords and four wings... it radiated a feeling of good and evil, purity and depravity, all at once. It was right¡ªbut it was also wrong.


    Damon recognized the feeling immediately. He had felt the same way when he saw the mark on Lilith.


    This... this was the mark of the Unknown God.


    Sylvia stared at it, part of the wall shattered, but the mark remained untouched.


    Xander''s hand trembled.


    "What... is this blasphemous place... how..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    "This was a cathedral built to worship the goddess... and yet here, there''s a mark of the Unknown God..."


    His mind raced. How had they even found this place?


    He glanced at Sylvia slightly. Of course... it was Sylvia who had led them here, seeking safety¡ªbut Sylvia herself had been led here by the Unknown Journey Book.


    Damon realized it now...


    It wasn''t ancient magic left behind by the people of Lysithara that kept the rift creatures away...


    It was because this place carried the divine authority of both the Goddess of Doom and the Unknown God.


    For a long moment, silence hung heavy in the cathedral.


    Sylvia took a deep breath.


    "How is this possible... why is there a mark of the Unknown God¡ªworshiped by demons¡ªhere, in a cathedral of the goddess?"


    The others said nothing, unease written on their faces.


    Damon sighed.


    "Probably because... the people of Lysithara once gave faith to both."


    He walked up to the altar, noticing a dusty old book resting on it.


    He blew away the thick layer of dust.


    The others tensed behind him.


    Evangeline bit her lip.


    "Should you really touch that thing..."


    He sighed, placing a hand on the book.


    "Do you want to find out the truth or not?"


    He turned the fragile pages carefully, eyes narrowing as he read aloud:


    "''I pray for a time when Doom meets the Abyss. I pray... may the will of the unseen Sovereign be complete. May all suffering come to an end... Signed, Mugu.''"


    He read the last part with a degree of surprise. It wasn''t the first time he had heard that name...


    Before he could say anything, the entire cathedral began to vibrate¡ªstone groaning as the altar shifted backward, opening a narrow dark stairwell that led deep beneath the earth.


    Damon looked back at the others. They stared at him, expressions torn between fear and determination.


    Leona bit her lip, voice low.


    "Now what?"

 Chapter 327 - 328: Will Carry It All

    Damon wasn''t sure how to react... he had read it to show them not to be blinded by religious doctrines created by mortals, to not limit themselves.


    He had read it aloud for that purpose... he had been surprised to find the name Mugu, but he didn''t even have time to be surprised when the hidden passage revealed itself.


    Matia held her ascendant weapon as if expecting something to crawl out of the darkness of the stairwell and attack them.


    The others all looked around cautiously, weapons drawn... ready to fight.


    Damon looked down... then back at Leona.


    "Now we slowly retreat and come up with a plan... with our luck, I won''t be surprised if we end up in some hidden dungeon..."


    The others nodded, slowly backing away... as they did, the altar behind them began to close. As soon as it shut itself, they all felt relieved.


    Damon glanced at Sylvia, whose eyes were focused on the book in his hand... or rather, her single eye¡ªthe other was now blind.


    "Can I see that..." she opened her palm.


    He passed the book to her without question... she opened it, flipping through the pages...


    Then looked at him. "It''s empty..."


    Damon blinked, confused, and snatched the book back.


    "No, it''s not... I can see what''s written... hmm."


    He frowned. "It''s the same damn thing repeated... on every page..."


    Evangeline sighed, holding her temple.


    "Don''t tell me you''re cursed again..."


    He looked at her with a deadpan expression.


    "Why are you talking to me like you''re my mother..."


    She sneered... ready to retort.


    Leona sighed. "Can you two lovebirds settle down? Your hostile flirting is distracting us from the main problem..."


    Damon nodded, glancing at Sylvia. He opted not to argue.


    "Use your skill to determine if that place is safe for us to explore... as for the book..."


    He looked down at it.


    "It''s probably enchanted. As for why I can read it... it''s probably because I know the words to open it. However, Evangeline, purify me just to be safe."


    Sylvia raised her head.


    "It''s safe... as far as I searched... I can look into the future, just¡ª"


    "No." They all cut her off at once.


    Xander looked at her with a worried expression.


    "As far as dangerous skills go, yours is the worst... the payment it demands is random and almost demonic. It feels like you''re playing under the whims of some cruel god..."


    Sylvia looked down at the floor of the cathedral. She was playing by the rules of some god who had made her a deal she couldn''t refuse... but she had been given a choice.


    Damon sighed. Xander was right about that... but he didn''t like the idea of Sylvia getting burned at the stake.


    If anyone found out her secret, she''d be branded an enemy of the goddess.


    "We all have horrible skills... for someone who has faith in the goddess, are you accusing the goddess of fate of giving Sylvia a burden she can''t carry?"


    Xander could hear the mocking edge in Damon''s voice.


    He scoffed, crossing his arms. "Glad to see you''re still the same mongrel I know."


    Matia watched them bicker with a long-suffering sigh, her hand idly resting on the hilt of her weapon.


    "Right... I remember now. This is exactly how they were at the academy..."


    She half-raised her hand to interrupt¡ªbut no one paid her any attention.


    Evangeline exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose.


    "Guys, that''s enough... we''re all tired. Let''s get some rest."


    Damon, already tugging on Xander''s hair like a child starting a fight, glanced at her with a mocking smirk. They both stared at her¡ªthen at each other¡ªbefore speaking in perfect sync.


    "Who died and made you boss?"


    Evangeline gave them a sugary smile... and casually obliterated them with a flash of light magic.


    Moments later, they were seated in a rough circle, the scent of scorched cloth lingering in the air.


    Sylvia silently patched up some angry red scorch marks on Xander''s arm.


    Damon, the shameless mongrel he was, had used Xander as a living meatshield without a second thought.


    Xander shot him a look of pure betrayal.


    "Dishonorable... I knew I couldn''t trust you."


    Damon just grinned wide, tossing in a few childish jeers like a schoolboy who had gotten away with murder.


    Evangeline bit into a piece of dried jerky, her mood visibly souring.


    "Let''s address our problems. We''re running dangerously low on rations. We have about..."


    Matia rummaged through the supplies, her brows knitting together.


    "Four days'' worth," she announced grimly.


    Evangeline nodded. "We also have no map of the city. No idea where to find a waypoint or a teleportation gate..."


    Her gaze sharpened as she looked directly at Damon¡ªtheir so-called party leader.


    "What are our options?"


    Damon''s jaw tightened slightly as he leaned back, thinking.


    "We''ve got another issue. Even if we find a gate or a way out, the Keeper won''t let us leave. Not before answering his riddle."


    Sylvia shifted uneasily, recalling the ominous game.


    "The game that can''t be won... and a Keeper who controls the city..."


    Leona nudged Damon, her eyes wide with worry.


    "How do we pass? Why is it unwinnable?"


    Damon exhaled slowly, tension gathering in his shoulders.


    Sylvia spoke before he could, her voice calm but weary.


    "Let''s go over the riddles. One has an answer. In fact, it''s so obvious it''s painful.


    The second one doesn''t¡ªit''s impossible. And that''s the answer to the first question."


    Leona looked lost, glancing between Sylvia and Damon. The two exchanged a knowing look.


    Sylvia crossed her arms and asked the group quietly.


    "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?"


    The second question dropped into the silence like a stone.


    Leona stood up quickly, her hand raised with false confidence.


    "Force smashes through the object! The strongest spear always beats the strongest shield!"


    Without hesitation, Damon smacked her lightly on the head.


    "That answer would definitely get you killed when we meet the Keeper. Just shut up and let me do the thinking... and talking."


    Leona pouted, rubbing her head with a soft whimper.


    "That''s so mean..."


    Damon''s expression softened a little. He reached out, ruffling her hair in a rare moment of tenderness.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll figure something out."


    He smiled at his friend, noting how adorable she looked when she pouted her face.


    "You''re too stupid to be damned for eternity."

 Chapter 328 - 329: Horrible Demise

    The sound of steel clashing against steel echoed out from a ruined cathedral.


    The ground quivered beneath each dull clang, accompanied by the sharp, rhythmic pants of a young man and woman locked in combat.


    The young woman was a golden beauty¡ªquite literally.


    She moved with the grace of royalty and the force of a tempest, clad in golden-inlaid armor. Her long, flowing hair shimmered like molten metal, matching the glow of her piercing golden eyes. In her hand, a rapier gleamed, darting forward to clash against the blade of her opponent.


    The young man facing her was her opposite in every way. His eyes were like lightless abysses, his hair a mess of raven-black strands. He wore regal, muted armor with a dull, ashen crown hovering just above his head like a halo¡ªan eerie echo of nobility.


    Damon stepped back with calculated calm, narrowly evading a swift jab from Evangeline. He parried with a subtle twist of his wrist, smirking faintly, then reached forward to grab her wrist mid-motion.


    But Evangeline switched hands in an instant, driving her elbow toward his face. Damon dipped his head, dodging cleanly.


    She leapt back, boots scraping dust across the cracked stone floor, and drew in a deep breath to steady her rhythm.


    She smiled. "You really should have taken up my offer back when I first asked... you''d make a great sparring partner."


    Damon scoffed, the memory of her proposition at the academy flashing through his mind¡ªthe one he''d casually brushed off.


    "And give you the satisfaction of getting what you want... not a chance."


    Evangeline raised her sword, the blade suddenly radiating a blinding flash of light.


    "Let''s see how you do without sight..."


    Damon didn''t hesitate. He moved forward, blade in hand. Relying on his shadow sense, he didn''t need eyes. His body moved through muscle memory, the dark sensing skill guiding his steps.


    He met her strike and parried again. She lunged, ramming her shoulder into him, knocking his sword loose.


    His hand dropped instinctively to his daggers, aiming them toward her chest¡ªbut she simply smiled.


    "You lose."


    Damon exhaled and came to a stop. Right. This was a swordsmanship lesson, not a kill-or-be-killed fight. He slid his dagger back into place. Evangeline had outmatched him¡ªwith the sword, at least.


    Applause echoed across the chamber.


    The others sat watching from the stone pews of the ruined cathedral.


    Leona grinned. "You almost had her there..."


    Sylvia nodded, her smile subtle. "That was a close match if I''ve ever seen one. A shame you''re only good at defensive swordsmanship. Your attacks leave too many openings."


    Xander glanced toward Matia, arms folded.


    "He''s using those techniques from that Mist Knight... or at least a messy mix of them. Also seems like he''s obsessed with following every rule. That''s not how he usually fights..."


    Matia nodded thoughtfully. "He actually seemed more flexible the moment he lost his sword." She tilted her head.


    "You''re far too rigid. You focus more on form than anything else¡ªas if obsessed with perfection. Normally, you only care about the end result: killing your opponent. But when you use a sword, suddenly the means matter."


    Evangeline crossed her arms, brow furrowed. She had taught him a lot these past few days. It made her feel... oddly pathetic. It took her years to be this good.


    "You''re really good with a sword. Your basics are perfect, and you learn fast¡ªtoo fast. Why didn''t you take a swordsmanship class at the academy?"


    Damon sighed, frustration etched across his face. His swordsmanship had improved, but his mastery hadn''t increased.


    "I feel like something''s missing. I can imitate what I see... but I don''t have a technique that''s truly mine. I can only be other people..."


    He hesitated, biting his lip before speaking further.


    "I''m rigid because my father taught me with strict rules. Only by following them perfectly could I become perfect... but¡ª"


    "That''s not you," Leona interrupted. "You''re not perfect. And you''d have had to practice for years to make it that ingrained."


    He shook his head.


    "No, not really. I only practiced when I felt really frustrated with life... which was a lot, so I guess so..."


    Matia rubbed her chin and stood. "I think you''re in too much of a rush. Honestly? You''re a prodigy with the sword¡ªbut don''t rush success. It takes a thousand battles to be a master. You''ve fought a lot, so you know how to kill, but not how to do it with a sword..."


    She looked at him seriously.


    "One real battle is better than a thousand practice swings."


    Evangeline nodded, her tone just as serious. "It''ll take time to become a master. Until then, I''ll keep teaching you my family''s sword style."


    Damon nodded, sighing again. Xander gave Evangeline a look.


    "Wasn''t that technique perfected by Grand Duke Damian Brightwater? Passed down only to direct descendants of the family? Are you sure it''s a good idea?"


    Evangeline shrugged. "What Grandfather doesn''t know won''t hurt him."


    Damon suddenly didn''t like the idea of learning her swordsmanship anymore.


    "Erhm... I think¡ª"


    Evangeline sneered. "Don''t tell me you''re scared of a noble... wow, that''s real maturity. Finally, he learns fear..."


    Damon clicked his tongue. He knew exactly what she was doing¡ªbut his mother didn''t raise a wimp. Might as well put on a princess dress if he backed down now.


    "As if I''d be scared of any noble. Even an old monster at the seventh class advancement who can destroy a continent..."


    Evangeline gave him a flat look.


    "You didn''t have to mention the last part. That was so unnecessary."


    He smiled " mama didn''t raise a wimp."


    Xander seized the moment, his grin sharp. "Yeah, she didn''t raise a wimp... she barely raised you at all. Probably why you''re so feral."


    Damon scoffed, then smiled. "I''ll take that as a compliment."


    He turned to Sylvia, his voice dry. "Now that your eye''s all healed up... when do we set out?"


    She nodded, glancing at the crumbled altar and the pristine goddess statue behind it.


    "Tomorrow would be good. But first, we should investigate the underground stairwell beneath the altar. We may yet have a fortuitous encounter..."


    "Or meet a horrible demise." Damon muttered.

 Chapter 329 - 330: Man Of Too Many Lies

    Five days had passed since they camped out in the ruined cathedral. They had fought off the occasional rotfolk and rested as best they could. During that time, they studied the layout of the city and planned their route through the ruins.


    They stayed indoors, waiting for Sylvia to recover, and tried to rid themselves of fatigue. The days were mostly uneventful¡ªMatia showed no signs of suffering after sacrificing her wings. There was always that creeping sensation of being watched, but by now, they had grown used to it.


    They hadn''t found anything worthwhile.


    The cathedral was a safe haven... but they couldn''t remain behind its broken walls forever. If they ever wanted to return home, they''d have to venture into the heart of the ruined city.


    The only problem was Damon. He was getting hungrier by the day. He had used his sacrifice skill to feed his shadow¡ªat the cost of his overall strength. Every day they stayed hidden, he grew weaker.


    But he was hell-bent on going back. Nothing would stop him.


    "Should we investigate the altar now...?" Leona''s voice was soft, but not without weight.


    Damon shook his head. "We''re leaving tomorrow anyway. Might as well wait until then. Even if there''s some monster hiding there, we''ll be packed and ready to flee."


    Matia leaned against a cracked pillar. "We''ve been doing a lot of that lately... fleeing, I mean..."


    Evangeline gritted her teeth. "We haven''t had a choice. Even at first class, the strongest things we could kill were second class at best."


    "We''ve also been bleeding a lot..." Sylvia said, smiling faintly, her voice distant.


    Xander clenched his fist. "We''ve been losing a lot."


    Leona smiled despite everything. "But we''ve been growing too. Even changed. We got stronger. It was bad, sure, but at least we grew from it... Our situation looks grim, but we''ll make it... right, Damon?"


    He gave her a slight smile. Leona was being unusually optimistic.


    "Well... I can''t see the future, but yeah. We will."


    Leona''s eyes drifted to Sylvia, the group''s seer. She wanted her input.


    "We''ll be fine." Sylvia nodded, then added, "In fact, why don''t I give a random reading? And before you guys say anything, it''s safer... maybe..."


    Damon frowned at her. She caught his expression.


    "Erm... it''s not what you think. It''s just my skill giving random readings¡ªit won''t affect me."


    He sighed. "Fine. As long as you''re safe, I guess."


    Sylvia nodded and activated her skill. A book¡ªvisible only to Damon¡ªhovered in the air, faintly glowing with shifting runes.


    "Let''s start with you, Leona..."


    She paused, the book drifting in front of Leona for a moment.


    "Your life is pure, yet you surround yourself with one who walks with ruin and death... Oh storm-bringer, you will be dragged into darker clouds."


    Leona blinked, confused. Her eyes turned to Damon for answers.


    "Erm... what does that mean...?"


    Damon could make a few guesses. The one who walks with ruin and death¡ªthat was probably him. Did that mean he was going to drag Leona into trouble later?


    He shrugged. "Don''t know. Ask the seer."


    She pouted. She could tell he had his theories, but he wasn''t saying. She knew him too well. "Fine, don''t tell me. Meanie."


    Damon sighed and walked up to her, patting her head. "You''re so juvenile."


    She shrugged. "I''m sixteen."


    Damon smiled. "So am I."


    Sylvia turned to Evangeline next.


    "Let''s see... yours says: The prodigal child returns home... showered with love... and given all... Do not worry¡ªyou are loved as well. The golden sun merely wishes to make up for lost time."


    The others looked to Evangeline. For once, they saw hope in a prophecy.


    "Does that mean... we''ll be able to go back home?" Leona''s voice was barely a whisper.


    Something lit behind Evangeline''s eyes¡ªjust for a moment.


    Sylvia shook her head. "I don''t know. These words are vague at best. This might mean something completely different."


    Damon nodded. "Yeah. ''You are loved as well'' sounds like it wasn''t even directed at you."


    Matia narrowed her eyes, her voice almost desperate. "But it''s still a small sign... Try using that on the rest of us. Maybe we can form a puzzle or something. Anything."


    Xander nodded. "Try mine next."


    Sylvia glanced at the brown-haired boy and read his future.


    "Angry shadows descend... The noble knight''s dark deeds become known. He had murdered night and day... He is disgusted by his own reflection... His dark deeds will be embraced by hungry shadows... Death is his final resting place... You will be his silent avenger... forced to forever hunt a faceless enemy... Hope you never see its face..."


    Xander narrowed his brows. "I don''t get it. The first part doesn''t even seem to be about me..."


    Leona tapped her chin. "How does someone even murder night and day?"


    Damon sighed. "Figure of speech. Don''t take it literally."


    Matia looked at Xander. He was the most upright of them all. "What dark deeds...? That part wasn''t about you. And who''s he supposed to be?"


    Evangeline shook her head. "It doesn''t matter. What matters is¡ªour chances of surviving are still high."


    Matia turned to Sylvia again, eyes sharp.


    "What about me?"


    Sylvia closed her eyes.


    "The wingless fairy will rise again... The one who has been lost will return..."


    Matia''s eyes widened, her expression glowing with renewed hope.


    "Does that mean I''ll get my wings back?"


    Sylvia raised her hand to stop her. "I don''t know. Remember, we can''t take these literally..."


    Damon felt a sting in his chest. She had given up her wings for him. She never acted like it mattered much¡ªbut it had to. It had to hurt, losing something so vital to her life.


    Sylvia looked tired now.


    "You''re next, Damon. Do you want one?"


    He nodded slowly. "Sure... What''s mine?"


    She looked at the book floating in front of her.


    "I offer a gentle warning... a caution. Beware¡ªyour peril has only begun. That, I guarantee.


    The truth is a steel horse... Your lies will be broken. Your truths will be revealed. And when they do... you will be betrayed by one you cherish."


    Damon felt his heart sink.


    His lies were one too many.

 Chapter 330 - 331: Hidden Door

    Damon stood by the dark stairwell beneath the altar, clad in his Ascendant armor. He debated equipping the Sovereign Mantle form¡ªbut ultimately left it in the standard Light Ascendant shell. The ashen crown hovered like a halo on his head, casting a faint spectral gleam.


    It was morning¡ªthe day they planned to leave the cathedral.


    The others were gathered behind him, weapons drawn and silent. Xander stood next to him, completely encased in the imposing armor of the Bound Colossus, its Sovereign Mantle active.


    The stairwell exhaled a faint dusty scent. The air hung heavy¡ªlike a tomb sealed for centuries.


    Damon frowned, glancing at Xander.


    "Meatshield, you go first..."


    Xander narrowed his eyes, conjuring a floating barrier of gravity magic, for added protection. Though he doubted it would do much.


    "I think you mean Frontline fighter..."


    Damon clicked his tongue, slightly irritated.


    "Just go ahead."


    Xander gave a short nod, gripping his spear with both hands. He eyed the weapon¡ªit would be nearly useless in such tight quarters. He''d have to rely on his fists instead. That was fine. His armor''s gauntlets were built like siege hammers.


    His punches were backed by gravity.


    Damon followed him, choosing to go before Leona. For some reason, the thought of letting her go first didn''t sit right with him.


    The girls moved in after. Leona took the lead among them, followed closely by Evangeline and Sylvia, with Matia bringing up the rear.


    Xander''s footsteps echoed softly into the dark, then his voice rose.


    "I can''t see a thing... Evangeline, shine a light¡ªor use that night vision spell Sylvia made."


    Damon blinked. He hadn''t even realized how dark it had gotten. He could see just fine. His eyes were built for this¡ªdarkness made no difference.


    The same couldn''t be said about his friends.


    The spell Xander referred to was a product of necessity¡ªSylvia''s solution to their biggest issue in Lysithara. They couldn''t risk using light at night, which meant they couldn''t see. The spell fixed that by enchanting the eyes with temporary night vision. Only those with luminescent magic could cast it.


    When Damon tried, he ended up blinding people due to his shadow attribute.


    The spell was called Night Light.


    Evangeline stepped beside him, placing a palm gently over his eyes, casting the spell.


    Sylvia moved through the group doing the same. She glanced at Damon afterward, her lips curled.


    "Do you need a nightlight... or...?"


    Damon cut her off, he could see just fine.


    "My eyes are fine. I can see even better than I do in the day."


    Xander clicked his tongue.


    "If that''s the case, why am I in front?"


    "Because you''re a meatshield," Damon muttered.


    Evangeline lightly smacked his arm.


    "Okay, fine, fine. It''s because your skill is most useful against physical attacks¡ªand your body can take the abuse."


    Xander sighed and continued down the stairwell.


    "What do you think''s down there...?"


    Damon shrugged.


    "Something the cathedral wanted to keep hidden. No one just builds a secret basement under an altar..."


    He rubbed his chin, lips twitching with ideas.


    "Maybe some ancient ritual site... or... maybe it''s a treasure vault. I''d be so rich. I could kiss all my money problems goodbye."


    Evangeline scoffed, puncturing his fantasy.


    "With your luck, we''re walking into the nest of some abominable creatures. Maybe giant rats... or an Arachnee who wants to use you to breed, then kill you¡ªlay eggs in your mouth..."


    Damon glared at her.


    "Woman, can''t you be optimistic once in your life? I''m usually the one bringing the gloom... but fine. Two can play that game. Maybe it''s a den of huge, ugly orcs¡ªget this, all male."


    He sneered with mockery in his eyes.


    "Hope they haven''t seen a woman in a century..."


    Evangeline''s glare sharpened.


    "Finish that thought, and by the Goddess, you will die."


    Sylvia sighed as the two kept bickering. Damon''s gaze drifted around.


    ''I''m not scared or anything... I''m just a better man these days...''


    The girls glared at him.


    "What days?"


    Damon wisely chose silence.


    They continued on quietly, footsteps tapping the old stone. Despite the creeping dark, none of them seemed overly anxious¡ªthey took things in stride.


    "Should I blast the walls?" Leona whispered, her voice low.


    "Yeah, go ahead and bury us down here..." Damon muttered in response.


    Leona bit her lip.


    "Meanie..."


    Silence settled in again... until, finally, a faint light appeared at the bottom.


    Damon shifted into shadow, gliding ahead of the others. He reformed near the base of the stairwell, clutching his head as he pushed away the alien sensation of shifting.


    He shook it off and narrowed his eyes.


    They''d reached what looked like a narrow lobby. There was a skeleton in cracked armor resting against the far wall, one hand stretched toward the center of the room¡ªclutching something.


    Two pale lamps flickered with ghostly flame, their glow illuminating deeply etched runes in the floor. A massive door stood at the back, silver runes crawling across its surface like chains. It radiated an oppressive aura¡ªas if it had spent an eternity keeping something inside.


    Damon stepped toward the skeleton, kneeling beside it. The armor was ancient, corroded. A guard, maybe?


    He slowly pried its fingers apart. In its shattered palms rested a round object, covered in interlocking runes. The moment he took it, the skeleton crumbled into white dust¡ªits existence extinguished, its duty fulfilled.


    Sylvia stepped up beside him, eyes narrowed.


    "This is a key... to the door."


    Damon nodded slowly.


    "A key... I''m not sure we should be opening that door..."


    Sylvia opened her journey book, activating her skill. Her face tightened.


    "I don''t know what''s inside. But I also don''t want to pay the price to find out."


    Damon stood, the weight of the decision hanging in his chest.


    "...We open it."


    With a breath of hesitation, he placed the object into a carved groove on the door.


    A soft click echoed through the chamber. The runes pulsed. The door groaned...


    And then, slowly... it began to open.


    Revealing what lay sealed inside.

 Chapter 331 332: The Not So Dead

    Damon wasn''t sure what to expect when he opened the door¡ªmaybe some sealed chamber, a hidden crypt, or a forgotten shrine.


    Well, he wasn''t wrong.


    The room was filled with countless chains, each one etched with runes that glimmered faintly in the dim light. They hung from the ceiling and snaked toward the center of the room, like tendrils drawn to a heart. As Damon stepped forward, ghostly lights flickered to life¡ªan eerie glow that painted the room in hues of cold blue and green. The walls were carved with symbols, patterns that spiraled like ancient veins, pulsing with dormant magic.


    It all led to the center.


    There, a grotesque magic circle had been formed¡ªits lines drawn with precision and malice, surrounding a malformed corpse impaled by thick, thorned roots. Damon felt his skin crawl at the sight. The body twitched, twisted, and pulsed unnaturally. Its shape¡ªabominable. A husk of something once human, now mutated beyond recognition. It reminded him of the rotfolk... or worse, something torn from the nightmares of Lysithara''s ancient past.


    He winced, turning his gaze away in disgust. That''s when his eyes landed on a dusty table near the wall¡ªlittered with old tools and books, the covers frayed and pages curled from time''s decay.


    Sylvia approached silently, her eyes locked onto the chains.


    Evangeline took a step forward, switching places with Xander and raising her sword slightly¡ªready to use her magic or purge skill at a moment''s notice. Matia slipped in behind them, her steps careful and silent.


    "What is that..." Leona muttered, recoiling in disgust.


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "What are those?"


    She pointed toward strange scribbles that lined the walls¡ªjagged, overlapping the runes, scrawled in erratic spirals and lines. Some looked as though they''d been carved using bone or nails, others daubed in dried blood and... flesh. Long since dried, they looked no different from ink. In other places, the walls were blackened¡ªburned, as if seared by something unbearably hot.


    Damon stepped closer, squinting. His voice came low. "It says... Akasha. Akasha. Akasha..."


    Sylvia reached out slowly, brushing her fingers against one of the markings. "Who is Akasha... or what is Akasha?"


    Before anyone could answer, a soft voice responded¡ªclear and gentle, yet strangely empty.


    "That''s a good question..."


    All of them spun toward the direction of the voice¡ªblades and spells at the ready. Damon instinctively glanced at the exit. His eyes narrowed as they returned to the root-bound corpse at the center.


    Silence.


    Then the voice spoke again, distant yet disturbingly calm.


    "Armor of Pale Crown... Shattered Ice... Dawnglass... Stormwake... Bound Colossus... and Crescent Seer. This takes me back. So that''s why I woke up..."


    Damon hesitated. He wasn''t sure whether to respond. For all he knew, acknowledging it might give the horror power over them. So he turned to Sylvia.


    She gave him a small nod.


    Damon exhaled, stepping forward with quiet tension in his chest.


    "Who are you...?"


    The voice paused. "Who am I...? Hmmm. That''s an interesting question. People used to recognize me just by hearing my voice. Lysithara... has really fallen. We used to believe we were the greatest. A city of wonder. A hub of learning that would never die."


    Sylvia''s voice was low. "Are you... someone from the First Epoch?"


    Quiet.


    "...First Epoch. Is that what we are now? History. Dust. I suppose... that''s fitting."


    She paused, as if trying to recall something lost to time.


    "My name... I had forgotten it. But seeing Dawnglass... brought it back."


    The voice turned melancholic. Tired. Laced with something almost human.


    "I am Valarie. Sunwarden of Lysithara... or at least, I was. You children... you wear the Ascendant Armors. Hmmm. I can''t remember... what was I...? Ahh, forget it."


    Evangeline''s eyes narrowed. "You were one of the six... the champions."


    Silence again, longer this time. Then the voice returned.


    "I was one of the fools who believed Mugu... made the mistakes that led to our downfall."


    Damon tensed at the name. Mugu again. The system had mentioned that name¡ªtwice. Then the lady in the mist. This... Mugu had to be important.


    Xander gripped his spear tightly. "If you were one of the six, then why are you here? Why is the city like this... if it was so great?"


    But Damon shook his head. That wasn''t the most important question.


    No. The real question was¡ª


    "How do we leave this city?"


    His words grounded them. The silence that followed was heavier.


    Valarie didn''t move. Her corpse remained impaled, still twitching slightly with each breath.


    "By walking through the gates. Isn''t that obvious?"


    "We can''t." Leona''s voice cracked slightly.


    Valarie responded quickly.


    "Why not? The gates of Lysithara are open to all... our city is paradise."


    Damon finally saw it¡ªdespite her clarity, she wasn''t entirely there. Maybe she had retained some of her mind... but much of it was long gone.


    "Lysithara is destroyed. We came through the Whispering Forest. We can''t go back."


    "Whispering Forest? Hmm... Ah. The white gate... it was destroyed by Ittorath... and Ythar..."


    She didn''t seem familiar with the name but seemed to have connected the dots.


    Damon gritted his teeth. Her words jumped from one idea to the next. Names, places, histories he didn''t recognize.


    "I don''t know who those are. We just want to know if there''s a waypoint¡ªsomewhere we can use to leave."


    The others were silent, watching.


    "Oh! You should have said so. Silly me, rambling about visitors... If you don''t want to take a gate, just use a waypoint or a teleportation gate. They''re scattered all over Lysithara¡ªyou couldn''t miss them."


    Damon sighed in relief.


    "Where?" Leona asked, stepping forward.


    Valarie paused again. "Hmm... I don''t live in this district. But... there should be one nearby. Just a few blocks away. It''s next to a fountain."


    That was it. Progress. Damon nodded to the others. They were almost free. Just one last answer.


    But then Valarie spoke again.


    "If you want... I can show you the way. I know Lysithara quite well, you see..."


    Another pause.


    "All you have to do... is free me from this."

 Chapter 332 333: Ahh What Beautiful Lips

    Damon nodded, a gentle smile on his face as he glanced at Sylvia, who nodded back in turn.


    The strange voice echoing from the rotten corpse urged them with a plea soaked in desperation¡ª"Free me..."


    "Sure, why not..." Damon smiled faintly. "Just give us a minute..."


    He began to back away slowly, the others instinctively following his lead as they inched toward the door.


    Valarie''s voice suddenly echoed, eerie and almost childlike in tone.


    "Ahhh, you guys are going to the door... wait¡ªwait! It''s not what you think..."


    Damon sneered as his hand reached the door''s surface.


    "Do we look stupid to you? No one seals something with magical chains without a reason."


    Valarie gasped in disbelief. "Wait! I didn''t mean free me from the chains¡ªI was talking about freeing what''s left of me... from the rot... wait¡ªwait..."


    Damon didn''t even pause. He began pushing the great door close.


    "I''ll teach you runecraft! I''ll... I''ll show you the path! Please¡ªdon''t leave me here..."


    The doors shut. Her voice echoed one last time, distant, drowned in grief.


    "Please... don''t leave me... to the rot. I just... I just can''t hold on anymore..."


    A shadow lingered on the floor beside her, unmoving¡ªthen shifted. Outside the door, Damon, who had just left his shadow behind, sighed and stepped back inside.


    Sylvia walked in behind him, her expression unreadable. At the very least, they needed to confirm her sincerity.


    "You... you came back..."


    Damon looked at her¡ªor what remained of her. A rotting, malformed corpse bound in hundreds of glimmering chains, her presence steeped in sorrow.


    "Don''t act smart with me. You help us, we help you. That''s all."


    Valarie paused. Her voice was calm this time. Too calm.


    "Very well. I am agreeable. However... you must honor your word. My condition is simple. I promise to show you to a waypoint¡ªor a teleportation gate. In return, you will fulfill one term."


    Damon nodded. They were also desperate¡ªbut they couldn''t afford to show it.


    "What are your conditions?"


    The others waited in tense silence, letting Damon speak on their behalf.


    Valarie''s voice was somber.


    "Take what''s left of me. Bury it in the cemetery of Dawnbreak Hollow... or in the heart of Lysithara, where my comrades rest. Those of them who were lucky enough... to find rest."


    Damon scoffed, a mocking expression twisting his features.


    "As if we''d be so dumb. I have a better proposition¡ªyou act as our guide while we''re here. You teach us runecraft. You will hide nothing. When we find a way out, then we''ll bury you. Take it or leave it."


    Valarie was quiet for a long moment.


    "You won''t even let a dead woman rest... have I not suffered enough?" Her voice lowered to a whisper.


    "Very well, then. You have a deal. I will honor my word. I swear it upon the Six Ascendants of Lysithara. I, Valarie, will keep my promise. However, should I fade before completing this promise... you will bury me¡ªor at least take me to the heart of the city."


    Damon nodded. He had to be thorough. No tricks.


    "One more thing... I want you to answer my questions with only ''yes'' or ''no.''"


    He glanced at Sylvia, who already had her Journey Book ready¡ªit had truth-detection ability as long as Sylvia was willing to risk it.


    Valarie didn''t hesitate. "I have no reason to lie to children... but very well, then."


    Damon met Sylvia''s gaze to ensure she was ready.


    "Do you plan to do us harm?"


    "No."


    Sylvia nodded.


    "Do you have any intention of betraying us?"


    "No."


    "Are you using any form of self-suggestion or mind techniques to avoid telling the truth?"


    "No."


    Damon continued to ask more questions¡ªmethodical, calculated. He left no gaps, no room for vague intentions. In the end, he confirmed it: Valarie had no combat ability left. No hidden powers. Just lingering sorrow.


    Evangeline stepped forward, her voice gentle.


    "How do we free you?"


    Valarie released a long, unnatural sigh.


    "You don''t. My body is already gone... at least most of it. Just take the part untouched by rot."


    Damon frowned, his tone skeptical.


    "And which part would that be?"


    Valarie''s voice almost sounded... amused.


    "Isn''t that obvious? How else have I been talking to you? My mouth, obviously..."


    Damon blinked, confused, his eyes reluctantly scanning the corpse¡ªeyes he''d purposefully avoided using to examine her grotesque form. But then he saw it¡ªclear as day.


    Beautiful lips. Untouched. Immaculate. Resting atop the rot as though placed by a sculptor''s hand.


    "Well... what are you waiting for? Use something to move me off this rot..."


    The lips spoke. They moved independently from the corpse. The mouth of Valarie continued to speak even though it was clearly disconnected from anything living.


    They all stared at each other, speechless at the sight.


    After weeks in the Death Zone, they had grown somewhat accustomed to strange things¡ªbut this... this was new.


    "So..." Leona finally broke the silence. "Who''s gonna touch that?"


    Damon turned to Xander with a deadpan stare.


    "It''s obvious, isn''t it? The person with the longest weapon. Good thing you brought a spear, aye Xander?"


    Xander''s eyes widened, pointing at himself. "Me?! What about you?!"


    A dry chuckle echoed from Valarie''s lips.


    "Hahaha... you children are so amusing. Don''t fret¡ªif my malformed corpse bothers you, then burn it. Use the lamps. Set the body ablaze. Burn the roots of that wretch, Ythar, along with it."


    She paused¡ªwaiting. Almost expectant.


    "My lips still retain a lingering effect from when I wore the armor of Duskglass. It grants resistance to rot..."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. Understanding clicked into place.


    The Ascendants'' armors... that must be it. They granted resistance¡ªmaybe even immunity¡ªto rot. That would explain why the six champions of Lysithara survived and fought the rot.


    But then the question clawed at his mind.


    Why did Valarie fall? How did she lose her armor? How did she become this hideous parody of life¡ªdead, yet still lingering?


    While Damon pondered the nature of the armors, Evangeline reached up. Without hesitation, she plucked one of the ghostly flames from the wall and tossed it onto Valarie''s corpse.


    The blue-green fire ignited instantly, spreading like a phantom tide. It burned away the roots and flesh entwined in rot.


    A ghastly screech erupted, shaking the walls¡ªthe rot screamed as if it felt the pain.


    The flames surged... then faded. Only ash remained.


    And from the smoldering pile... a single pair of feminine lips remained.


    The lips smiled.


    "I rejoice... to hear your miserable scream, vile outsider..."


    Then the lips stretched slightly, as if looking at them all.


    "Well... shall we depart, my young successors?"


    Damon glanced sideways at Leona.


    "Erm... I''m not touching that. Who''s carrying... her... it... I mean, the lips?"


    He looked at their faces. Every one of them averted their eyes. Leona even whistled awkwardly.


    Damon bit his lip.


    He was the party leader.


    He had no choice.


    This wasn''t what he signed up for¡ªbut then again, nothing in Lysithara ever was.''

 Chapter 333 - 334: A Desire To Be Needed

    Being party leader was a glorious job. You got all the limelight, all the glory. The more fame the party gained, the more you benefited.


    At least, that was the story¡ªhow it went in the tales and fables.


    Truth be told, it was a shitty job.


    You had to organize the party... keep a bunch of wayward lunatics with extreme individuality together as a cohesive force. If the party rose, you rose. If it fell, you fell too. And sometimes, it came with really shitty chores.


    What chores, you ask?


    Well... hmmm.


    Perhaps the shitty job of carrying a living pair of lips.


    And that wasn''t even a figure of speech. Damon was literally¡ªtruly¡ªcarrying a pair of living lips. The lips of a woman long dead... after goddess knows how many centuries.


    Damon had done a lot of things. Once, he''d bitten off the eyes of a war troll. He''d even hugged a hideous beldam.


    But this... this took the cake.


    The lips were small and delicate, perched on his shoulder. However there was no body, absolutely no pyshical form.


    She had no tongue in her mouth, if anything her mouth was see through, in the sense that you could peer through it like a peep hole.


    Valarie''s lips should have been beautiful¡ªif her body wasn''t long gone.


    Now it was just creepy.


    Damon smiled bitterly. It almost reminded him of the first time he caught a toad in his village.


    Completely starved, he barely roasted it before he and his sister forced it down their throats.


    The thought of his village shoved the revulsion away¡ªreplacing it with a different kind of bile. The desire to slaughter them all. Even after all these years, Damon couldn''t bring himself to forgive... or forget.


    The insults, the pain..the isolation, the betrayal. Forgiveness was not something he had in him.


    He closed his eyes, grounding himself in the dire reality. He wouldn''t get the chance for revenge if he died in Lysithara.


    Right now, he had the power to kill them¡ªall of them.


    A shame, though. He was thousands of miles away, trapped in a death zone.


    If not blood would flow.


    "Why such a grim look... I can feel your killing intent from all the way here..."


    The lips¡ªValarie Sunwarden''s lips¡ªspoke from his shoulder.


    They twisted slightly, as if annoyed.


    "Don''t tell me you''re disgusted by what''s left of me. I''ll have you know, I was one of the most beautiful women in Lysithara. Not to mention your predecessor..."


    Damon sneered. Her words dragged him back. He would survive. Killing them was just one of the reasons.


    In the end, those people were merely side characters in his life.


    "You aren''t so beautiful now, are you? Come to think of it, what are you, anyway? Are you an undead?"


    Valarie''s lips pressed together¡ªsurprisingly expressive even without a face.


    "Boy, it seems you have no respect for women... or your elders..."


    Evangeline scoffed, walking up the stairwell.


    "She''s only known you for a few minutes and she can already tell..."


    Damon ignored Evangeline''s words, he would not bicker with her today.


    Leona sighed, coming to his defense. Although to a third party observer it may not have seemed that way.


    "Come on, Evangeline. He''s a better person now. The old him might''ve stepped on her a few times for good measure..."


    Matia, armored head to toe at the rear, grunted. "Huh. He would."


    Xander sneered with mild irritation. "He would''ve done worse. You don''t know him like we do."


    Matia remained quite she didn''t know him as well as they did. However she could paint a picture.


    Valarie''s lips were silent, as if staring at Damon.


    ''Ahh... why do I always get the troubled children among my students? Everyone else''s are always so good and obedient...''


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "Why do I feel like you''re including the rest of us in that complaint?"


    Damon smiled. Of course, she was.


    Valarie scoffed, even as a pair of lips.


    "You look like you''d help him commit a crime."


    Sylvia''s eyes widened. She looked away from Damon.


    "We should''ve left her to rot..."


    Damon walked out of the stairwell. It was still morning.


    They hadn''t spent much time underground¡ªjust enough to free Valarie and grab a few books under her instruction.


    He looked around the broken cathedral. The statue of the goddess loomed behind them, the mark of the Unknown God etched into the wall behind her.


    Xander muttered as he stared at it.


    "Heresy..."


    Damon said nothing.


    Faith in the Unknown God was considered heresy, even though some places¡ªlike Vuldren¡ªopenly embraced it.


    Valarie was quiet for a moment.


    "Yes, it is. But it wasn''t always..."


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about...?"


    Damon and the others waited in silence, listening.


    "I... I don''t remember. But... faith in the Unseen Sovereign... it gave us choice... When Mugu spoke of it, he mentioned free magic. Magic without attributes. The elders... ahhh... my head..."


    The lips groaned, pained¡ªtrying to recall something long buried.


    Damon frowned. "You don''t have a head. You''re a pair of lips."


    Valarie was quiet for a while before speaking softly.


    "I suppose so... More reason for me to rest."


    Sylvia glanced at Damon, clearly asking for his permission. Sylvia Moonveil always thirsted for knowledge. That''s who she was.


    Maybe that''s why she kept using that vile book¡ªdespite the pain, despite the price.


    Damon wanted to know, too.


    That same burning question lingered in his mind.


    Sylvia''s voice broke the silence, eyes focused on the lips.


    "Who is Mugu?"


    Valarie was silent¡ªas if pulling the memory from some deep, dark crypt.


    "Mugu was a young man... from the Doom Continent. He became Valcara''s apprentice. Eventually, he learned from all of us. Driven by a single-minded desire that would later... break him."


    She paused. The words seemed painful.


    "His drive became resentment. With no one to turn his blade on, he turned it to the heavens.


    And the heavens responded.


    That... was the beginning of the end....the prelude to the unknown god.."

 Chapter 334 - 335: Zero Epoch Truth Seekers

    Damon swallowed hard... Valarie seemed to know... this mugu was actually someone who had led to the unknown god''s presence... in their world.


    The pair of lips opened, but no words came...


    "Hmm... why... I..."


    Valarie stopped. "Hmm... it seems I can''t remember..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. "Are you catfishing us? Baiting us with bits and pieces? This better not be a trick..."


    Valarie''s lips, on his shoulder, remained close.


    "No... it''s not. I have been sealed for so long, and I am technically just a discarnate... soul..."


    The lips were all she was. However, as if glancing at Sylvia, she continued.


    "Mugu was young and ambitious. Eager even... However, what broke him was time... Perhaps it''s better to say the world moved on without him. His reason for living became pointless... he became unneeded... forgotten.*"


    Damon narrowed his eyes. He became unneeded... Damon knew what it was like¡ªto need to be needed, to believe you were important to someone.


    After all, he was that way as well. He wanted to be needed by his sister, Luna. He wanted to be her hero. He wanted...


    It was the only reason he lived... for her.


    Did Mugu have such a reason? Some reason to be needed...?


    Sylvia looked at Damon. He probably didn''t know the face he was making...


    Valarie seemed to be observing him as well.


    "Your expression... it almost reminds me of him. Driven. Stubborn. I hope you share a different fate... That stubbornness was something he shared with the City Lord..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. He was wearing the Ascendant Armor that had belonged to the City Lord¡ªPale Crown.


    The pair of lips smiled.


    "Well, worry not... it''s not likely for you to end up like Mugu. Youths from the Doom Continent have always been troublemakers..."


    Leona furrowed her brow.


    "You keep talking about this Doom Continent, but there is no Doom Continent..."


    Damon nodded, agreeing with Leona. However, he already knew the answer.


    Valarie''s lips opened and closed.


    "Did one of the nine continents get destroyed? Isn''t there a rule against blowing up continents...?"


    Evangeline looked at the pair of lips on Damon''s shoulder with a deadpan expression.


    ''Yet she remembers that...''


    Sylvia shook her head... she decided to explain to Valarie, who had been dead for many centuries and was still technically dead.


    "There are nine continents, which are... Soltheon, the War Continent... which we are on right now..."


    Damon sighed. "Let''s get moving. I feel like this might take all day..."


    Valarie agreed. However, she seemed more interested in what Sylvia had to say.


    Damon decided to interfere to save time.


    "On the west would be Solarion, the Sun Continent... to the east would be Lorvas."


    Matia, who had been quiet, spoke up.


    "Up north would be Norrath, the Frost Continent. My homeland..."


    They walked towards the cathedral doors.


    They proceeded to give her a rundown of the rest of the continents: Lothria, the Wild Continent to the south. Floating above the sea with countless floating landmasses was Vuldren, the Sky Continent in the northeast¡ªthe home of magic and innovation.


    Aerona, the Magic Continent, in the southeast.


    Far to the southwest was the eighth continent, Tyrvelia¡ªthe Voyage Continent... which was now technically a large archipelago.


    Valarie listened until the last part.


    "Then Centros¡ªthe Doom Continent, at the very center of the world..."


    Sylvia shook her head.


    "That was in the past. The name of the continent has changed. It''s now called the Demon Continent¡ªa name given to it, supposedly, by the Demon Lord Ashcroft."


    Valarie''s lips pressed together.


    "Ashcroft? Who''s that? What gave him the authority to rename a continent named by the old deities of our world... and aren''t demons a myth...?"


    Xander narrowed his eyes, hoisting his spear over his shoulder.


    "The only deity is the Goddess... and now the Unknown God..."


    Damon raised his head at her words. Demons were a myth...


    He pushed the cathedral door warily, as if expecting something to attack them the moment they stepped out.


    Still, Sylvia''s burning curiosity surpassed the dread of what may be lurking on the streets of Lysithara.


    "Demons are real. Why did you say they were myths...?"


    Valarie''s lips were quiet on Damon''s shoulder, as if taking in the ruins that were once her home¡ªthe city that was foremost in greatness, knowledge, magic, science, innovation... now just despair.


    "We failed..." she seemed to be muttering to herself.


    The lips moved. "We failed. That''s why demons are real now..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    "Lysithara was a place of knowledge. We thought we knew better. After the Goddess took away people''s True Names and only allowed people to be born with a single attribute..."


    The others narrowed their eyes... that was news to them. They had no idea the Goddess had anything to do with names or attributes.


    Xander pulled off his helm.


    "What are you on about? People always had a single magic attribute. And what even is a True Name? Names are given to us by our parents at birth..."


    Damon sighed. He was also surprised when he first found out that people used to be able to use multiple attributes of magic. But the part about True Names was news to him as well.


    Valarie''s lips pressed together.


    "I can''t be sure... it''s just speculation... an old wives'' tale. We used to be taught, apparently... in the past¡ªthe Zero Epoch, or the Epoch of Beginning¡ªpeople had True Names and multiple attributes. But the Goddess changed it..."


    Damon listened quietly as Valarie spoke of some long past...


    "Lysithara was founded by sages to seek the truth. The city was created towards the end of the Zero Epoch. By the First Epoch, it was the most advanced place in the world¡ªa hotbed of learning where people from everywhere came... but we got arrogant. The Goddess... she had a reason..."


    Her voice seemed frustrated.


    "Our hubris brought it all crashing down... we shouldn''t have sought it. We shouldn''t have opened the doors... and we shouldn''t have let them in or even trusted them....we got greed for more..."


    "Who?" Damon asked.


    "The visitors... Opening the gates to the¡ª"


    Before she finished, a bone arrow streaked past Damon''s face. He dodged, looking up with a cold gleam in his eyes...


    He would have died if not for his Danger Sense skill...


    Raising his head, he found a monster¡ªa skeleton holding a bow in its hand, with pieces of fabric still clinging to its rotting frame...


    "Undead," Valarie muttered.

 Chapter 335 - 336: Hunter

    There in front of them was a skeleton carrying a bow¡ªdead, but yet still animate.


    Perhaps this should have been a frightening concept. However, Aetherus was a magical world, even if this wasn''t Lysithara¡ªa ruined city.


    Undead were not that unusual... the undead could rise on their own, or as a result of magic from a caster who used black arts, or even from mana seeping out of a dungeon.


    These animate corpses were of different ranks¡ªa skeleton, sadly, was at the lowest level.


    Damon glanced at it coldly, the world slowing down beneath the beholder''s gaze...


    He didn''t sense its shadow. Then again, he hadn''t been using Shadow Perception ever since he almost had his brain fried in the Whispering Forest.


    Even so, he didn''t sense a living shadow from it. He had encountered a lot of strange shadows, but this felt more like the shadow of an object than that of a person.


    It had no life...


    He raised his hand, shooting a magic bullet¡ªa ball of shadow energy that went straight through the skull, bringing the skeleton down with a clang.


    This was Magic Bullet at Level 2, with suppressed sound.


    "That''s an impressive variation of the common Magic Blast spell... not bad..."


    The lips smiled. "If you add runic magic to it... it would be stronger..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes as a few more skeletons began emerging from the alleys and side streets between broken buildings.


    Sylvia frowned, her bow ready to fire.


    "It seems we''re surrounded..."


    Evangeline nodded, her armor glowing with light. She was the natural bane of all things impure.


    "They are mostly rankless. I see a few large ones in the First Class..."


    Valarie spoke, her voice almost sad.


    "These are the people who didn''t get consumed by rot while alive... They died on these streets. Now they wander in death. Try not to cause a commotion. Lysithara had many warriors¡ªsome of them died as well..."


    She paused. " Don''t underestimate them. One skeleton is nothing¡ªbut hundreds can drag down even a knight."


    Damon could easily see how bad it could get. Some of these were just civilians, low-level city guards, or pages...


    They weren''t a threat, but if a powerful knight was now an undead, then they would be at least Rank 2 and above.


    Leona covered herself with the Sovereign Mantle form of the Armor of Stormwake.


    "I sense something looking at us..."


    Matia, who was also in heavy armor, formed a mace and two hovering ice shields.


    "From which direction?"


    Leona shook her head. "I don''t know. Just a feeling."


    Damon glanced at Sylvia, hoping for a divination or some revelation.


    She shook her head.


    "My skill isn''t responding. I could ask... but I don''t know what price it would demand...or if I''ll be willing to pay it."


    He took a deep breath as the skeletons grew in number, yet didn''t attack. It was almost as if they were a coordinated force... with a leader.


    "That would be bad..."


    "Do you see that, boy?" Valarie''s lips on his shoulder whispered. "Can you tell me what''s wrong here...?"


    He nodded. Valarie was acting a little too much like a teacher. Maybe it was a habit from when she was alive.


    "They are organized. Low-level undead don''t have this type of intelligence..."


    "And?" she asked, as if waiting for something else.


    Damon frowned, giving it more thought.


    "They are being led by something. However, whatever it is isn''t confident it can take us. Or... it''s gauging our strength. Either way, we can be sure¡ªit''s very intelligent."


    The lips smiled, pressing together. "You get 9.5 out of 10... but there''s more. Right now, you are all being hunted¡ªwhich means you have a target on your backs..."


    Evangeline held her rapier, her face covered by her helm.


    "So what do we do...?"


    They all looked at Damon. Valarie''s lips on his shoulder offered no response.


    So he answered. "We kill the hunter."


    Xander, who looked like a menacing tyrant in his armor, held his spear.


    "Shouldn''t be too difficult... find the strongest and ugliest undead... and kill it....again."


    The skeletons continued to gather until the rooftops were filled¡ªthen, like a tide, they charged at the party.


    Xander raised his spear, swinging in a wide arc. The skeletons falling from the roofs shattered like a tide of broken bones, crashing down like rain.


    Leona swung her greatsword, teleporting to the center of the tide, with Matia shattering them with her ice mace.


    Her Ascendant weapon was the most versatile.


    She jumped into the air as if to take flight¡ªbut remembered she had lost her wings. Instead, she rolled on the ground, giving a skeleton an uppercut that shattered its dusty old skull into powder.


    Evangeline moved with phantoms of light trailing her¡ªan effect of her armor.


    She was like a glowing beam of destruction, leaving shattered bones in her wake.


    Damon shot his omnidirectional gear to the roof, grabbing Sylvia by the waist. He landed with feline grace.


    Raising his hand, he began firing off magic bullets while Sylvia tried scanning for the strongest of the skeletons.


    The others rampaged through like a storm of destruction. On his shoulders, Valarie''s lips watched, speaking with a degree of interest.


    "You children are quite powerful¡ªalready at the peak of the First Class. With some guidance, you''ll soon reach the Second."


    Damon didn''t pay her much mind¡ªhe was shooting magic bullets, but the skeletons kept climbing the roof.


    Sylvia didn''t seem like she would budge, so he had to act as her guard.


    He needed something with more reach, but he wasn''t willing to use Ashborn just yet.


    He opened his palm, sending mana to the tips of all five fingers¡ªand activated the Magic Bullet spell.


    The magic bullets shot from his fingers in a fast and uncontrolled spray.


    Valarie let out a breath, watching him try to improve his spell.


    "You''re doing it wrong... If you want to control mana with that much propulsion... rotate each round. Don''t treat them as individual attacks¡ªbut as one whole..."


    Damon paused, biting his lip.


    He decided to give what Valarie said a try... he spun each bullet and tried to envision them as a single form.


    Closing his eyes... he unleashed a barrage.


    He heard a familiar chime.


    [Mastery: Magic Bullet > Magic Gatling]


    Valarie''s lips opened in surprise¡ªas if she did not expect him to grasp it.

 Chapter 336 - 337: Sniper

    Valarie''s surprise was warranted. She had given him a tip to improve his spell, but she didn''t really think he would get it right on the first try...


    The pair of lips that was technically all that remained of her body was slightly taken aback; however, she quickly regained her composure. She was an elder in Lysithara¡ªshe had seen many geniuses in her lifetime. Why should one surprise her, even now in death?


    Damon smiled thinly. The mastery mechanic was proving to be more powerful than he expected; its benefits were now tangible.


    ''I need to add more spells to my arsenal.''


    With his new magic bullets forming a gatling, he could no longer focus on suppressing the sound of the shots¡ªbut it didn''t matter. He was tearing down skeletons like wheat before a scythe.


    [You have slain undead]


    [You have slain undead]


    ...


    The system chimes continued as his mana slowly drained. Roof tiles shattered. He didn''t focus on precise aim¡ªeven with his Dead Eye skill giving him laser-point precision.


    However, the more he slew, the more the skeletons began to appear... from buildings, from dark alleys...


    And just as Valarie had predicted, they began to get overwhelmed. It was inevitable¡ªan enemy with vast numbers and no will of its own. A single-minded desire to end the living.


    They could smash and crush as much as they wanted... Eventually, they would lose in a battle of attrition. Simply put¡ªthe dead do not tire. Neither do they fear.


    Leona was the first to get swamped. She was in the center of a horde of skeletons... hacking and slashing away, lightning sparking from her greatsword. A shame skeletons were poor conductors of electricity.


    They disregarded the fear of being electrocuted that a living entity might have had and swarmed her¡ªcovering her from head to toe in a heap of bones before she could teleport away.


    Leona roared, unleashing a cloud of destruction. Bones were flung in all directions as she appeared from under the heap, lightning arcing through her armor in glowing white tendrils.


    She retreated several steps, moving closer to Xander¡ªwho was surrounded by skeletons, holding them off with makeshift barricades of gravity magic.


    She stood behind him.


    "Hey, act as a meat shield... you can take abuse, right?"


    She wasn''t wrong. He was the most durable of the party, able to take far more damage and walk away the least hurt. His armor bulked his already monstrous defense like a living titan.


    Xander punched a skeleton''s chest clean off.


    His face hidden under his helm, he muttered,


    "You could''ve asked nicely. I swear, if that mongrel Damon gets everyone to call me meatshield, I''ll bury him alive..."


    Despite his grumbling, he shielded Leona with his body as she began charging mana for a massive storm.


    "Don''t waste your mana..."


    Damon''s voice rang from the rooftop where he stood, picking off skeletons with his magic gatling.


    Magic bullets sprayed from his fingertips like a stream of death.


    Leona bit her lip but obeyed. He turned his gaze to Matia


    Matia weaved between skeletons. Even amid such a massive swarm, not one laid a finger on her. She moved with lethal grace, switching her Ascendant weapon between various forms.


    It wasn''t a surprise. Her skill was literally called Lethal Grace. She carried herself with a deadly finesse. Even in heavy armor, she remained fluid and untouchable, avoiding every incoming strike.


    Damon surveyed the battlefield, biting his lip. He considered using Shadow Sense¡ªbut the memory of that mental backlash was still fresh. He had to be careful. He had no idea what lurked in Lysithara''s shadows.


    Especially with the lingering presence of the Visitors... who might''ve been the reason their world had fallen.


    The pair of lips that belonged to Valarie pressed together before she spoke.


    "Hmmm. This tactic seems familiar..."


    Damon glanced over. "What are you on about?"


    The lips pressed again¡ªdelicate, beautiful even in death.


    "I''m saying I remember who has such an ability... If I''m not wrong, this should be the skill Grave Call. A knight in Lysithara had a class skill that allowed it. It was his second class skill... he apparently found the skill scroll in a dungeon."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. Class advancement didn''t always give top-tier skills. One only got four skills¡ªgiven. The rest were empty skill slots, to be filled by scrolls or experience.... The first class was always certain to get a skill but the others were randomized.


    However only four skills could be given.... The rest were not.


    If Valarie knew this person, who they used to be... then he certainly hoped it wasn''t a Rank 3 monster. Otherwise, they''d need to run for their lives.


    Suddenly, Damon sensed a tingle on his skin. His Danger Sense skill picked up a threat. He turned sharply, eyes locking on a distant broken building¡ªone of the high towers. An archer stood by a window...


    The creature was undead... but still had remnants of flesh. Emaciated, sunken eyes, clad in a helmet and wielding an enchanted bow and arrows.


    Damon didn''t hesitate¡ªhe fired a magic bullet in that direction. But it couldn''t reach. Its range dissipated before impact.


    Valarie''s lips opened in mild surprise. "Well... things aren''t looking good for you. That''s a sniper. Take cover."


    Before she could finish, an arrow streaked toward Damon. He instinctively drew his sword to block it.


    "Dodge, fool!"


    Valarie''s voice cut in sharply, and Damon obeyed¡ªducking low as the arrow exploded overhead, shaking the rooftop.


    The sniper knocked another arrow¡ªthis time, aiming for Sylvia.


    "Arrows that take long to fire are supercharged. Dodge those. And he''s using runic magic."


    Damon bit his lip, eyes flicking toward Sylvia. "Please tell me you''re done..."


    She looked back at him. "Twenty seconds left if I want a clue without paying a heavy price... Buy me more time."


    Damon groaned, raising his sword. "This woman will be the death of me..."


    He stepped in front of Sylvia, bracing himself for the next shot.


    "Who the hell even invented these damn arrows...?"


    Valarie coughed lightly. "Ahem. Sorry about that... it¡ªit was me."


    Damon seriously considered tossing the pair of lips into the swarm of undead.


    He had to hold off enemies from both sides, protect Sylvia, and deal with a lunatic dead sniper.


    She smiled.


    "You shouldn''t worry... This is a learning opportunity. It''s not every day someone gets the legendary Valarie Sunwarden as a teacher. Might as well teach you a rune or two..."


    He pulled out his bow, aiming carefully.


    "Even your ego is legendary..."

 Chapter 337 - 338: Shoot Out

    The air was solemn.


    Damon felt the world slow down¡ªnot because of a skill, but the cold realization that he was the target of a sniper. Worse, he couldn''t move.


    ''This is going to be a long twenty seconds.''


    He sent his shadow toward the direction of the building. It would deal with the aftermath.


    Damon needed to bulk up his defense.


    He activated the Sovereign Mantle form of the Armor of the Pale Crown.


    In an instant, the regal ashen armor shifted¡ªits form thickening, becoming heavier. He was encased in dull, grey metal. He could feel the soul core of the armor vibrating. His face was covered by a faceless helm, yet somehow... he could still see. It was as if he were peering through shadows.


    The crown on his head rose, hovering above him. It twisted, adding more coils to its form, and floated behind him like a dark, ominous halo.


    He took a deep breath... raised his bow... and knocked an arrow.


    Another breath. Calm. Steady. He focused on his target, trying to recall everything Back-to-Back had taught him about shooting at long range.


    He could almost hear the elf''s voice behind him...


    Telling him to steady his breath...


    A red beam highlighted the path of his arrow, a result of Dead Eye.


    He would have used Bloodletting, but it was useless. This opponent didn''t have blood.


    There was no point.


    He fired his arrow before the undead archer fired his.


    The arrow soared through the air, reaching the tower window.


    The undead archer merely swatted it aside with his hand.


    Valarie let out something like a sigh¡ªif it could be called that. She no longer had a body, only a mouth.


    "The arrows lose momentum before they reach him. He''ll just catch them..."


    Damon gritted his teeth as another arrow thundered through the air.


    This time, the archer wasn''t being subtle.


    Sonic booms cracked the silence. He couldn''t dodge¡ªif he did, Sylvia would be hit.


    He raised his sword just in time.


    The impact came with a boom. The air shuddered. Damon was pushed back slightly as the arrow shattered into shrapnel. Fragments clanged against his armor like angry hail.


    The pain was dulled by his armor.


    He swung his sword aside and raised a hand.


    A barrage of black flames erupted, engulfing the skeletons attempting to climb the roof.


    Agony surged through him. Burning agony¡ªno, ten times the agony of burning alive.


    He coughed, suppressing a groan.


    Even with pain resistance, tenfold, self-immolation was a torment no one should have to endure.


    But he stood.


    He knocked another arrow, eyes burning with fury beneath his faceless helm.


    He aimed.


    Valarie finally spoke.


    "Madness is trying the same thing over and over again..."


    She paused.


    "Try using a rune... of acceleration."


    Damon''s jaw clenched.


    "And that would be?"


    She responded quickly. "Draw a rune that looks like drifting wind..."


    She puckered her lips and shaped one in front of him with magical light.


    Damon gave a quick nod as the undead archer prepared another shot.


    "How do I draw it?"


    She smiled, a mocking edge in her voice. "My apologies, I forgot you''re ignorant."


    "Create a projection of the rune in your mind. Then let mana flow from your circuits. I''ll send the image into your mind..."


    Damon didn''t resist.


    He didn''t trust her¡ªbut he was desperate. And pissed.


    He felt the mark etch itself into his mind. He followed her guidance, eyes closed, allowing her to guide his hand.


    Slowly, at the tip of his bow, a rune began to form¡ªblack, born of his shadow attribute mana.


    It radiated speed. It seemed as if the world had been touched by his power and he had brushed some invisible law.


    At that moment, Sylvia groaned.


    Her eyes glowed. "I found him. Let''s go!"


    Damon didn''t move.


    He was still aiming. The sniper was still aiming. They locked eyes¡ªone living face coverd in helm, the other hollow and dead.


    The snipers bow glowed. Runes circled it like a halo.


    Valarie sensed the tension. "Whoever hits... wins."


    Sylvia sensed Damon''s focus and drew her Ascendant Weapon. Twin blades shimmered in her hands as she tore through skeletons trying to climb up. She kicked down a chain, sending a mace-wielding undead crashing to the ground.


    Damon zoned in on the sniper. He steadied the rune, ensuring its formation was perfect.


    "Steady..." Valarie whispered.


    His eyes caught the creak of the bow.


    The undead had notched an arrow, ready to fire.


    "Now¡ª" she began, as if giving a signal.


    But the archer fired first.


    Two black streaks shot through the air like bolts of wrath.


    A booming flash erupted from both ends. They crossed paths midair.


    The undead almost smiled¡ªcertain of Damon''s death.


    But Damon didn''t flinch.


    The moment before impact, he activated the enchantment of the Pale Crown Armor¡ªhis body turning to mist.


    The arrow passed through harmlessly, slamming into the rooftop behind him, collapsing the old building on its side.


    The undead marksman had no such trick.


    The black rune-tipped arrow shattered its skull.


    It collapsed.


    A chime echoed in his mind.


    [You have slain: Undead Marksman]


    His shadow devoured the corpse where it had been hidden.


    [You have gained 10 attribute points]


    [Mastery ¨C Sniper Lv. 1]


    [Mastery - Runecraft Lv1]


    The building crumbled. The undead on the ground rushed forward.


    Damon jumped down, landing beside Sylvia.


    He kicked an undead aside and deactivated the Sovereign Mantle, returning to the much lighter Ascendant Form.


    Undead swarmed them from every angle.


    "Retreat now! We need to regroup¡ªnow!"


    He turned, sprinting toward a narrow alleyway, hoping to bottleneck their pursuers.


    The others followed. Xander and Matia covered the rear, weapons flashing as they held off the horde.


    He looked to Sylvia.


    "Did you find the hunter?"


    She nodded, her eyes scanning the Journey Book.


    "Yes. It''s in a... pastry shop. About two kilometers from here."


    Valarie giggled.


    The disembodied voice of the city''s former resident was amused.


    "You kids are taking me to Zaci''s Sweets? Oh, how sweet of you..."


    She smirked¡ªjust a pair of lips now.


    "Well, then. Let me show you a shortcut..."

 Chapter 338 - 339: Grave Call

    Damon was in the lead, sword in hand, taking down every opponent with a single swing of its blade.


    The sword had the ability to induce disintegration on its target¡ªbody and soul. Damon himself had once been on the receiving end of its power.


    As for why his soul didn''t break apart... he could take a guess. It was the armor of Pale Crown. It must have protected his soul with its power.


    They still didn''t know what the ascendant armors were fully capable of, but they would find out eventually ... they had smashed hundreds of skeletons. Slowly, with each victory, they came closer to vanquishing ten thousand foes.


    "Left..."


    Valarie''s voice called out from his shoulders. Damon glanced at the pair of lips... that was all that remained of a once great champion...


    Damon jumped through a window¡ªwhat was left of a ruined house. The house had no roof, bleak sunlight spilling from above. The ground was littered with broken bricks, fragments of walls, and mold.


    Shrubs and dry grass grew through the once polished floors...


    The others followed in after him. Xander grabbed a piece of the wreckage and threw it in the direction they came, crushing a few undead in the process.


    Damon glanced at Sylvia.


    "What are we dealing with... here..."


    Valarie''s lips opened, interrupting. "He was once known as Thren, a young knight in Lysithara..."


    Damon nodded, glancing at Sylvia, who seemed to agree with her...


    He didn''t ask Sylvia any further. Her skill was dangerous, and besides, Valarie seemed to know¡ªor have known¡ªhim when he was alive.


    She continued, "I don''t know what he had become due to the rot, but he uses tactics like this. It''s his skill, as I mentioned earlier... it''s called Grave Call..."


    Damon ran up the side of a broken wall, flipped, and jumped out a window, kicking an undead spearman in the chest mid-air.


    He narrowed his eyes, looking out from where he landed. He saw more and more undead... and worse, their commotion was growing louder. More types of creatures would be attracted by the noise...


    "Sylvia, what are we dealing with..."


    The elf girl fired a few arrows at the skeletons, her armor glowing faintly as its enchantment activated.


    "He''s a rank two Mist Knight..."


    "Jump."


    Damon sighed, following Valarie''s instruction as he leapt into a hole. He''d killed one Mist Knight before and almost lost an arm. Now he had to fight another one... and worse, he had to kill ten to level up...


    The others landed beside him on the ground floor.


    "Seal it off... now."


    Valarie''s voice was hurried. Xander raised both hands, using gravity to lift nearby wreckage and slam it over the entrance, sealing the way and burying a few skeletons behind it.


    "Hurry, take the basement..."


    The basement in question was half-collapsed, mold-ridden and filled with a few rotting corpses...


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes, suspicious.


    "I can''t help but think you''re leading us astray..."


    Valarie''s lips opened in surprise. "Why is that..."


    Damon sighed. "Because we''re going the opposite way from our goal..."


    Valarie''s lips froze. "Ohhh my goddess... I think I forgot the way... goodness, my apologies... I have a bad memory..."


    Damon gritted his teeth, watching as skeletons began to claw at the barricade of wreckage.


    "Damn... is this what we get for letting a pair of lips show us the way..."


    Xander smiled wryly. "She doesn''t even have eyes..."


    Valarie chuckled.


    "Relax, children. I was just joking... there''s a teleportation circle in the basement. That''s assuming I got the right house..."


    Damon didn''t hesitate. He dove into the half-shattered basement, shoving past debris¡ªjust as a hulking undead with three arms broke through the wall.


    Its body barely resembled a human anymore¡ªmore flesh than bone, a hideous, monstrous thing.


    The others didn''t hesitate either. Matia blanketed it with a wave of ice weapons.


    They followed through, and Xander collapsed the passage behind them¡ªthe aftershock sinking part of the floor. Damon dropped¡ªno, fell¡ªdown with it, covered in rocks and dust.


    He got up, dizzy, hearing the clatter of skeletons above the wreckage. He held Leona up.


    ...Lucky she was wearing her helm.


    Avoiding head injury, she was fine. He wasn''t so lucky... a mild concussion. He shook it off, grimacing, then checked to make sure everyone else was alright.


    He glanced at Xander.


    "I think you forgot to bury us alive."


    Xander winced. "Sorry. I underestimated these old structures..."


    Damon coughed slightly, brushing dust from his face.


    He looked around at the collapsed space.


    "Valarie, where to next..."


    The pair of lips had remained stuck to his shoulder, despite... everything.


    She coughed, somehow, even though she had no lungs or anything at all.


    "I''m a little dusty. Mind brushing me off..."


    Damon looked at the pair of lips.


    "I wouldn''t touch you with a ten-foot pole..."


    "I''m on your shoulder..."


    He winced. "I can''t help that..."


    Valarie''s lips curled into a smile. She must''ve found him amusing.


    "Look for a lever¡ªit''s by your left..."


    Damon looked around, noticing a small lever hidden in the broken wall.


    He walked up to it.


    "Pull it down, then up... then up... then down..."


    Valarie gave the sequence, and he obeyed.


    Finally, the ground cracked open, revealing glowing runes.


    "Hehe," she smiled. "It still works... I wasn''t certain..."


    Damon felt the urge to stomp her into the floor. She had risked their lives when she wasn''t even sure. Then again, they didn''t have many safer options.


    Perhaps meeting this discarnate soul, trapped in her own lips, was a stroke of good fortune. He couldn''t be sure... but it was better than nothing.


    He stepped onto the circle of runes.


    "Memorize this rune, children. I''ll quiz you on them later..."


    They teleported away¡ªValarie''s voice taking on the tone of a teacher.


    As the light faded, they found themselves in an old room. Valarie''s lips smiled.


    "Well, here we are... Zaci''s Sweets is right across the street. And more than that... we now have the element of surprise on our side..."

 Chapter 339 - 340: Twisted Choice

    Damon squatted down, peering out the cracked window at the decaying, unassuming building cloaked in mold and shattered in places. Its glass panes, though mostly intact, revealed the broken tables and chairs inside¡ªalong with a few skeletons. Ancient fossilized corpses¡ªsome human, some beast.


    Zaci''s Sweets must have been quite a prosperous business in Lysithara''s heyday, considering it spanned three floors and was quite large...


    He glanced at the window, debating whether to use Shadow Perception. He had come to learn that his spatial awareness wasn''t undetectable¡ªsome entities could tell when they were being watched. Hell, even his own party had begun developing a nascent ability to sense when something was observing them.


    Valarie pursed her lips. The delicate pair of lips rested on his shoulder.


    "Hmmmm... I suppose this place didn''t survive the fall either... We used to come here a lot¡ªVathren and I¡ªwhen we were children... well before he became city lord."


    Damon steadied his breath, winded from all the running. Evangeline glanced at the lips on his shoulder.


    "You knew the city lord since you were children?"


    Valarie''s lips parted, then closed again, as if dragging back half-forgotten memories.


    "Yes... he was my cousin. We... grew up together. Not all of us were originally from Lysithara, though. Being a hotbed of knowledge, a lot of people moved in and out of the city... it was a cultural hub. Things that were found and created in Lysithara spread across the world in no time..."


    Damon and the others listened quietly.


    "That... soon led to the fall of our world. Even bad things could spread fast."


    Leona looked at the lips that seemed to slum slightly, weighed down by what they recalled.


    "I''m sorry..."


    Valarie''s lips twitched. "Why are you sorry? It''s not your fault. It was our own hubris..."


    She paused, her lips trembling slightly. "I shudder to think that we could''ve saved our city... if we¡ªor our city lord¡ªhad made one cruel decision..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. Was she implying there was a way they could''ve saved Lysithara?


    Sylvia''s grey eyes flicked toward her. "How?"


    Valarie''s lips curled into a thin smile.


    "I''ve forgotten many things... but oddly enough, I can''t forget that day. It was right over there¡ªon the top VIP floor of Zaci''s Sweets."


    "We had found a way to save Lysithara. Just... one decision. Everyone knew it."


    She sighed¡ªeven without a physical body, only her lips remaining.


    "Why didn''t you?" Xander asked, his eyes barely visible under his helm.


    Valarie''s voice was tired... as one would expect from a soul sealed for thousands of years.


    "My... the city lord... Vathren didn''t agree. He was prepared to fight us all if he had to. But we believed in him. We followed his judgment... even if the future looked bleak."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. He recalled Alazard, the Mist Knight, regaining a shred of will. Even consumed by rot, he had raged about the city lord''s decision.


    "Victory demands sacrifice..." he muttered.


    "Yes," Valarie whispered.


    "What was the sacrifice?" Matia asked. She understood sacrifice¡ªshe''d given up her wings to save Damon. Sometimes, sacrifices were necessary.


    Valarie pressed her lips together.


    "The gate was open. We succeeded first... and we were the first to face the consequences. The battles grew increasingly dire. While the visitors were enemies of our world, not all of them were on one side. We struck deals with some... forging the Ascendant Armors to fight the more twisted ones¡ªthe ones that spread rot and corruption..."


    She fell silent, as if struggling to recall something she''d wished to keep buried but didn''t dare forget. Her voice trembled with pain.


    "We found a way. It was a simple sacrifice... We only had to let half of the population die. In truth, we knew it was just slaughter... It was going to be random. Anyone could be chosen. And we would win."


    "It was a small sacrifice... to save our home, our glorious city. But Vathren... he refused."


    Damon could feel the weight in her voice. That was a difficult choice¡ªkill half the population to save the rest... or let all die fighting for their city.


    There was no winning. If they sacrificed half, even if it was random, everyone would''ve lost someone. But if they fought together... maybe they wouldn''t have lost. Maybe.


    But they had. Standing now in the ruins of the once-glorious city, the outcome was clear. They lost. And now, most of the people were corrupted¡ªmonsters who had once been men.


    Valarie was quiet. Then she continued.


    "At first, we believed we could win. The Ascendant Armors gave us immunity... forged using the secret techniques of the outsiders, from a place they called the Crystal Palace. We truly thought we could win. We had the magic. The knowledge. More than that... we had the will."


    She scoffed, mocking their arrogance.


    "We watched our people slowly lose their sanity. Our soldiers began to break... watching comrades turn into monsters. Forced to raise their blades against former friends... We fought enemies within and without."


    The sorrow in her voice reached their wary hearts. Once, they had treated her like just a strange pair of lips¡ªan oddity in an ancient ruin. But she had been a person. Just like them.


    "Soon... they fell into despair. We shouldn''t have welcomed the visitors ¡ªor believed them. But not all of them were evil. Still, our people wanted someone to blame. Someone to pay for their losses... for the fall of their home."


    Damon bit his lip. He could tell where this was heading.


    "They pointed their fingers at Vathren. Soon, their blades. But he was too powerful. He loved this city more than anyone... He couldn''t bring himself to accept what had happened. So he went mad..."


    "...Mugu¡ªthat wretch¡ªtricked him."


    Damon''s hands clenched. This Mugu again... that name kept surfacing, as if he had singlehandedly changed the course of the world. Why...?


    She sighed.


    "He disappeared for a time.. after he returned. He was... something else. We were stripped of our Ascendant Armors... and I don''t know what became of us after. But Vathren... he sealed me under that cathedral. Unwilling to kill me. Even corrupted..."


    There was a low agony in her voice.


    "Chained... the rot spread into my form. And killed me. It was slow... agonizing. I resisted for a years... but without the armor... even my will succumbed."


    Damon bit his lip. Her tale was bitter. Miserable. Lysithara was in ruins now... how did she feel, knowing all she fought for had crumbled?


    They were quiet.


    Then Valarie''s lips curled into a smile as of the pain was nothing to her.


    "Don''t worry... My successors, the ones who inherited the Ascendant Armors... I will make sure you don''t end up like us."


    She paused. Her voice turned cold.


    "Let''s start by killing... that corrupted abomination that still thinks it''s a knight of Lysithara."

 Chapter 340 - 341: Finally Knight Worth Respecting

    Valarie''s tale had ended, and Damon opted for them to make a plan of attack. Luckily, the Mist Knight controlling the undead was just a rank two monster.


    If it had been rank three... they would''ve had to flee.


    A rank three monster was as powerful as Lilith able to tear down buildings with relative ease. Then again a rank two monster could do just that.... Or worse.


    After a few minutes, they had come up with a plan. It could hardly be called that¡ªit was reckless, dangerous... but it was all they had.


    The idea was simple: split the party. A dire move, yes, but not without logic. Each member was strong in their own right, and if Valarie was to be believed, this particular Mist Knight relied more on his summoned undead than swordplay.


    That didn''t mean he wasn''t dangerous. If anything he might be even more insidious.


    The plan: keep his summons away from him. That was Xander''s job¡ªthe group''s tank¡ªand with him would go the two most offensively capable girls.


    Matia, with her vast arsenal of enchanted weapons.


    Leona, wielder of the storm itself.


    Their role was clear¡ªhold the undead at bay, stop them from interfering... while Damon, Evangeline, and Sylvia went for the kill.


    This formation wasn''t chosen at random.


    Sylvia was knowledge incarnate¡ªa seer with the power to charge up devastating spells.


    Evangeline was the bane of the undead, her purge skill and golden light a scourge to the cursed. Not to mention she was a swift and deadly swordswoman.


    And Damon... Damon was Damon. Did anything more need to be said?


    He took a deep breath. He didn''t like the idea of splitting the group even for a moment. But they weren''t going far.


    Valarie had explained that Mist Knights were once noble knights of Lysithara. When the city lord became the Keeper of False Truths, they fell¡ªcorrupted not just by rot and madness, but by twisted ideals. Not all had turned. But those who did became mist-bound horrors.


    Damon sighed. The city lord, Vathren, was still alive. Corrupted, yes¡ªbut not slain.


    Perhaps that was why the armor Damon inherited still remained dull, ashen... fog-like. Not the shadows it should have become.


    ''It''s not like I can kill such a powerful horror anyway...''


    He turned, nodding at his companions.


    "You three... be careful."


    Then, to lighten the mood, he glanced at Xander, covered head to toe in heavy armor.


    "You girls don''t hesitate to use Xander as a meatshield, alright?"


    Matia sighed, nodding. Leona grinned, slapping Xander''s back.


    "I won''t even feel guilty."


    Damon smirked. "Remember¡ªstay hidden until we draw attention."


    Xander let out a sigh. "You''re turning into a nagging old woman. Fine, we''ll stay hidden until he calls his minions."


    Valarie''s lips curled into a smile. "What beautiful camaraderie... this reminds me of when we almost fell up the Abyss under Vuldren."


    Leona blinked, confused. "Don''t you mean fell down?"


    Valarie''s human lips quirked. "No, I mean up. Nasty place. Never go there."


    Damon sighed. He didn''t remember hearing about any abyss under the Sky Continent, but then again... he didn''t know much.


    "Let''s go."


    He turned himself into shadow and dove into the darkness.


    He ignored the disorienting pull, the feeling of his shadow energy being drained. Hunger clawed at him constantly these days. He and Leona were half the reason their rations never lasted...


    He emerged in the shadow beneath a table¡ªinside Zaci''s Sweet Shop. The enemy was on the third floor.


    The shop resembled a restaurant more than a store. And it was one¡ªif the only menu was sweets and baked goods. A runic screen flickered above the counter, displaying prices and specials. How the runes still worked, he had no idea.


    "It draws on ambient mana," Valarie whispered from his shoulder. "They''re self-sustaining runes. Mostly used in formations and seals."


    Damon tilted his head. Valarie''s lips were still perched there, slightly translucent. It almost surprised him¡ªhe couldn''t bring anyone into shadows even if he tried. And he had tried. With Leona. With Sylvia. It never worked.


    ''Is it because she''s dead...?''


    Valarie sighed softly. "I suppose the Outsiders didn''t bring all bad things. They did teach us Runecraft... and improved our technology."


    "Shh..." Damon pressed a finger to his lips.


    Valarie scoffed. "Don''t shush me, boy. I''m a teacher. You can''t shush your teacher."


    Crouching down, Damon picked up a shard of shattered glass and tilted it just right¡ªcatching the pale light of the sun and bouncing it toward the next building.


    The signal was given. Coast was clear.


    He narrowed his eyes, spreading his shadow perception through the building despite the risk. If something sensed him...


    He opened his eyes. Empty. No movement. He didn''t dare probe the top floor.


    "Why is it empty...? No guards... even outside?"


    Valarie sneered. "Take a guess."


    Damon''s expression hardened.


    "He doesn''t want to give away his location. If I had to guess... he sees through the eyes of his undead."


    Valarie''s smile widened. "Yes, I know. You''re going to call it cowardly¡ª"


    "Cowardly?" Damon looked at her like she was a roach.


    "Why would I think it''s cowardly? I pride myself on having no pride. I respect his genius. Finally, a knight with some backbone."


    "..."


    Valarie was left speechless. Her lips formed a stunned ''O''.


    She had expected a man of principle. Someone noble¡ªafter all, he was leading a party of warriors that practically radiated honor.


    She was wrong.


    While she recovered from the whiplash of Damon''s personality, the others snuck in¡ªeven those in heavy armor had used the awakened shell form of their gear. Apparently, stealth wasn''t off the table.


    Xander must''ve overheard.


    He glanced at Valarie''s lips on Damon''s shoulder and muttered, "Thousands of years of experience... wasted.... She still couldn''t see through this Mongrel."


    Damon sneered, waving his hand dismissively.


    "Alright, you three. Make sure nothing comes up from below."


    His tone dropped, sharper now.


    "While the rest of us make sure that Mist Knight... never comes down."

 Chapter 341 342: For The Ladies And Dames

    Damon crept up the flight of stairs, Sylvia and Evangeline silently following behind him. The upper floor was mostly a wide seating area¡ªits design reminded him of the academy. Just like back there, it was divided into separate lounges and compartments.


    The more enclosed the space the more lavish the design. Opulence at every turn even then even amid the former grandeur.


    Disparities existed. This created an ugly feeling within Damon''s heart as well as a twisted sense if resignation.


    ''It seems inequities existed even in ancient times...'' he thought bitterly. ''No matter how often people talk about creating equality, it''s an impossible concept. Even the heavens decree none shall be equal.''


    Mountains weren''t equal. Some trees grew taller, some greener. He wished inequality was a man-made creation, but it wasn''t.


    Even the sheep in his village made no effort to feed the weaker lambs... it was everywhere.


    And he was no different. His mana was weaker¡ªflawed¡ªwhile his sister had too much. Yet fate still dealt her a cruel hand; she was too sick to use it.


    He''d tried giving up once.


    But giving up was a lot harder than it sounded. So he kept going, trudging forward through the fire, even if it was hell.


    He shook himself from the bleak spiral. He was used to persevering. After all, he was a failure who''d even failed at giving up.


    "You''re quite an oddity sometimes..." Evangeline whispered.


    Damon turned, shooting her a glare. "Shush... or you''ll give away our location."


    She bit her lip and nodded. He was right¡ªhow could they ambush their enemy if they were making noise like bumbling novices?


    Sylvia tapped Evangeline''s shoulder, and the two followed behind Damon as he stepped carefully over debris.


    He made sure not to touch anything¡ªnot the decaying tables, nor the hosts that were now nothing but corpses.


    Ever since arriving in Lysithara, he had tried feeding his shadow with these ancient bodies. But they were too old, too far gone¡ªspoiled meat.


    Some were men. Most were women.


    "The ladies and dames loved this place," Valarie''s voice whispered from the pair of lips on his shoulder, shattering the silence.


    "Zaci''s Sweet Shop used to be a place of romance... women came for the sweets, and men came for the women... and Zaci, he loved the business it brought."


    Damon exhaled sharply. Did none of these women know how to shut up? They were sneaking into enemy territory, not gossiping in a tavern.


    "Shut up. You''re making noise," he hissed.


    Sylvia had expected that. That was why she kept her mouth shut in the first place.


    "..."


    Valarie was speechless... and also a little appalled.


    "You really have no respect for your teachers, do you? Fine. I suppose I shouldn''t tell you about the presence I sensed at the third floor entrance, or the fact Thren''s enthralled some of the other Mist Knights... or that they''re setting an ambush."


    Damon''s eye twitched. He wanted nothing more than to stomp this smug pair of lips into the ground. But he needed her.


    He forced a calm smile. "Oh really, teacher Vala¡ªno, master Valarie... please, enlighten us."


    The lips curled into a cold smile.


    "I can feel your desire to stomp on me... you really are shameless."


    She let out a sigh. "But fine... I''ll do it for the girls."


    Evangeline and Sylvia watched the strange exchange between Damon and the talking mouth on his shoulder in silence.


    "I wish I could unsee all the things I''ve seen," Evangeline muttered.


    "Throw my coin in the wishing well too," Sylvia replied.


    Damon''s plan had been risky from the start. But it seemed the enemy had caught wind of it.


    After all, this was its turf. They knew how the city had changed better than Valarie, who''d been sealed away for thousands of years.


    "He has a magic artifact," Valarie said quietly.


    "It can enthrall the minds of anyone he defeats. He didn''t use it much when he was still uncorrupted¡ªit strained the human mind. But now... he doesn''t care.... Or have much of a mind.. to strain."


    Damon glanced at Sylvia. She was already activating her skill.


    "Can we take them... just the three of us?" he asked.


    Sylvia paused. Before she could answer, Valarie spoke again.


    "You can. He can only use that on people one rank below him. Plus, they lose much of their strength. They''re just living puppets."


    Sylvia''s eyes widened slightly as she took a slow breath.


    "He spent years hunting down every Mist Knight weaker than himself," she said quietly.


    "it says he didn''t want to be surrounded by corpses. In his madness, he tried to recreate something familiar. Now he surrounds himself with a false order¡ªempty husks with no will. Nothing like the true knights of Lysithara... once feared across the realm."


    Damon nodded slowly and looked at Valarie.


    "How sad... I suppose I wasn''t the only one who suffered over the years. My people suffered too. Thren was always a loner, even in our golden days. But he was kind... tricky, but kind."


    She paused for a moment, her voice softer than before.


    "I beg you¡ªbehind those doors are once great warriors. Now, they suffer. Please... put them out of their misery."


    Damon exhaled and drew his sword from a makeshift sheath.


    Good. A chance to kill Mist Knights and level up. A godsend... assuming he didn''t die.


    "Your debt to us just keeps growing. You better help us find a way back home after this."


    Valarie chuckled faintly. "I can''t wait to be rid of you. I''ll gladly send you back just to get you out of my life."


    "You''re dead though." Damon retorted glancing at the pair of delicate lips.


    "Out of my afterlife." she corrected herself.


    Sylvia turned to Damon.


    "We have a good chance... but what''s the plan?"


    Damon grinned.


    "We don''t want the other three getting overwhelmed and killed before we finish him, so..."


    He kicked the door down with a thunderous crash.


    "Let''s kill them quickly."

 Chapter 342 343: Knights Of Thren

    Damon was starting to feel like he''d been kicking down a lot of doors lately... and getting into a lot more dire battles. Something about this whole thing just felt off to him. He didn''t know why¡ªmaybe it was just paranoia... or maybe it was a sixth sense warning him something wasn''t right.


    The whole horde of undead had gathered far too quickly. It was far too organized...


    There was Mist Knight Thren, who was supposedly the mastermind¡ªbut Damon had a bad feeling gnawing at the back of his mind.


    It was for that very reason he decided¡ªhe was just gonna kill the wretched corrupted knight.


    He could feel the ground begin to rumble as soon as he kicked the door. It seemed Thren had called back his undead army.


    Which meant one thing... the Mist Knight wasn''t certain his current entourage could protect him from Damon and the two girls.


    Damon admired the knight''s cunning¡ªbut he couldn''t help being a little disappointed by his overall reliance on bones to do the fighting.


    He raised his head and peered into the room beyond the broken door, his whole aura radiating menace. He activated Omen of Dread, letting the skill sink into the air, making his presence heavier... sending shudders of fear into the hearts of all those with weaker mantles.


    The room itself was massive¡ªlavish once, but long since decayed. Multiple doors, wide and towering, stood on each side. A grand balcony stretched overhead, with a sweeping flight of stairs that curled like the ribs of a dead beast.


    A massive chandelier hung dead-center, its crystals dulled and tangled in cobwebs.


    Smaller chandeliers dotted the ceiling. Tables lay overturned. A pool, once pristine, was now murky and thick with rot.


    The place reeked of ruin¡ªmold crawling on the walls, decay seeping into the floors. A few corpses still sat at the tables¡ªwell-dressed, with decaying jewels glinting faintly on their fingers and throats.


    If Damon regretted anything in Lysithara, it was not having a way to carry all the stuff he could''ve sold for money... the riches of the dead were one of many.


    His second regret? Having to be here at all.


    He now stood face-to-face with a small group of armored knights¡ªtheir bodies shifting like mist. Three stood directly in front of him.


    Covered in armor that shimmered and blurred like fog, their visors lacked the same glow Alazard once had¡ªalmost as if they''d been stripped of the formidable wills that let them endure for thousands of years, even in corruption.


    They held swords and shields like a trained unit. Their armor had no glaring weaknesses¡ªonly the creeping decay of a ruinous presence that slithered from within.


    On the balcony above, two more knights stood¡ªone clearly a mage class, draped in a light robe with armor underneath... the other, an archer, his bow visibly enchanted, pulsing faintly.


    Damon smiled faintly. He was about due for an upgrade to his bow and arrows anyway.


    He''d lost most of his arrows fighting the war trolls, and had wisely dumped the cursed ore arrows before entering the whispering forest¡ªat least, what was left of them.


    No words were exchanged.


    No words needed to be.


    As soon as the door fell, only a moment passed. Their hesitation had come from Damon''s Omen of Dread.


    Sylvia and Evangeline didn''t waste time.


    "We''ll take out the mage and the archer. You get rid of the rest."


    Damon didn''t even get the chance to reply.


    Valarie''s voice curled with amusement on his lips.


    "They either have faith in your power¡ªor they just didn''t want to deal with the work..."


    He raised his sword with a thin smile as his Remorseless skill activated.


    "Let''s hope it''s the former..."


    He dove straight at the enemy¡ªhis body folding into a shadowy blur as he glided toward the floor. The moment he got close to the Mist Knights, he reformed¡ªhuman again¡ªand slashed at the back of one before it could melt into mist.


    Assuming they still had the intelligence to do so.


    "Striking your opponent from the back... you truly have no honor..."


    Damon sneered, parrying a sword strike that came at his face.


    "They''re the ones attacking three on one, and I''m the dishonorable one?"


    He shifted into mist¡ªhis armor activating with a low hum. The knight he struck fell to his knees, the disintegration sword eating away at what little remained of its corrupted soul.


    [You have slain Mist Knight Nide]


    Damon rolled out of the way of a shield, turning into shadow. The remaining knights eyed his sword and armor¡ªhe could feel something like emotion from these enthralled warriors.


    Even though their fierce wills were suppressed, their discipline was intact. They raised their shields and swords, shifting into a variation of Alazard''s swordsmanship¡ªthis time incorporating shields instead of single blades.


    The ground quaked with the clash of battle.


    Bright flashes lit the distance¡ªEvangeline and Sylvia were fighting, shaking the building with their power.


    Damon narrowed his gaze at the two knights still before him.


    He''d lost the element of surprise, but he needed to kill them quickly. He spread his shadow perception outward¡ªLeona, Matia, and Xander were still locked in combat with a tide of relentless undead.


    Valarie''s voice hummed from his shoulder.


    "You seem to use a very formalistic mix of Lysithara swordsmanship... and some rigid basics. You know slightly advanced forms, but not what makes our sword style strong. This is a good time to learn the fundamentals."


    Damon''s eyes narrowed. "Thanks for the offer... but my friends need me to finish this quickly. I''m not risking their lives for my own selfish interests."


    Valarie chuckled. "Congratulations. You pass the test. I''ll teach you¡ªmyself. First... kill them."


    Damon spun forward, blade ready.


    "Say no more..."


    His sword met a shield¡ªand he was the one pushed back. Another knight lunged from the side, smashing his shield into Damon''s gut.


    He coughed slightly, a dull ache blooming in his ribs as his body crashed into the wall, slamming it apart as debris buried him.


    Valarie''s voice echoed from within the rubble.


    "Wow. You sure showed them..."

 Chapter 343 344: Overwhelming Violence

    Damon didn''t grace her sarcasm with a response. He hadn''t even seen that move coming¡ªtheir coordination was masterful.


    So this was how the knights of Lysithara fought? If they were already this dreadful with their wills suppressed... just how powerful would they be if not?


    He turned into a shadow, evading a stomp aimed directly at him. The floor cracked and shattered from the knight''s attack.


    Damon swung his sword, but the knight turned into mist, evading the counter in a blur of vapor.


    The clash of steel rang out as his blade scraped across a raised shield.


    "What the hell kind of technique is that...? They''re covering each other''s weaknesses," he muttered through gritted teeth, irritation swelling in his chest.


    "I can''t beat them with pure skill..."


    Valarie''s lips pressed together. "Yes. They are well-trained, after all. The only way is to overwhelm them with power."


    Damon scoffed, a thin smile playing at his lips.


    "I can do that..."


    He activated the [5x] skill¡ªone he had been saving for his battle with Thren. But he didn''t care anymore.


    He wasn''t going to hold back any longer. He would obliterate everything.


    Though he had to be cautious¡ªsome of his skills consumed Shadow Energy. And the stronger the skill, the more mana and shadow it burned.


    Mana wasn''t the issue. Not anymore¡ªhis reserves were colossal.


    Shadow energy, however... that was the real problem.


    But right now, he didn''t give a damn.


    He just wanted to end this quickly¡ªthe sooner, the better.


    "You guys are annoying... I suppose I''ll just cook you in your armor."


    Damon unleashed the Ashborn skill despite the pain it inflicted. A wave of black flame erupted¡ªdark as void, yet hot enough to incinerate the soul, and cold enough to freeze it.


    A heatless, deathly fire that seared everything in its wake.


    The first knight slammed his shield to the ground, a thunderous shockwave dispersing the black flames like wind tearing through smoke.


    Damon paused, kneeling amid the burning agony, watching with a dumbfounded expression.


    Did they just disperse... the flames that could reduce both flesh and soul to ash... with technique?


    "Huh... right. The shields have enchantments like that."


    He rolled to the side, dodging instinctively.


    "If you tell me you''re the one who invented this, I''ll really stomp on you..."


    The lips that had once been a woman smiled on his shoulder.


    "I didn''t. In fact, this was all Valcara''s and Mugu''s work... but it has a flaw..."


    Damon''s sword clashed against the knight''s shield. He turned to mist, then shadow, evading a chain of brutal sword strikes.


    "What flaw?"


    Valarie paused, clearly letting the tension build.


    "Isn''t it obvious? It has a cooldown time. Do I have to tell you everything, boy?"


    Damon''s eyes turned colder. "So you''re telling me it''s a one-time thing?"


    Valarie smiled at his realization.


    "That''s right. But the other knight hasn''t used his..."


    Damon lowered his sword, shadows flickering in his eyes. His stomach growled from a familiar hunger he was already getting used to.


    "Fine... then I''ll just eviscerate everything."


    His mana surged. Shadows roared to life.


    Valarie''s voice cut in, calm and reasoning. "Try not to burn your allies. And remember... these are just the vanguard."


    Damon didn''t respond. He simply whispered, "I know... I was aiming for the ones in the other room too."


    Yes. He had Shadow Perception. He could sense the others¡ªmore knights¡ªlurking within.


    He had to give it to Thren... this mist knight was insidious with his schemes.


    But honestly, Damon didn''t care anymore.


    There was one simple truth in this world.


    In the face of overwhelming violence, cunning meant nothing.


    And Damon was mentally preparing himself to unleash the most overwhelming amount of violence he was capable of.


    He braced for the pain. Activating the Sacrifice skill, he poured a large portion of his mana stats into his Shadow Energy pool.


    The hunger vanished as his shadow was fed¡ªbut it was temporary. He knew that.


    It was just a precaution to ensure he didn''t deplete his shadow and go ravenous mid-battle.


    He turned into mist, dodging the knights. Then, with Shadow Movement, dove into the floor, gliding across the battlefield and reappearing by the door.


    The knights, dull-eyed and will-less, instinctively thought they had him cornered.


    They slowly approached, shields raised like hunters closing in.


    "They''re trying to box you in..."


    Damon whispered back coldly,


    "I know..."


    The two knights charged at him. Damon ducked low and slipped into a shadow, gliding beneath their heavy boots¡ªpast the wreckage¡ªbefore emerging behind them, facing the door.


    He took his human form once more. His eyes were icy.


    The knights turned. Their visors dull, without any light.


    Damon raised both hands. Shadows flickered madly around him. Pain, deep and agonizing, crawled through every fiber of his being.


    He forced out a single cold word in place of a scream.


    "Die."


    An immolating pillar of destruction erupted from his body. The air twisted under the sheer pressure of it.


    The knight raised his shield to disperse it¡ª


    But this time... it wasn''t enough.


    Only a faint ripple broke the surge. A flutter of resistance in the black inferno.


    Then¡ª


    Hell was unleashed.


    Half the battlefield vanished under the wrath of the Ashborn flames.


    The door turned to ash.


    And the knights hidden beyond it¡ªconsumed.


    Nothing remained. Nothing but ash.


    Damon collapsed to his knees. His mind reeled from the pain. His head buzzed from depleted mana and drained shadow energy.


    [You have slain Mist Knight Notre.]


    [You have slain Mist Knight Teow.]


    [You have slain Mist Knight Kerry.]


    [You have slain...]


    He hit the ground hard¡ªbut none of the names were Thren.


    So the battle... wasn''t over.


    Silence reigned.


    Evangeline and Sylvia had slain their foes.


    But the true threat remained.


    The two girls hurried to his side, without a scratch on their bodies or armor.


    He clicked his tongue they really left the heavy lifting to him.


    Sylvia helped him up looking into the darkness of an adjacent door.


    Damon sensed him, he knew.


    It was time to confront the corrupted knight.


    And as if to signal the next act¡ª


    Footsteps echoed slowly in the distance.

 Chapter 344 345: Thren

    Damon was mentally strained from the battle. His mana was low, and his shadow energy was even lower. Perhaps this could be considered part of Mist Knight Thren''s strategy¡ªto fight Damon and his party only when he was sure they were at their weakest, already exhausted from battling his enthralled mist knights.


    No matter, Damon was actually stronger when his shadow energy was delepleted.


    In fact one could say, that was when he was the most monstrous. In the end there was still no denying he was still exhausted.


    However, Damon was the only one truly depleted. The two girls were still brimming with energy. Mana pulsed through their bodies.


    There was no sign of weakness, why else would Damon cut lose. He was sure they could cover for him.


    ''Does he not consider them a threat...?''


    That would be a grave mistake. Just like Damon, these two girls were monsters in their own right. Yet the enemy before them was no ordinary opponent. He was a rank two mist knight.


    Damon squinted at the figure, half-shrouded by faint mist. Glowing eyes shone from under his hood¡ªhe wore no helm like the others.


    Still, his body was clad in full plate armor, lighter than standard but unmistakably enchanted. A spear gleamed in his grip, the head embedded with a glowing gem.


    His gauntlets didn''t seem to match the armor.


    "Thren''s magic artifact... the Selfless Gauntlets..." Valarie''s voice floated from Damon''s shoulder, touched by caution.


    "He''s rank two. I suppose time hasn''t been kind. Even after a thousand years... he''s still here. Suffering..." she muttered, narrowing her eyes.


    He stood silent, as if appraising them.


    "He''s buying time¡ªfor his undead to overwhelm the others outside..." Sylvia added coldly.


    Valarie spoke up again. Though now only a pair of lips, she hoped the corrupted knight would remember her voice.


    He had changed, twisted by corruption, and she wasn''t even sure it was still him. But the gear... the gauntlets... they matched. It had to be him.


    "Thren of the Fifth Order... do you remember my voice?"


    No response. The glowing eyes under the hood didn''t flicker, unmoved by her words.


    Her lips curled slightly with grief. "He doesn''t seem to remember me... then again, he never knew me on a personal level."


    Damon sighed. Naturally, he hadn''t expected it to work. Valarie was a powerful Ascendant a champion of the ancient city.


    It would be weird if some rank two knight knew here on a personal level.


    As for how she knew him....Damon did not care enough to ask.


    He pointed at the knight¡ªa ruined image of his former self.


    "Isn''t it a bit dishonorable? Enslaving your fellow knights to fight your battles..."


    Coming from Damon, who wasn''t exactly honorable himself, the girls weren''t sure how to react. Was this the pot calling the kettle black... or something worse?


    Valarie cut in. "Don''t you pride yourself on having no pride? I seem to recall you were impressed by his methods..."


    Damon didn''t take his eyes off Thren. "I like it better when I''m the one doing the scheming."


    Sylvia sighed, edging slowly toward Damon''s sword lying on the ground.


    "Right... I remember. He''s also a sore loser."


    Evangeline understood immediately what was happening. Damon was unarmed, and they needed to get his sword back before the knight decided to act. Still, Damon was unnerved. Why wasn''t Thren attacking?


    Was it confidence or something else. He found that doubtful.


    Sylvia stopped beside the sword.


    The mist knight''s face suddenly snapped in her direction.


    A wave of mist surged toward her¡ªsilent, formless, carrying a deathly intent.


    But it wasn''t fast enough. She kicked the sword toward Damon, dodging the long-range strike with practiced ease.


    "Sylvia supports us, Evangeline¡ª"


    He didn''t finish the sentence.


    She was already moving.


    She charged at the knight, the source of the massive undead army harassing the rest of their party.


    Evangeline moved like a blur, trailing phantom images in her wake. Her rapier clashed with Thren''s spear. The knight didn''t even budge.


    The ground trembled beneath their suffocating impact. Cracks spread through the floor like veins. What little glass remained shattered with a thunderous bang.


    Damon couldn''t help but think of the day he''d first seen Renata and Lilith clash...


    The mist knight may have been rank two, but Evangeline¡ªthough only first class¡ªwas a monster herself. She had absorbed the bulk of the mana cores their party had collected. Her physical stats made her a walking catastrophe.


    No wonder the building was falling apart.


    Still, the gap in rank wasn''t easy to overcome. She was pushed back slightly, even though Thren didn''t appear to be the brute strength type. His physique, though... it was still solid.


    It didn''t matter.


    White glowing arrows soared toward the knight. He raised his hand, conjuring a spell barrier to block the attack.


    Sylvia had expected that.


    She didn''t aim to kill¡ªshe aimed to create an opening.


    From the ground, a shadow rose¡ªsolidifying into Damon, sword in hand, appearing right next to Thren.


    It should have been over.


    The blade pierced through the knight''s body... yet Damon felt nothing. No resistance. No impact. No armor. No blood.


    It was like cutting through air.


    He looked up.


    The knight''s glowing eyes stared back beneath the hood, mocking him.


    That''s when he noticed.


    This knight had no shadow.


    It was as if he wasn''t even there.


    Damon''s breath caught.


    "This... this is an illusion," Valarie''s voice muttered darkly.


    "He shifted positions and left an illusion behind at the last second. Yes... I remember now. It''s his first class skill. Tricky... but it gets worse..."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes. "How worse?"


    Sylvia stiffened. Her expression tightened, dread crawling across her face.


    "This worse..."


    Damon lifted his gaze.


    In front of them¡ªdozens of identical Threns. Mist-cloaked, indistinguishable from the original.


    Valarie''s lips pressed into a line.


    "They''re all illusions. Only one is real."


    She didn''t need to say the rest.


    Let your guard down...


    ...and you die.

 Chapter 345 - 346: Intent To Will

    Valarie didn''t need to spell out the obvious. Mist Knight Thren was formidable. He had proven that by retaining his cunning despite thousands of years of corruption gnawing away at what remained of his will.


    His form was pulsing with mist. His eyes cold under the hood no emotions were revealed.


    Damon could no longer deny his cunning.


    He had cornered the whole party with an army of undead¡ªafter splitting them up, of course... then again they didn''t do much together anyway.


    A classic divide-and-conquer. And when they finally planned to strike back, he welcomed them with a group of enthralled, heavily armed mist knights. All lower rank than him, but no less deadly.


    They never had the element of surprise. All they had been doing was adapting to changing circumstances.


    Now, Mist Knight Thren stood before them¡ªor rather, a whole group of him stood before them. Each one appeared as real as the last. But all save one were illusions.


    The real one could shift between the false bodies. Sneaky. The kind of trick Damon himself would pull.


    That said, Thren miscalculated something. True, he had the rank advantage, and yes, he was more experienced. He had endured thousands of years corrupted¡ªhis willpower unquestionable.


    But... he had never met anyone like Damon.


    Damon was tired. His mana was low, and his shadow energy even lower.


    But that only made him stronger.


    Well, it shouldn''t have mattered. Thren still had his illusion trick up his sleeve. Except if Damon wanted to turn ravenous and gain the overwhelming power his shadow possessed in price of his humanity.


    He shook his head.


    It didn''t matter.


    Damon had shadow perception.


    A spatial awareness that allowed him to sense shadows¡ªand all living things cast shadows, with some eldritch or unlucky exceptions.


    Mist Knight Thren was in for a rude awakening.


    Damon took the long game. Again.


    Evangeline raised her sword, the rapier gleaming with golden light.


    "Damon... which one is he?"


    Damon wasn''t sure if she asked because she thought he knew, or just because he was the party leader and someone had to say something.


    He couldn''t let Thren catch on. He had to play them too.


    "I don''t. I''m not an oracle."


    Saying that, both he and Evangeline glanced at Sylvia¡ªthe silver-haired elven girl. Oracle and seer¡ªif there was even a difference, she blurred the line.


    Sylvia sighed, shaking her head slowly. "I could ask for the answer... but I wouldn''t like the price. So why bother? My intuition tells me we''ll be fine."


    Damon glanced at the pair of lips resting on his shoulder¡ªthe only visible remnant of the former ascendant, Valarie Sunwarden.


    "Her intuition is going to get us killed..."


    Valarie smiled, even though all that was left of her were lips.


    "This is a valuable learning experience. You can train your instinct with this."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. Aside from shadow perception... did this ancient pair of lips actually know another method to discern the original from the fakes?


    Sylvia held her bow with a calm, focused expression. "I see. She means we should use our sixth sense¡ªour intuition¡ªto tell which is real. From his gaze..."


    Damon instantly understood.


    Sometimes, when you gazed at an enemy with hostile intent¡ªor even glanced at them directly¡ªsome could feel it. Sense that they were being watched.


    Valarie wanted them to replicate that. To train their senses. To feel Thren''s intent from the illusions.


    Damon saw a flaw immediately. Thren could simply start observing them with peripheral vision¡ªmasking his killing intent.


    Thren grew impatient. He must''ve gotten tired of waiting for them to act.


    So he did.


    All of him¡ªthe illusions and the true body, shrouded in thick mist¡ªrushed forward.


    But Damon sensed it. The unmoving shadow of the original, buried among the fakes.


    Evangeline raised her arm, expecting the crushing weight of a spear, the floor to crack beneath her, the wind to howl with the force of the blow¡ª


    But nothing happened.


    There was no wind.


    Her sword had passed through empty air.


    The Thren she thought she''d engage¡ªjust an illusion.


    Sylvia clicked her tongue in irritation. The sounds of battle outside were growing louder. The others wouldn''t hold for long. The undead might be weak individually, but they never tire.


    She raised her bow and fired a volley of white arrows at the mist knights. Each illusion dodged them fluidly¡ªmimicking life to conceal the original.


    Valarie sneered. "The trick is impressive. But a shame. Anyone of higher rank could still kill him easily... even with this."


    Damon felt the urge to throw her off. He was dodging spells¡ªspells he knew were illusions. But he couldn''t afford a mistake.


    He wanted to make his own illusion.


    Not with magic.


    But with cunning.


    Damon''s goal was simple: approach the real Thren and strike him down.


    "He can''t hide his intent to kill. No one can. When you have a desire to kill, it reflects in your intention..."


    Valarie offered counsel from his shoulder. "You have to remember¡ªintention forms the basis of every action. It is the first step in creating will."


    Damon weaved between attacks. He appeared exhausted. As the illusions cast wind blades, sharp currents sliced through the air.


    He dodged. A small piece of his hair was cut as a real attack slipped into the chaos.


    But it didn''t matter. Sylvia saw it too. She fired a white arrow¡ªno, a pillar of moonlight¡ªtoward the true Thren.


    The glowing light rippled through the ancient floor that had once been Zaci''s sweet Vip floor.


    Damon watched as Thren was engulfed by the white light.


    He narrowed his eyes weakly. "Did they just kill him because he got careless...?"


    His eyes widened. He rolled to the side.


    A spear tip passed by his face¡ªtoo close.


    He had sensed the shadow behind him at the last moment.


    Thren had the ability to teleport between his real body and illusions.


    Damon slipped into shadow, putting distance between them.


    "We need to kill him in a single strike," he said darkly, "or this will never end."

 Chapter 346 - 347: The True Hunter

    Killing a rank two monster in a single strike ¡ª that was the stuff of legends, a feat whispered about among average first-class parties. And yet, here Damon was, with only half his party present, planning to do exactly that to a rank two Mist Knight.


    It would''ve been wildly ambitious. Those who had reached higher-class advancements were already superhuman.


    Damon himself was proof ¡ª even without magic, he could sprint a kilometer in moments.


    He still remembered his encounter with the evil forest wendigo. Just a rank one monster, yet it had closed the kilometer-long distance between them in the blink of an eye, before Damon could even think of escape.


    He gripped his sword tighter.


    He wasn''t the same boy he''d been weeks ago.


    Funny. Just weeks. And yet it already felt like years since he''d gotten the system.


    He surged forward toward the Mist Knight in front of him ¡ª Thren. Part of him expected the corrupted knight to vanish into mist, teleport away, or pull some other trick.


    But he didn''t.


    He met Damon''s blade head-on, his gaze stopping on the sword. A flicker of emotion ¡ª barely visible ¡ª trembled across his corrupted face.


    As if he were remembering... a friend.


    Evangeline seized the moment, unleashing a radiant blade. Damon noticed ¡ª again ¡ª how much she seemed to favor that spell.


    He didn''t have time to dwell on it.


    He threw a punch, dark flames spiraling around his fist ¡ª but the knight didn''t even flinch as the energy faltered. Damon''s shadow energy reserves were too low.


    That was fine.


    A streak of cold, blue-white arrows hissed through the air, embedding into the Mist Knight''s hood. Their cruelty was almost disturbing... especially coming from Sylvia.


    She looked irritated. Her grey eyes shimmered like steel. It did no damage he simply moved away.


    "Hmph." Valarie''s disembodied lips curled, even without a face. "That one''s a bit protective of you."


    Damon heard her, but didn''t respond. He already knew what she was implying.


    He flipped mid-air using his parkour skills, transitioning into a flawless landing, his own technique pushing his body further than human limits.


    It was time to end it.


    He spread his shadow perception outward.


    Matia was back-to-back with Leon, standing atop a mound of shattered skeletons.


    Just as Damon had instructed, they hadn''t hesitated to use Xander as a shield. His armor was dented, but he still fought on ¡ª dueling a four-armed undead creature alone.


    Damon exhaled slowly.


    If he didn''t finish this now, they''d all fall. One mistake could mean the difference between life and death. He had to act now.


    He pointed across the battlefield at one of the Mist Knights. "That one. He''s Thren."


    Evangeline sensed a surge of hostility from that direction. Almost too obvious. Too clean. She hesitated, then nodded and dashed through the illusion.


    Damon nodded at Sylvia. She understood. Together, they focused on the supposed knight, ignoring every other illusion as their bodies phased through the misty fakes.


    He curved around from the flank, rushing in from the side. His target flinched.


    A fake.


    He kept going, spears sailing through his body ¡ª illusions, all of them.


    He closed in on the knight, eyes locked. Evangeline and Sylvia aimed their spells, ready to strike.


    At the last moment, Damon shifted.


    His sword flashed, carving clean through a knight to the left ¡ª one who hadn''t reacted at all.


    A solid hit.


    He felt his blade pierce armor, slice flesh.


    He activated Bloodletting ¡ª inducing a brutal bleeding effect. His blade laced with power that severed soul and body alike.


    Disintegration, the power of molecular breakdown.


    His gaze locked with cold, glowing eyes.


    "I can sense your shadow," he muttered. "You got full of yourself because we kept falling for your tricks."


    The corrupted knight gasped, blood pouring from the wound. He had let his guard down. Victory had been within reach ¡ª and Damon had feigned desperation perfectly.


    Valarie''s voice carried a rare ease. "A sound strategy... Make him think you hadn''t noticed, then strike when he thinks he''s won. I suppose we now know who''s more insidious."


    The Mist Knight collapsed to his knees, his voice low and broken.


    "You have bested... Thren of the Glades..."


    His soul flickered, light snuffed out. He fell.


    Damon heard a familiar chime.


    [You have slain Mist Knight Elks.]


    He froze.


    Elks?


    He turned toward Valarie. His lips parted but no words came out. The Mist Knight had said they bested Thren ¡ª not that he was Thren.


    Damon expanded his shadow perception again.


    There.


    A faint presence. Hidden in the corner of the room. Still, motionless, like a statue.


    He''d missed it.


    He threw his sword.


    A blur of steel shot across the room, too fast to track.


    Thud.


    A rasping exhale followed. An armorless man in a black tunic appeared, face concealed in a deep hood. Damon''s blade was lodged in his chest.


    The real Thren.


    The man fell.


    [You have slain Mist Knight Thren.]


    [You have leveled up.]


    [You have gained 90 attribute points.]


    [You have awakened the skill: Shadow Storage.]


    It happened so fast, the others didn''t even know how to react.


    Valarie''s lips pressed together.." how..."


    Damon sighed, his shoulders sagging. "It''s almost sundown... Grab what''s valuable and let''s go. Hurry."


    They scoured the battlefield quickly, taking what they could, and left with Valarie in tow.


    They had survived. Again.


    The sun dipped low in the ruined skyline of the ancient city.


    And then...


    A faceless entity walked in.


    It scanned the ground, especially the spaces where Sylvia had fought ¡ª nothing. It approached the spot where Thren''s corpse had lain, only blood now, devoured by Damon''s shadow when no one was looking.


    It knelt, smearing some of the spilled blood across where its lips should''ve been.


    A voice echoed ¡ª Thren''s voice.


    "Useless... after you failed me..."


    It paused.


    "...This makes the hunt even more interesting. I can continue to study goddess races and¡ª"


    The words stopped.


    Its mouth vanished.


    Expressionless, the face stealer stood and continued on its path, fading into the dark ¡ª following Damon and his party from the shadows.

 Chapter 347 - 348: A Place To Call Home

    Lysithara was bleak and beautiful, its dying sun casting a solemn light over the ruined city. Even in its crumbling state, there was a certain grace to it¡ªlike a mausoleum where the dead refused to stay dead, and the living were slowly consumed by rot.


    With the sun beginning to set, Damon blinked at the horizon, realizing he had no idea how time had slipped by so quickly.


    It felt as if they''d only just left the ruined cathedral a few hours ago... yet a whole day had passed. Once again, he questioned whether it was just him, but his perception of time felt severely skewed.


    Had they really spent an entire day dealing with Mist Knight Thren? He might''ve argued the point¡ªif his current condition wasn''t so dire.


    They had returned to find Xander, Matia, and Leona surrounded by a horde of undead.


    Without Thren''s control, the creatures had lost all coordination and were swiftly wiped out. Afterward, Damon had insisted the party move¡ªsomewhere, anywhere to rest.


    Valarie, or rather, the discarnate soul now possessing her own lips, had offered a shortcut. Obviously, there was no chance of finding a proper waypoint, so a temporary resting spot was their only option.


    Damon gritted his teeth. That had been a terrible idea. He panted heavily, sweat streaking down his brow. He wanted to curse the pair of lips lodged in his shoulder but realized he had been the fool for trusting her outdated memory of Lysithara.


    The city had clearly changed over the millennia she''d been sealed away.


    Rawrrr!


    A deafening roar thundered behind them, and Damon didn''t need a second warning¡ªhe ran faster.


    Something was chasing them. Something furious.


    "This is all your fault, Damon¡ª!"


    Xander was running for his life but still found the energy to throw blame.


    Damon was appalled. "My fault?! You should blame Valarie! The stupid pair of lips is obviously the one to blame!"


    Evangeline gritted her teeth. "Shut up and run! We have to find a place to rest before sunset!"


    Valarie''s lips curled into a smug smile. "That''s right, you ungrateful children. Respect your elders."


    Evangeline howled, "Shut up!"


    Valarie bit her own lip¡ªthough that was all she had¡ªand muttered, "This one is quite rude... she must be related to Damon."


    Sylvia clutched the supply bag tighter as she sprinted, the wind whipping through her white hair. Why did these things keep happening to them?


    Earlier, on Valarie''s guidance, they''d stumbled across a potential resting place.


    Damon, being Damon, had noticed a larger, more luxurious building nearby¡ªsomething that looked like it had survived centuries of abandonment with minimal decay. Evangeline had warned him not to get sidetracked by worldly desires, and in response, she got a full lecture on privilege. She was used to it¡ªdidn''t believe a word of it.


    Sylvia bit her lip. They''d been played.


    Damon was a parasite who knew how to get people to do what he wanted. He spun a sob story about living on the streets, eating rotten bread from gutters.


    They all knew he was manipulating them, but the story was just sad enough to work.


    In the end, Leona had declared she wanted the building before Damon could stake his claim, which meant the entire party had to help her take it. She insisted.


    Sylvia sighed. She didn''t even care where they slept anymore.


    She vaulted over a broken wall just as a stream of acid blasted past, the ground trembling from the massive, raging abomination behind them.


    Matia leapt, freezing the acidic pool ahead into a thin icy path. She kept running, though she longed to fly¡ªbut her wings were gone.


    They really shouldn''t have gone into that house...


    The building had a biometric lock¡ªone of the innovations brought in by the Outsiders from their mysterious realm. Valarie had claimed they were a Type Seven civilization, but even the ancient scholars of Lysithara hadn''t unraveled the full truth.


    The Outsiders remained a mystery.


    Not that any of that mattered to Matia¡ªnot then, not now.


    They had expected some big boss lurking inside. Instead, they found something... wrong.


    Matia jumped over a shattered pillar as the sun dipped even lower.


    The house did have a monster, just not one they''d expected. It was a malformed creature at the first-class advancement tier.


    It couldn''t see. Its body was coated in mucus, and it had cried when it saw them.


    Damon had been so disgusted that he cut off its head on sight¡ªfor trespassing in his property.


    Even though, technically, the thing had been there first.


    That had been Xander''s argument.


    The creature had been hideous¡ªteeth on its chin like a beard, a gaping mouth, and eight mismatched eyes. Its body was twisted and hunched, supported by three crooked legs instead of four. It looked like some god''s failed experiment¡ªor perhaps a prototype for life itself.


    Much like the creature now chasing them, only bigger. And far, far uglier.


    They weren''t fleeing from its appearance. They were fleeing because it was a Rank Three monster¡ªits chest heaving with vengeance after returning home to find its young slain.


    That''s why they were still running... even with nightfall fast approaching.


    Damon hugged his sword as he ran, his body feeling like lead. "Valarie! Which way?!"


    The lips smiled coldly. "Now you need me? After all the things you said? Take it back."


    Damon sneered, sweat dripping from his brow. "Just kill me... I''m not taking anything back."


    Evangeline dodged another acidic spray, the roar of the beast echoing behind them.


    She smacked the back of his head. "Apologize. Your ego is not going to get us killed."


    Damon bit his lip, the wind rushing past his ears. "Fine... I apologize... that you feel that way."


    "Damon¡ª!" the others all yelled in unison.


    He raised a hand. "Fine, fine! You were right and I was... less right."


    Valarie sneered. "He doesn''t mean it."


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. "We don''t have time for this. Take it, or we leave you to melt in acid."


    Valarie sighed. "Fine. I''m the teacher, I''ll be the bigger person. Learn from my forgiving nature, boy."


    "Go left. You''ll see a small bridge¡ªit''s enchanted. Once you cross, its body won''t be able to follow. The magic keeps it from breaking."


    They followed her instructions, rushing under a narrow ashen bridge. Once, it had been a street¡ªthey could see broken carriages scattered beyond. There were also barricades and traces of military activity.


    As they crossed, the monster tried to follow, slamming against the barrier¡ªbut the runes flared to life, holding strong. It failed to break through, releasing another acidic blast in frustration.


    Damon exhaled, chest heaving. "Let''s go find a place to rest..."

 Chapter 348 - 349: Heart Of War

    Damon was already exhausted from the day, but this was par for the course with his party.


    After all, they had spent a whole week fighting their way out of the Whispering Forest.


    Why would they expect Lysithara to be any different? They had long since grown past the point of being weak, frightened teenagers in a world that obviously wanted them dead.


    They had been given an option: adapt, or be removed. And they had adapted. They had grown¡ªthough partially in a direction of madness, weighed down by invisible scars that magic couldn''t heal.


    Each of them carried this trauma.


    Damon didn''t believe in therapy, but he knew that after what they had experienced, the mental health quartermaster would certainly have a handful.


    At this point, they were comparable to actual war veterans¡ªjust without the military discipline.


    That said, Damon was sure his other party members hadn''t seen it all. He''d never been on an actual battlefield, but he had seen the remains of one years ago¡ªand it was hell.


    Damon didn''t even bother praying to avoid ending up on one. He was certain that if he lived long enough, he would see one... fight on one.


    This was Soltheon, the war continent. This was the world of Aetherus¡ªa world that worshiped the Goddess of Doom, the Lady of Unending War.


    And by the glory of her domain, Aetherus would never know peace.


    As for who the enemy would be, Damon didn''t know. Maybe demons. Maybe other goddess races. Maybe the temple. Perhaps even visitors from another world.


    Most likely... all of them.


    He wasn''t being bleak. It was just how life was. It was perpetual war. Life was hell. A struggle from the moment you are born.


    You must breathe to live¡ªis that not a struggle?


    You must eat or starve¡ªis that not a struggle?


    You must suffer joy, just so you can learn pain.


    Is that not a struggle?


    Life had always been hell. It was the same for all.


    And on top of that cruel cosmic design, you had to deal with human cruelty.


    He chuckled bitterly amid the last rays of sunlight, the buildings casting long shadows over them.


    "What do you find so funny, boy..."


    The pair of human lips on his shoulder asked with a degree of curiosity.


    Damon shook his head at Valarie''s question.


    "It''s nothing. I was just thinking about life..."


    Valarie''s lips pursed, then curled into a small smile.


    "Ahh, I see. My student is contemplating the meaning of life. Well, you see¡ª"


    "I have that answer. It''s meaningless." Damon cut her off.


    Valarie went quiet for a moment, her voice suddenly becoming serious.


    "That is a very bleak outlook on life... A philosophy one so young shouldn''t have to adopt. Life is difficult, yes¡ªbut you should look on the bright side. Take me for example¡ªI can still smile, even though I am only a pair of lips... and had suffered untold years sealed away with rot."


    Damon sighed. He wasn''t trying to get into a philosophical argument. He was just answering her question.


    "I know my life is good," he paused, glancing at his surroundings. He was in a ruined, ancient city¡ªa death zone with many horrors. Could he even say that anymore?


    "Well, my life was getting better..." he corrected himself, "but as you can see, I''m still struggling. Isn''t that the meaning of life? To struggle... even when you want to end it all... to keep your bleak possibilities alive because you fear the unknown finality that is death."


    Damon looked up, over the tall spires casting their shadows across the city.


    "Death is peace, but we all fear it. Life is war, but we can''t let it go... what a contradiction."


    Valarie sighed.


    She had listened to this young boy, who had barely lived at all¡ªonly sixteen years¡ªbut was already weary and tired of it. Had he not learned the joys of life?


    While they may be fleeting, they were the small lights that allowed one to withstand years of misery.


    "Life is just a turbulent ocean with small islands of joy. Finding those islands... that is what we call life."


    Damon glanced at her. She continued in a softer whisper.


    "Mindset and philosophy shape the class a person awakens to. You have a very bleak philosophy... one that sees death as a form of release. You glorify it... you seek it. You defy and reject life because you see it as misery. But still, you anchor yourself to it..."


    Damon remained quiet.


    "Your first class must be related to death. It''s something that shaped you. Did you lose something? Someone? Death must have been the beginning of why you despise life."


    He didn''t react, but she was somewhat right. Death was the beginning of why he despised life. His parents'' death had changed his view of the world. He wanted to commit suicide¡ªbut didn''t go through with it after seeing that epitaph.


    His own death had taught him to accept suffering¡ªand defy it.


    Valarie pressed her lips together.


    "If I may... can I know what your class is?"


    She couldn''t help herself. She had only known him for a day¡ªit felt longer, but still, a day. By her nature as someone from Lysithara, she desired knowledge.


    She simply wanted to know.


    Damon paused for a moment. His hesitation came from his paranoid nature, but he accepted.


    "My class is Death Dealer."


    "A merchant in blood... and a dealer in death."


    Valarie''s lips twitched slightly before parting again.


    "A shift in mindset or philosophy will affect your second class. You aren''t far from getting there... all of you..."


    She paused, as if recalling something horrible.


    "It''s here in this world... hidden from us... affecting all of us with this desire for war. Conflict Pillar. We will never know peace... as..."


    Damon''s eyes widened, as if she had just given a clue to some great secret.


    "What... what did you say?"


    Valarie''s lips paused, as if confused.


    "I... I... what was I talking about...?"

 Chapter 349 - 350: Pillar Of Conflict

    "What are you on about..." Valarie''s voice echoed out from her lips. She sounded confused, as if she didn''t know what Damon was talking about.


    Damon looked at her with an edge of suspicion, though he had no reason to be.


    Valarie was just a discarnate soul, possessing only her own lips¡ªthat was all there was left of her.


    She had spent centuries sealed off with rot, her body decaying. Even in death, she was not liberated.


    She remained self-aware as time passed by in that dark cathedral, rot consuming her bit by bit.


    Any person would have gone mad from that.


    Valarie did not¡ªor at least, not in any obvious way. But Damon knew her memory was fleeting.


    She forgot conversations and faces, only recalling them when there was external stimuli or a trigger to remind her.


    Even so, Damon had to know.


    "You mentioned the pillar... you said something about war and conflict. You said ''conflict pillar'' just now..."


    Damon''s voice was louder than during their earlier philosophical exchange about life. His party turned around, their faces now fixed on him¡ªand on the pair of lips resting on his shoulders.


    Valarie''s lips pressed together in visible confusion.


    "What are you talking about? I was trying to tell you not to have such a bleak outlook on life... you''re still youn¡ª"


    "No, not that. You said something..." Damon cut her off with a flicker of irritation.


    "Hmm. I did..." Valarie paused, as if trying to dive deep into a memory that lay buried.


    "You said ''conflict pillar''..."


    She was silent for a few more seconds.


    "Well... never heard of a ''conflict pillar''..."


    Damon sighed. He was about to give up on the conversation when Valarie suddenly spoke again.


    "But I do know of a pillar of conflict..."


    Sylvia''s eyes sparked with a flash of surprise.


    "A pillar? I''ve heard about¡ªno, I''ve heard someone mention it..."


    Damon tilted his head and glanced at her.


    "You know what it is?"


    Sylvia''s head dropped.


    "Ermh... no..."


    Damon sighed. The sun had already dipped lower, but they weren''t far from a place to rest.


    "Who did you hear it from?" the question came from Evangeline, who looked exhausted from the day''s trials.


    Sylvia looked away awkwardly, reluctant to speak. She had a feeling they might find it unbelievable... though she didn''t doubt they would believe her.


    "I heard it in the academy..."


    Matia narrowed her eyes.


    "Someone in the academy told you about this ''pillar of conflict''?"


    She shook her head. "Not exactly... no idea. Just heard¡ªwell, saw something similar."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. Where could she have heard something like that? He turned back to his shoulder, where Valarie''s lips remained.


    "What''s this ''pillar of conflict''?"


    The lips twitched.


    "I don''t know. I think I heard it from an outsider..."


    Damon''s gaze narrowed. Things had just gotten more interesting.


    He hadn''t cared much before, but now? Now he did¡ªespecially if it had something to do with the mysterious visitors.


    This information might be important to him and Lilith going forward. The more ancient secrets they pieced together, the better their odds against the Temple.


    Maybe they could even leverage this knowledge. After all, the Temple had a habit of quietly disposing of people who knew too much... or spoke the wrong names.


    "What is it, then?"


    The question came from Leona, her voice cutting through the air.


    Valarie groaned.


    "I can''t recall... I only remember a visitor called Unnoticed Singularity mentioning it..."


    Damon''s eyes thinned. He had expected answers from Valarie, but it seemed she had none¡ªnot now, at least.


    Still, he''d gleaned new knowledge. Valarie knew the names of some of the visitors. So far, she had mentioned three.


    The latest being this Unnoticed Singularity.


    Damon didn''t know what kind of entity one had to be to carry such a name. And frankly, he didn''t want to find out.


    He turned back to Sylvia, who might hold a clue¡ªor at least a way to find it, with her strange journey book perpetually floating at her side, hidden in plain sight.


    "All right, Sylvia. Where did you hear about the pillar of conflict?"


    Sylvia held her elbows, as if recalling something painful... something traumatic. She took a deep breath.


    "I heard it from the Demon Lord Ashcroft."


    Damon glanced at Evangeline, who raised an eyebrow. Both of them wondered the same thing: was she delusional?


    Ashcroft was a myth¡ªa dead one, even in his legends. How could someone whose very existence was debated have spoken to her?


    Leona pulled out a water bag, her expression worried.


    "Here, Sylvia, have some water. We''ll rest soon..."


    Xander sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.


    Sylvia finally understood the misunderstanding.


    "Ah¡ªno, that''s not what I meant."


    Damon glared at her, frowning. She''d better have an explanation. He didn''t want to believe she met something as terrifying as Ashcroft...


    There was a saying about him.


    One doesn''t encounter Ashcroft. One survives Ashcroft.


    Sylvia took a deep breath.


    "I saw a memory... one that belonged to the dark spirit, Rashi Ignath. It was in the Verdant Continent¡ªa battlefield. I saw the memory of when Ignath was born..."


    She shuddered.


    "It was horrible. Blood and death everywhere. Tears... pain. In that vision, Ashcroft was there. In that memory... he whispered something about finding a pillar."


    She paused. "That''s all. I didn''t see the rest because you rescued me... and freed me from Ignath."


    Damon nodded. That made sense. Still, it didn''t bring them any closer to knowing what the pillar of conflict actually was.


    Just a name¡ªand more questions.


    He frowned, hesitating before speaking again.


    "Sylvia... can you use your skill to find out what this pillar of conflict is?"


    Sylvia paused, then nodded slowly. She could risk it. But first, she had to ask what the price would be...


    She raised her head, ready to use her skill¡ª


    When Evangeline stepped between them.


    "No. I won''t allow it. This pillar of conflict sounds dangerous. It''s too risky. How can you even ask her that? Her skill is too vile..."


    She held Sylvia''s hand tightly.


    "Just wanting to map out the city, and her skill demanded her ability to have children in the future. What would it ask for with such a grand question?"


    Sylvia fired back, "But I just want to know the¡ª"


    "No, it''s fine," Damon cut her off gently. "I''m sorry for asking. I was shortsighted..."


    He took a deep breath. Valarie had been silent since then, as if lost in thought.


    He looked over his weary party.


    "We''re all tired. And it''s dark. Let''s go get some rest..."

 Chapter 350 - 351: Unknown Progeny Of The Vile Thief

    Damon leaned against the crumbling wall of an old house. The floor beneath him was coated in thick dust, and large portions of the structure had long since collapsed, leaving the place vulnerable to the chill night air.


    The interior was pitch black. No one in the party dared to create a single light source, not even a spark, despite the biting cold that settled over the city once the sun dipped below the horizon.


    They had learned their lesson during their first night in Lysithara¡ªlight only attracted something worse.


    Damon could already hear them¡ªfamiliar creatures, the grotesque ones the locals had once called lamp snatchers.


    Well the locals were the lamp snatchers.


    They moved across the ruined streets, their disfigured forms twitching and crawling as they hunted for even the faintest glimmer to steal.


    Somewhere deeper in the city, he caught the distant growl and clash of nocturnal monsters locked in a deadly skirmish. Another night hunt.


    Damon was on first watch¡ªalone. The others were asleep, huddled together in a tight circle, with Xander lying a little further off, respectfully distant from the girls.


    They might''ve looked asleep, but Damon knew they''d be up in a flash at the slightest wrong noise.


    He could''ve asked the party to travel during the night, but he''d avoided that¡ªfor now. Not until they understood the true nature of this city.


    Yes, they had the Nightlight spell, which granted them night vision. But that wasn''t enough. Three of them had the unfortunate habit of being flashy when they fought.


    If they wanted to avoid causing another city-wide disaster, they needed to avoid drawing attention with light.


    Not that Damon needed light. He was just fine in the dark.


    Leona had offered to keep him company during his watch, but he''d turned her down. She was his friend, sure... but his first friend had always been his shadow¡ªeven if it had a tendency to drive him mad when it got hungry.


    He smiled faintly, eyes drifting toward the ground where the living darkness twisted behind him.


    "Hey there, buddy... you and I haven''t had time to talk much lately."


    His shadow gave a lazy shrug, as if to say it wasn''t a big deal.


    Most people didn''t talk to their shadows. Maybe it was a good thing Damon hadn''t had time for his lately¡ªit meant he wasn''t alone anymore. He had friends now. A team.


    Even so, his shadow was still his shadow. It would never leave.


    At least... he hoped not.


    Damon smiled in the pitch darkness where he sat, brushing a bit of dust off his armor.


    "I got a new skill... isn''t that something?"


    His shadow placed a hand over its chest and puffed it out, brimming with smug pride.


    Damon chuckled. "It''s called Shadow Storage. Don''t tell me you put in a good word for me with upper management."


    The shadow looked even more smug.


    He remembered the first time he''d seen Lilith store items in a hidden space linked to her stigmata. It had looked so useful¡ªso seamless. He''d half-jokingly asked his shadow to do something similar for him.


    He hadn''t actually expected results.


    Yet here it was.


    Damon opened his system panel, noting with some irritation that his mana pool was dwindling and his shadow energy was low.


    "I need to devour more enemies... or corpses."


    Easier said than done. Most of the bodies in Lysithara were too old, and any fresh ones were usually taken by scavengers long before he got to them.


    Still, he focused on the new skill and tapped the name. The panel expanded.


    [Skill: Shadow Storage]


    [Description:]


    This vile thief was reviled by all¡ªhated by the true gods, despised by the true demons, and loathed even by the amoral Old Ones. The capricious True Dragons could not abide his presence. There was nothing he would not steal¡ªdivine or mundane¡ªbloodlines, knowledge, magic, skill, abilities, even the essence of souls. All that caught his eye became his, hidden away in a palace of crystal. There he birthed his vile progeny¡ªthe worst of them became the Unknown God.


    [Effect:]


    Store any object within a shadow spatial pocket.


    The greater your shadow, the larger the storage space becomes.


    [Cooldown:]


    0 sec


    Damon stared at the screen, a wave of confusion washing over him.


    Just when he thought he was beginning to piece things together, something else unraveled it all.


    The line about the vile thief was fascinating... but it wasn''t what unsettled him.


    No¡ªit was two very specific things.


    It wasn''t the mention of true demons. Nor was it the True Dragons. It was the "crystal palace." Valerie had said something once¡ªabout how the Ascendant Armors had been forged using a method from that place.


    But that wasn''t what bothered him most.


    It was the claim that the Unknown God was one of the progeny of this vile thief.


    That didn''t make sense. Not at all.


    He remembered the poem¡ªthe one about the Weeping Star. He was absolutely certain the Weeping Star and the Unknown God were one and the same.


    The verses echoed in his mind:


    "...The Weeping Star came first, and the god who gives names devoured its light. All names that followed were lies."


    "...The Weeping Star came first, and the god with no name devoured its light. All names that followed were lies."


    "...To speak his name is to invite him in."


    "...So the goddess took it, carved it from the hearts of men and cast it into the void."


    "...In oblivion, she bound them. In silence, she damned herself."


    "...He called her Bride, but the veil she wore was never white¡ªit was woven of false fates."


    The god who gave names... hated his own name.


    Oh, the tragic tale of the Abyss and his Bride...


    If the Weeping Star came first¡ªif he named everything¡ªthen how could he be the progeny of a thief?


    "Why doesn''t this make any sense..."


    His joy at getting a new skill was drowned beneath the weight of the confusion.


    Damon shook his head.


    Maybe he hadn''t interpreted the poem right. His knowledge was still incomplete.


    "Mortals shouldn''t try to understand the world of gods¡ªor even try to apply our rules to them..."


    There was likely an explanation. Something simple... or perhaps something beyond comprehension.


    Either way, it didn''t matter right now. He focused on what the skill could do.


    This skill was going to be a looter''s paradise.


    This skill was about to make him very rich.


    His shadow looked up at him, a faint smirk etched into its form.


    Right... some of his skills came with consequences. But he was trying to stay optimistic this time.


    The shadow shrugged, choosing not to tell him.


    Let him find out on his own.


    Besides... this one wasn''t that bad.

 Chapter 351 - 352: Former People

    The sun peered through the sky, its golden light reflecting off the deep pools of blood that stained the broken streets.


    The city was as bleak and solemn as ever... the rift in the sky shifting lazily like a living cloud, casting its vast, unnatural shadow over parts of the crumbling metropolis.


    It was quite early in the morning¡ªthough apparently, not too early for a slaughter.


    The blood remained stagnant... thick, clotted, congealing amid the scattered corpses. These weren''t human.


    They were scaled creatures, grotesque things with tusks jutting from twisted faces. Multiple eyes blinked erratically across their warped skulls, and they clutched crude, rotting weapons that smelled of decay and salt.


    These creatures, as Damon had come to learn, were called Ground Crawlers.


    They were once citizens of Lysithara¡ªhumans consumed by rot and corruption, their flesh twisted by the decay of the city until they became these shambling aquatic beasts.


    These particular ones had emerged from beneath the city, from the flooded ruins and sewer pools that crisscrossed the urban decay. They came in packs¡ªalways in packs.


    A shame for them, really... they weren''t the only monsters lurking in this place.


    The group they had attacked were monstrous in their own right¡ªmonsters forged by suffering, not born of it.


    Damon''s party didn''t take kindly to such a rude awakening so early in the day.


    So, in return, they painted the streets red.


    Even outnumbered by foes of equal rank and size, they had carved through them without mercy. Not a single crawler was left breathing¡ªnot a single one was allowed to crawl away.


    Damon didn''t see anything wrong with it.


    But from where Valarie rested on his shoulder¡ªas a pair of lips¡ªshe couldn''t help but notice the bloodlust. These teenagers had seen hell... and in that hell, they had become demons.


    Not in the literal sense¡ªmore figuratively. And even then... perhaps the real demons should be running from them.


    Not that Valarie had ever seen a demon herself. Back when she was alive, they didn''t really exist yet. She had heard the visitors mention some of them were demons, but she''d never met any.


    Her world had been one of rot... and of time, cruel and slow and silent.


    She''d only come to learn of this current world from these children now trapped in this ruined ancient city. Caught in a nightmare that may never end.


    Damon sighed, raising his wrist¡ªhis academy-issued bracelet glowed faintly, displaying an obscene number of points accumulated from all the monsters they''d slain. The evaluation exam should have ended long ago... but here they were, still trapped in the death zone.


    He sighed again.


    At least the bracelet was still counting.


    He had lost an arm recently¡ªthankfully not the one wearing the bracelet.


    That said, he did lose his omnidirectional gear.


    He would''ve left it, but Leona had gone looking for his arm... and brought it back, mangled as it was.


    Thanks to that, he was able to attach the gear to his new limb.


    A limb that came from Matia''s sacrifice¡ªher wings.


    He glanced at the wingless fairy, covered in shattered ice. The armor was of crystalline ice. Her hand was buried in the gut of a dead crawler. She pulled free its mana core with a calm, almost mechanical expression, then dropped it into her pouch.


    They would share the spoils later.


    Absorbing the cores would help refine their bodies... empower their souls.


    That said, they had taken in quite a lot. Their bodies were bursting with raw energy. They were nearing saturation.


    After all, a body could only hold so much power.


    "A job well done, my dear students..." came the voice of Valarie Sunwarden.


    And as much as Damon hated to remind himself, she was just a pair of lips on his shoulder.


    He''d only known her for a day, yet in that time, he''d come to respect her. He didn''t know why. Maybe it was the charisma of an ascendant champion... or maybe it was something else.


    Maybe it was because Valarie Sunwarden understood pain. She understood misery.


    Even after everything she had endured in life¡ªand the torment she now bore in death¡ªshe still managed to smile.


    How could Damon not admire her?


    Her philosophy was like sunlight. Present. Warm. But the sun did not stay forever. It gave way to night... always.


    He hadn''t forgotten what she told him.


    She didn''t deny his bleak outlook on life¡ªshe acknowledged it. And in doing so, she promised that even in darkness, there could still be good things.


    "Life is a turbulent ocean with small islands of joy. Finding those islands is living..."


    For whatever reason, he couldn''t forget those words.


    He couldn''t help but compare them to the epitaph that had shaped his life¡ªthe complete opposite in tone and meaning.


    "You haven''t taught us anything yet... and you call us your students?" Damon decided to retort.


    Valarie gasped dramatically¡ªwell, as much as a pair of lips could. She would have clutched her chest if she still had one.


    "How dare you...! I''ve taught you plenty. In one day, no less!"


    Sylvia sighed as she wiped blood from her armor.


    "You said you''d teach us runecraft. You didn''t teach us anything..."


    The others nodded in agreement. Leona, though, seemed unconcerned.


    "I don''t really care. I hate homework..."


    Damon sighed. She didn''t understand the benefits, so he dumbed it down for her.


    "We''re in an ancient ruin. So, you aren''t home," he muttered, walking up to her and cupping her blood-soaked cheeks. "Learning runes means you get stronger. No rune means... not strong."


    Leona''s eyes sparked with interest.


    Until she caught the condescending tone.


    He was treating her like a child. Then again, he often treated her that way¡ªnot that she minded all that much.


    "You didn''t have to treat me like I''m brain dead, you know."


    Damon smiled, then turned his gaze to Evangeline.


    "How are our rations looking?"


    Her eye twitched, clear impatience in her expression.


    "I don''t know¡ªmaybe you and Leona shouldn''t have eaten them all?"


    Damon glanced at Leona, then coughed awkwardly.


    His eyes fell to the mutilated bodies of the Ground Crawlers.


    "...Why not eat them?"


    The others all winced.


    The reason was obvious.


    These things... used to be people.

 Chapter 352 - 353: Acceptance

    Damon could understand the moral dilemma. However, hunger didn''t understand morality. He knew that all too well. A hungry person would eat anything edible. His life on the streets and his constant need to feed his shadow with human flesh were reminders of that cruel truth.


    Once, in a distant past, these creatures might have been human. They must have had lives to live¡ªloved ones even. But now, they were just monsters born from rot. They had no humanity left. They didn''t even look human anymore.


    He could understand the problem they were all facing.


    It was sick. Twisted. But it was necessary for their survival.


    He had made the same choice when he first got his shadow¡ªfeed it human flesh or die in pain and starvation.


    He hadn''t made that choice willingly. He had hesitated, unsure.


    Lucky or unlucky for him, his shadow could take over when it was ravenous. It would search for prey on its own.


    Damon didn''t consider these creatures human. If they were truly human, then why didn''t devouring their corpses ever satisfy the hunger of his shadow?


    He could feel its hunger growing again. He was barely keeping it at bay. Wasting his power by suppressing it with his Sacrifice Skill. Worse, his mana crystals had long since been exhausted.


    There was a heavy silence since he last spoke.


    "These were once people. We can''t eat them."


    Xander''s voice was slow and steady. He might have eaten them if he didn''t know they were running out of rations. Eating monsters had been the easiest path¡ªthey''d been doing it since the Whispering Forest. But now... it felt different.


    Perhaps it was Valarie''s words that changed something in him. She had told them these monsters were once human.


    Damon sighed. The others still weren''t acting, it was a difficult thing to accept.


    For any normal person the act was just too savage.


    "Right, I understand what you''re saying. I''d rather eat anything else. But we don''t have the food to fight our way out of this city. We have to eat what we have..."


    He grabbed at the ground crawlers. "Remember our party motto¡ªwe have to use anything we can."


    Evangeline held her sword, head lowered. She acknowledged the logic behind it but humans were more than just logic.


    "I know, but..."


    He sighed again, he couldn''t help but feel slightly irritable.


    "But nothing. I didn''t want to tell you this back in the Whispering Forest, but most of those monsters we encountered must have once been people too. We can''t let that stop us now."


    They had eaten some of those monsters, they had done it before.. maybe unaware but still.


    There was another silence. Then Valarie spoke, her lips on Damon''s shoulder.


    "He''s right. But these aren''t human anymore. I know it''s difficult now that you know, but your lives are far more important..."


    The pair of lips curled into a gentle smile, sharing her wisdom.


    "Tell you what¡ªI have a suggestion. Are you open to it?"


    Evangeline looked at Valarie, who still rested on Damon''s shoulder.


    "What do you suggest? You... knew the people once..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. People? Was she seriously calling these monsters people? Was she blind?


    He bit his lip. He couldn''t get carried away now. Eating another human left a scar on his heart. If he could do it to a real person, why couldn''t they do the same to monsters?


    Valarie smiled softly, her lips illuminated in the morning light.


    "You don''t have to eat them. My suggestion is just to take enough for you to eat..."


    Sylvia frowned, clearly suspicious.


    "Didn''t you say we didn''t have to eat them?"


    Damon sensed there was a plan behind this. Was she going to convince them to accept it. Or would she side with them instead and give them false hope.


    He couldn''t be sure just yet.


    Valarie''s lips parted again.


    "Yes, you don''t have to. My suggestion is to take enough to last you as food¡ªjust in case. On the off chance you don''t find anything else for sustenance, you can substitute. If you find something better, get rid of it. If not... you''ll have something. Emergency rations."


    Damon finally saw her trick. She wasn''t making them accept it¡ªshe was convincing them they could find another monster that hadn''t once been human.


    Though deep down, he doubted it. Lysithara was a ruined city. Every monster here was once a person.


    He nodded. "She''s right. You know if we leave without food, we''ll die. We can''t do without rations. You don''t have to eat it¡ªwe just take some, just in case."


    The others all looked at him, nodding reluctantly.


    Damon sighed. Being a leader was difficult. Sometimes even he had to compromise. He had to remind himself not to let emotions carry him away.


    This was a moral dilemma his party had never faced before.


    They went about cutting the flesh, draining the remaining blood, and soaking it in water created by Leona''s magic. Then they smoked it. They worked quickly and efficiently¡ªthey''d done this too many times not to be.


    Valarie remained silent on Damon''s shoulder as they butchered the ground crawlers.


    "...Are you sad?" Damon asked softly.


    "No... I''m just nostalgic, that''s all. If their flesh could help you all survive, then I''m sure the people they used to be would''ve been happy. If anything, I should be grateful to you all."


    Damon glanced at her.


    "For what?"


    She paused, as if recalling something distant and terrible. Her lips, expressive even in their limited form, trembled slightly.


    "You put them out of their misery. It must have been hard... turning into a monster. I hope they all find peace... in death."


    Damon took a deep breath.


    "I hope so too."


    The others gathered around, packed and ready to go.


    He glanced again at Valarie.


    "Let''s go. You promised to help us find a waypoint."


    Valarie smiled.


    "Come. There''s one not too far from here. You''ll soon be home, my dear students..."

 Chapter 353 - 354: The Metaverse

    The sun hadn''t risen for long. The ancient city was still bleak, wrapped in a dull grey light, but the horrors of the night were gone. In their place, faint shadows moved¡ªfluttering silently into the ruins like forgotten whispers.


    Damon''s sense of unease grew.


    The city itself was changing.


    He was beginning to see military equipment¡ªbarricades, magic artillery emplacements, reinforced lines.


    However, they weren''t facing the outer walls. Instead, every barrel and turret was pointed toward the core of the city. It was as if all that firepower was there not to protect¡ªbut to contain. As if they were desperately trying to keep something in.


    His gaze settled on the distant crystal tower deep in the city''s heart. It pierced the skyline like a blade aimed at the gods, reaching so high it looked as if it would pierce the heavens themselves. The city had many tall spires... but none could compare.


    "What the hell even is that thing?"


    He couldn''t help but mutter, his thoughts trailing off as he stared in awe.


    "It''s the beginning of our doom."


    Valarie''s voice came from his shoulder. The pair of human lips pressed together, speaking just loud enough for them to hear.


    "It''s a beacon... or an antenna, if you will. It was the first step to opening the gate to the Metaverse."


    Damon jumped over a broken wall, his boots kicking dust from a cracked pillar covered in some unusual-looking moss. He was careful not to touch it.


    He extended a hand, helping Sylvia over the obstacle¡ªeven though she didn''t really need help.


    "What''s the Metaverse..." Sylvia asked softly, glancing at his shoulder. Damon could almost feel the warmth of her body with how close she was standing.


    He shifted slightly, putting some distance between them. His action made Sylvia bite her lip a little, though he didn''t seem to notice.


    Valarie was quiet for a moment. Damon wouldn''t have been surprised if the disembodied pair of lips said she didn''t remember.


    "The Metaverse is a place where all minds and consciousness exist. All things that have awareness... have a part of themselves in the Metaverse."


    Damon frowned. His interest was piqued.


    Valarie continued, her tone laced with dread.


    "It''s a horrible place. Some creatures live there permanently... but even they dread it. The minds of man and god... dreams, nightmares, imagination¡ªall of it made real. The collective consciousness of all things in the Omniverse... or so the Visitors said."


    Evangeline sighed. Why was the world sounding more dangerous with each passing truth? In this place, she felt like some things were best not known at all.


    Damon looked toward Valarie.


    "Let me guess. That''s where all the monsters came from... or at least what caused the corruption?"


    Valarie was silent for a moment¡ªapprehension lingering like a shadow.


    "No... I don''t remember. But the Outsiders used a massive gateway to the Metaverse to enter. They came into our world by passing some unknown law... so they didn''t have a physical vessel... they..or rather some of them bought the corruption, from the metaverse."


    Sylvia walked with slow steps. She paused, turning her head slightly.


    "They possessed or found vessels, didn''t they..."


    She was far too familiar with what entities without physical form did to claim new ones.


    Valarie''s lips opened. "How did you know..."


    Evangeline glanced at her. Sylvia had once been possessed by the dark spirit, Rashi Ignath.


    Xander held his spear at the ready, eyes narrowed as he peered into the shadows of a nearby building. His expression was grim¡ªready to strike the moment anything stirred.


    "So they didn''t have physical bodies... these so-called Visitors or Outsiders were spiritual entities then?"


    Valarie''s lips twisted into a sad curve.


    "No... they weren''t. They had physical bodies in their own world. They discarded them to come to ours..."


    Leona raised a brow, her armor gleaming under the weak light of the rising sun.


    "Why? Where are they from? Is it a World Dungeon?"


    Damon sighed.


    Seriously, Leona? Why would she jump to such a simple-minded conclusion?


    A World Dungeon was a minor realm still technically connected to theirs. Most importantly, the creatures within were typically weaker¡ªcapped at fourth or fifth class advancement. And besides that, there was a law that prevented those above a certain rank in their world from entering World Dungeons.


    The Outsiders, on the other hand, were different. They were powerful. So powerful they seemed like gods.


    "Hahaha, you''re so adorable..." Valarie laughed at Leona''s words.


    "A World Dungeon, huh...? As far as they''re concerned, we might be the World Dungeon. They come from a higher realm. They live among the gods. They possess ranks that have surpassed the limits of this world. A type seven civilization.. or so they liked to call it."


    The entire party paused¡ªeven Matia, who had been walking quietly at the rear in her full plate armor. She dismissed her helm with a stunned expression.


    "There''s a rank after the seventh class advancement...?"


    Valarie sighed. A memory stirred¡ªwhen Mugu had returned to Lysithara. He''d brought strange knowledge back with him. They shouldn''t have lusted after it.


    "Of course there was a rank after the seventh class... It''s just that the seventh class is the limit of this world. Entities above it can''t stay¡ªand we can''t leave either..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. A flicker of something passed through them. This was all new to him. He hadn''t even known there was a rank beyond the seventh. And now she was saying they couldn''t leave?


    "What are you saying..."


    The pair of lips on his shoulder sighed.


    "I''m saying... when someone reaches the seventh class advancement, they should be able to sense a higher plane. But we can''t. The reason is simple."


    She paused, her lips¡ªher entire physical existence now¡ªseemed to gaze at the sky.


    "This world of ours is a cage... Behind the skyline lies the bars of that prison. It keeps everything out... and keeps us in."


    She smiled faintly, though it held a bitterness that felt centuries old.


    "By the end of the Zero Epoch, the Goddess sealed this world away."


    "How dare mere mortals like us... dare to imagine a world the Goddess doesn''t want us to see?"


    Valarie let out a low, hollow sigh. Even after many millennia, she still felt the sting of that betrayal. From their own creator no less. Why would she stifle them.


    "That was why... when Mugu told us about Akasha, we all strived toward it. For knowledge. But more than that... because we wanted the one thing the Goddess didn''t give us¡ªchoice."

 Chapter 354 - 355: Where The Rain Never Ends

    Choice. What was choice? How would one define it?


    It was an option. A right to free judgment. A right to decide.


    In the end, choice was merely a decision.


    However, in this world¡ªor any world¡ªyou didn''t always get a choice. And that was why choice was a gift.


    Choice was simply fate.


    Because fate was merely choices that were beyond you. Fate was just a collection of decisions that led to a predestined outcome, born from collective results.


    Fate, after all, was just a collection of choices beyond one''s control¡ªa chain of decisions leading to outcomes that had long been set in motion.


    Or perhaps.


    Fate was nothing more than the culmination of choices that were beyond your control. A web of decisions¡ªsome yours, most not¡ªthat spiraled into a predestined outcome shaped by the will of countless others.


    Valarie sighed.


    "At least, that''s what Mugu was spouting..."


    Damon''s eyebrow twitched.


    He felt a mild desire to stomp on the pair of lips resting on his shoulder.


    She had just been telling them something important, and the next thing they knew, she didn''t remember a thing. It was like she had a selective memory that only kicked in when it was convenient for her.


    And for whatever reason, she started spouting nonsense about choice when Damon had tried reminding her of what she was talking about just a few seconds ago.


    "You''re like an old woman who can''t remember what she''s talking about¡ªby the goddess, I will throw you off my shoulder and stomp on you..."


    Valarie''s lips widened. "You... you¡ªhow dare you! I am not an old woman! I''m only thousands of years old! I''m not that old! In fact, I know a very beautiful woman who''s older and still unmarried... I''m not old!"


    Damon sneered with disdain at her aggravated voice. She was getting really defensive. Looks like he touched a sore spot.


    "Oh really? Who¡ªGranny?"


    She pressed her lips together in frustration.


    "I''ve heard of someone older. She''s four billion years old, as old as the current Omniverse¡ªor so I''ve heard... and she''s still just... unwed. Hah."


    Her cover sounded weak at the end, almost as if she found the whole thing unbelievable herself.


    Damon was skeptical. Where had she even heard of a woman who was four billion years old and still unmarried? She also mentioned how the woman was the same age as the Omniverse itself, but... he didn''t think too hard on that.


    "So, a gazillion-year-old spinster? Are you sure she''s actually beautiful? Bet no man wants her ancient ass."


    Valarie''s lips pressed together awkwardly, almost as if afraid of something.


    "Ermm... I wouldn''t say that if I were you..."


    Damon scoffed. "Why? Is she a toad?"


    Valarie''s voice was quiet, whispering.


    "If she was a toad, I wouldn''t be warning you. It... it''s the Minerva. The goddess... of doom..."


    Damon instantly froze.


    He almost felt as if he had brushed sides with death.


    Wasn''t she their world''s creator?


    And wasn''t there a tale about her obliterating the legendary demon lord Ashcroft for speaking a taboo in her temple?


    ''What if this was the taboo...?''


    He felt a chill crawl up his spine.


    He did not want to end up as the main character of a cosmic tragedy.


    Wait¡ªwasn''t she also the bride of the Unknown God?


    Nothing was adding up.


    "Pfft... hahaha... you''re so cute. The goddess doesn''t care about something like that. I mean, she is four billion years old¡ªaccording to the Visitors."


    Damon leaned in, whispering the tale of Ashcroft into her ear¡ªor rather, where her ear would have been, if she wasn''t just a pair of lips.


    Valarie paused.


    "Ahem... on second thought, never mind..."


    He sighed, feeling the air grow heavier the farther they went into the city.


    There were no remains here¡ªonly remnants of broken weapons and what could only be described as mold-covered, ancient bloodstains.


    Valarie had grown quiet.


    "What, cat got your tongue?"


    He stopped himself.


    Valarie didn''t have a tongue¡ªdespite being a pair of lips, she still talked.


    She smiled.


    "It''s nothing... I just remember... pools of blood here so deep... the bodies of knights... and the fishy smell of blood making me dizzy... the screams, the cries, the fear... I hated it... but I was powerless to do anything about it..."


    Her smile seemed forced. Wider than usual.


    Even as just a pair of lips, Damon had learned to read her expressions.


    "It was around that time we learned the technology we used to open the Metaverse Gate had long since been spread across the world. I mean... we knew that. But we got arrogant, thinking they couldn''t replicate it on the Magic Continent."


    Damon felt her sadness.


    "They did... and spread it, right?"


    Her smile faltered slightly. Her voice dropped low.


    "No... they didn''t. Not alone. They worked together... by the time we learned of our folly... they were also suffering from the consequences..."


    Damon listened.


    It seemed like another one of her lost memories had been triggered.


    "At first, the Visitors brought knowledge¡ªand many good things. But by the time the other continents let them in... they showed their true colors. Well... some of them weren''t pure evil, but they still had their own agendas."


    She paused.


    "Do you see that window over there...?"


    Damon nodded, looking at a shattered building¡ªone that must have once been grand, reinforced with military architecture and runes to support its structure.


    Now, it was charred and ruined.


    "Hmm. I see it."


    "I was standing right there when I received the news that the Voyage Continent had been freed from its drought. Rain had come..."


    Damon didn''t think she was about to share good news.


    "It wasn''t good news, was it..."


    He recalled the description of his skill Water Celebration.


    It had hinted at how this tale ended.


    "Yes. It wasn''t. The rain came¡ªafter years of drought¡ªbut it never stopped. It rained until the continent was little more than an archipelago..."


    "Turns out it was all because of an outsider."


    Damon recalled the end of that tragedy.


    "They drowned... under the weight of their own celebration."


    She smiled faintly.


    "Lysithara was where it all began. But the Doom Continent... was the worst hit. That place will be filled with monsters for many, many years to come..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. That place was now known as the Demon Continent.


    It was the most dangerous region in the world.


    Only the strong survive on the Demon Continent.


    It truly earned the name Ashcroft had given it.


    Then again... Doom Continent wasn''t exactly an auspicious name either.

 Chapter 355 - 356: The Obvious Answer

    The trek through the city continued, the sun rising higher and higher until it reached noon. Yet it didn''t feel like they had traveled very far¡ªand there were reasons for that.


    Well, many factors, actually. The terrain of the ruined city was more dangerous than even the gutter they''d crawled through before.


    Compared to what they were facing now, the city outskirts were paradise.


    Strange anomalies, dangerous fauna, unusual voices, and lingering, broken spaces with chaotic rifts.


    They just had to be careful; as long as they persevered, they would return home eventually.


    The strength of the monsters kept rising. Huge titans moved between buildings¡ªsome horrifying, some just plain malicious¡ªso they had to navigate through territory infested with weaker creatures instead.


    It was a massive detour... one that could hardly be called uneventful. The closest waypoint wasn''t far, but factoring in the dangers ahead?


    It was going to take some time. And the battles they fought were getting more dire by the hour.


    They absorbed more mana cores, and some excess was fed to Damon''s shadow, boosting his mana.


    He''d learned something new about the nature of mana cores.


    If he fed them directly to his shadow, it would be added to his mana pool.


    But if he absorbed them into his body, his physical vessel would be refined... and his soul, or rather, his shadow, would grow stronger.


    He would hear the familiar notification:


    Your shadow grows stronger...


    He sighed. He still didn''t know everything about the system. It was still so damn mysterious.


    That gnawing sense of unease kept growing stronger the deeper they went into the city.


    So far, they''d only fought minor monsters¡ªbut still, the feeling wouldn''t go away.


    He had other worries, too. His new level-up requirement.


    [Level Up Requirements]


    Fuska Soul Consumed [0/1]


    That was what he needed to reach Level Eleven. Getting to Level Ten had already been brutal¡ªhe''d barely managed it after killing ten Mist Knights, thanks only to Thren enthralling the others.


    But this... this was different. He had no idea what a "Fuska" was. But he was almost sure it wasn''t just a type of monster. No... it could be a monster.


    However, something told him it was a name.


    A name of someone... or something.


    Which meant the system wasn''t giving him a choice. It was telling him he would encounter this Fuska¡ªsooner rather than later.


    He clenched his fist, gauntlets slick with blood.


    "So be it," he muttered. Let whatever¡ªor whoever¡ªit was come. He''d end them.


    A soft clang of armor pulled him from his thoughts as Matia sat beside him.


    She removed her helm, revealing long hair braided neatly behind her head.


    "We''re almost at the waypoint. All we have to do is cross that bridge..."


    She pointed at a pedestrian bridge, now in ruins. It was broken. Below, green water flowed toward some unknown part of the city.


    He didn''t need to use Shadow Perception to know the water was infested with monsters.


    He sighed, eyes trailing to the sky¡ªwhere a colossal creature flew lazily overhead, its wings so massive they cast a shadow big enough to blanket entire buildings.


    "Yes... but I just feel weird... it just feels..."


    "Too easy," Matia interrupted.


    She had the same feeling Damon did. Leaving the city was starting to look way too easy.


    "Do you think it''s the Keeper? Do you think he''ll stop us from leaving until we play his game?"


    Damon frowned. "I''m not... su¡ª"


    "Keeper? Do you mean Vathren? I suppose he did get corrupted... He calls himself the Keeper of False Truths."


    Matia nodded solemnly. "Mm. The former City Lord. No one leaves Lysithara without playing his game. Fail... and you die.... Or worse."


    Valarie''s lips twitched slightly.


    "Hm. I see. What''s the game?"


    Damon nodded and began explaining the rules.


    The Keeper asks you to play. These are the rules:


    ¡ª You must play the game.


    ¡ª Refuse... and you die.


    ¡ª Fail to pass... and you are damned.


    ¡ª You must answer both questions correctly.


    ¡ª You may not delay the game indefinitely.


    ¡ª Pass... and you receive a reward: safe passage through Lysithara.


    ¡ª You may play as an individual... or as a group.


    ¡ª You get only one lifeline. Fail again, and it''s the end.


    ¡ª The answer to the first question must not be the same as the second.


    ¡ª You must pass the second question.


    Valarie listened silently as Damon explained.


    The First Question...


    "I can only exist when I am not. I am always true and always false. What am I?"


    The Second Question...


    "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?"


    Valarie scoffed.


    "What a simple game... It''s quite easy."


    Damon tilted his head. Was she serious? The first question was tricky but manageable.


    But the second?


    "That one doesn''t even have an answer. How is that simple?"


    Valarie smiled, amused. "It''s quite obvious... Vathren always lost at simple, uncomplicated games. He had a tendency to overthink simple things."


    But her smile faltered.


    This... wasn''t like Vathren.


    Damon glanced at Matia, annoyed. "I don''t want to sound insensitive, but... can you just tell us the answer?"


    Valarie sighed. She didn''t understand why they didn''t see it. It was obvious.


    "The second question simply doesn''t have an answer. It''s an impossible question. Something unstoppable meeting something immovable¡ªboth are absolutes. It''s a paradox. A paradox can''t be solved."


    Sylvia, drenched in monster blood, walked over.


    "A paradox is a self-contradictory statement," she said, "which can only be true if it''s false, and false if it''s true."


    Valarie took on the tone of a teacher¡ªguiding children through their first lesson.


    "The question is a paradox. Not the game. If you restrict yourself to only the second question, you''ve already lost..."


    They all looked at her, still clearly not getting it.


    She sighed again.


    "It''s very simple once you get it. The second question doesn''t have an answer, so you simply have to..."


    She froze.


    The delicate lips trembled. Her whole soul quivered.


    "Arrrghhhh!!"


    She screamed in agony as a wave of white mist poured from her mouth, collapsing into a deep black fog.


    She glowed faintly before falling limp from Damon''s shoulder.


    "Argh... ru... run... he''s... co...ming..."

 Chapter 356 - 357: The Right To Lose

    Damon had been feeling a vague sense of unease before¡ªbut now, his danger sense was going wild. A maddening buzz screamed through his skull as the skill went berserk. He fell to his knees, clutching his head, shaking from the overwhelming sensation.


    He shut it off. Forcefully.


    The others didn''t have a danger sense skill. But they had something just as primal¡ªinstinct. The kind forged in the fires of survival. And that instinct screamed at them now¡ªwarning them that death was imminent...


    Or that something far, far worse than death was drawing near.


    Damon''s mind flickered with the image of that poor soul¡ªthe man who had turned part tree. He had failed to answer a question... and met a fate so vile Damon still felt the bile rise in his throat.


    He staggered back to his feet.


    The mist¡ªthe same one that had poured from the lips that once belonged to Valerie Sunwarden¡ªwas spreading. Fast.


    It had been black at first.


    Now it was turning a pale, sickly white.


    Damon''s hands trembled as he looked up to the sky.


    And saw the horrors in the air... fleeing.


    Creatures¡ªsome bearing power of the fourth and fifth class advancements, monsters that could level entire cities¡ªwere flying away from this place as fast as their wings could carry them.


    Even the titanic beasts that lumbered in the distance¡ªbeings so massive they shook mountains¡ªhad changed course. As if desperate to avoid whatever was approaching.


    The earth quivered beneath his feet.


    And then came the roars. Screams. Countless abominations crying out in pure terror as they fled. Below, the green waters under the bridge churned violently¡ªboiling, alive.


    The monsters that called it home were fleeing too. They weren''t just scared¡ªthey were desperate.


    Damon''s eyes rose to the rooftops. Even there, monsters stood frozen. Some he recognized. Others were unnameable.


    But one among them¡ªa faceless horror¡ªturned and fled like the rest.


    Damon gritted his teeth. His fingers curled around the lips of Valerie and gently slid them into a pouch.


    She was unresponsive. Still. But something told him she wasn''t truly gone.


    No... the Ascendant had not surrendered yet.


    Her will still clung to existence.


    After all, she had died a long time ago¡ªand yet survived, a discarnate soul sealed within her own dismembered lips.


    Xander stood on the far edge of the road, spear braced against the ground. His gaze locked into the mist¡ªunblinking.


    His eyes were wide. Too wide.


    A look of pure fear. The kind that stretches the eyes open so wide they beg to see¡ªto comprehend¡ªwhatever nightmare looms.


    Damon sucked in a sharp breath. He felt the activated Remorseless skill and its effects.


    He didn''t even consider winning.


    Because this wasn''t a battle they could win.


    "What are you doing? Run, fool¡ª!"


    His voice cracked through the others like a thunderclap¡ªsnapping them from the trance of paralyzing dread.


    "Equip your armors! At the awaken shell¡ªmove! Light!"


    But before they could decide which direction to run... the mist thickened. Choked everything.


    Damon didn''t dare use Shadow Perception. He knew better. Whatever was coming... would strike him the moment it was sensed.


    There was no time for planning.


    He didn''t even speak. He couldn''t.


    Because in that instant, his heart clenched violently.


    His body seized.


    A terror so profound it felt like sleep paralysis flooded his nerves. He could see, feel, and think¡ªbut he couldn''t move.


    Then¡ª


    Footsteps.


    Slow. Deliberate.


    They echoed from deep within the mist, still far, but every step deliberate¡ªpatient.


    The thing approaching didn''t need to hurry.


    Because it knew.


    There would be no escape.


    Running was futile.


    "Arrrrgh!" Damon screamed. He forced his limbs to move¡ªhis body fighting against the pressure, as if submerged in an ocean of thick, leaden water.


    Every movement was agony. His muscles shredded. His bones cracked. Blood gushed from between his clenched teeth.


    "ARGHHHHH!" The scream became a roar as his body rebelled¡ªhis nerves lit with torment¡ªbut he kept moving.


    The others couldn''t even see him through their fear. Couldn''t register his defiance.


    He wasn''t resisting because he thought he could win.


    It was never about winning for Damon.


    He always knew what came when you challenged a greater power.


    Pain... or death.


    Still.


    He would never kneel. Not to gods. Not to death. Not to fear.


    Not because he believed he could win¡ª


    But because if he was going to lose...


    He''d do it his way.


    Because he must lose on his own terms.


    Only on his terms. That was how he would go. A defeated loser but one who chose his exit.


    He raised his hand¡ªand unleashed Ashborn.


    Black flames exploded outward, burning the mist. He felt every moment of it¡ªa pain ten times worse than being burned alive.


    But it cleared his mind.


    He turned.


    Grabbed Sylvia''s arm¡ªthen kicked Leona with brutal precision, sending her flying toward the bridge.


    The impact knocked the air from both of them.


    He didn''t pause.


    Fired the omnidirectional gear¡ªit locked onto Xander''s armor with a solid thunk.


    He grabbed Evangeline, slung her over his shoulder, snatched the paralyzed Matia in one hand, and fired the gear again¡ªthis time toward where Sylvia and Leona had landed.


    The gear yanked him forward, tearing him through the air.


    He had to move. If he stayed too long, the pressure alone would kill him.


    His heart would burst. His legs would shatter. He knew it.


    Still, the footsteps came. Closer. Calm. Unbothered.


    Damon felt the wind lash against his skin as he skidded towards the broken bridge.


    He let the others go.


    They landed hard¡ªbodies shaking, breath ragged.


    They looked at him.


    No words came.


    Their mouths trembled, but no sound followed¡ªas if their tongues had been robbed from them by fear itself.


    All they could do was shake.


    This fear... this presence...


    It was worse than the Whispering Forest.


    Damon''s defiance shouldn''t have mattered. Should''ve meant nothing.


    But he had mastery.


    [Mental Contamination Resistance.]


    More than that this entity was not trying to kill them, otherwise they would be dead already.


    Yet.


    But Damon felt it¡ªthe pressure climbing again. His heart on the verge of collapse.


    The footsteps kept coming.


    Closer.


    Right beyond the veil of mist.


    And still, his companions were bound¡ªtrapped in fear. Unable to even crawl.


    He feared too.


    But he wouldn''t let it stop him.


    Behind them was the green water¡ªinfested, monsters, a path to gods-know-where in the dead city.


    A place of monsters and forgotten horrors.


    But even they were trying to flee now.


    There was no choice.


    No escape.


    So Damon stood.


    His black eyes filled with the fury of an insect that would spit in the face of a god.


    He bared his bleeding teeth.


    Tied the thin wires of his omnidirectional gear to the powerful armor of each party member.


    His fear was raw. Real.


    But his will remained unbroken.


    He jumped.


    Soared over the edge of the pavement¡ª


    And pulled them all with him into the green waters below.


    The fleeing monsters had created a powerful current.


    It grabbed the party, dragging them¡ªtied together¡ªaway.


    Damon''s eyes fluttered.


    And just before his consciousness faded, he looked up...


    And saw the figure emerging from the mist.


    The last thing he remembered was the roar of the current, and the darkness closing in.


    And it''s calm gaze on him.

 Chapter 357 - 358: A Place Beneath

    The pain racked his body. His head felt heavy. His skin was damp with a sticky sensation¡ªhe couldn''t tell if it was blood or water.


    He didn''t know if he was underwater or on solid ground.


    His Water Celebration skill did promise he couldn''t drown.


    Slowly, he opened his eyes. His vision adjusted to the surroundings. It felt like hammers were smashing against his skull, again and again.


    The place was unfamiliar. It was dark¡ªor wasn''t it? He couldn''t be sure, since he could see just as well in darkness. Still, the depth of the shadows confirmed it¡ªthis place was dark.


    The darkness here was both heavy and oppressive. The kind that made people unease.


    His eyes drifted upward. A high ceiling stretched above, lined with runes carved into the stone.


    He groaned, forcing himself to sit up¡ª


    Something smashed into his body. Arms wrapped tightly around him with a soft, muffled sound.


    It was warm. Soft. A little damp.


    White hair brushed against his cheek¡ªfamiliar white hair.


    Her scent was unmistakable. It wasn''t the scent of gardenia like Lilith had, but it still held a beautiful fragrance.


    This was Sylvia.


    "Ahh... Sylvia..."


    "You''re okay... you''re okay..." Her voice was calm¡ªor at least, she tried to sound calm. But it was low, a whisper, as if she feared that any loud noise might invite danger.


    He raised a shaky hand to touch her. She was still wet from before. His memories returned in broken flashes¡ªthe entire party dragged into the monster-infested depths, all to escape the Keeper of False Truths.


    He turned his head.


    The others were there, all watching him with anxious expressions.


    Leona held his hand. A single tear clung to the corner of her eye.


    Her lips quivered, but she didn''t say anything. Or rather, she couldn''t¡ªshe was forcing back the flood of emotion. She covered her mouth to muffle the sound.


    He glanced around at their surroundings. It was still dark. They appeared to be underground.


    At the center, Evangeline gave off a soft glow¡ªher armor shining with her magic.


    She wore it in the Awakened Shell form, more like a guarded tunic than proper armor. It was light, only covering the essentials.


    The place looked like a small island of wreckage, jagged remains of walls and buildings scattered around them. Damon could make out the things that had been dragged here, now stuck in the rubble.


    The air was damp, filled with the scent of moss and water.


    Xander looked at him, visibly relieved to see him conscious.


    Matia''s face was hidden behind her helm. She was growing more stalwart with each day, but from the way she clenched her fists, he could tell¡ªshe was either relieved... or deeply worried.


    Sylvia slowly let him go, her grey eyes sweeping over his body.


    "Are you feeling better? I... I didn''t know what exactly to heal, so I just... I did everything I could. I''m sorry if it wasn''t enough..."


    Her voice was soft. But come to think of it, he wasn''t bleeding. Just sore.


    He nodded and tried to stand, legs still sluggish. They felt like lead.


    He stumbled¡ªand fell forward.


    His face landed squarely on Sylvia''s chest plate.


    "Sorry..." he muttered, flustered.


    Sylvia said nothing. She just held him, her expression filled with worry. And why wouldn''t she be? He had just faceplanted into her chest.


    She hoped the metal didn''t hurt him.


    He shook his head.


    Once back on his feet, he scanned the area again. His eyes were already accustomed to darkness, but Evangeline''s light still lit the area.


    Only then did he notice it¡ªfaint traces of blood.


    He ignored it. It must''ve been from his previous injuries.


    The ceiling above didn''t just have runes. There were murals¡ªfaint, shattered ones. Part of them led off into the darkness, far beyond Evangeline''s reach.


    Wherever they were, it was unknown. Submerged, maybe even forgotten.


    He sighed. Swimming out would be such a pain.


    Still... it seemed he was the only one who had been unconscious.


    "Where... are we, exactly..." he muttered, to no one in particular.


    Sylvia bit her lip, hesitating.


    But it was Evangeline who answered, releasing several floating spheres of light into the gloom.


    "We''re in some unknown underground part of the city... Most of it is flooded... and we don''t know the way out."


    Damon sighed. With his luck, he hadn''t expected anything good to come from jumping into the green waters without a plan.


    But at the time, it had been a desperate choice.


    The Keeper of False Truths... he was that much of a monster.


    A horror so vile, even other monsters fled from him.


    That was the only option left¡ªto escape into the unknown.


    At least... the Keeper didn''t follow them.


    Speaking of the Keeper¡ª


    "Valarie..."


    His hand shot to his waist. He felt for the pouch¡ªrelief hit when he pulled out the small velvet container.


    Inside it, a pair of delicate, feminine lips. Valarie Sunwarden''s lips¡ªthe only part of her that remained after the rot... and her death.


    They were still. Unmoving.


    "Valarie..." he whispered again, gently.


    She offered no response.


    The others stared at him.


    "What¡ª" Sylvia quickly placed a hand over his mouth, whispering urgently.


    "Don''t talk too loudly... we might attract something."


    Xander seemed tense, backing away. His spear pointed at the dark waters.


    Damon narrowed his eyes, gently removing Sylvia''s soft hand from his mouth. The elf girl''s exquisite face never left his.


    "What''s going on..." he asked, the dread crawling back into his chest.


    Matia, who had been silent all this while, finally spoke.


    "You''ve been out for two days... it''s good to have you back. But..."


    Xander''s gaze shifted to the still waters, his spear at the ready, balanced on uneven wreckage.


    "We''re trapped. And we''re surrounded by monsters..."


    Damon looked toward the water. It was dark. Calm. Nothing moved. Not even a ripple.


    He didn''t trust it.


    He closed his eyes and extended his Shadow Perception, letting his senses spread into the gloom beneath the surface.


    What he saw made his face pale.

 Chapter 358 - 359: Circle Of Madness

    The water was deep and pitch black. The deep was dark and full of terrors.


    From what he saw with his shadow perception, the waters below teemed with monstrous life. Aquatic abominations stirred restlessly¡ªsome resembled massive ground crawlers, others were indescribable horrors that looked as if they had slithered straight out from the fevered nightmare of a mad god.


    The deeper he sent his shadow perception, the more overwhelming their presence became.


    Their auras grew more potent, more ancient, more alien. The water was deceptively calm, hiding its impossible depth like a grave hiding secrets. Below, ruins sprawled in the deep like a drowned city¡ª statues, shattered temples, and fractured towers signs of a sunken mausoleum, a long-forgotten part of Lysithara that now belonged to the abyss.


    The cracked remnants of the sunken city gave him chills. He didn''t dare extend his shadow perception into certain areas¡ªnot out of caution, but out of primal fear. Some darkness was meant to remain untouched.


    Still, he pushed on, almost like a man possessed¡ªdesperate for even the faintest glimmer of salvation. That''s when he encountered it.


    His shadow brushed against something vast¡ªimmense¡ªanchored deep within the black. It wasn''t terrain. It was alive.


    It felt wrong.


    A shape so enormous it swallowed his senses. As he probed deeper, he realized it wasn''t just massive¡ªit was ancient. And aware.


    Then... its gargantuan eyes opened.


    Damon''s breath caught. He ripped his perception back as pain lashed through his skull. He collapsed to his knees, coughing up blood.


    "That was close... that was too close..." he gasped, his vision blurring. "It almost saw me... it almost sensed me..."


    His chest heaved. His heart thundered in his ribs. His head was spinning. He had almost died just from sensing its existence.


    A warm white light washed over him, mending his body. He looked up to see Sylvia beside him, healing him with trembling hands, her lips bleeding from how hard she had been biting them.


    He didn''t speak.


    He just sat there, letting the silence soak in... the quiet dread that lingered.


    "Hahaha..." He laughed¡ªa hollow, broken sound that echoed off the rocks around them.


    He laughed again, holding his head, a distant smile on his lips as he stared at the dark waters before him.


    Even now, he could feel them. Some creatures stirred¡ªlurking just beneath the surface¡ªgentle currents rippling with the twitch of hideous appendages.


    Grotesque abominations circled them. Waiting.


    Advance into the water and die... stay here and slowly waste away... or go mad.


    Whichever came first.


    Damon saw the bleak paths laid out before him like a cruel joke. He lowered his head with a tired smile.


    His life had always been like this¡ªthe stronger he became, the more monstrous the adversaries. As if the universe was laughing, dragging him forward like a pawn dancing on the palm of some sadistic god.


    Was this his fate? To suffer?


    He sat in silence, the weight of that question burying his thoughts.


    Always the loser. Always the prey. Always fighting an uphill war against fate.


    Where was the fairness in that? Where was his choice?


    His lips curled into a bitter smile as he raised his head.


    He remembered what Valarie once said Mugu had told her.


    Fate wasn''t some cosmic force that man needed to defy¡ªit was a construct, born from a collection of choices. Some his. Most not.


    Damon laughed softly¡ªhis dread unraveling into a quiet madness.


    But what did Mugu know? He was mortal. Unless... he heard it from the Unknown God.


    Damon lowered his head again, biting his own smiling lips, dark eyes dimmed with fatigue. He was tired. So tired of the struggle. Of the meaningless battle to simply exist.


    "Then whose choice was it that I''m here...?"


    He muttered to himself, smiling bitterly. His chest ached, his heart twisted. He wanted¡ªdeeply, desperately¡ªto give up. To finally stop. To let it all go.


    But he remembered.


    A lot of people made choices that led to his pain. His suffering. His exile.


    Some of them were dead.


    "Haha... but some of them are alive... they''re living their best lives... while I..."


    His rage ignited¡ªboiling from somewhere deep, coiled around his heart like a viper. They probably thought he was dead.


    Well, joke''s on them.


    He was still here. Still crawling through hell. Living off nothing but hate, rage, spite, and pure stubborn resentment.


    "It''s their choices..." he laughed again¡ªmadness curling his lips. "Hahahanaja..."


    Yes. They were still alive. His old village¡ªthe ones who had abandoned and betrayed him.


    The Quick Hand, who had made him a fall to a life of crime.... everything. And more than any of them¡ªthe wretched dark spirit summoner who had thrown him into this damned land to rot.


    He clenched his jaw, eyes wet with tears that would never fall. He refused to let them.


    They wanted him to die. They wanted him to suffer. They wanted him to break.


    Fine.


    He would suffer. He would break.


    But he would live. And he would kill them all.


    His spite roared louder than the dread that choked the air, stronger than the horror that danced in the water, deeper than the madness that nipped at his mind.


    No¡ªhe welcomed the madness. It fueled him now.


    He would live not out of vengeance, not out of pride¡ªno, he would live so he could kill them with his own two hands.


    He rose to his feet.


    The others had been silent through it all.


    Sylvia remained by his side, unwavering. Leona watched with worry, her hands twitching toward her great sword.


    Evangeline bit her lip, visibly anxious. Xander had clenched his fists¡ªand when Damon stood, so did he.


    They knew he wouldn''t give up.


    Matia stood behind him like a silent shadow. Her face hidden behind her helm. Her voice was quiet¡ªcold like frost.


    "...What do we do?"


    Damon clenched his fists, eyes narrowing as he looked into the darkness.


    Some monsters had begun swimming closer to the small island of wreckage they stood on. Shadows circled like vultures beneath the waves.


    The green water rippled. Evangeline''s light magic revealed colossal shapes stirring beneath the calm. Their auras barely restrained.


    Damon took a deep breath.


    "Our situation''s gotten worse," he muttered, brushing his wet hair back. "Well... that''s fine. Nothing new."


    The others stood, one by one. Weapons drawn. Faces grim.


    "It seems this city wants us dead," he said, voice cold.


    Damon smiled then¡ªfierce and unyielding¡ªhis eyes flickering with defiance.


    "That''s too bad... the feeling is mutual."


    He turned to them, raising his hand as the shadows surged around him¡ªviolent, wild, and alive.


    "...Let''s kill ''em all."

 Chapter 359 360: Monsters Of Starvation

    Water was truly something to be feared¡ªit gave life, but it took it just as easily. Slowly, inevitably, it broke down and corroded... everything. Even this wreckage must have once been a vibrant city. Now, it was merely a forgotten ruin, half-submerged in water.


    Or perhaps most of it was submerged. The part they were standing on, deep in this bleak underground portion of the city, was merely the tip of the iceberg.


    A flooded and dark ruin was already dangerous enough. Escaping from such a place was a hazard in itself, filled with unknown wreckage, unstable currents, and drowned pathways.


    However, that wasn''t even the main obstacle.


    Most of the city''s ancient residents had long since fallen to corruption¡ªbecoming hideous abominations that now called these dark, flooded ruins their home.


    There were too many of them. Escape wasn''t just dangerous¡ªit was futile.


    The only thing keeping Damon and his party alive was the small island of wreckage they''d found themselves stranded on. It was the only thing the monsters wouldn''t tread on.


    But even that wasn''t a guarantee. Some of these creatures could walk on dry land... they just hadn''t. Not yet. Like the many predators lurking in the depths, they had opted to observe.


    Watching from the water.


    Waiting for them to snap.


    Damon sat there, watching them back. He had told his party to kill them all earlier¡ªbut that would be impossible with their current strength.


    Some of these monsters were already at the Second Advancement.


    And the ones deeper... were stronger.


    None of them had any aquatic battle prowess. While Damon could breathe underwater, he wasn''t exactly handy down there.


    Water pressure, cold, disorientation... all of it still affected him. And unlike land, water didn''t forgive mistakes.


    He had no plan. No reliable way out.


    He had tested something, though. He''d learned that noise didn''t really provoke the monsters¡ªso that was a plus. At least for now.


    He glanced at Evangeline, noting the absence of their supply bags.


    "We don''t have any rations... do we?"


    Evangeline, sitting on what appeared to be a broken pillar, stared bleakly at the water. Her golden eyes flickered in the murk.


    "How long can someone in the First-Class Advancement last without food?"


    Sylvia knew he was talking to her. She took everything into account¡ªmana usage, body fat, metabolism¡ªbefore giving a rough estimate.


    "A normal human without a class might last one, maybe two months, with adequate water," she said. "But strength and mobility would start declining in a matter of days to a week."


    She raised her head with a tired sigh.


    "A person in the First Class is stronger, so they can last six months by my estimate... but they''ll lose their fighting power in about a month."


    She turned her gaze to Leona. The Beastkin girl, still clad in her armor, stood silent. The damp air had left them perpetually soaked.


    "Some of us have faster metabolisms," Sylvia added, "so we won''t last long... without food."


    Damon understood¡ªshe was talking about Leona. Beastkin were built differently. Her constitution demanded more energy, more intake.


    "How long...?" Xander asked, hoisting his spear, his grip firm despite the tension.


    "With her physique... a few days. At most."


    Leona smiled, a hollow, almost bleak amusement on her lips.


    "Guess my appetite finally became the end of me..."


    Matia clenched her fists. Wet hair stuck to her skin, clinging like a shroud.


    "I could''ve scouted ahead... if I could still fly..."


    Alas, her wings had been sacrificed¡ªburned away to heal Damon''s lost arm and free him from the disintegration enchantment placed on Alazard''s cursed sword.


    Damon sighed, his fist clenched.


    "That''s not a viable option anymore... we need to secure food."


    He stood up, voice steady.


    "On the upside... we didn''t lose everything. We still have one supply bag."


    The others looked at him, confused. They hadn''t seen any supply bag. Come to think of it, he wasn''t carrying one when they''d set out two days ago.


    Damon raised his hand. The shadows stirred.


    From the dark folds of his shadow, he pulled out a pristine bag¡ªclean, dry, and intact.


    He looked at them, voice calm.


    "You guys were reluctant to take the meat from the ground crawlers after finding out they were human once... so we left some behind. I stuffed what I could into my bag."


    He paused, raising his hand again as the shadows receded.


    "My bag didn''t have much space, since I took some of the unidentified potions and poisons from the Beldam''s nest..."


    They stared at him, surprised. Damon was full of surprises.


    "What kind of spell... is that?" Evangeline asked.


    Damon didn''t answer truthfully.


    "It''s just another self-created spell," he said casually. "Like my ability to turn into a shadow... and a few of my other abilities. It''s an exclusive shadow-based spell."


    He hated lying to them¡ªbut he couldn''t tell them about the system. About the uniqueness that allowed him to gain a bizarre amount of skills by devouring enemies and leveling up.


    The fewer people who knew his secret, the better.


    Let them think it was a spell unique to his attribute. That was safer.


    He opened the bag and pulled out a wrap of preserved meat¡ªstill clean, still edible.


    Two days ago, they would''ve recoiled at the idea of eating something that used to be human. Now... now they were starving.


    He didn''t need to say anything.


    They took the food without complaint. Passed it to Leona first¡ªher condition was the worst. Then it went around the group.


    Damon watched them, face calm.


    They didn''t care anymore. This was meat. It didn''t matter if it used to be someone.


    Hunger... it brought out the monsters in men.


    He should know. He had been a monster of starvation once.


    Matia shaped ice into a bowl. Leona summoned a small cloud and filled it with clean water.


    They drank in silence.


    As they ate, Damon spoke.


    "I only have enough for three days... Within those three days, we have to find an alternative."

 Chapter 360 361: Victims Of Hunger

    Man was a beast. No matter how advanced he became, he was still a beast. And a beast with many desires¡ªthat was man.


    Among those desires was the hunger for food. Or was it a craving? In the end, it didn''t matter. Man would do anything for food.


    Food decided who survived and who didn''t. For that desire¡ªno, that craving¡ªman would face beasts much bigger, faster, and stronger than himself.


    For the right to feast on their flesh. For nourishment.


    Damon understood. Hunger was a torment. Starvation¡ªa waking nightmare. The feeling of his body cannibalizing itself, burning fat, draining strength, replacing it all with nausea.


    Some pain could never be forgotten or forgiven.


    He could almost smell it again¡ªthe reeking stench of the cells he was locked in as a child. Each time he defied the boss of Quick Hand, a new punishment would be devised.


    And of all those cruel punishments, the one he feared the most... was starvation.


    Even then, he refused to admit it. An obstinate child to the bitter end.


    How ironic. He was fated to starvation.


    His own shadow craved flesh and souls. And when they refused to feed it, they both suffered. They both starved.


    It was as if fate never wanted him to forget. Reminding him constantly of his filthy beginnings as a street child.


    Starvation would follow him, always.


    From his village to the streets of Valerion, he had been a victim of hunger.


    A weak and helpless victim of starvation.


    But the circumstances had changed. Drastically.


    He was still fighting an uphill battle¡ªyes. But Damon had grown. He was stronger. Not just physically... but mentally.


    His hunger had taught him to devour his oppressors. Make them part of his power.


    Devour them without remorse.


    Why ration the scraps they had... when they were surrounded by food?


    He grinned. A sinister thing stretching across his face as he gazed at the grotesque monsters lurking beneath the water''s surface.


    Those creatures wanted to eat them.


    The feeling was mutual.


    Damon and his party were stranded on a makeshift island of wreckage, surrounded on all sides by water.


    The only thing keeping predator and prey apart was terrain.


    No matter how Damon turned it over in his head¡ªthey wouldn''t last long on their remaining rations.


    If that was the case, the answer was simple.


    They would hunt their hunters.


    These creatures were enormous. Hideous. Grotesque. There was no promise their flesh would taste good. But it didn''t matter. They had enough meat to feed them.


    Damon''s eyes flicked to Xander, who gripped his spear tightly. The boy''s blue eyes burned with cold resolve.


    Evangeline raised her hand, conjuring a radiant light that washed the area in a golden glow.


    The green waters sparkled ominously. Vast shapes moved beneath the surface¡ªshifting shadows, some of them utterly horrific. They weren''t looking for something that tasted good.


    Just something easy to catch.


    Damon stepped forward to the edge of their island of rubble.


    Dozens of gleaming eyes glared up at him. Eyes filled with pure, unrestrained murderous intent.


    He could feel it¡ªhatred sharp enough to cut flesh. But it didn''t matter. The others were in position.


    Damon opened his eyes and unleashed the [Omen of Dread] skill.


    A wave of paralyzing terror poured into the water.


    His aura, dark and foreboding, washed over the beasts like poison. The weaker ones froze instantly, their minds drowning in fear. The stronger ones grew sluggish, wary.


    The skill was most effective against those weaker than him¡ªand among these monsters, plenty were.


    He pointed swiftly at one that had drifted too close to the wreckage.


    "That one. Leona, now..."


    Lightning sparked violently around Leona''s armor, arcing in halos of white power. She raised her hand¡ªand brought it down like judgment.


    A blinding bolt slammed into the water, exploding in a column of roaring energy.


    The shockwave sent massive pillars of water splashing in every direction. The creature struck twitched, shrieked, and rose from the water, flailing as electricity tore through it.


    Matia''s hand moved with chilling grace¡ªshe conjured a spear of ice and launched it into the churning water.


    The moment it struck, a creeping cold spread across the green surface. Ice bloomed out like spiderwebs, freezing the thrashing creature in place.


    "Xander¡ªdo your thing."


    Xander dashed forward with silent determination. His spear gleamed, then flew straight into the creature''s massive fin.


    Boom.


    The spear hit with a sickening crack, pinning the beast as the ice web shattered around it.


    Blood gushed from the wound. The monster howled.


    Raising his hand, Xander summoned his gravity magic. The spear twisted in midair and dragged the beast upwards¡ªits limp body flailing, dangling over the island.


    "Sylvia¡ªnow. Evangeline, cover her."


    Sylvia drew her bow and fired arrow after arrow into the pinned creature. Each shot sank deep into its twitching body.


    Its thrashing slowed.


    Damon activated his Magic Gatling spell¡ªbut he didn''t aim for the monster. He and Evangeline turned their sights on the water below.


    Blood was already spreading.


    The other creatures had gone into a frenzy.


    Perfect.


    Damon''s hands erupted with spinning barrels of magic, unleashing a wild torrent of magic bullets into the water. Evangeline followed with searing explosions of light, blowing the water apart with each detonation.


    The walls around them were soaked as spray blasted everywhere. Her magic lit the submerged chaos¡ªrevealing a swarm of frenzied monsters moving just beneath the surface.


    Xander clenched his fist and pulled the impaled monster downward, slamming it hard onto a metal slab among the wreckage. Blood splattered across the wreckage, flowing back into the water in slow, crimson streams.


    By the time it hit the platform, it had stopped moving¡ªkilled by their combined assault.


    Damon and Evangeline landed softly beside it, eyes still locked on the water''s surface.


    Just in case something dared to follow.


    They waited... then regrouped with the others.


    Damon exhaled slowly.


    "That went better than I expected."


    He looked at the still form of the beast.


    "Now we have food."

 Chapter 361 - 362: Possible Alternative

    Killing one of the monsters in the deep was easy¡ªor as easy as killing an aquatic nightmare at the first class advancement could ever be.


    Slaying this particular abomination had only been possible through a mix of experience, desperation, and synergy. Weeks of clashing with horrors, of running, of bleeding and surviving together, had forged their team into something lethal.


    Each member of the party knew their role by heart. They moved like gears in a well-oiled machine, compensating for each other''s weaknesses with strength honed by necessity.


    Now, the creature lay dead and unmoving. Damon didn''t know its name. He hadn''t delivered the killing blow.


    He could have asked Sylvia to divine its identity, but she was conserving her strength¡ªto find them a way out.


    It would be a waste to endanger their seer over something as petty as a monster''s name.


    At least this grotesque thing would serve a purpose.


    It looked like a nightmare stitched together from the water''s darkest depths¡ªa monstrous fish with a mouth full of sword-like teeth. Its many white eyes gleamed wetly from a disturbingly human face, twisted and wrinkled like that of an ancient man. The body was slick, glistening with slime instead of scales.


    Damon''s eyes drifted down to the creature''s belly¡ªthere, grotesquely pressed into its flesh, were the vague shapes of human legs. Fused. Warped. Crushed into the body like broken bones into dough. A vile reminder that this beast was once human.


    The others stood around it in a heavy silence.


    He exhaled, turning to face them. Each wore light armor, as if careful not to burden the unstable island of wreckage beneath their feet.


    "We have to hurry and get it cut up and roasted before nightfall."


    They nodded slowly. From what he''d learned from Evangeline, nightfall still meant danger even in this underground caravan.


    No light was allowed after dark¡ªnot even here, beneath the city. Something out there did not permit it.


    Damon remembered the last time. The light. The rift. Those things that came crawling toward the light like moths to a pyre.


    Even underground, light was forbidden.


    Which meant when night came, the cold would follow.


    The air was already damp, clinging to their clothes and hair like mold. But at night, it would turn bone-chilling.


    Evangeline had told him what happened during the two days he''d been unconscious. They had huddled together, with him sandwiched between them like a dead weight.


    Her face had turned beet red when she admitted it.


    As for Xander¡ªhe had braved the cold, choosing to "act the gentleman."


    Damon almost clicked his tongue. Idiot. But now that he was awake, there was no way he could just wedge himself between the girls.


    And he''d rather freeze to death than huddle with Xander.


    So, they needed an alternative.


    First-class or not, they had survived. But if they didn''t find a way to keep warm, they might not survive the next nights to follow.


    His eyes drifted back to the carcass.


    If this thing was warm-blooded... then gutting it and crawling inside was technically an option. Disgusting. Reeking. But it might keep them alive.


    He could already imagine the revolting stench.


    That was an emergency option¡ªa last resort.


    They weren''t that desperate.


    Not yet.


    He glanced at Sylvia standing beside him.


    "Hey. Is this thing warm-blooded?"


    She nodded with a visible shudder, her expression twisted in revulsion.


    "Think of something better..."


    He blinked, glancing at the elf girl¡ªat the streaks of soot and blood on her pale, beautiful face, her armor clinging tightly to her form, stained and torn in places.


    "I didn''t even tell you why I asked..."


    "You didn''t need to... I thought of it two days ago," Sylvia replied dryly.


    ''No wonder she didn''t use her skill to check.''


    He sighed, a thin smile playing on his lips.


    "You wanted to sleep inside a dead monster..."


    She looked at him calmly, her hair sticking to her face from the humidity. "No. We considered putting you there."


    Damon looked away, a distant, hollow smile stretching across his face.


    Turns out... sleeping between a warm huddle of beautiful girls wasn''t the first option.


    He would''ve been buried in the guts of a hideous abomination.


    He frowned. "Wait... who stopped the idea? Was it you? Leona? Matia, maybe?"


    He was sure only one of those three would''ve volunteered to make such a sacrifice. It wasn''t exactly considered proper for a man to share warmth with women in close quarters.


    Sylvia shook her head. "Evangeline hated the idea. She insisted. I didn''t really mind anyway."


    Damon''s gaze shifted toward Evangeline, who stood a little farther away, ever-vigilant.


    That girl had actually refused to let them stuff him into a monster''s belly?


    How much had she changed after awakening?


    He narrowed his eyes.


    And Sylvia just casually admitted that she wouldn''t have minded doing it?


    ''Where the hell is my reserved, bashful classmate?''


    Sylvia must have felt his gaze because she stiffened suddenly, realization dawning on her.


    Her pale skin flushed crimson beneath the damp strands of her white hair.


    "I-I... only if your life was in danger..."


    Damon nodded slowly, letting his gaze linger on her a moment longer. He couldn''t help but remember the details he''d seen in her file.


    "Huh... I''m really starting to act my age, aren''t I..."


    His muttering didn''t escape Sylvia''s ears.


    She tilted her head. "Hmm? Did you say something?"


    He shook his head lightly, smile thin and tired.


    "It''s nothing. Just talking to myself, is all."


    Sylvia nodded and brushed some wet strands away from her eyes. The damp air was getting to all of them.


    Damon lifted his head. Time to get back to work.


    He couldn''t tell what time of day it was down here. But Sylvia could divine something that simple.


    "Sylvia. How many hours before sunset?"


    She raised her hand, and a large tome appeared in the air before her. Her skill shimmered to life, light flickering off the pages.


    "We have exactly three hours until sunset... Is that enough time?"


    He shook his head grimly.


    "No amount of time will ever be enough in this cursed place."


    He clapped his hands, drawing the others'' attention.


    "Alright. Break into two groups. Scavenge for anything useful in this ruin. The rest of you¡ªon butchering duty."


    They were racing the clock now.


    Nightfall was coming.

 Chapter 362 - 363: Lean On Me

    The place was dark. Wet. The ground was uneven. Then again, this wasn''t exactly ground¡ªjust a massive pile of wreckage that had fused together over time to form a drifting island.


    For that reason, everything on it was tightly packed, pressed together so snugly it gave off the illusion of stability. But Damon knew better.


    It was all a lie.


    Moving one piece¡ªshifting anything that wasn''t meant to be moved¡ªcould send the entire island crumbling down into the monster-infested waters below.


    He saw many things that had once belonged to a vibrant, thriving city. Wood, metal, stone... random debris. Road signs, wheels, shattered swords, splintered shields, rusted armor¡ªall jumbled into one chaotic ruin.


    Too many wrecks. Too many memories drowned and broken.


    His shadow perception picked up too much. Shapes. Movement. Echoes. And deep pools of water, snaking through the wreckage like hidden veins¡ªleading to the abyss.


    A place far too dangerous to navigate.


    One misstep and they''d fall in.


    No more air. No more light.


    Damon wouldn''t suffocate, not with [Water Celebration]. He could breathe underwater just fine. But the rest of the party? Dead in minutes.


    Hell, he''d die too if the ruins buried him. One wrong move and it''d all be over.


    He chuckled softly at the absurdity of it all. He''d been the one who forced them to dive into the cursed green waters to escape the Keeper of False Truths.


    Ironically, the same monstrous sentinels meant to keep them out of this forsaken place had tried to flee from him.


    Now here they were.


    He stood on the highest point of the wreckage, staring up at the ceiling high above. It was faintly illuminated by old, forgotten runes and crumbling murals etched into ancient stone.


    Even using Xander''s gravity magic hadn''t helped them float out. His omnidirectional gear couldn''t latch onto the walls¡ªtoo strong, too slick, too damn old.


    "These folks in Lysithara''s past really deserve a bloody pat on the back for building such a durable city," he muttered.


    He wasn''t even frustrated anymore.


    Escape was still the goal. He hadn''t given up. Not yet.


    His fingers brushed against his mother''s locket resting around his neck, beside the pendant he got from Back-to-Back.


    "Luna... I promise," he whispered, voice low, steady, "I will live... long enough to save you..."


    His sister still needed him. And no matter how exhausted he was¡ªno matter how much he hated life¡ªhe would suffer more for her sake.


    There had to be a way to cure Magic Circuit Cancer.


    If no modern method existed, then maybe... just maybe, the ancients of Lysithara had a way.


    He closed his eyes.


    And if not... a world dungeon would have to do. Flora had mentioned an elixir¡ªhidden within a world dungeon¡ªthat could save her.


    "Not yet," he whispered. "I''m not done yet..."


    He leapt down from where he stood.


    The area below was bathed in golden light¡ªEvangeline''s magic, spreading in all directions. She glanced at him as he landed beside her, her expression weary. Her illumination held back the dark.


    "What should we be looking for anyway?" she asked, voice quiet.


    Damon didn''t know. Not really. He only knew they had to find something¡ªanything¡ªthat could be used.


    "Anything that looks useful," he said. "Most importantly, wood."


    Matia, the third member of their scavenger group¡ªnamed so by Damon himself¡ªglanced over. The others were still back there, hacking at monsters, harvesting anything they could for food.


    "Are you planning to build a raft?" she asked.


    Damon turned toward her. He''d debated between bringing her or Leona. But Matia was too versatile to leave behind. Her arsenal was vast¡ªshe could create nearly any weapon she wished. Ice constructs, too.


    In the end, Matia had insisted on coming.


    "A raft''ll fall apart too easily in this place," he replied.


    Evangeline nodded, pushing aside her damp, golden hair.


    "The monsters will tear it apart before we even get far... or worse, let us get far, then rip it apart."


    Damon nodded again. He''d thought of that too. Even now, he could feel the eyes on them¡ªmonsters lurking in the water, waiting for the right moment.


    Matia''s braid swayed as she stepped forward, peering into the black surface of the water. The place was suffocating¡ªclaustrophobic¡ªeven more so for a fairy like her, used to flying free through open skies.


    "How do you plan to get us out, then?" she asked. "And what''s the wood for, anyway?"


    Damon smiled, giving a nonchalant shrug.


    "Isn''t it obvious? To build a raft."


    They both blinked at him.


    "...Didn''t you just say a raft wouldn''t work?"


    Damon nodded.


    "A raft won''t help us escape."


    Evangeline sighed, exchanging a tired look with Matia.


    "You don''t have a plan at all, do you?"


    Damon picked up a soaked piece of wood. He had no idea what it had once been¡ªpart of a house, a carriage, maybe a building ¡ªbut even after thousands of years, it remained in decent condition.


    "We''ll just have to wait and see, won''t we?"


    Evangeline didn''t answer. Her hand clenched into a fist. She opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, then stayed silent.


    Matia turned, walking deeper into the wreckage, carefully pulling apart anything that looked like usable wood or metal.


    Damon moved in another direction, eyes scanning the debris for anything helpful.


    Evangeline sighed again, watching her magic shimmer in the dark. She glanced back at the boy. Damon... he was still moving forward.


    He never broke.


    She envied that strength. She was starting to understand why he always seemed so bleak. She''d overheard what he told Matia in the cathedral. Out there, in the world¡ªpeople who had suffered more than her still kept walking.


    She remembered what he''d once said to her, back in the academy.


    "The weak ask for justice. The strong create it."


    She bit her lip.


    ''I want to be strong... I want more power... I want all of us to survive...''


    Finally, she opened her mouth. Her voice was soft. Stuttering. Scared.


    "Y...yo...you can lean on me. I...I will support you..."


    Damon paused, one hand gripping a large shield half-buried in the wreckage. He looked at her with a tired smile.


    "Why are you telling me this now? Haven''t you been acting like the vice party leader this whole time?"


    Evangeline gave a small smile.


    "Didn''t that role originally belong to Sylvia...?"


    Damon grinned faintly.


    "Shut up and get to work, human torch. I didn''t just bring you here to be a nightlight¡ªput those huge muscles to use."


    Evangeline smiled¡ªuntil the end of that sentence registered.


    Her smile faded. "Huge... muscles...?"


    She blinked, looking down at her arms.


    They weren''t huge.


    She barely had any.


    "...The bastard."

 Chapter 363 - 364: Eva

    Teasing Evangeline was fun. Seeing her expression change had become one of the things Damon had come to like.


    Originally, they would always butt heads in the academy.


    Evangeline had her own ideals, while Damon was a pessimist who shot them down at every opportunity.


    Now, after months trapped in a death zone, he missed those calm days at the academy¡ªwhen they could just be students, not hardened survivors.


    Well, that was true for them. Even back in the academy, Damon was trying to survive, always thinking of survival, always scheming where his shadow''s next meal would come from.


    He was always caught between hunger and starvation, all while evading anyone who might discover his dark secrets.


    Damon couldn''t help but miss those days.


    Back then, being investigated by the Student Council President, Lilith Astranova, had been terrifying.


    But right now? He couldn''t help but miss her...


    Was she worried about him? Was she going to nag him again for being a temperamental... and suicidal junior?


    He still had a promise to keep.


    They were going to take on the world together.


    He needed to live... just to keep her company in their insane scheme.


    ''She must be lonely without me...''


    That brought a thin smile to his face.


    Lilith was the image of perfection. She always got everything right. She almost seemed superhuman.


    But he knew she was just human.


    She got lonely too. She had fears just like him.


    She carried the burden of being the Priestess of the Unknown God. Just by existing, she was the nemesis of the Temple of Doom.


    ''If she fails... she''ll die a horrible death.''


    He clenched his fists.


    He could not allow that to happen. He would not die here alone...


    ''If we''re dying¡ªlet''s die together, striking fear in the hearts of our enemies...''


    He wasn''t about to give up. He refused to die quietly in the Path of Kings.


    This ancient ruin had once forged kings and heroes.


    He would not die here... even if it now lay in ruins.


    Forgiving wasn''t his style. Neither was forgetting.


    He hadn''t forgotten how he got here. And after thinking about it for weeks, he finally knew who the Dark Spirit Summoner was.


    He just had to eliminate his bias and look at things objectively.


    It wouldn''t break his heart to kill him.


    Assuming Lilith hadn''t already done it herself.


    He shook his head.


    No... she wouldn''t.


    She would wait for him to return.


    He glanced at his academy-issued baraclete. It was still counting his points. As long as he wore it¡ªshe would know he was still alive.


    Damon smiled coldly.


    ''She''s probably setting the building blocks of her plans... gathering potential members for whatever insane organization she''s trying to create...''


    ''I''ll grow stronger... I''ll reach the Second Class Advancement before I leave...''


    If someone had heard him say that, they would''ve thought he was insane. Reaching the second class only weeks after achieving the first?


    It was madness.


    However... there was precedent.


    Seras Blade had speedrun her advancement and reached her high rank without having to live for centuries.


    There were also Class Advancement potions, rare artifacts, and lost magics that could raise one''s class. Of course, many of those came with consequences.


    A safer route would be to enter a World Dungeon¡ªwhere time flowed differently and laws were more lax¡ªto raise one''s rank.


    Or, if a god willed it, they could elevate someone''s rank with no strings attached.


    Damon didn''t care about shortcuts.


    He would do it with grit, pain, and the hardest method¡ªbattling monsters.


    He''d break through.


    And luckily for him, he had the Mastery Mechanic... and the System.


    He was already stronger than his party members¡ªeven though they were monsters themselves.


    They could grow stronger.


    And so could he.


    "What are you smiling like that for?"


    Evangeline''s voice cut through his thoughts as she pulled a large pile of scrap metal they had scavenged from the floating wreckage.


    Damon chuckled with a hint of dark amusement.


    "They say the greatest tragedies, when viewed from a distance, are nothing but great comedies..."


    Evangeline raised an eyebrow.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Damon raised his head, staring up at the bleak ceiling above with a resolved smile.


    "I''m saying¡ªin danger, there''s opportunity. We can reach Second Class Advancement soon... Valerie already said so. This place isn''t just despair¡ªit''s an opportunity, Eva."


    He smiled at her.


    "With every adversity we overcome, we are resurrected stronger than before. Why fear death... when we''ve already resurrected stronger?"


    Evangeline looked at him like he was crazy.


    What the hell was he talking about? They only had one lifeline. If they failed, they were dead for good.


    She also noticed something else.


    "...Why are you calling me Eva?"


    Damon shrugged, a flicker of insanity in his eyes.


    "It''s your nickname. Evangeline is such a mouthful."


    Evangeline sighed with a tired expression. She didn''t even care anymore.


    She turned her gaze back to the pile of scraps. Matia was pushing the larger heap from behind.


    "Do you need help back there?"


    Matia, who was silently struggling behind them over the uneven wreckage, shook her head wordlessly.


    Evangeline sighed again.


    "...We can get stronger, right? Let''s do it. These badlands... they''ve taught me to hate weakness."


    "I hate weakness too."


    Damon continued walking, navigating the debris with his haul of useless-looking scraps.


    He never told them why they needed so many broken, powerless artifacts.


    Sure, they''d found some magical items¡ªscrolls, trinkets¡ªbut they had long lost their power in the ancient ruins.


    Most were just wood and metal scraps.


    She shook her head and followed him, dragging her own pile of scraps.


    She wanted to ask him why he didn''t just store the junk in his shadow like he usually did...


    But then¡ªjust as they neared the camp¡ªDamon suddenly stopped.


    He stood frozen, staring into the distance, eyes wide.


    Evangeline glanced toward where their friends were supposed to be.


    Before she could say anything¡ª


    The wind shifted.


    Her hair whipped into her face, obstructing her vision.


    Then came a boom.


    The shockwave of Damon''s sudden dash blasted past her as he sprinted toward the camp with desperate urgency.

 Chapter 364 - 365: A Soul Of Strength

    Damon could hardly stop himself from rushing towards his other party members, this land was dangerous and teeming with horrible monstrosities.


    He had been anxious to divide the party, even if it was more efficient.


    Damon understood the dangers.


    However, now on his return, he had chosen to spread his shadow perception to check on them.


    He gritted his teeth, crossing the distance in mere moments. He skidded to a halt right next to Sylvia and Leona, who were kneeling¡ªcovered in blood.


    Their anxious eyes were locked on something. Damon followed their gaze and froze.


    A pair of human lips.


    Damon gasped, the white light created by Sylvia''s lunar magic illuminated the scene.


    White light banished, the darkness away.


    The pair of lips¡ªValarie Sunwarden¡ªspoke weakly.


    "Ahh, hello there boy... it''s been a while..."


    Damon forced a smile. Walking slowly towards her.


    "Welcome back, Valarie..."


    The pair of lips that was the totality of Valarie Sunwarden''s body smiled up at him, fragile and soft.


    He walked up to her and gently took her from Sylvia''s arms.


    Damon had only known this discarnate pair of lips for a short time, but Valarie Sunwarden had won their trust with her charismatic and disarming personality.


    Even as a pair of lips that had long since lost her body to rot, she still remained.


    Acting as their guide and teacher in exchange for a simple promise¡ªto bury her in a cemetery. Or at the heart of the city.


    The many centuries did not dull her will. Valarie remained true to her nature.


    A warrior, a champion.


    Damon gritted his teeth. Valarie Sunwarden was one of the few mentor figures in his life that had no malice towards him.


    Just like Carmen Vale, she had a wisdom and a philosophy that showed her strength of character.


    "Why do you look so sad, boy... I''m already dead, and we all know the dead can''t die... twice..."


    Her voice was weak, almost as if she was forcing herself to stay awake.


    "I''m glad you children made it out alive... cough cough..."


    She coughed, even though she had no body... it must have been a reflex from when she was still alive.


    "The others filled me in on the situation... I''m sorry, my students. It seems I am not allowed to tell you the answer to the riddle..."


    She paused, her lips growing duller in color. Valarie had her suspicions, however she didn''t know what was safe to tell.


    "That was not Vathren''s power... he was suffering from it... all this time I never knew... corruption is a horrible curse... while the Ascendant armors gave us resistance, we are not immune..."


    She operated her mouth slowly.


    "For anyone who becomes corrupt, the greatest kindness would be killing them. Freeing them from the misery..."


    She pressed her lips together for a long moment.


    "I wish I could do the same for Vathren... but I cannot. All I can do is help you children survive..."


    As she spoke, Evangeline and Matia slowed down, the wind pushing away some of the wreckage. They held their weapons anxiously¡ªuntil they saw Damon holding the lips of Valarie Sunwarden.


    "Valarie," Evangeline called out, quickly kneeling beside Damon.


    She was the successor of Valarie''s armor. Perhaps it was better to say she was Valarie''s truest student, even more than the others.


    Valarie smiled.


    "I''m glad to see you too, Evangeline... I hope the boy wasn''t causing you too much trouble..."


    Evangeline shook her head, a tearful glint in her eyes.


    "No... we''re fine..."


    Valarie smiled lightly.


    "I wouldn''t call your situation fine, if you ask me... cough... but what do I know, I''m just a dead pair of lips..."


    The others forced a smile at her attempt to lighten the mood. This ancient Ascendant always had a sense of humor.


    She was someone who always looked on the bright side¡ªand if there was none, she would find it.


    ''Small island of joy...'' Damon thought, recalling her philosophy.


    "Valarie..." Sylvia called out with an expression of worry on her face.


    "Are you okay..."


    Valarie smiled weakly.


    "I''m... Hmmm, I can see the expression on your face. Fine, I won''t exaggerate my condition..."


    Sylvia glanced at her intensely, making a soft sound.


    Damon glanced at her with a thin smile.


    "Sylvia is right, you derelict... old hag. You aren''t doing so hot, are you..."


    Valarie sighed.


    "I''m on my deathbed, and you still can''t act the part of a gentleman..."


    Damon''s brows furrowed, but he adhered to their usual routine.


    "You''re already dead though... you can''t have a deathbed... so ehmm... live."


    His words sounded like a desperate prayer. An emotion he would not normally reveal.


    Valarie smiled. She wanted to ease their worries.


    "Hmm... I''m already dead, remember? You children will have to bury me and perform my last rites... but until then, I''ll still stick around."


    They all looked at her with expressions of relief.


    Xander bit his lips. He had originally thought of her as a creepy mentor¡ªhe was cautious of her after everything they had learned.


    But the most paranoid member of their party¡ªtheir party leader Damon¡ªseemed to have eased his guard around her.


    ''She''s helped us a lot too...''


    He glanced at the others. They all wore worried expressions. Was he wearing the same expression too?


    Xander couldn''t help but linger on Evangeline. He bit his lips again.


    Damon took a deep breath.


    "You should rest and recover... I''ll figure something out..."


    Valarie smiled. She was quite fond of this young boy¡ªhe was an exceptional leader with a powerful will.


    ''I wish I had known him back when I was still alive... I would have loved to teach him everything I know...''


    But even in death, it wasn''t too late for that. She smiled, looking at them¡ªeven though she was just a pair of lips.


    "I''m weak, so I can''t stay awake for long... it will take some time for me to recover... but for the time I am awake..."


    She forced a smile.


    "I''ll teach you the basics of rune magic."


    Valarie had a strong belief.


    ''no matter how broken, a soul of strength and purpose can still mentor, still love, and still protect.''

 Chapter 365 - 366: A Way To Cheat

    Damon and the others didn''t have much time before sunset, so they built a fire and began roasting the flesh of the monster they had caught from the water.


    The rest of its body was left scattered among the pile of scraps they had salvaged from the wreckage.


    They would have to put out the fire the moment night fell, leaving them in the cold, damp darkness of the island.


    Because what came after dark... was far worse than the chill.


    Damon held a piece of the meat, sinking his teeth into it with a large bite. His stomach growled, rumbling with a hunger that had become a constant companion¡ªa hunger this kind of flesh couldn''t satisfy.


    Not really.


    That hunger stemmed from the fact he only kept his shadow barely fed.


    He had long since learned how to manage the aggression that came with that hunger. To keep it under control. To keep himself under control.


    The meat was dry, bland, and flavorless. It was barely food at all. They had no salt, no seasoning, nothing to make it taste like anything besides scorched flesh and regret.


    He wasn''t even sure if it was meat or fish.


    The creature they''d slain had once been human¡ªcenturies, maybe thousands of years ago¡ªbut whatever it used to be, it was now something else entirely. Something aquatic. Twisted. Corrupted.


    Another breed born of rot and corruption .


    ''If I leave this place, I''m filling my shadow storage with anything and everything even remotely useful.''


    Too bad he hadn''t gotten that opportunity. He''d only acquired the skill shortly before arriving here.


    The fire crackled faintly, barely holding on against the dampness in the air. The island of wreckage was soaked in moisture¡ªnothing truly dried here, not even their spirits.


    Damon had already sent his shadow to scout the perimeter, searching the edges in case any monsters dared to climb from the cursed waters and cross into their miserable patch of safety.


    They all turned their eyes to Valarie, waiting.


    Waiting for her to explain¡ªor rather, teach¡ªthem about Runecraft. Rune magic.


    Valarie, who existed now only as a pair of lips, smiled faintly.


    "I wanted to ask you... what is magic..."


    Sylvia answered first, nodding slowly.


    "Magic is the science and art of shaping the world through the use of mana. Magic dwells in all things... each person channels mana in their heart and is bound by a single magic attribute..."


    She continued, calmly explaining the fundamentals of how magic worked.


    Valarie sighed.


    "That''s enough. You have a good understanding¡ªbut magic has fallen in the epoch since my time."


    Her voice carried a scoff.


    "Then again, I was born in an era only a few thousand years before everyone got restricted to a single attribute."


    Her lips pressed together for a moment.


    "The Zero Epoch had the best, most free definition of magic..."


    "Magic is in everything. That part, you got right, Sylvia. And the part about one''s heart is also correct. However... you must understand this if you wish to use rune magic."


    She grinned faintly.


    "Rune magic is a way to cheat the system."


    Damon''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "Does that mean we can use multiple attributes...?"


    Valarie''s smile lingered. He sounded... hopeful.


    "No. You''ll still have only one attribute. You can''t change that. But with rune magic, you can bypass parts of the system. Perhaps that''s why it was once called witchcraft... witches have a higher affinity for it."


    Her tone turned thoughtful. They also had an affinity for all types of magic too.


    "But anyone can use it."


    She cleared her throat¡ªeven though she didn''t technically have one. She was, after all, still just a disembodied pair of lips.


    "I''m teaching you about magic because you need to rework your entire mindset. Now... where was I."


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes slightly, focusing.


    "The world is shaped by five basic elements¡ªwater, fire, earth, and air. But the one thing that binds them... is spirit. The fifth element."


    Leona tilted her head, confused.


    "Ehmm... I''m confused. Is that like spirit magic? The kind that summons spirits?"


    Valarie''s smile deepened at her question.


    "No. Each element has its own nature. Spirit is what connects¡ªwhat allows variations and fusions of the basic elements to form more complex ones. Spirit allows you to create spells. Put simply... spirit is desire. It gives things direction."


    Sylvia nodded in understanding.


    "I see. That''s why... all things that have spirit can create magic. We all have spirit, which is also our will¡ªour hearts, our desires... Without our desires¡ªwithout our spirits giving things direction¡ªmana can''t form into spells."


    Xander narrowed his eyes. Ever the model student, he raised his hand.


    "What about mana anomalies and magical disasters? There was no will in those, so... no spirit? How do you explain that?"


    Valarie smiled, amused by the skepticism on their faces.


    "All things have spirit. Rocks, wind, mountains, the land... even the world itself. The solar system. The galaxy. The universe. The multiverse. The omniverse... It is this will that forms those so-called disasters."


    Damon nodded faintly, something clicking in his mind.


    Yes... the world did have a will. How else could the world call out to them when they awakened their classes? It always said: Your fable has begun.


    "I see... so that''s how it is..." Matia muttered.


    "So spirit is the element of will."


    Valarie''s smile softened. Seeing them learn brought her a strange sense of joy.


    "Exactly. Spirit is the element of will."


    Damon''s understanding of magic was beginning to deepen. As Valarie spoke, he suddenly heard a soft chime in his head.


    [Mastery: Basic Magic +9]


    He smiled faintly. His grasp on the basics was improving.


    "What about the other elements?" he asked. "You say they''re part of the foundation of all magic attributes..."


    Valarie''s lips paused, as if savoring the next revelation.


    "They are part of it, yes¡ªbut there are exceptions. Things that exist outside the basic structure. For example... the Void attribute. Or Nothingness. These exist beyond the system of four elements..... in a sense that are tied solely to spirit."


    Her voice dipped into mystery.


    "But we''ll get back to that later."


    Damon nodded, listening closely.


    "Each element plays a role. Earth is the element of balance. Air, the element of freedom. Fire is passion... life itself. Water is change. And Spirit¡ªSpirit is will, binding them all together."


    "Then the question is," she said, her voice sharpening with meaning, "what is rune magic¡ªand how is it different from the magic you''ve all been taught?"


    She smiled again.


    "Rune magic was created by the Unknown God. It is something freely given¡ªa system that doesn''t care about your magic potential. It''s a form of magic anyone can use..."


    Her voice grew darker.


    "It breaks the absolute systems..."


    She let the silence stretch.


    "If you dare to learn¡ª"

 Chapter 366 - 367: World Of Runes

    The Unknown God.


    A name steeped in heresy¡ªat least, to anyone born in Soltheon.


    They had all grown up with the same teachings.


    The Goddess of Doom equals good.


    The Unknown God equals evil.


    Religious doctrine wasn''t just belief¡ªit was life. It shaped their daily rituals, their values, their judgment. And that''s what made it one of the hardest chains to break.


    Religion in any society was merely one instrument of control. Religion was the opium of the masses.


    A structure designed to maintain order, giving hope and meaning even to something as meaningless as life.


    For most of them, skepticism came naturally. But Damon? He was different. His parents had died too early for him to form a solid faith.


    While he may say the name of the goddess or mutter prayers, he was not faithful. It was just a force of habit.


    He was a heretic. An enemy of the temple.


    Not by choice¡ªbut he was in too deep now. There was no going back.


    The same couldn''t be said for the others.


    Xander eyed Valarie with a skeptical frown. His blue eyes narrowed as he stared at her disembodied lips.


    "Isn''t this the kind of thing that got the last age wiped out...? I mean, your city is literally a ruin right now..."


    Even Leona''s beast-like ears twitched with unease. The girl who usually didn''t think twice now looked anxious.


    "This sounds like heresy... the temple might¡ª"


    "It''s not." Sylvia cut her off¡ªtoo quickly, too defensive.


    The others turned to her.


    Sylvia looked at Damon, then at the rest of them.


    "Rune magic may supposedly have come from the Unknown God¡ª"


    "Not supposedly," Valarie interrupted with a calm, amused smile. "It did come from him."


    Sylvia bit her lip.


    "I know that... but it''s not heresy..."


    Matia glanced at Damon. The guy was too quiet, brows furrowed.


    ''Wonder how she''s gonna spin this one...'' he thought.


    But Matia couldn''t guess what was on his mind. He just gave off this vibe like he wouldn''t care either way.


    Sylvia turned to Evangeline, who still wore a skeptical look.


    "If it''s heresy, then why does the temple use rune craft? Think about it. Seventy percent of all magic artifacts use rune technology. It''s everywhere¡ªeven in our daily lives."


    She stood up, firm.


    "Our pagers, our carriages¡ªeverything has runes etched into them to function."


    She turned to Damon.


    "The temple uses all of these. They''re one of the biggest supporters of relic recovery¡ªhelping kingdoms and the Adventurers'' Guild find, study, and reverse-engineer them."


    Damon nodded, his grin widening.


    "She''s right. Pagers¡ªthe ones we use for calls and other functions¡ªthey aren''t original inventions. They were salvaged from lost relics. Rune tech lies at the heart of them."


    He stood, resting a hand on Sylvia''s shoulder.


    "Newspaper printing. Waypoints. Teleportation gates. Even the new visual streaming system they''re planning to unveil for the next War Games. All of it¡ªrune-based."


    Xander clenched his fists. The logic made sense. That wasn''t the issue.


    "But... then the temple knows the origin of this magic. And they''re still trying to revive it?"


    Damon''s smile turned razor-thin, irritation flashing behind his eyes.


    "Xander Ravenscroft... are you accusing the temple of ignorance? Should I report you to the Knights Templar? Or perhaps the Inquisition...?"


    He stepped forward, smirking.


    "Are you insinuating that the faith is clueless...?"


    Xander''s eyes went wide.


    "No! Of course not! I was just making a point¡ªdon''t twist my words!"


    Damon scoffed. "That''s what I thought."


    Xander glared.


    Evangeline drew in a deep breath, her fists clenched.


    "Will I grow stronger?"


    Valarie''s smile remained calm.


    "Yes. You will grow stronger."


    Evangeline nodded slowly.


    "Then I''ll learn."


    Xander gasped. But he didn''t argue. So be it, then.


    Sylvia smiled at her acceptance. She wasn''t about to pass this up either.


    She had stopped caring about heresy the moment she gained her new class¡ªwhen she learned the Unknown God''s name.


    He had promised her something.


    She turned to Leona.


    "Well, what about you?"


    Leona shrugged, unfazed.


    "Sounds like fun. Getting stronger is always good. And if the temple uses it, why can''t we?"


    Damon sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead.


    "Leona... I hope you realize¡ªyou can''t share what you learn here. You can''t tell anyone that rune magic originated from the Unknown God."


    She puffed her cheeks, ears twitching.


    "Stop treating me like I''m stupid. Of course I won''t tell anyone."


    Next came Matia. Damon''s gaze rested on her. She barely spoke these days, becoming more withdrawn, more hardened.


    ''Don''t tell me she''s turning into an ice beauty...''


    Quite literally¡ªher element was ice.


    "Well? What about you, Matia?"


    She shrugged, her black hair pulled into a tight bun.


    "I''ll learn. This place demands strength... and I have too much to prove."


    Damon looked at Valarie.


    "Everyone''s in¡ªexcept Xander."


    Xander stood, pointing accusingly.


    "Hey! I never said I wasn''t going to learn. I was just raising doubts!"


    Damon sneered, annoyance flickering on his face.


    "Sure didn''t sound like that. Make up your damn mind already. You''re like a teenage girl¡ªyour feelings are all over the place."


    The actual teenage girls glared at him.


    "Keep your opinion to yourself."


    Valarie watched them bicker. Damon made no effort to defuse the situation¡ªinstead, he poured oil into the fire. The argument spiraled. Everyone was yelling at everyone.


    She just smiled faintly.


    Then¡ªjust like that¡ªher mind was pulled backward. A memory stirred.


    ''Valacara... Vathren... Vulcan...''


    Names of her fellow Ascendant Champions. All gone now.


    Vathren was still alive... but he might as well be dead.


    "Valarie... Valarie..."


    Damon''s voice reached her.


    Her mouth parted slightly, pulled from her trance.


    "...What is it, boy?"


    He frowned. There was a flicker of concern in his glare.


    "Ooh, thought you fell asleep. You still haven''t taught us rune magic yet..."


    Valarie smiled. She could feel the worry buried beneath his words.


    "I''m not that old. I''m only a few thousand years old."


    Damon grinned.


    "That still sounds pretty damn old to me."


    She chuckled.


    "Well then... let''s talk about runes."

 Chapter 367 - 368: Neutral Rune

    The nature of rune magic was similar to normal magic, with some differences, as Valarie explained.


    Damon let the fire die down. The air was damp, heavy with moisture, and soon enough, night would fall.


    Evangeline and Sylvia moved around the clearing, casting the nightlight spell on everyone¡ªexcept Damon, who could already see in the dark.


    Even Sylvia''s self-made night vision spell was unnecessary for him.


    He had once considered using that spell in battle. His version, enhanced by his shadow attribute, could cause temporary blindness¡ªan edge in close combat.


    But it wasn''t practical. His battles were far too fast-paced for spells that needed time to cast.


    He shook off the minor distractions. Valarie waited patiently, her ghostly lips laying on the ground until everyone had adjusted to the light.


    "Rune magic was created by the Unknown God, as I already mentioned earlier. However," she paused, her voice soft and serious, "I didn''t tell you that without reason."


    Damon gave a quiet nod, eyes drifting toward her lips as the temperature dipped slightly, the chill seeping into the air.


    "The Unknown God is... the god of names, right?" Sylvia asked hesitantly.


    "He''s the god who named everything..."


    Valarie''s lips pursed.


    "Yes. He is the god who blessed names. But he is also the god of many things¡ªwrath, despair, dreams, void, death, life, nothingness, law, time, reality... karma, imperfections... and all else."


    Leona rested her cheek on her hand, blinking in surprise.


    "Wow, that''s a lot... And here I thought the Goddess''s domain was already massive..."


    Valarie sighed faintly. The pale lips seemed to carry a weariness¡ªa deep knowing.


    "That''s not even all of his domain," she said softly. "But that''s not the lesson we''re learning tonight."


    She gave them a moment before continuing.


    "Rune magic is the art of invoking the name of something through a written inscription to draw out its power. Names have power..."


    Each rune symbolized a primordial force or idea: fire, silence, binding, growth, motion, fear. On their own, they conveyed simple commands¡ªbut in combination, they could form complex effects.


    "Think of them like a magical programming language."


    Sylvia tilted her head, confused.


    "What''s a programming language?"


    Valarie paused, realizing the concept was foreign to them. Her voice came out thoughtful.


    "...I see." She sighed again, then explained the concept¡ªrelaying ideas and systems the outsiders had brought to their world.


    By the time she was done, they seemed to understand... mostly.


    "Now then," she continued, tone sharpening, "let''s not get sidetracked. When creating a rune, you must have a strong intent and the will to shape the world."


    She gave them a moment to absorb her words.


    "For that reason, rune magic is built upon the same elemental foundation as normal magic, with one addition¡ªmind. Though, mind is technically still an extension of the fifth element: spirit."


    The group watched her, eyes focused.


    She went on to explain the strengths and weaknesses of rune magic.


    The difficulty was high. In the beginning, runes had to be carved into objects or written on scrolls. But at the advanced level¡ª


    ¡ªyou could write them in the air itself.


    Each rune was unique. Dangerous.


    One wrong symbol, one incorrect amount of mana, and the results could be catastrophic.


    At higher levels, you could even form complex sentences, full structures of meaning and command¡ªsyntax, Valarie called it.


    With the right strings, you could manipulate the world.


    Having laid down the theory, she instructed them to begin memorizing the basic letters.


    Rune magic could be expressed in any language¡ªwhat mattered wasn''t the language itself, but the intent behind the rune. The name of fire was different in every tongue, yet the meaning, the essence, was always the same.


    Damon couldn''t help but remember the time he had used rune magic¡ªwith her help. Turns out that spell had been far more advanced than he''d realized. It would take years of study to reach that level on his own.


    "Now then... I''ve told you the limitations," Valarie murmured.


    A faint glow shimmered around her. A rune appeared, hovering before them.


    She spoke its name.


    "Ignis."


    Flames burst from the rune''s center¡ªbrief and bright¡ªbefore she casually snuffed it out.


    "Whoa... that was impressive," Leona whispered.


    Damon didn''t seem too impressed.


    "Isn''t your attribute solar... or light?" he asked flatly.


    Valarie''s smile curled with amusement.


    "Yes. It is."


    He sighed, unimpressed.


    "Then that''s just normal magic."


    Valarie scoffed. She had expected him to say that.


    "Yes and no. I can use light magic¡ªbut I cannot conjure fire directly. Now pay attention."


    Her tone turned serious.


    "I can create elements closer to my base attribute. But for an element like ice, which is its opposite, I would need to carve a rune and let the world fill it."


    Damon listened intently as she continued.


    To use a rune of an attribute far removed from your own, you had to carve the rune and let the world provide the magic. The world itself responded.


    "This is a restriction placed on us¡ªthose of us bound to a single attribute."


    "Is there another way to break it...? To use runes with opposite attributes?" Evangeline''s voice was low, cautious.


    Valarie let out a slow breath. She was only a pair of lips now, but her knowledge was undiminished.


    "Yes. There is a way."


    Her tone was resolute.


    "Create a rune with no attribute of its own. Fill it with raw mana. Then transfer that mana to the rune you want to activate... we call them neutral runes. "


    The earth beneath her shimmered. Despite having no physical body, the lips summoned power.


    Two runes formed on the ground.


    Mana surged into the first rune¡ªthen flowed into the second.


    She whispered:


    "Tenebris."


    Darkness bled from the rune.


    "This is the opposite of my attribute. But with this roundabout method¡ªI can cheat the rules of this world. Runes can be invoked... so long as you possess the intent."


    Her smile turned sly¡ªtinged with defiance.


    "When there is a will... there is a way."


    She spoke coldly now.


    "Who needed the Goddess''s permission¡ªwhen man could carve their own path to the heavens?"

 Chapter 368 - 369: Bold Feelings

    Other than Valarie''s lingering resentment towards the goddess, she still taught them the basics of rune magic. In fact, she had given them a demonstration, making them inscribe a rune using the name of their attribute.


    Evangeline''s rune was Light¡ªwhich she activated too carelessly, nearly causing a disaster before Valarie quickly dispelled it.


    Sylvia inscribed Lunar, and hers too flared brightly before it was extinguished for safety.


    The others all tried their hands at their own runes.


    It was only the very basics¡ªValarie taught them how to write their attribute name in rune script, then left them with what she called homework.


    If you could even call where they were a "home"...


    It was an underground, floating pile of wreckage drifting above monster-infested waters. Their shelter groaned with every current, rusting metal and broken slabs of old buildings bound together into a makeshift fortress.


    When they''d first found Valarie''s prison, she had asked them to retrieve a few books.


    Most of their bags had been washed away when they fell into the cursed green waters¡ªbut luckily Damon had saved the books, storing them in his shadow storage.


    Lucky. Those were the only things that made it. Along with anything in his bag.


    Their homework: memorize the 26 basic rune letters, and learn how to combine them into words.


    Damon sighed, steam rising from his lips. It was freezing. Everyone was exhausted. But he had managed to find a way to combat the cold.


    Simple, really.


    He crushed some weak-looking rocks into a fine powder, then gathered metals from nearby scrap.


    Using Ashborn, he superheated them¡ªuntil even ancient, corrosion-resistant alloys glowed as though on the verge of melting.


    His hands were still trembling from the backlash of channeling the flames.


    But he didn''t complain.


    Once the metal was blistering hot, he poured the powdered rocks¡ªdamp sand and dust, as he called them¡ªover the surface, causing them to hiss and sizzle violently.


    Then he piled monster hide over the top, letting the thick leather trap the heat.


    Finally, he threw a thick blanket, scavenged from the Beldam''s nest, over the entire construct.


    Heat.


    Warmth.


    In this cursed dampness, it felt like a miracle.


    He let Sylvia and the other girls use it, knowing they''d need it more than he did.


    Meanwhile, he walked to the edge of the wreckage, sitting quietly in the shadow of a collapsed pillar, opening a book on rune theory.


    Xander, of course, knew better than to ask Damon to help him set up a place to sleep¡ªbut Damon had still left him a corner. It wasn''t warm, but it was enough to stave off the cold.


    Leona didn''t seem thrilled about Damon keeping his distance.


    But he reminded them¡ªsomeone needed to stay up to keep watch.


    Which, naturally, spiraled into an argument with Evangeline.


    Eventually, a compromise was reached: two people would remain awake at a time, rotating every few hours.


    Damon didn''t mind.


    That''s why he found himself sitting beside Sylvia now, staring into the inky dark, monster-infested waters.


    She had insisted on going first.


    And anyone who saw the determined look on her face knew she wouldn''t take no for an answer. Even Leona, who clearly wanted the night watch with Damon, had to give up.


    Damon flipped the page of his book with a sharp flick of his finger, eyes narrowed in concentration.


    Or at least he pretended to be focused.


    Sylvia was plastered to him.


    Not merely sitting close¡ªher entire body leaned into his. There was so little space between them, even his breath felt constricted.


    ''This girl...''


    His expression was stoic.


    His mind was anything but.


    He''d already read the same page seven times.


    He memorized the damn book.


    But Sylvia was making that impossible. Each moment she inched closer. Each second, her warmth pressed tighter against him.


    ''She''s doing this on purpose.''


    He knew it. And being Damon... he reacted in the only way he knew how.


    "What are you doing ?"


    There was silence.


    Sylvia''s voice broke the silence, her soft breath brushing against his neck. The faint nightlight spell she had cast gave her night vision.


    "Studying.."


    She had removed most of the metal plates from her armor, her thin undershirt clinging to her in the damp air.


    ''What is wrong with me...'' Damon thought.


    She smiled sweetly, lifting her head to look at him.


    "I''m studying rune magic, like Valarie told us to."


    Damon exhaled sharply, closing his eyes.


    "You know damn well that''s not what I''m talking about."


    She shifted slightly. Whether it was her clothes rustling or his thoughts unraveling, he couldn''t tell. Her body was too close.


    "Then what are you talking about?" she asked innocently. "Did something happen?"


    Damon said nothing. He glanced away. Even in this dim light, she could see the tension in his jaw.


    The old him would''ve blurted it out.


    ''Your breasts are poking me.'' Without hesitation. Without shame.


    But...


    "It''s fine," he muttered.


    Sylvia smiled, closing the book in her lap.


    She didn''t stop there.


    She wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head on his chest.


    Damon''s breath hitched.


    Her fingers gently curled into his shirt, her face tilted up just enough for him to see the curve of her lips. That smile...


    ''Where... have I seen that smile before?''


    Then it hit him.


    Lilith Astranova.


    That devious smile. The kind that promised mischief. The kind that said she was plotting something¡ªand would stop at nothing to get it.


    ''Why the hell am I thinking of her now? And why is Sylvia smiling like that?''


    This wasn''t like her. Sylvia wasn''t bold. She wasn''t seductive.


    At least, not before.


    ''Is she... being controlled?''


    Damon subtly activated his shadow perception. He scanned her arms, her body, their surroundings¡ªfor any trace of manipulation.


    He found none.


    "Hey..."


    Her voice was soft again. Damon lowered his head to meet her eyes.


    "Yeah, what?"


    Her arms trembled slightly¡ªhe couldn''t tell if it was from the cold, or...


    "Do you remember..." she started.


    Damon looked at her.


    "Remember what?"


    She pressed tighter against his chest. The warmth from her body spread through him, dulling the chill.


    "When we first got lost... there was something I wanted to tell you. You said... I could tell you whenever I was ready."


    Damon gave a slight nod. He remembered. Barely. It felt like another lifetime ago.


    "Hmm. I haven''t forgotten."


    Sylvia lifted her head, placing a hand on his cheek. Her face... so close. He could feel her breath, the warmth of her chest against his arm. Her heart was racing.


    "Damon..." she whispered.


    "Hmm?" he replied, unsure what else to say.


    Her eyes locked onto his.


    Her voice barely audible.


    "What... what do you think of me?"

 Chapter 369 - 370: Wandering Spirit

    The cold bit through the wreckage, but Damon didn''t feel it. Not really. Not with Sylvia sitting so close, looking at him like that.


    He couldn''t figure her out. Not now. Not here. Not with the darkness casting long shadows behind her and that look in her grey eyes...


    Still, Damon kept his calm. His voice low, steady.


    "Your Sylvia, that''s what I think of you..."


    Sylvia paused. Her eyes,sharp, nervous, flicked up to meet his. Grey eyes locking onto dark eyes.


    Her lips trembled just faintly as she lowered her head.


    "That''s a very Damon thing to say..."


    She bit her lower lip, her breath shaky. As if some invisible weight was pulling her under and she was trying not to drown.


    "I mean what do you think of me as..a...."


    Damon blinked. He could hear her heartbeat. Fast. Nervous. He could feel the heat of her body so close, warming the chilled air between them.


    The strands of her hair clung to her damp skin, and without thinking, he reached out. His fingers brushed them aside gently, tucking them behind her ear.


    "Your Sylvia. That is more than enough for me..."


    She looked up at him. There was a smile there... but not one of joy. A resigned, thin smile. The fire in her eyes had dulled, if only for a moment.


    ''Is... he pushing me away...? Am... I?''


    Sylvia shook her head once¡ªthen moved. She shifted closer, crawling into his lap with quiet determination.


    The ground was damp beneath her knees, but she didn''t seem to care. Her gaze flicked toward the camp where the others lay asleep.


    Her movements were cautious, as if ensuring no one was watching.


    Her body trembled¡ªnot from cold¡ªbut something else entirely.


    "I... I... I am... I''ll be leaving the academy soon..."


    Damon''s eyes sharpened.


    "What are you talking about? Why...?"


    She bit her lip again, her body now fully pressed against his. The closeness brought with it a wave of emotions he wasn''t sure how to handle.


    "The dark spirit incident... my father wanted me... he wanted me to return... back home..."


    Her voice cracked. A tear welled up in the corner of her eye, refusing to fall.


    "I was ordered to drop out... I... I didn''t sign the paperwork because... I wanted this exam to be my chance to say goodbye... before I returned to my cage..."


    Damon''s breath caught. So this was what she had been carrying. This was what had darkened her mood on the way here.


    "I see. Look how that turned out... We''re trapped in a Death Zone."


    Sylvia gave a slow nod. Her knees scraped against the earth as she adjusted her weight, her thighs leaning into his.


    "I... I wasn''t scared when we first got lost here. I... know I shouldn''t have felt that way. I shouldn''t have felt thrilled. But I did. I''m sorry..."


    He shook his head slowly. It made sense now. She didn''t want to go back. To her, home wasn''t safety. It was a prison.


    "I wanted to stay in the academy with Evangeline, Leona, Xander... I wanted to stay with you..."


    Her voice softened at the end, barely above a whisper.


    "I don''t want to go back..."


    Damon''s eyes stayed on her. Her gaze didn''t waver. There was no weakness in her expression. No fear. Just raw resolve.


    She hadn''t told him because she gave up¡ªno. Quite the opposite.


    "Why didn''t you tell me then..."


    She lowered her head, shoulders tense.


    "I... was worried you''d try to take them on... you have a habit of doing whatever you please..."


    Damon could only stare. Honestly, it did sound like something he''d do. He wasn''t reckless¡ªbut he was stubborn.


    Actually he was both.


    Without a word, he reached forward and lifted her chin.


    "Do you remember my promise... to you..."


    Sylvia''s eyes shimmered.


    She nodded. Once.


    "Then don''t worry. Let me show you the world, Sylvia..."


    Her breath caught. Her gaze locked onto his¡ªand didn''t leave.


    She leaned in. Slowly. Inches turned to breaths. Then¡ª


    Soft. Warm. Her lips touched his. Just for a moment. Just enough to steal his breath. His eyes widened.


    Then she pulled back. Her face lowered. Her ears¡ªbright red.


    "I... I... I... I''m sorry..." she squeaked.


    In a flustered blur, she scrambled off him, covering her face and rushing back toward the camp like her life depended on it.


    Damon blinked. Stunned. Frozen in place.


    Then, his eyes narrowed. His expression twisted into something cold. Deadly.


    He stood.


    From the shadows, his hand emerged with a dark weapon¡ªAlazard''s disintegration sword. Its black edge shimmered like smoke and death..


    He didn''t say a word as he walked, blade low, killing intent bleeding off him in waves.


    Sylvia had just crash-landed into Evangeline''s chest, drawing a groan from the half-asleep girl. Evangeline sat up, confused and scowling, ready to chew Sylvia out.


    But then she saw him.


    Damon. Charging.


    Sword drawn. Eyes filled with murderous light.


    Sylvia turned her head sharply, sensing something was wrong. Her instincts screamed¡ªand then she saw it. Damon, mid-sprint, sword aimed straight at her.


    There was no time to scream.


    The sword came down¡ªnot at her¡ªbut in front of her. The impact cracked the earth.


    A breathless gasp echoed across the camp. Everyone bolted upright, weapons raised, hearts pounding.


    Then, it appeared.


    Something shimmered just before her. Its body wasn''t solid¡ªno. It was fire without smoke, a warped, shifting mirage. A grotesque form. Wrong.


    Damon sneered.


    "No wonder I didn''t sense anything. Dark spirits don''t have shadows..."


    The thing hissed¡ªa shrill, inhuman screech¡ªas it writhed in the darkness.


    Then it vanished.


    [You have slain dark spirit wandering Ibliss]


    Damon exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. He glanced at Sylvia, then at the others, all still watching with horror.


    "I knew something was off... A dark spirit. It was after you... must be a mind type... no wonder you were acting weird..."


    Sylvia just stared at him, her face pale.


    ''Acting weird...?'' Her heart sank.


    Before she could speak, he turned his back.


    "It''s fine now. I got rid of it..."


    He disappeared into the shadows, his sword melting away with him.


    Sylvia sat there, trembling. A bitter ache spread in her chest.


    ''That wasn''t the spirit''s doing... those were my real feelings...''


    She knew. She knew he was lying. He always told half-truths when he was trying to.....


    Tears brimmed at the edge of her vision.


    He was letting her down gently.


    She forced a smile through the pain. A small, self-deprecating thing.


    "Right... I was under its control... I... I''m fine now..."


    ''Did I just get rejected...?''


    Her hands clenched into fists. Her jaw trembled.


    ''No... I''m not done yet...''

 Chapter 370 - 371: Insanity

    You make my heart beat faster, you''ll be by my side till the day I die...


    That was what Damon wanted to tell Sylvia.


    That was what he wished¡ªwhat he ached¡ªto tell her.


    But could someone like him even deserve her? Could someone who had done the things he''s done even dream of being happy?


    He could''ve made the excuse that he was emotionally immature¡ªthat he didn''t understand what Sylvia meant to him.


    But that would''ve been a lie.


    Damon had figured it out. Long before she even realized it herself.


    At first, it must''ve been nothing more than a childish crush. Just a curious glance at the boy who stood so differently from the rest¡ªso distant from her world.


    She was curious. Maybe she thought she saw something more beneath the grime and jagged edges of who he was.


    He was standoffish. Reckless. A little insane. With no regard for anyone¡ªnot even himself.


    Yet somewhere along the line, as her feelings deepened...


    Damon began to change.


    He started to hate the silence of isolation. He began to enjoy the company of others¡ªof friends.


    And how could he not notice Sylvia''s gaze? How could he not piece together what those soft eyes meant?


    But what he never understood... was why him.


    ''I mean, I''m a commoner... I''m not even a decent human being.''


    In all sixteen years of his miserable life, Damon had never known this kind of feeling. It wasn''t like what he felt around Lilith¡ªit was something else. Something worse.


    ''Sylvia... hmmm... what should I do...''


    He shook his head and sat still in the shadows. The damp, chilling air clung to his skin like death''s touch, and every breath came out in a pale fog against the dark.


    Leaning back against the cold wreckage, he took a deep breath.


    Sylvia probably didn''t mean for that to happen. It wasn''t like she told him how she felt.


    She only... kissed him.


    ''Yeah right, you bastard... keep telling yourself that.''


    His head snapped toward the voice, but there was no one there. Just him. Just Back to Back¡ªstanding over him again. That familiar scowl of irritation on his face.


    Damon smiled bitterly. He really was losing his mind...


    Back to Back was dead. Damon had killed him with his own hands.


    And yet, he stood here again.


    Because Sylvia''s feelings¡ªher existence¡ªcalled Damon''s entire way of life into question.


    Only the Back to Back in his head remained.


    ''What do I do...''


    Back to Back''s grin was cold. Hollow.


    "She''s not in your league¡ªor better yet, you''re not in hers. Look at her. She''s smart. Beautiful. A princess. She''s never known anything dirty in all her life¡ª"


    Back to Back sneered, pinching his nose in mock disgust.


    "Then there''s you..."


    At those words, Damon shifted instinctively into the shadows, like a roach avoiding the light¡ªafraid to be seen.


    "You''re disgusting. A dirty child. Pathetic. A thief. A liar. And worst of all... a murderer. Hahaha..."


    A new voice slithered into the air behind him.


    "You didn''t forget me, did you?"


    Damon''s hands trembled as his eyes lifted¡ª


    Carmen Vale.


    His presence froze the blood in his veins.


    "You killed because it was necessary. Because you were wronged. But don''t forget me, Damon... you dirty murderer."


    Damon lowered his head. The weight of it all hung off his neck like a noose.


    Back to Back laughed, stepping beside Carmen with a twisted grin.


    "She''s going to die. They''re all going to die. You know why?"


    His face leaned in¡ªso close Damon could almost feel the heat of that breathless voice.


    "Because of you. Don''t forget¡ªthey''re just collateral damage. Just side casualties in an attempt to kill you..."


    Carmen''s smile was slow. Cold. Cruel.


    Damon didn''t want to lift his head anymore.


    "Everything''s survival to you, right?" he whispered.


    "How low must you be¡ªno dignity, no pride. The world doesn''t need garbage like you. You only make things worse."


    He sat there¡ªsilent¡ªas their voices poisoned his thoughts. Whisper after whisper. Dagger after dagger.


    Back to Back tilted his head, smirking.


    "You''re going to drive a wedge between her and Evangeline. You know it, don''t you? Sylvia''s not the only one..."


    He chuckled.


    "Heh. Look at you, runt. Quite the little womanizer, aren''t you?"


    "...Shut up," Damon muttered. His whisper echoed in the stillness, as if even the shadows recoiled from it.


    Back to Back sneered.


    "Still got a mouth on you. All bark. No bite. You know how this story ends, don''t you? Have you ever seen a world where the weak, dirty street urchin ends up with the princess?"


    Carmen squatted beside him. His voice was softer now, a venomous whisper in the void.


    "Weren''t you a victim of that very tale...?"


    Her voice slithered into his mind like a curse.


    "Your bitch mother should''ve stayed home. Married someone else. But no... she just had to go off and be a whore."


    Damon''s hands began to tremble.


    He knew. He knew she was a noble¡ªbut...


    "...But..."


    "Think about it," Carmen breathed. "Why did the villagers suddenly turn on you?"


    "Because they knew how this tale ends. They didn''t want to get involved with your family''s bloodline. The quicker you and your sister died, the quicker they could avoid the wrath of a noble."


    Back to Back cackled. "They probably tried to hide her identity while your parents were alive¡ªbut her manners, her knowledge, everything else... there was no hiding it."


    "She should''ve married safe... but no. She had to chase fairy tales."


    "...Maybe that''s why she died in the war."


    Damon''s hands began trembling harder.


    "That''s why..."


    Carmen leaned in, his lips brushing Damon''s ear.


    "Someone found out..."


    "...Someone found out..."


    His hands began to claw at the stone wreckage around him¡ªdigging, tearing, scraping.


    "...It''s also your fault..."


    He threw his head back, staring at the void.


    "My fault.."


    Back to Back smiled.


    "What are you going to do about it...? Nothing."


    Carmen leaned in again.


    "That''s why you''ll never deserve Sylvia. Someone like you doesn''t deserve love. Not from anyone."


    Back to Back leaned forward, his face obscured by the swirl of shadows as Damon''s eyes turned blank¡ªbleak.


    "You''ve lived long enough. There has to be a reason why human garbage like you still exists..."


    Damon clenched his fists. His hands trembled. Nails digging into skin.


    The two shadows¡ªindistinguishable now from the blackness around him¡ªwhispered together as one.


    "You didn''t start this... but you''ll end it..."


    Damon''s lips moved. A whisper. A vow.


    "...I''ll end it..."


    Chime.


    [Mastery: Insanity Lv. 1]

 Chapter 371 - 372: Calm Veil

    A week had passed, and Damon was completely normal. There was no significant change¡ªhe and Sylvia spoke to each other like nothing had happened.


    He had ordered the party to thin out the monsters in the water, hunting them relentlessly until the water around them was stained red with blood.


    His expression hadn''t shifted much; he still wore the same neutral face, sometimes even cracking jokes.


    Other than that, they did a few things.


    Valarie taught them rune magic whenever she was awake¡ªwhen she wasn''t, she was stuffed into Damon''s pouch like luggage.


    They trained and honed their skills with sparring matches¡ªmostly Damon and Evangeline.


    Evangeline taught him everything she could, and he absorbed her family''s sword techniques like a sponge.


    He even created a technique that was the complete opposite of hers. Or rather, it mirrored her radiant blade style, but with a different attribute¡ªShadow.


    For her radiant blade, he created Dark Blade, which delivered nearly the same effect, albeit shrouded in shadow magic.


    She couldn''t deny it¡ªshe was jealous. He was a freakish prodigy with the sword.


    She fought him every day, pushing herself harder just to keep up.


    Today was no different.


    Evangeline felt her Radiant Sword clash against a blade of shadows. She shifted back, swinging her sword in a wide arc.


    Damon stepped forward, lifting his weapon in a rising slash¡ªa wave of shadows flew toward the high ceiling of the wrecked dome above them.


    A deafening bang echoed¡ªbut the ceiling held firm, no real damage done.


    Evangeline smiled¡ªhis blade had lost its dark edge since he''d unleashed it into the slash.


    "Got you..."


    She lunged forward, thrusting straight for him.


    Damon moved with a thin smile.


    "I saw that coming." Her blade skidded off the flat side of his sword.


    She immediately followed with a sharp jab¡ªDamon blocked, their faces just inches apart.


    "That''s time, guys... it''s a tie," Sylvia''s voice called out from the side, where the others had been watching.


    Damon and Evangeline looked like they wanted to keep going, but they both knew better. If they fought for real, they risked sinking the tiny island of wreckage beneath their feet.


    He exhaled slowly, lowering his blade. "Thanks for the lesson... I got stronger. My technique''s getting sharper."


    Evangeline shook her head, gripping her sword tighter. "I got stronger too. You''re really a freak with the sword..."


    Damon scratched the back of his head awkwardly and walked over to the others.


    Matia handed him a bowl shaped from ice, filled with water.


    "Thanks, Matia."


    She gave a small nod, standing silently behind him.


    Damon drank slowly while the others chatted. Then, without a word, he wandered a fair distance away.


    He stopped in front of a small raft fitted with a makeshift sail.


    Beside it was a large, rune-reinforced box¡ªinscribed with symbols Valarie had taught them to carve.


    His fist clenched.


    "Your plan will work... don''t worry..."


    He turned and found Sylvia beside him.


    She gave a slow nod as he sighed.


    "We can''t be certain now, can we..."


    He glanced sideways at her.


    "How are you holding up? I mean... with the constant dark spirit attacks."


    Sylvia smiled faintly. This week hadn''t exactly been easy. They''d been under constant siege by dark spirits. The longer they stayed in this place, the more frequently the spirits appeared.


    Worse¡ªthe monsters in the water were growing restless. Sooner or later, they''d launch a full assault and sink the island of wreckage they were clinging to.


    "I should say the same to you... They target you just as much as me..." Her words drew a slight smile from him.


    He also had spirit affinity¡ªthough in his case, it came from a skill.


    The battles were getting fiercer each night. It wouldn''t be long before this floating ruin was swallowed whole by the flooded ruins.


    "I''ve mapped out the layers over the week with my skill... but things can change. I''ve divined the outcome... if we stay, this island will sink..."


    Her words made him nod grimly.


    "We did our best with what we had."


    His eyes drifted toward the stretched monster skin near the box.


    His water-based skills would play a huge part in the escape.


    Speaking of skills... he had a new one.


    Fighting and devouring had sharpened him. He had poured most of his earned points into various stats. Most importantly, he''d kept his Shadow Energy full¡ªespecially since gaining his newest mastery.


    He opened his system panel.


    [HP: 695/695]


    [Mana: 4,499/4,499]


    [Strength: 1034]


    [Agility: 957]


    [Speed: 1485]


    [Endurance: 910]


    [Class: Death Dealer]


    [Shadow: 1000]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%]


    [Shadow Level: 10]


    [Condition: Shadow Is Full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [ 5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze] [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn] [Omen Of Dread] [Dealer''s Hand] [Bloodletting] [Shadow Movement] [Shadow] [Faceless] [Danger Sense] [Wave Walk]


    [Mastery:]


    [Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv3] [Survival Lv4 ] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv3] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv2] [Trap Lv3] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv2] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv2] [Mana Control lv2] [Magic Gatling Lv1] [Pain Resistance Lv3] [Mental Contamination resistance lv2] [Disintegration resistance Lv1] [Sniper Lv1] [Rune Magic Lv1] [Insanity Lv1]


    [Locked]


    He was level 10 now. His stats had spiked after countless battles. He''d slain dozens of monsters. Unfortunately, he didn''t gain many new skills¡ªit seemed the system favored mastery, or maybe he was just unlucky.


    Still, he was far stronger now. Some of his stats had skyrocketed.


    His mana pool, though... was lower than ever. He needed to find something with an immense mana reserve to devour¡ªmagic crystals or high-grade mana cores. Regular ones weren''t cutting it anymore.


    And worst of all¡ªhe had to keep his Shadow Energy full.


    Especially after unlocking that new mastery.


    "...Insanity."


    How is ''Insanity'' even something I can learn or use...


    He didn''t know how to weaponize insanity. Frankly, he didn''t want to find out.


    That''s why he''d been sacrificing so much mana to keep his shadow well-fed.


    As long as the shadow was fed¡ªhis sanity stayed intact.


    He touched his forehead, frowning. He also had a hunch that the crown on his armor¡ªthe one made of ashen metal¡ªwas helping stabilize his mind.


    If that thing grew any further... he''d be in serious trouble.


    He just knew it.

 Chapter 372 - 373: Ripped To Shred

    Dawn had come¡ªnot that Damon would know. It was perpetual dark around here.


    However, Evangeline had taken it upon herself to light up the whole place every morning at dawn.


    So, they had some degree of normalcy.


    He never thought he would appreciate the little things like light, but darkness had taught him to love it.


    Time really flew by in that endless darkness. They had grown weary¡ªmore so than before. The island of wreckage had also taken damage from the constant monster attacks.


    It would fall apart soon. Some parts were already drifting away; the foundation was a mess.


    For that reason, they would be leaving.


    After a week in these underground ruins, they had grown used to the damp air.


    Damon was sure he would soon receive a mastery that gave him resistance to cold.


    Either way, it was time to go. He had already memorized all the possible safe routes.


    Sylvia had created a meticulous map that charted their path to safety.


    His water-based skills would play a big part in their escape.


    The most recent one was:


    [Skill: Wave Walk]


    [Description:]


    Inspired by the graceful stride of sea spirits and water-dancers from the Oceanic Temple of Theris, Wave Walk was once a divine rite reserved for emissaries of the deep. Now adapted for battle and travel alike, it allows the user to treat even the wildest oceans as steady ground.


    [Effect:]


    Grants the ability to walk, run, or stand on any body of water as if it were solid ground. User is unaffected by waves, currents, or surface tension for the duration.


    [Type:]


    Active


    [Cooldown:]


    0 seconds


    He had no idea where this Theris was, but he figured it would be somewhere on the Voyage Continent. After all, he had once met a Galahad of the Deep.


    Damon shook his head, pulling himself away from thoughts of the knight who followed Lady Margan.


    The skill was simple: the ability to walk on water as if it were solid ground. There were no hidden effects.


    Xander was already standing on a large raft, illuminated by a few makeshift torches coated in some strange oils.


    There was a strange collection of sacks¡ªsome filled with liquid, others with parts of monster carcasses.


    Damon sighed. Some of the monsters had been processed for this...


    "Alright, everyone get ready to go... Evangeline, kill the lights."


    She nodded slowly, and the entire place was consumed by darkness once more.


    Silence followed. For several minutes, it was as if no one was on the island of wreckage.


    And then, a small sound on the monster-infested waters. A large object rippled across the surface. Slowly, it began to float away into the void.


    Below, monsters hidden beneath the water stirred. They began to swim¡ªslowly and silently¡ªtoward the object.


    As it floated further from the island, their numbers increased.


    On the raft, heat signatures spread¡ªlight bloomed as the torches were lit with warm fire.


    More monsters followed.


    Then, without hesitation, a horrifying abomination surged up from the deep¡ªits skin dark and slick, its fangs like nightmares. It crashed down on the raft.


    There was barely any resistance.


    Blood mingled with strange oils as the raft shattered into dozens of pieces. Flesh was torn, shredded into raw chunks.


    The water''s surface went into a frenzy as each monster rushed to claim a piece.


    At that moment, drifting oil touched one of the remaining burning scraps of wood.


    The fire spread.


    Soon, the entire surface was burning.


    The monsters continued their frenzy.


    A shame, really¡ªthey didn''t get any human flesh.


    Damon and his party were long gone...


    At the time they had released the raft...


    Damon and his group had rushed to the center of the island under the cover of darkness.


    There, in the center, was a large box reinforced with runes. It had been sealed airtight and was just large enough to carry five people.


    Sylvia looked at Damon.


    "Ahh... you..."


    He shook his head.


    "Hurry. Not now."


    She nodded, entering the box along with the others.


    Damon had initially tried putting them in shadow storage, but he couldn''t store living people¡ªso he had to change plans.


    As soon as they were inside, the heavy box began to float, thanks to Xander''s gravity magic cast from within.


    Leona was using her storm magic to generate breathable air.


    Damon spread his shadow, pulling out a monster corpse¡ªor at least something that resembled one.


    It was a costume¡ªstitched together from monster parts, shaped to resemble something half-dead.


    Valarie had taught them how to carve concealment runes onto monster-skin disguises, and this one was good to go.


    A wire tied the box to the decoy. Damon wore it¡ªit was slightly heavy, but with his first-class advancement, it was no problem.


    He glanced at one of the holes in the wreckage, peering into the cold, black water.


    It was dark. It was freezing. And he wasn''t wearing armor¡ªonly the Ashen Crown from his set.


    He was definitely going to feel the chill.


    Damon extended his shadow perception into the depths. His eyes adjusted¡ªhe could see clearly in the dark.


    Best of all, he still had the Water Celebration skill.


    After all this time, it was finally useful again.


    It allowed him to breathe underwater.


    That was its only function, so he had to be cautious. There were other factors in the water.


    He couldn''t fight underwater. Even something weaker than him on land could kill him here.


    But the goal wasn''t to fight.


    It was to escape.


    He could have just used Wave Walk and dashed across the surface¡ªbut it was too noticeable. Most of the monsters were watching the surface. He''d be overwhelmed in seconds.


    The safest route was actually the most dangerous: inside the water.


    Deeper down, where the strongest monsters dwelled¡ªbut also where there were fewer of them.


    As soon as he heard the sound of their bait being destroyed, he silently sank into the depths¡ªpulling the box behind him.


    The cold chill stabbed into his spine as he plunged into the wreckage-filled water.

 Chapter 373 374: Deep Tides

    Damon sank further down into the wreckage, the box floating behind him.


    Pulling it into the water with him was a little harder than he expected, the buoyancy of the wood resisting his grip. He let himself sink, careful to avoid the twisted shrapnel jutting out around him. The water was murky in this part¡ªrust, decay, and time had turned it into a thick, brown-green soup.


    As he descended, his eyes caught glimpses of skeletons caught between shattered beams and collapsed walls¡ªsilent, brittle reminders of those who had died here. He wondered briefly how they''d met their end before quickly forcing the thought away. He didn''t have time to get lost in the past.


    His friends were inside the box. He needed to make sure they lived¡ªto get them to breathable air. That cramped space must be suffocating... claustrophobic.


    Damon felt the strain ripple through his muscles as he pushed his body to navigate narrow openings, weaving past twisted metal and sunken debris. One wrong move and the entire wreck could collapse on top of him.


    But after what felt like endless seconds, he finally broke free of the submerged ruin.


    He stopped in place like a fish hiding in a cave. Quiet. Still. Then he extended his shadow perception outward through the water¡ªnot too far, just enough to sense his surroundings without alerting anything else.


    Then he moved, his body still disguised beneath the grotesque costume of monster body parts. His gaze couldn''t help but flicker upward.


    The monsters above were still in a frenzy, drawn toward the surface.


    Too bad. He had used their chaos to escape.


    He pulled the box gently through the open water, resisting the urge to rush. Every move was calculated, slow, cautious. The water around him opened wider, yet it was no less dangerous. Beneath him lay the fragments of a once-great city¡ªbuildings, personal effects, shattered pieces of history, art, and lost technology.


    He moved deeper into the ruins, the box tethered to his omnidirectional gear with thin wires. Damon remained vigilant, his shadow perception reaching only a few meters in every direction. The water weighed down on him¡ªhis body heavy and sluggish.


    Somehow, he could still breathe. His lungs processed oxygen as if he were above water. it was the underwater effects of [water celebration], quietly doing its work.


    He must''ve looked bizarre¡ªsome small, stitched-together creature hauling a massive wooden box through the deep.


    Damon pressed on, his body heat already adapted to the chill of the depths. His heartbeat steady under the effects of Remorseless.


    He crept closer to a massive sunken structure, careful not to attract attention. As he swam past a large, open crevice, his danger sense suddenly tingled.


    Without thinking, Damon turned to shadow, slipping free just as a monstrous jaw burst out from the darkness below.


    The creature had lunged at him¡ªsomething massive, something ancient¡ªbut it missed by a hair.


    Its presence was suffocating, so vast and overwhelming that Damon instinctively knew: it was far beyond his rank.


    The beast retreated into the hole it had come from, and Damon was thrown aside by the turbulent current caused by its movement. The box followed, tumbling through the water alongside him.


    Damon bit his lip as the current suddenly changed again.


    His eyes widened.


    Ahead was a swirling underwater spatial rift¡ªa spiraling vortex of distortion pulling in debris and water alike. Anything caught in its pull was crushed, devoured, and transported to some unknown place.


    Gritting his teeth, Damon reached out, fingers stretching desperately until they latched onto a piece of broken wreckage¡ªwedged tightly, unmoving.


    He groaned, muscles screaming as the current tried to rip him and the box away. He tugged with all he had, praying the wires holding the box wouldn''t snap.


    Finally¡ªsnap!


    He broke free, swept upward by a rising current.


    Damon gasped. Or at least, tried to. He was still underwater. He didn''t understand how the skill worked, or why he could breathe¡ªbut he could.


    The ache in his body began to fade.


    He drifted beside a moss-covered wreck, his senses sharp.


    He recognized this place. Sylvia had drawn a map of the underwater ruins¡ªmeticulously detailed.


    This area was dangerous. Not just because of monsters, but because of other, more arcane threats¡ªcarnivorous flora, unstable spatial rifts, and time anomalies that twisted the laws of nature.


    Now came the hard part¡ªgetting to the deeper section and locating the hole Sylvia had marked as the exit to the surface.


    Damon knocked slowly on the box.


    He waited.


    Seconds passed.


    A knock came from inside.


    A signal¡ªthey were still alive. The box was intact. No leaks.


    If there had been any, Matia was supposed to freeze the damage shut with her ice magic.


    He took a deep breath.


    And then plunged downward, fast as he could.


    This part was the most dangerous¡ªhome to beasts that even carefully crafted basic concealment runes couldn''t fool.


    So the only plan was to rush.


    As he sank, he knocked twice on the box. Xander understood the signal and activated his gravity magic.


    The box grew heavy. Gravity pulled them faster.


    The pressure increased rapidly. Cracks appeared along the box''s surface, the ancient wood groaning as the magic reinforcing it began to fail.


    Seconds passed.


    But they were so close¡ª


    Then the world shifted.


    Something opened its eyes.


    Golden. Ancient. Massive.


    Fins larger than a cathedral unfurled slowly in the darkness.


    Damon froze as fangs the size of towers parted, sucking in water like a vortex. The creature was so massive¡ªso fast¡ªhe hadn''t even noticed it until now.


    He kicked the box, signaling Xander¡ªhurry!


    The creature wasn''t in a rush.


    It moved with the slow, terrible confidence of something that had never once been prey.


    ''Shit... shit... shit...''


    Its eyes blinked, staring at the box... and at Damon in his monster disguise.


    Damon turned into a shadow again, slipping free from the costume. He kicked the discarded suit upward¡ªbait.


    The creature''s gaze shifted, distracted for just a moment.


    Damon fired his gear, the grappling wires shooting toward a cluster of broken walls and pillars where a half-crumbled stairway led up through the ruins.


    The creature turned back¡ªbut Damon was already gone, slipping upward, dragging the box with him.


    He breached the surface, air exploding into his lungs.


    With a gasp, he hurled the box onto the base of the staircase, the stone etched with glowing, unfamiliar runes.


    He collapsed beside it, panting.


    "Gwar... gawer..."


    A strange noise echoed above him¡ªdeep in the shadows.


    Water dripped from the ceiling, plinking into the silence.


    This... was just the beginning.

 Chapter 374 375: Drowned Corridor

    Damon didn''t have time to contemplate the dread of what he''d seen beneath the water. All he knew was¡ªthey were out of that part.


    Now came the next, just as perilous. If they were unlucky, they''d end up as food in the belly of some horror¡ªor worse¡ªcursed, or better yet, corrupted by rot.


    The sounds in the distance were unnerving, horrifying even¡ªbut after what he had witnessed beneath the surface, Damon would take his chances with whatever roamed above.


    A loud crack shattered the moment¡ªthe box beside him caved in, exploding into splinters of damp wood.


    Leona rolled out, sword already drawn, wearing the awakened shell form of her armor¡ªa light tunic threaded with metal and glowing lines of power.


    The others scrambled out one by one, weapons clutched tightly in hand, breathing heavy and erratic.


    Xander tore what remained of the box apart with a grunt, emerging with a shortened version of his spear gripped in his hand, his eyes sweeping their surroundings like a hawk hunting prey.


    Sylvia''s eyes flicked toward Damon, her gaze softening. He was soaked from head to toe, clothes clinging to his body, hair matted and wet. After nearly three months without cutting it, it now fell past his shoulders¡ªgiving him an almost ethereal, otherworldly appearance under the dim light.


    Concern etched into her face as she stepped toward him. She squatted beside where he lay, breathing hard.


    "Are you okay..."


    Damon glanced up at her with a tired smile.


    "Just need to catch my breath..."


    She nodded, but the worry didn''t leave her eyes.


    Leona and Matia moved with trained precision, taking point and scanning the terrain for danger. The air was thick¡ªsmothering¡ªand aside from the distant snarls of monsters echoing through the ruined structure, all else was swallowed in darkness.


    There were light sources¡ªbut faint. Crystals, shaped like bulbs, embedded into walls and ceilings. Their glow was dim, barely enough to light their faces.


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes.


    "There''s light in this place... does that mean the light doesn''t attract the creatures in the rift?"


    Xander turned his head slowly, gaze serious and suspicious.


    "I''m surprised they still work after so many thousands of years... this is rune technology, right? It should''ve faded..."


    Damon pushed himself upright, dirt and decay clinging to his wet clothes as his palms slapped the stone floor.


    "Runes don''t last that long¡ªnot the ones drawn on simple parchment. But advanced ones... they can last centuries, maybe more."


    Xander''s expression shifted. He couldn''t hold it in anymore. The doubt had festered too long.


    "What kind of freak are you..."


    Damon raised an eyebrow.


    "Excuse me?"


    "You''re excused... but I''ve got questions. And I''m sorry if this isn''t the time, but too many things about your powers don''t make sense."


    The girls turned, eyes narrowing at Xander. He wasn''t wrong. Damon had never explained.


    Damon waved a hand, brushing his hair back.


    "So what? I don''t owe you an explanation. Why are you getting up in my business?"


    Evangeline''s gaze shifted to the familiar locket hanging from Damon''s neck. There were questions behind her stare too, ones she hadn''t voiced.


    She didn''t think much about it then, but the more she saw it...


    "That''s enough, you two," she said, trying to cool the tension.


    Xander scoffed and clicked his tongue, turning away with a harsh glare.


    Damon didn''t let up. He waved his hand again, summoning shadows that slithered to him from every corner. With precise control, he activated Shadow Storage, pulling his sword from the murky veil.


    Evangeline narrowed her eyes and whispered.


    "I have questions too... but fine. Keep your secrets. Just know¡ªyour story doesn''t add up. Some of your spells... they''re not even shadow-based. Like the ability to breathe underwater?"


    Evangeline gripped his arm as he tried to walk past.


    "Well, not that I care¡ªkeep your secrets. But... at least don''t treat us like we''re all idiots."


    Damon ignored her, sword in hand, already moving.


    "Let''s get moving. There''s bound to be something here. The faster we reach the surface... the faster we get the hell out of this cursed place."


    They nodded in agreement, falling into silent formation behind him.


    Sylvia''s gaze lingered. Her expression was unreadable¡ªanxious, yet quietly resolved.


    Her fingers hovered over her chest, heart pounding as she stared at Damon''s back.


    Her eyes flickered with a newfound resolve.


    Damon didn''t stop for anything else. He didn''t care. He just wanted to get out of this place. Whatever entity had been inside the water hadn''t followed¡ªand that was the only thing he was grateful for.


    "I... I have to live... I have to end it..." he muttered to himself with a thin, broken smile.


    A quiet witness to the madness trailing behind him. Waiting. Watching. Whispering. He wasn''t far from the edge.


    He stepped forward, climbing a long flight of stone stairs, their cracks soaked in decay and dampness. The smell was unbearable¡ªrot, fear, and despair lingering like smoke in the air. The silence was pierced only by the distant moans of unseen misery.


    The walls were cold to the touch, sweating moisture that ran in rhythmic drops like a cruel ticking clock.


    The others followed close behind, silent. Leona and Xander should have been leading¡ªthe team''s heavy hitters¡ªbut this time, Damon had taken point. Their leader... and their scout.


    His Shadow Perception remained active, scanning every direction. Danger Sense screamed at him constantly in this dead place, surrounded by echoes of death. Every step forward sent a new warning, another omen.


    Still, he pushed forward, teeth clenched, blade drawn.


    They reached the top. Damon halted.


    Before them stood a towering door¡ªan ancient relic, a memory of when the city still lived and breathed with people. He stepped up to the side, where a runic dial waited in silence.


    Without hesitation, he placed his fingers on it and entered a password¡ªsomething Valarie had once told them in passing.


    Casual, like everything else she did.


    She had given them override access to most systems¡ªshe was, after all, one of the rulers of this city.


    The massive door creaked open, stone grinding against stone. Damon braced himself, half-expecting another body of water behind the threshold. But it was a false alarm.


    A gust of heavy air hit his face. Water sloshed beneath his feet.


    He stepped forward, eyes narrowing.


    A long corridor stretched out before them, lined with broken pillars and half-submerged ruins.


    It was a way forward... maybe even the way to the surface.


    But there was a problem.


    The corridor was completely flooded¡ªwater up to his ankles, then deeper. He couldn''t tell how far it went down. Worse still¡ªwithin the black water, shadows moved. Large, hideous things with too many teeth and eyes that glimmered like wet glass.


    Hungry.


    Watching.


    Waiting.


    This was the only way forward.

 Chapter 375 - 376: Frozen Corridor

    Damon smiled at the creatures lurking beneath the water¡ªeyes glinting, their distorted silhouettes already rising toward the surface. They had noticed the group.


    What else could he do? He''d long since given up on menacing expressions. It was always the same twisted circle.


    Monsters tried to kill them. They fought back, won¡ªor fled. And when they fled, they carried more mental scars than physical ones.


    He turned his gaze to Matia.


    "Can you freeze this body of water?"


    He crouched beside the edge, watching the ripples spiral out into the darkness.


    "It''s not as fast or as vast the water in the underground area."


    Matia frowned. One thing interesting about this girl¡ªshe never questioned Damon.


    She simply nodded.


    "I can with some support... but these monsters can easily shatter any ice I create and attack us..."


    Damon nodded, his thin smile unchanged.


    "That''s fine. As long as we have a solid surface to stand on..."


    He gestured toward the side walls¡ªstone and decay-slicked metal lining the corridor''s edges.


    "If you don''t mind, freeze that part too. Create something we can stand on... just incase."


    Xander crossed his arms, frowning.


    "Hmm. Are you planning for us to run across?"


    Damon tilted his head, lips curling.


    "Is it that obvious?"


    Sylvia activated her skill, summoning the invisible journey book that floated in front of her¡ªits cover serene divine yet demonic.


    She asked a question, and a few seconds later, blood burst from her eyes, nose, and ears.


    Her expression didn''t even flinch. She had grown used to the consequences of asking.


    Calmly, she pulled a handkerchief from her bosom and dabbed the blood away with practiced grace.


    The others said nothing. For better or worse, they had grown used to Sylvia''s foul skill. It was one of the reasons they were still alive after all.


    Her ability to divine the unseen had saved them time and time again.


    "The creatures inside are small... on the weaker side," she rasped, voice hoarse and papery.


    Leona raised an eyebrow.


    "How weak is ''on the weaker side''? I see something in there that looks like it''s in the third class advancement..."


    Sylvia gave a slow, hollow nod.


    Evangeline groaned, dragging a hand across her face.


    They really needed to see a mental health quartermaster. Did her party really just forget that a third-class monster could level a small town?


    A rank two master could slaughter villages. These monsters were no joke.


    And yet... she couldn''t disagree with them.


    The party was still in the first class, but they had slain monsters at the second.


    They hadn''t defeated anything in the third class yet¡ªbut they had survived close encounters.


    Fleeing had become second nature. They had even escaped brushes with things far worse than third class. Some of those entities felt downright eldritch¡ªsome of them were eldritch.


    Evangeline clenched her fist.


    "We just need to run fast enough to get to the other side... seems easy enough..."


    Leona slapped a palm to her face.


    "Famous last words... why do I feel like Damon''s getting crazier and we''re about to die?"


    Damon''s eyes flicked sideways, lingering on the reflection in the water. A whisper curled in his ear like breath.


    ''It''s not like that''s all of my plan...''


    He reached into the shadows beside him¡ªinto the loose space where light refused to linger¡ªand pulled out several vials filled with strange, shimmering liquids. Potions, dangerous ¡ªor cursed¡ªby the Beldam.


    "We never got around to figuring out what these do," he said, almost casually. "So I say... dump them into the water and let the creatures find out."


    He turned to Leona.


    "You. Draw runes with the Name of Lightning."


    "I know," Leona interrupted, flipping her hair back. "I was paying attention when Valarie was teaching us."


    Matia''s gaze flicked to Leona, suddenly cold.


    Leona drew back, frowning.


    "What? What did I do? Why are you glaring at me?"


    Matia paused¡ªclearly caught off guard¡ªthen lowered her head slightly.


    "Sorry about that... I..." she glanced at Damon, voice quieter now. "Should I create runes with the Name of Ice?"


    Damon nodded. Truthfully, he appreciated that Leona hadn''t needed an explanation. That was growth.


    Though Matia''s sudden hostility was... unexpected.


    "Alright," Damon said, rising to his feet, brushing dust off his gloves. "Everyone, get ready."


    The others nodded as Matia and Leona began searching for suitable materials to inscribe the runes on.


    They settled on smooth, flat rocks scattered near the corridor''s edge.


    Damon sat down on a broken stone bench, pulling out a few rations. He shared them without a word while the two women worked.


    They failed more often than they succeeded. Several attempts fizzled or cracked under the wrong pressure. But after an hour or two, they had created several stones, each etched with a basic rune¡ªlightning and ice.


    Then he threw vials of unknown potions into the water.


    He didn''t wait to observe the effects; he just had a feeling they would be bad.


    Damon passed the lightning-inscribed stones around.


    No instructions were needed.


    They knew what to do.


    He held his own rune stone, eyes narrowed. The others mirrored him, arms tense and ready.


    Leona''s body began to glow¡ªelectricity snaking across her limbs, arcing between her fingers.


    "Now¡ª"


    Damon flung his stone into the water. The others followed suit without hesitation.


    The runes hit the surface with a splash, sinking in tandem.


    The moment they began to descend, Leona unleashed a flash¡ªa white bolt of lightning erupted from her palms, illuminating the drowned corridor with a searing wave of light.


    The runes responded instantly¡ªglowing bright, pulsing like lightning rods. The current snapped to them and spread, diffusing through the water. A violent hum filled the corridor.


    Under the surface, monsters twitched¡ªstunned¡ªrippled silhouettes convulsing.


    Water exploded upward as the creatures thrashed.


    At the same time, Matia raised her hand, summoning spears of jagged ice and launching them. Each one impaled the stones she had marked with the Name of Ice, forcing their magic deeper into the currents.


    The water began to freeze from the edges inward¡ªbut Matia wasn''t done.


    From behind her back, she drew the main form of her Ascendant Weapon.


    It slithered out like smoke, formless, then coalesced into a crystalline spear. With a silent breath, she hurled it.


    It shot into the center of the corridor¡ªcrashing into the heart of the chaotic waters. The air screamed with a sonic boom as the spear embedded itself, Matia staggering back, face pale from the mana drain.


    The effect was immediate.


    The spear became the anchor, and ice spread from it like wildfire. In seconds, the drowned corridor became a frozen graveyard.


    Massive monsters trapped in the water, shocked by Leona''s lightning¡ªnow locked in place beneath solid ice.


    But it wouldn''t last.


    "Now¡ªrun for the other side!" Damon shouted, drawing his sword.


    He dashed forward, boots hammering the slick surface.


    The party followed without hesitation¡ªtheir combined footsteps thundering across the ice.


    Behind them, the frozen water groaned.


    Cracks splintered beneath their heels as the monsters stirred¡ªstruggling to break free.


    Prey were in sight.


    And the hunt had begun.

 Chapter 376 - 377: Ice Rush

    Honestly, the distance wasn''t much. For someone in the first class advancement, they could cross it in mere moments.


    But at this very moment... that short distance felt so far away.


    It was as if time was moving slower; he felt as if something as abstruse as time was against them.


    Damon had taken what little could be useful for the plan. He could sense the shadows under the water¡ªwell, actually, under the ice now. They had frozen solid.


    Some of them had gone stiff, while others writhed, suffering under the effects of the potions Damon had tossed into the water.


    The stronger ones though... they were doing just fine. A little stunned by the lightning, sure¡ªbut still able to move.


    Slower than normal, weaker, some even drowsy, but still able to move, able to hunt. These abominations were powerful... worst still, something deeper could appear.


    Which wasn''t good news for Damon''s party.


    However, it could have been worse. Way worse... At least most of the weaker ones weren''t moving upwards to break the ice.


    Damon ran as the ice beneath him began to groan and crack all around.


    The monsters under the drowned corridor¡ªor now that it was frozen, it was better to call it the Frozen Corridor¡ªwere starting to stir.


    Damon gritted his teeth.


    ''Why the hell am I thinking about something so stupid right now?''


    One wrong move and his half-baked plan would get them all killed.


    The ice in front of him shattered¡ªbursting upwards with a massive splash.


    A pulsing, rotting mass of flesh surged out of the water, then sank back down with a greater splash, sending sharp slivers of ice and water everywhere.


    It was brief, but Damon felt its aura.


    Third rank.


    Its skin was like a toad''s¡ªbumpy, slick, and covered in strange, wart-like boils. It had large whiskers, like some abominable catfish.


    Damon didn''t see its whole body¡ªbut the thing had just taken a huge chunk of ice out of their path toward the center.


    That''s fine...


    They had alternatives. No need to risk facing that thing head-on.


    "To the side, now!" Damon barked¡ªbut truthfully, he didn''t even need to say it.


    They were already sprinting toward the side of the corridor, near the wall.


    Matia raised her hand, slowing slightly. With a quick wave, she created a crude slide of ice that reached toward the side wall, where she''d formed jagged ledges.


    A shame, though¡ªthose things didn''t look all that strong.


    Xander slapped each party member on the back, casting his spell. Their weights dropped, light as feathers.


    As they climbed up¡ª


    Damon, with his parkour skill and at the top of his rank, ran straight up the wall like it was flat ground. He flipped and landed on the ice path above with a smooth thud.


    But of course, the monsters wouldn''t make it easy.


    The creature¡ªand a few others¡ªlunged upward. Damon spotted hideous tentacles. Then something with long, needle-like limbs¡ªit looked like a mosquito. Another looked like a bloated blowfish.


    ''Ranged types... damn it, I''m right again.''


    One of them opened its foul mouth. A stream of acidic water blasted out, targeting the section of ice they had just climbed from.


    Sylvia ducked, narrowly avoiding a faceful of acid.


    The ice beneath her buckled and cracked¡ªshattering into jagged sheets¡ªbut she didn''t look bothered.


    Instead, she drew her bow and fired mid-jump, loosing an arrow straight into the eye of one of the creatures as she landed atop a falling chunk of ice.


    Evangeline didn''t hesitate.


    Deathly beams of light lanced from her hands, slamming into the monsters.


    The waters and ice erupted in a canopy of chaos and violence.


    Matia was already at work, but not aiming at the monsters¡ªshe was freezing the surrounding ice instead, reinforcing it with thick layers of frost.


    Damon caught a flash of white lightning as Leona staggered.


    She was low on mana. She couldn''t waste it recklessly.


    He met her eyes and nodded once.


    She understood.


    Damon leapt from the wall¡ªstraight down toward the shattered water below.


    But contrary to the monsters'' expectations... he didn''t land on the ice.


    He landed on the water¡ªstanding atop it as if it were solid.


    Wave Walk.


    They rushed toward him, hoping to drag him under.


    But Damon didn''t sink. He stood firm, like a phantom.


    He wasn''t there to show off. He was the decoy. The support.


    Right above one of the monsters, Leona appeared in a flash of lightning, her armor teleporting her directly into range. She swung¡ªher blade cleaving across the monster''s head as blood sprayed in every direction.


    But she was falling toward the water¡ª


    Damon dashed forward, kicking her midair and sending her flying toward solid ice in the distance.


    She landed in a roll and kept running, smiling.


    This was the plan. She could only teleport mid-swing, so Damon had to ensure she''d land safely.


    Matia leapt from the ice path back toward the center.


    Her ascendant weapon was pinned there, the source of the freezing force that kept everything solid. She ran alongside the others, toward the end of the frozen corridor.


    She grabbed it without looking.


    Damon raised his hand.


    "Ashborn."


    The black flames erupted like living shadows. Damon screamed inside as his mind suffered the backlash¡ªtenfold the pain of burning alive.


    But the monsters screeched louder.


    He gritted his teeth through the agony.


    Then, shifting into a shadow, Damon dove into the ice¡ªShadow Movement¡ªgliding swiftly beneath the chaos.


    He slipped past the monsters in seconds.


    Then¡ªhe felt it.


    Something roared behind him. The ice exploded¡ªshattered¡ªripped apart as something colossal rose from the water.


    Its presence made his blood freeze.


    Damon reformed at the corridor''s end, just as his friends scrambled toward the shattered wall and wreckage leading out of the corridor.


    He fired his omnidirectional gear up at a wall, catching Evangeline by the waist and pulling her up just as the colossal creature burst from the water, smashing the walls around it.


    Damon hung by the wreckage, clutching Evangeline close, staring into the bleak, beady eyes of the abomination.

 Chapter 377 - 378: Dark Obstacles

    The creature watched them as they slowly began their ascent through the narrow but shattered remains of vast walls and floors¡ªtilted, broken, and mangled by a battle far beyond their rank.


    It felt as if some unknown entities had decided to toy with the structure the way a child would with a puzzle¡ªmixing, removing, and rejoining pieces however they pleased.


    Damon wasn''t even sure anymore if he was climbing across a floor, hanging from a ceiling, or scaling a wall.


    His gaze remained fixed on the creature, half-expecting some kind of attack. But it did nothing¡ªonly sank back into the water.


    Even in the depths, he still felt its gaze on him, malice that could not be hidden, and its powerful but subdued aura of higher rank.


    He wasn''t sure if it had given up or was simply territorial. Either way, he was glad they made it out...


    This would be a long climb; falling would mean death in the jaws of whatever that creature was called. The climb was bound to be eventful.


    His hold around Evangeline''s waist loosened slightly. She leaned her head away, glanced at him for a moment, then looked back down at the water.


    She let out a breath of relief, then shifted her eyes back to him.


    "You can let go of my hips now..."


    Damon gave a crooked smile at her words.


    "Sure¡ªhappy swimming..."


    She quickly grabbed onto him, uncertain if he might actually let her fall.


    "I meant let me down by a wall... oh, forget it¡ªI''ll do it myself."


    Without another word, she shifted her weight. With a small leap, she gripped a jagged side of the wall¡ªher fist shattered the old stone, carving out a handhold.


    She staggered for a moment, nearly slipping¡ªbut caught herself.


    Damon sneered.


    "Would''ve been much easier if I pulled us up."


    Without waiting, the wires of his omnidirectional gear grew taut, pulling him upward until he was side by side with Sylvia, the first to ascend.


    Their eyes met briefly, and for a split second, he remembered how she kissed him.


    He quickly looked away, gaze tilting skyward.


    "How are you guys holding up?" he called.


    "What do you think?" Leona muttered.


    "It''s not like we were trapped in flooded underground ruins for days, then crammed into a box, then forced to run across thin ice¡ªliterally. And now we''re climbing to goddess knows where..."


    Damon sneered. "Great, so you''re alright then."


    Leona nodded with a relaxed expression. "Yeah, actually, I''m doing pretty great..."


    Xander jumped across chunks of broken stone, using his gravity magic to stay light as a feather.


    "As long as nothing else happens, we''ll be fine."


    Everyone stopped.


    All eyes slowly turned toward Xander.


    Sylvia sighed¡ªa warning, coming from the seer of the group.


    "You just jinxed us."


    Leona glared at him. "Way to go, Xander."


    Damon followed up, expression dry.


    "I knew this idiot was going to get us killed. I just didn''t think it''d be with his mouth..."


    Xander''s eyebrow twitched. He turned to Evangeline.


    "Tell me you don''t believe this nonsense..."


    Evangeline sighed.


    "If I''m the one who ends up dead or corrupted... bring a flower to my grave."


    Damon blinked, perching on a shattered balcony as he pushed himself upward.


    "That got dark real quick..."


    Sylvia gave him a distant smile.


    "If I die... take my corpse somewhere I''ve never been. Bury me there... maybe your hometown."


    Damon winced. Actually he came from a village.


    "Okay... that''s not creepy at all."


    Matia had been quiet all this time, looking deep in thought.


    "If I die, I want to die a warrior''s death. Fighting... with a sword in my hand. That way... my father won''t think I''m pathetic."


    She raised her head¡ªexpression cold and sharp.


    "If I become corrupted... kill me. I''d rather be dead than live like that."


    Leona turned to Damon.


    "How did we go from teasing Xander about being a jinx... to something this dark?"


    Damon opened his mouth to say something¡ªonly to pause when Matia spoke again.


    "I''ve seen what happens to creatures that get consumed by the rot. We have Ascendant armor, so we have resistance¡ªbut we''re not immune..."


    She gritted her teeth, emotion flashing across her face¡ªsomething Damon hadn''t seen in her for a long time.


    "My people value beauty above all. That''s why wingless fairies are shunned. I spent my whole life feeling inadequate. I refuse to feel that way when I die.


    Becoming something hideous... monstrous... I''d rather die."


    Damon bit his lip. He didn''t even know what to say.


    "You won''t be corrupted..."


    Matia''s gaze never left his.


    He looked down, then back up at the dark-haired fairy¡ªthe one who''d sacrificed her wings for him.


    "If you become corrupted... I will kill you. I promise."


    Matia smiled, nodding.


    "I''ll hold you to that."


    Leona glanced between them, looking disgusted.


    "Geez, you guys are so dark and edgy. Seriously... did your brains get fried from everything we''ve been through?"


    Her voice wavered¡ªfrustrated and shaking. Then, the tears came.


    "No one''s going to die... we''re going to go home. All of us. We''ve made it this far..."


    She clenched her fists.


    "We''re gonna make it. We''ll all live¡ªwe''ll all go home."


    Damon clenched his own fist. She was right. They had to live.


    "Right... forget what I said, Matia. We''ll live. We''ll go home. And your wish is¡ª"


    He stopped.


    Everyone was staring¡ªnot at him, but behind. Or... above him.


    He sighed.


    This place was slanted, twisted¡ªnothing would be easy to fight in here.


    Damon felt the hairs on his neck rise before his perception even picked them up...


    Then he felt it¡ªsomething entering the range of his shadow perception.


    Its form was strange... its shadow even stranger.


    Damon slowly turned his face, eyes scanning upward.


    Black, human-shaped phantoms were drifting down from above¡ªslow, weightless.


    He had seen many things since being trapped in Lysithara. Some strange. Some eldritch.


    But these...


    These were rare. Not unheard of, but rare.


    The dangerous kind.


    The unpredictable kind.


    Especially hovering over a deep pool of water¡ªwith something still lurking below.


    Sylvia''s face paled. Her whisper barely escaped her lips:


    "...Shades."

 Chapter 378 - 379: Undeath

    The world of Aetherus was vast¡ªthus, a world of perpetual war. And where there was war, there would always be death.


    Many things were ruined by war. Yet, war did not always bring ruin. Damon¡ªand anyone born in Aetherus¡ªhad come to learn that war was also a driver of innovation, technological advancement, and more.


    That said, the horrors of war were far more numerous. So hideous were they, that even the luster of the so-called innovations born from war could not conceal them.


    Among these horrors... was undeath.


    As corpses piled high in a magical world, some refused to stay dead. In their mortal hearts they carried resentment and unfulfilled longing.


    They would rise again¡ªundead. Some among them chose this path, performing secret black rituals to attain undeath.


    Others were forced. Many forms of undeath existed.


    These were called the undead.


    Among them were Shades.


    Their bodies were like ghosts... but they were not ghosts. Their souls lingered in the world in the form of shadows¡ªblack, cold, and wrong.


    At times, they resembled nothing more than ordinary shadows, visible only in bright light. What made them visible... also made them vulnerable. Light was their bane.


    It weakened their form. Weakened their power.


    Damon had recalled everything he could find about Shades.


    These creatures were of low intelligence. They were intangible, capable of inducing fear, unleashing mental attacks, and inflicting paralysis. They were immune to several spells¡ªsleep, poison, and others.


    They could drain life force as well. Among other abilities.


    More than that, they were like fog in the wind¡ªhard to strike, and surprisingly fast.


    Normally, this wouldn''t have been a problem.


    Except...


    Damon and the others were hanging, trying to climb through a claustrophobic, geometrically disordered wreckage of buildings¡ªwalls, pillars, ceilings, all collapsed in chaotic ruin.


    Getting attacked by Shades here could paralyze them or debuff their minds. It wouldn''t have been a fatal problem.


    Except...


    Damon looked down.


    The calm water beneath them rippled unnaturally.


    He could see the monster beneath the surface. Watching them. Waiting for one of them to fall¡ªparalyzed¡ªso it could feast.


    Damon gritted his teeth.


    ''So that''s why it didn''t bother chasing us... Not that it could, in such narrow confines.''


    But it knew the Shades would try to stop them.


    He sighed.


    The Shades felt strange in Damon''s perception¡ªwhich was saying something, considering how unusual his perception already was. He saw them as floating mirrors in his mind. Like distorted glass, each one reflecting not light... but presence.


    Shadows.


    He didn''t get to finish that thought.


    The Shades let out a soundless shriek.


    Damon''s head reeled¡ªsomething hammered his mind like a war mace.


    The pale crown resting on his head resisted the blow, alongside the shaky defense of his Lv2 mastery: Mental Contamination Resistance.


    His party members gritted their teeth, holding tightly to the jagged walls under the shriek of tens of Shades...


    The effect was mind-numbing.


    But they resisted.


    As if on cue, the monster in the water opened its maw and sucked in a massive volume of the surrounding liquid.


    Damon''s danger sense buzzed.


    The creature slammed its grotesque jaws shut and unleashed a pressurized stream of water straight upward¡ª


    Damon didn''t even need to speak.


    Xander dropped down, floating with the aid of gravity.


    His armor shifted, taking its Sovereign Mantle form, fully encasing him¡ªbecoming a living shield.


    The water stream tore through rocks, shredded the remnants of buildings¡ª


    Xander''s barriers shattered under the force of the blast.


    He reinforced his body with gravity, bracing for impact, but the supercharged stream met him with a deafening bang.


    His body was blasted upward, blood streaming from the seams of his helm¡ª


    But he roared, fighting against the current, enduring it because of his First Class Skill:


    The Vow.


    Your will is as unyielding as your word¡ªonce committed, neither you nor your body will break.


    He wasn''t going to break. Not here. Not now.


    Floating upward, blood staining his teeth beneath the helm, Xander smiled.


    "You won''t get past me..."


    Damon clenched his fists. Xander had survived an attack from a monster of Third Class. Damon couldn''t help but reevaluate just how durable Xander Ravenscroft truly was.


    He wanted to help.


    But the Shades had made their move.


    Evangeline''s hand glowed, charged with light magic, illuminating the entire area.


    Honestly, that was all she could do...


    If she and the others went all-out offensively, they risked bringing the entire structure down¡ªburying themselves alive.


    Damon raised his hand, ignoring the searing pain in his skull, and unleashed Ashborn.


    Black flames rose like living shadows¡ªconsuming the Shades ahead of him in waves of soundless screams.


    Matia lifted her hand and sent out a wave of ice, but the sheets passed harmlessly through the intangible creatures.


    The surviving Shades vanished into the walls...


    And then, the system chimes rang out.


    [You have slain Shade of the Forbidden Library.]


    [You have gained 5 Attribute Points.]


    [You have slain Shade of the Forbidden Library.]


    [You have gained 5 Attribute Points.]


    [You have slain Shade of the Forbidden Library.]


    [You have gained 5 Attribute Points.]


    [You have slain Shades of the Forbidden Library.]


    But more were coming.


    From the walls around them, the Shades returned¡ªpulling at their legs, their arms¡ªtrying to toss them into the deep below.


    These vile phantoms... hated the living.


    And beneath them, the monster in the water grew more relentless¡ªblasting stream after stream of water upward in fury.


    Damon couldn''t unleash Ashborn again¡ªnot because of the pain, but because the flames devoured the little oxygen in the air.


    He gritted his teeth.


    "What do I do, dammit...?"


    They were running low on time. On air. And now, more Shades were closing in...


    Then it hit him.


    He''d forgotten.


    He hadn''t tried it since the last time, since that failure when he used it on the rift creatures.


    Spreading his Shadow Perception, Damon searched for the nearest Shade lurking inside the walls.


    He raised his hand, uncertain.


    And gave a command.


    "...Stop."


    He whispered it.


    A low breath.


    And then¡ªall at once¡ªthe Shades that had been hidden inside the walls... froze.


    And turned their heads to look at him.

 Chapter 379 - 380: Dominion

    Another name for shades was shadows. These entities, by their very nature, were nothing more than wandering remnants, echoes steeped in resentment¡ªhatred birthed from the lives they once lived and the pain they carried into death.


    Damon merely took a chance. It was a small gamble.


    Their situation had become dire. The broken, claustrophobic wreckage of collapsed buildings left little room for brute force¡ªtoo much power could bring the whole place crashing down on them. They needed precision. Not destruction.


    The shades hated them. Not just hated¡ªresented. Their twisted souls envied the living, cursed them with every claw and whisper. They wanted them dead.


    That was why Damon used the skill.


    [Skill: Shadow Control]


    [Description:]


    "The lost abound, hunger in their souls as they steal shadows, replacing their stolen forms with the essence of those they take. Those whose shadows vanish become like them¡ªlost, wandering, forever chasing what was stolen. In their absence, the shadows once lost now bend to your will, shaped by desire, lingering and intangible, as though they were never meant to be seen."


    [Effect:]


    The user can control intangible shadows¡ªthose not bound to physical form¡ªmanipulating them with will and essence. Masterless shadows now bend to your command, a force under your control.


    [Type:]


    Active


    [Cooldown:]


    10 seconds


    He glanced at the shade he had just commanded. Its clawed hand froze mid-swing, inches from Sylvia''s legs.


    The others turned toward him, their hollow gazes suddenly aware.


    And then¡ªthey screamed.


    A frenzy erupted. Dozens of shades surged toward Damon like a tide of vengeance.


    He launched himself across the corridor, feet tapping from one shattered wall to the next. His fingers twitched to activate the skill again, but¡ª


    ''Crap... I forgot. Ten seconds cooldown...''


    Right. Ten seconds. The cooldown wasn''t an issue when dealing with inanimate shadows¡ªthose were effortless, like breathing¡ªbut these things were different.


    They had intent, resistance. Weak, but it was still there. They had little intelligence; however, they were still born of strong emotions, emotions that even death could not erase.


    Still, the first shade remained under his will, and he could feel it¡ªits submission.


    Like a faint tether anchored to his soul.


    ''Deal with them...'' he commanded silently.


    The shade moved.


    It leapt into the mob of its brethren and was torn apart in seconds, shredded into formless wisps.


    Damon felt the moment it was erased; it met oblivion. He could sense what little desire remained of its hollow will.


    Losing a shade did not recover the shadow energy he had expended; that energy was lost for good, along with the shade under his control.


    Sylvia released a barrage of white moon light¡ªarrows like streaks of divine fury that barely held them back.


    "What is going on? They''re getting more aggressive¡ª!"


    Damon grit his teeth. Nine seconds... ten.


    He didn''t hesitate. He expanded his shadow perception outward like a pulse, flooding the terrain with awareness. Every shape. Every flicker. Every phantom limb hidden behind walls and ceilings¡ªhe saw it all.


    Underground... deep. Shadows in the walls. In the ceilings. Countless... horrid... waiting.


    His eyes widened.


    ''Two kilometers? Wait... this is further¡ª''


    His range had grown. His perception had expanded beyond its old limit.


    He didn''t have time to be amazed.


    It was obvious. Every time he absorbed mana cores, his shadow deepened¡ªricher, denser. This wasn''t about quantity¡ªit was quality.


    That''s what class advancement did. That''s why a first class could decimate dozens who hadn''t advanced.


    Same for a second class versus a first.


    The gap only grew wider with increasing rank and class; the chasm would only widen.


    The thoughts flashed through his mind like sparks in a storm.


    Still... he hesitated.


    Shadow Control had its limits. He had once moved a tide of inanimate shadows¡ªbut this... these were souls, beings of twisted intent.


    Could he handle this many?


    If he failed¡ªif he lost control¡ªhe wouldn''t just run out of energy. He would become one of them. A ravenous, uncontrollable thing driven by hunger and madness.


    He might gain an army. That was the upside.


    But he''d become the predator.


    The corridor around them, fractured and misaligned like a cracked bone, would become their grave if he kept thinking.


    Above them¡ªshades crawling.


    Below¡ªblack water hiding monsters.


    As if summoned by the cruel hand of fate, the abomination beneath them continued shooting jets of pressurized water straight up, like a serpent trying to swat flies.


    Xander roared, placing himself in its path, his armor splintering but holding.


    Leona and Matia retaliated¡ªice and lightning, barely flickering under their low mana.


    Sylvia and Evangeline fought back-to-back with him, their radiant flashes burning back the dark.


    Damon spun past a shade¡ªgrabbed it with his hand.


    It should have been intangible. Yet somehow he could touch it. Only with his bare hands, though.


    "Since when did I start to hesitate..." he muttered, eyes narrowing.


    "I''ll deal with it."


    He raised his hand.


    "Obey me."


    His shadow energy bled from him like a wound torn open.


    He felt the hunger rise.


    Not metaphorical hunger. Primal.


    His stomach growled as his vision dimmed. Colors drained from the world¡ªreds, greens, blues¡ªall bled out until only black and white remained.


    Monochrome.


    He saw the glow inside Sylvia and Evangeline.


    It wasn''t light. It was taste.


    He wanted to devour them.


    "No..." he gasped, and sacrificed a thousand mana points¡ªpermanently¡ªto his shadow.


    It wasn''t enough.


    He poured more.


    And more.


    And more.


    His mana bled away like a severed artery.


    Finally, the drain began to slow.


    Mana [789 / 890]


    He staggered.


    ''I didn''t even try to take all of them... just the ones near me...''


    His head throbbed like it was being crushed between anvils, reformed, then crushed again.


    Damon lifted his gaze¡ªcold, empty.


    But he understood now.


    This was the true power of Shadow Control.


    It wasn''t just manipulation.


    It was dominion.


    He looked down at the water... at the beast stirring... and then at Xander, bloodied and floating, shielding them all.


    He made a single command.


    "Kill it."


    And the shades moved.


    A black cloud of death, their forms carrying Damon''s murderous intent¡ªhungry shadows unleashed upon a monster of flesh and rage.

 Chapter 380 - 381: Chaotic Passage

    Evangeline had no idea what was happening. In all the chaos, the entire party had been doing their best¡ªbut out of nowhere, the sea of shades doubled in number. It was almost as if the abominable wraiths had become more aggressive than before.


    She felt a murderous intent so thick it nearly suffocated her.


    All she could do was brace herself, preparing to go all out.


    Her skill¡ªPurge¡ªflared to life as she readied to destroy as many of them as she could.


    But to her surprise, the murderous intent wasn''t aimed at her... or anyone in her party.


    No. The shades dove downward¡ªtowards the water¡ªwith claws bared, every movement screaming with a savage desire to rip through anything in their path.


    Leona stumbled, lethargic from how low her mana had gotten.


    "Xander, look out..." Her voice was barely audible over the din of battle echoing through the slanted wreckage.


    Xander turned¡ªhis eyes widened, his face paling at the sight of so many shades. But then... they passed him harmlessly, rushing by with a chilling wind trailing behind them.


    A cold breath on his neck. But not a single scratch.


    "Come on, let''s go... now!"


    From the very top of the narrow chamber, Damon''s voice cut through, calling out as he waved a hand to them.


    Xander''s gaze dropped to the water, where the massive creature had begun to churn and swell again, preparing to release another devastating stream.


    But then¡ªits attention shifted. It saw the shades barreling toward it and hesitated.


    Xander acted. He amplified his gravity magic¡ªor rather, reduced it.


    His body lifted, rising fast, floating up through the crumbling chamber. As he reached Leona and Matia, he extended a blood-streaked hand.


    They grabbed on instantly, and with a grunt of effort, he pulled them up with him.


    Blood dripped from his armor. His jaw was clenched tight. His head spun slightly from blood loss, but he was otherwise unbroken.


    His skill¡ªThe Vowl¡ªwas just that strong. He could endure most physical attacks without permanent damage.


    As long as they were physical... he wouldn''t break¡ªunless his will did. And so long as his will remained intact... he could still fight.


    ''I can still fight... I can still fight...''


    His eyes locked onto Damon, who was already climbing higher, scaling twisted beams like a shadow.


    They had a strange friendship... one they''d both deny until death took them. Their ideals were night and day¡ªbut Xander had been wrong about Damon.


    ''He says he has no pride, no honor...''


    Xander floated upward, fist clenched, zero gravity guiding him in controlled movement.


    ''Then why do you hold to your word like it''s sacred...? Why does your pride scream louder than anyone else''s...? I can''t hate you for that... I can''t...''


    Despite how different Damon seemed, Xander could see it now¡ªhe was someone who bore an unshakeable principle in his heart.


    ''He claims to pride himself on having no pride... Isn''t that the most prideful thing of all?''


    The irony was lost on no one¡ªleast of all Xander.


    But still... Damon pushed forward. Against all odds. Against reason.


    How could Xander not respect that? How could he not admire such perseverance?


    Damon reached out from a ledge, extending his hand just as a shade blew past him like smoke.


    Xander met his gaze and understood. With one final heave, he tossed Leona upward.


    She kicked off the wall and snatched Damon''s hand, pulled to safety.


    Matia gave Xander a single nod. Nothing needed to be said.


    He launched her next, and Damon caught her as well, pulling her in with little effort.


    Xander clicked his tongue.


    ''I''m totally not jealous of his popularity with the ladies...''


    With a flick of his wrist, Damon fired his omnidirectional gear¡ªthin wires latching onto Xander''s armor and yanking him upward.


    "What''s going on..." Evangeline asked, turning to Sylvia for answers.


    The white-haired elf looked back with an unreadable expression and shrugged.


    "I don''t know."


    She glanced sideways at Damon, her smile razor-thin.


    "Any theories, Damon?"


    Damon didn''t need to be a seer to know she''d figured it out¡ªthat somehow, he''d taken control of the shades.


    He met her gaze with a frown.


    "Beats me. You''re the seer. You tell me."


    She scoffed, clearly displeased, but unwilling to speak further. She didn''t have his full trust yet. That was fine.


    She would earn it... eventually.


    But Damon had no time for her games¡ªnot now. Not with his mind fraying under the weight of tethered souls.


    The shades he had taken command of were caught in a brutal war¡ªfighting above against wild, untamed shades, and below against the abominable creatures.


    And they were losing.


    Each time one of his controlled shades fell, Damon felt it¡ªa tether breaking. A beacon snuffed out. Only darkness remained.


    "Come on. We need to use the chaos to get out of here."


    Sylvia was already healing Xander, though she didn''t really need to. He was stable.


    "Xander, give us a boost here..."


    Xander placed his hands on them, reducing their weight one by one.


    "I don''t have infinite mana. We''ve gotta be smart."


    Damon raised his hand and began climbing, leaping upward from handhold to handhold.


    "Stay close. Kill everything that''s not us."


    That was the only instruction he could give. Only he could tell which shades were allies in the chaotic maelstrom of ghosts around them.


    Most of the shades were still hostile.


    He couldn''t waste any more shadow energy controlling the rest.


    To those still bound to his will¡ªhe gave one final command:


    ''Protect us... with your lives.''


    Whether or not these lost phantoms truly lived, he didn''t know. But he prayed they understood.


    Far below, his allies were being cut down. But they''d been enough of a distraction¡ªto buy the party time.


    Their climb continued, the battlefield a drifting maelstrom of ghost and death.


    Damon''s vision swam. He felt weaker. More drained.


    The entire area was chaos. Shade against shade... then against shade again. So much noise. So much death.


    And yet... something was changing.


    They began to notice¡ªsome shades were shielding them.


    One shade caught Evangeline before she could fall.


    Another intercepted a deadly blow aimed at Sylvia.


    By the time they finally reached the top...


    Their minds were scarred. Their armor scratched and dented. Faces streaked with blood and exhaustion.


    Damon stood at the edge of the broken chamber, glancing down into the wreckage beneath them.


    He had only a few shades left.


    Most were gone.


    "Let''s go," he ordered, his voice cold.


    The few remaining shades drifted after him, hidden, silent, and obedient.


    Their forms shadows on the walls.


    He didn''t look back. Not once.

 Chapter 381 - 382: New Food

    Damon glanced around the area¡ªit was dark. The ground was surprisingly dry. No... actually, that wasn''t the surprise.


    What caught him off guard was that the darkness wasn''t as deep as he expected. Maybe the others couldn''t tell, but Damon¡ªwho viewed the world through shadows¡ªcould sense the difference.


    It was simple.


    The shadows were more vibrant. The darkness felt fainter.


    That could only mean one thing: there was a light source nearby. Maybe even a natural one.


    He shook his head. He wasn''t sure if his assessment was accurate... or if he was just hungry again.


    He poured all the attribute points he''d recently gained into his mana, then sacrificed them to feed his shadow.


    His hunger was now manageable.


    The others walked slowly into the gloom, Sylvia at the front, acting as the guide¡ªthe Seer of the party.


    That said, the ones actually leading were none other than Xander and Leona. The two of them were more durable, with tank-like builds. They made up the frontline.


    But Damon wasn''t paying much attention to the party. His focus was ahead. He had swept his shadow perception at least a kilometer into the dark.


    Nothing noteworthy. Sylvia was still the one guiding them properly.


    He kept to the back under the pretense of watching for shades that might follow them.


    Well... that part was true.


    Though he was the one controlling those particular shades, Damon couldn''t wait to experiment further.


    Any creature or shade they killed still counted under his kill record¡ªwhich was good. Goddess knows he needed the stat points.


    Except for devouring the corpses, he couldn''t get the points.


    Killing other shades seems to be the exception, though.


    Maybe the shades feed on each other when they defeat them.


    That''s why he got attribute points regardless.


    He''d gained a lot from hostile shades they''d encountered, so he had somewhat recovered his lost mana.


    Still, it wasn''t enough. He had to be careful. If he tried controlling something too powerful¡ªor too numerous¡ªhe might run out of shadow energy entirely.


    Damon called one of the nearby shades, closed his eyes, and tried something new.


    He sent it drifting upwards, focusing on the thin tether connecting him to it. Then he activated his shadow perception through the shade''s form¡ªor lack thereof.


    Sure enough, he could see. It wasn''t as expansive as viewing through his own body, but it gave him a limited 360-degree view.


    It couldn''t expand... but that was fine.


    ''I wonder what else I can actually do...''


    His footsteps were silent in the dark as he trailed behind Matia, just a small distance from the glowing orb of light Evangeline had created to illuminate the path.


    He made just enough noise for the party to know he was following.


    He could''ve gone completely silent if he wanted to¡ªbut he didn''t want them to worry.


    The next thing he wanted to test was simple.


    He had the Shadow Storage skill. Could he put a shade¡ªor multiple shades¡ªinto the limited space within his shadow?


    He called two from the area around him...


    Then paused.


    ''Wait a minute... doesn''t using Shadow Storage also consume shadow energy?''


    If he wasn''t careful, he could drain what little he had left.


    "Hmmm," Damon muttered, shaking his head aloud.


    Well, no point wasting time. Shades may be weak, but they were useful.


    He glanced at his shadow and activated Shadow Control and Shadow Storage. His shadow rippled faintly.


    Then slowly, the shade sank inside.


    Damon could still feel its tether. It was still "alive," if it could be called that. He felt his shadow energy drain slightly¡ªbut that was expected whenever he stored something.


    ''I wonder how many I can put inside...''


    He could still sense the last of his shades. About fifty left. Not much¡ªhe''d had hundreds just minutes ago.


    Damon called on them and began pouring them into his Shadow Storage, one by one.


    Slowly, he started to feel the space becoming full.


    ''Hmm, that won''t do... shadow energy is lost too quickly...''


    He sighed, pouring his remaining mana¡ªnow back in the low thousands¡ªinto replenishing shadow energy.


    ''There goes the attribute points I gained...''


    ''Still... if only... hmmm, wait. Ahh. Of course I can try that...''


    The shades were important.


    Actually¡ªno. They were dispensable.


    They were hard-to-notice minions. Easy to control. No real will, no thoughts, no fear. Couldn''t be tortured for information. And they could induce fear, drain life force, even cause mental disturbances.


    But there were two things he hadn''t tried.


    First¡ªthe nature of the shades themselves.


    In bright light, they looked no different from a normal shadow¡ªso much so that most people completely overlooked them.


    They could be his eyes.


    But that wasn''t what he was testing now.


    He called out half the shades from his Shadow Storage. The skill couldn''t store living beings, but shades weren''t exactly alive to begin with.


    Damon gave a command¡ªto his shadow and to the shades.


    "Turn yourself into my shadow."


    To his own shadow, he gave an overlapping order.


    The shades floated around him briefly, then with a cold whoosh, sank to his feet, forming multiple dark pools. The shadows merged, folding into each other, layering upon his own until they were indistinguishable from it.


    Damon moved his hand. The shadow mirrored him.


    He stepped closer to the light source... and sure enough¡ª


    They all behaved like one single shadow.


    He smiled.


    Evangeline, who had created the light, paused. Her footsteps echoed in the silent corridor.


    "Damon, are you okay back there?"


    He replied calmly, "Yep... no shades here."


    She nodded, continued forward, and Sylvia guided them around a turn in the path.


    Damon glanced down.


    It seemed he didn''t need to waste shadow energy putting them in storage after all.


    Now came the real test.


    What would happen if his shadow devoured shades?


    "Devour them," he commanded.


    There was a pause.


    His shadow stirred... then rippled.


    [You have gained +5 Shadow Energy]


    [You have gained +5 Shadow Energy]


    [You have gained +5 Shadow Energy]


    ...


    Damon''s eyes widened.

 Chapter 382 - 383: Much Needed Scolding

    He sucked in a breath of cold air. Did that really just happen? Did he actually just gain shadow energy?


    This was not an illusion, nor was he hallucinating from the madness in his life.


    This was real¡ªa way to gain shadow energy without devouring people.


    "Ahh... ahh..."


    Damon felt his heart tighten. A wave of relief and frustration slammed into his chest.


    All the days when he... had to kill and devour people, just so he wouldn''t turn into a monster.


    The fear he had locked deep within¡ªfear that he''d lose control, that he''d devour his friends if the hunger ever won.


    He clenched his fists.


    All of that... all of that could''ve been solved by eating shades.


    Damon took a deep breath. He shook his head. That wouldn''t have changed much¡ªshades were rare.


    But still... it made sense. He could devour them for shadow energy.


    One, they were souls. And two, they were mostly human¡ªor at least, shadows of intelligent, sapient creatures.


    Damon realized he could also use shades for something else. He could use them to increase the counter for his Ascendant Armor.


    He''d be closer to ten thousand vanquished foes if he destroyed shades or used them to vanquish enemies.


    "I need more shades."


    He stopped, glancing back into the darkness behind him. He bit his lip.


    Should I really go back? Should he hunt more?


    But what about his party? He needed to be here to lead them.


    And he couldn''t tell them either. Not because he didn''t trust them to keep a secret¡ªbut once a secret was shared between more than two people, it was hardly a secret anymore.


    At least, that''s what he''d learned from that wretched Elf... back to back.


    As for why he was so secretive¡ª


    ''Undead control spells, skills, and abilities are taboo by the Temple.''


    If he used it openly, he''d be hunted as a necromancer by the Inquisition.


    Hell, someone might even call him a lich pretending to be human. Or worse¡ªa demon.


    Not even demons would likely approve.


    Necromancy, or any dark art that tampered with the souls of the dead¡ªor even their shadows¡ªwas frowned upon, reviled.


    And Damon understood. If any of his parents had turned into shades, and some schizophrenic kid raised them like puppets... he''d be furious too.


    But that wasn''t going to stop him. He needed this power.


    Still, the shades had many uses. And for now, his shadow hunger was... quiet. He was full¡ªwith some to spare.


    "Let''s rest before we reach the next chamber."


    Damon''s voice echoed from the darkness.


    The party, illuminated by the ball of light Evangeline conjured, paused, glancing in his direction.


    The light split off, catching Damon''s face in the shadows.


    "Hmmm... you want us to stop..." Leona raised an eyebrow.


    Damon nodded. "Yes. We need to rest after the battle. The next part may be dangerous..."


    He looked toward Sylvia as she activated her skill. She winced¡ªjust a little¡ªbut he noticed. She''d grown so used to pain that her face rarely shifted.


    ''She must be really suffering to show that expression...''


    He hated that she had to use such a vile skill.


    But it was a necessary evil.


    "There''s a chamber ahead. We can rest there," Sylvia whispered.


    "The place after that... is called the Forbidden Library. It''s vast. But we shouldn''t linger. The moment we get there, we use the windows and get out."


    Leona clenched her fists, wearing a bright smile.


    "We''re finally getting back on track... after being underground for days."


    Sylvia frowned, her white hair gleaming in the light.


    "I wouldn''t get so excited if I were you. We''re in the heart of the city now. The Keeper might still be searching for us..."


    A cold silence followed. A lingering dread seeped into their hearts.


    "Wha... wha... how do we overcome something like that..." Evangeline''s voice trembled.


    "We face him, obviously," Damon replied coldly.


    Matia frowned, glancing at him.


    "Did you figure out his game?"


    Damon shook his head. "I haven''t. But I found a way to delay it."


    Xander shifted, spear in hand. "How?"


    Damon tilted his head, a thin smile curling his lips.


    "By asking nicely. And one other thing..."


    Leona narrowed her eyes. "What''s the other thing?"


    He pointed at his ear. "Cover your ears. He won''t force you to play unless you''re trying to leave the city."


    Evangeline blinked, then stared at him in disbelief.


    "That''s... the dumbest damn plan I''ve ever heard. Did you hit your head before the shade fight or after?"


    She glared at him, furious. Evangeline did not like this plan one bit.


    "And I imagine you plan to risk it yourself... while we flee, right?"


    He shrugged. "More or less. But covering my ears won''t work... so I gotta make sure I really can''t hear him."


    Sylvia sighed. "I don''t approve at all... It''s too dangerous; you''re being reckless. I know it''s a last resort, but you''ll still gamble..."


    "I know you won''t," he interrupted her.


    Evangeline''s glare deepened¡ªhe''d seen her angry before, but this... this was a new level.


    Before he could react, she slammed her fist into his face, sending him flying into a nearby wall. The stone cracked from the impact.


    Her voice trembled with rage and frustration.


    She launched into a tirade, berating him for risking his life without a single thought for how others felt.


    Blood trickled from Damon''s nose as he slid down the wall... but somehow, he smiled.


    A tired smile.


    Not because of the punch¡ªbut because for once, he felt like someone genuinely cared.


    People who actually cared about him were far too few.


    Fewer than ten in the whole world.


    The way her golden hair swayed, the way she pointed and ranted¡ªit almost reminded him of his mother.


    "That angry expression is almost the same as hers..."


    Evangeline planted her hand on her waist.


    "Who are you talking about?! Are you even listening to me?!"


    She grabbed him by the crevices in his chestplate, lifting him until they were eye level.


    "Listen up! When we see the Keeper¡ªwe run like hell! Do you understand?!"


    Damon smiled. "Sure... as long as you let me go..."

 Chapter 383 - 384: Can You Keep A Secret

    "It really hurts, she''s so mean..." Damon''s voice echoed with a hint of childish resentment.


    "Dear, dear... don''t worry, I''ll make the pain go away," Sylvia whispered, her tone sweet as she smiled and began to heal him.


    A soft white glow emerged in her palm, gently caressing Damon''s cheek.


    He shot Evangeline the occasional glance, each one deliberate and smug.


    She rolled her eyes, while the rest of the party stared at Damon and Sylvia with dumbfounded expressions, clearly stupefied by the scene unraveling before them.


    Leona could no longer keep quiet.


    Sylvia''s healing magic was potent¡ªable to mend cracked ribs and shredded muscles¡ªthere was no way Evangeline''s punch had actually done any real damage. It was obvious something else was going on here.


    Sylvia was clearly using this moment to get close to Damon. Leona didn''t want to read too deeply into it... but she couldn''t hold her tongue anymore.


    "Emmh... can you guys get a room...?"


    Sylvia''s fingers twitched to a halt, her face turning sharply to the side. But from the red flush creeping up her elf ears, it was clear she''d just realized how it looked.


    Damon glanced at her... and promptly burst into laughter.


    Clearly, their mischievous party leader was having fun¡ªand Sylvia was today''s chosen target.


    "What are you talking about, Leona? I''m in serious pain! That orc woman hit me! Sylvia was just being kind and healing me..."


    Evangeline gasped, gritting her teeth.


    She was stunning¡ªgolden hair, sun-marked eyes, and a figure sculpted like a goddess. Calling her a city-toppling beauty wasn''t an exaggeration... and yet this bastard had just called her an orc.


    "You... you... you better take that back or else..."


    Sylvia gave Damon a side glance, her lips curled in a thin smile.


    "If she hits you again, I won''t heal you. It''s best not to anger our secondary healer."


    Damon sneered.


    "Fine. I''ll apologize... to the orcs."


    Evangeline didn''t even bother responding. All her ladylike grace and noble decorum crumbled in an instant.


    She lunged for him.


    Sylvia was shoved aside as Evangeline tackled Damon to the ground, straddling him without a shred of elegance.


    Poise? Grace? None of that.


    Damon might have been a lot of things¡ªbut a feminist wasn''t one of them.


    To him, all parts were fair game in combat. Equal rights, equal fights. He didn''t hesitate to shove her back¡ªeven in the chest.


    "Ahhh... bastard!"


    Hmm. Maybe that wasn''t a smart move.


    Evangeline unleashed a chaotic flurry of slaps, followed by sharp scratches across his face¡ªnone of it held the finesse of a trained swordswoman. They were like two kids brawling in a schoolyard.


    The rest of the party just watched.


    No one moved to help.


    After nearly a minute of huffing and puffing, the two combatants froze, both glancing at their teammates¡ªwho were barely holding in their laughter.


    "What is wrong with you people?! Why aren''t you trying to stop us?" Damon snapped.


    Matia giggled softly, covering her mouth, while Sylvia clung to Leona, tears forming in her eyes as she struggled to hold back.


    Leona lost it, pulling Sylvia down with her as they collapsed in a fit of uncontrolled laughter.


    "It''s funny because... they said it together!"


    Xander removed his helm, letting out a roar of laughter that echoed through the chamber walls.


    Damon and Evangeline glanced at each other, then back at the others, their faces etched with indignation.


    "You people are horrible... and that''s saying something coming from me..." Damon muttered.


    Evangeline tapped his shoulder, shaking her head.


    "No, don''t sell yourself short like that. They''re obviously worse... Imagine getting into a fight and your friends don''t even try to break it up."


    Damon spat to the side with theatrical disgust.


    "I know, right? These savages... I''ve done horrible things, but I should be taking notes from them..."


    Their banter was so sincere it only made the others laugh harder.


    "It''s not funny!" they roared in sync.


    Sylvia finally managed to compose herself enough to stand. Honestly, she was a little grateful to Evangeline for causing such a scene¡ªit distracted everyone from her earlier embarrassment.


    "I''m sorry. It''s just... we kind of agreed not to interfere when you two start bickering. We wanted to see how it would play out..."


    Damon was appalled.


    "Hey, Eva... these people..."


    She nodded, equally mortified.


    "Yes, Damon... they have no morals. I thought you were bad, but I owe you an apology..."


    Damon shook his head solemnly.


    "No. It is I who should apologize... We''re the last good people in the world of Aetherus..."


    After that, the two of them proceeded to berate everyone while the rest of the party continued laughing.


    For the next few hours, they all just... played around, forgetting the looming threat that surrounded them. As if they weren''t deep in the heart of a death zone.


    They lived in the moment, laughing in the face of possible death. Every second could be their last¡ªand they knew it.


    Damon sat quietly later, a small smile on his face.


    This could be it. Tomorrow, they''d either find hope... or death.


    He took a deep breath.


    They had originally stopped to rest¡ªbut ended up staying there for the night.


    They ate. They laughed. Once, they were just a bunch of students.


    Now... they were warriors.


    Comrades forged in the nightmares of these Badlands.


    Damon stood up, his fist clenched in quiet resolve. He needed the Shades more than ever now. He needed to capture as many as possible.


    He had to.


    "Hm? Where are you going...?" Matia asked, a piece of dried jerky paused near her soft pink lips.


    He offered her a casual smile.


    "I just wanted to take a walk, that''s all..."


    Matia stood quickly, grabbing her weapon.


    "I''ll come with. It''s dangerous here..."


    He shook his head.


    "Ahh, no. It''s fine..."


    He didn''t want anyone seeing what he was doing anyway.


    She glanced at him, nodding slowly.


    "If you don''t want me to follow, I''ll respect your will. But this place is dangerous... so I hope you''d at least let me shadow you."


    The others were watching now. If he went alone, they''d definitely worry.


    Matia said she''d respect his will¡ªbut she didn''t exactly look happy about it.


    Damon sighed before the others could chime in.


    "Fine, Matia. You can come... as my shadow. Happy?"


    She smiled, equipping her helm with a quick motion.


    "I''d like that."


    As they walked together into the shadowed corridor¡ªthe way their party had originally come¡ªDamon glanced over at her.


    "Can you keep a secret...?"

 Chapter 384 - 385: Shadow Slaves

    Matia didn''t know what secret Damon was talking about, but she felt a strange bubble swell in her chest when he said¡ªyes, implying¡ªthat he would tell her a secret.


    She followed behind him, unable to see anything in the darkness. Not even a glimmer. She had forgotten to ask Sylvia or Evangeline to cast the nightlight spell on her. A simple thing, and yet now it felt like a crucial mistake.


    Still, she felt reluctant to go back.


    Her eyes were that of a fairy at the first class advancement¡ªsurely she could handle a little darkness.


    Damon didn''t seem to mind the shadows at all. He moved effortlessly, like the dark was a second home.


    After a few minutes, Matia''s vision adjusted¡ªmore or less. She couldn''t make out the finer details, but that was fine.


    She didn''t need detail to slay her foes.


    ''I''ll just rely on my sixth sense...''


    Luckily, that was one of the things Valarie had drilled into them¡ªnever rely on your eyes alone.


    Speaking of Valarie, Damon had left the disembodied pair of human lips with Evangeline. She had been asleep, so it wouldn''t have mattered even if he had brought her.


    But now Matia realized it was just the two of them.


    She trailed behind him, mimicking the way her father used to walk behind the King of Winterhaven¡ªcold, stalwart, one hand always resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike at any moment.


    Damon didn''t really know what Matia was thinking. Honestly, he blamed it on that goddamn armor¡ªever since she got it, she''d become colder. Harder. Sharper.


    She had always been strong-willed, especially when she decided to embrace who she truly was. But these days, she was just a bit too stalwart.


    He almost missed when she was visibly afraid¡ªtoo terrified to even move.


    ''I knew she had a fire in her when she blew the chest off that goblin mage...''


    Matia Faldren was no weakling. Now, she was a powerhouse.


    Damon was certain he''d win if they ever fought, but it wouldn''t be easy. Not even close.


    If anything, he''d be hard-pressed to land a hit. She was a graceful killer. Lethal in motion.


    Then again, that was her first class skill¡ªlethal grace.


    Come to think of it... when was the last time he saw an attack actually hit her?


    He walked down the silent chamber, Matia following soundlessly despite the weight of her armor.


    Soon enough, they reached their destination. The place where Damon had once fought the shades with his party¡ªor rather, escaped from them.


    He could feel the chill in the air, the residue of their presence still lingering. He spread his shadow perception across the ruins. There weren''t many in the area, but that was fine.


    He wasn''t here to run.


    He was here to enslave them.


    These lost souls of the dead would serve him better than left here to rot and haunt.


    Damon sighed quietly.


    These people... they must have been the former residents of Lysithara, back when the city was still vibrant. Still alive.


    Now it was a ruin. A crypt. A living mausoleum for the dead.


    Perhaps the ones that became shades were the lucky ones.


    Some had become rotfolk. Others had twisted into even more corrupted things.


    The city was lost.


    And their lord... was a horror beyond words.


    "Matia..." Damon whispered.


    "Yes," she answered calmly.


    He turned to look at her. She might not have been able to see him clearly, but he could see her¡ªperfectly.


    "What you see here stays between us. No matter what."


    She nodded without hesitation.


    "Understood. You have my word."


    Damon nodded, turning back around. He extended his perception again¡ªshades, hidden in the walls and ceilings, entered his senses.


    He raised his hand, the shadows pooling in his palm.


    "Obey me," he commanded.


    The shades stopped in their hiding, falling under his will. One by one, he called them forth, feeling his shadow energy drain with each one.


    Matia drew her ascendant weapon, letting it form into a sword. Her eyes darted to the rising shades, warily watching them.


    Damon raised a hand, halting her. The shades slithered into place, forming shadows at his feet like loyal hounds.


    She watched them with wide eyes.


    Damon sighed.


    "As you can see, I can control shades. Well... shadows, actually."


    Matia nodded, masking her surprise, though her hand still gripped the hilt of her sword.


    She had one burning question. And oddly, it wasn''t even about the shades.


    "Why didn''t you tell the others... do you not trust them?"


    If he didn''t trust them, she would have to reevaluate her place among them.


    Damon shook his head. "I do trust them."


    She removed her helm, letting it dissolve into drifting snowflakes.


    "Then why didn''t you tell them?"


    He smiled faintly.


    "I do. But trust and burden aren''t the same thing."


    He glanced at the shades still rising from the ruins, black silhouettes rising like smoke.


    "Knowledge is a burden. I didn''t want to give them that weight. If they knew, they''d have to lie. They''d have to carry that burden for me."


    Matia sheathed her sword with a soft hiss.


    "Very well then. I shall guard this secret with my life."


    He blinked, then laughed.


    "Wow¡ªit''s not that deep. You really need to relax."


    Matia looked awkward, literally trying to relax her shoulders and arms. Damon chuckled again.


    The shades continued to rise, one after the other, from the buildings and crevices around them.


    It was quite the sight.


    Almost like.


    A dark lord and his most loyal knight.


    Damon called shade after shade until he had nearly a hundred under his control. As he bonded with the hundredth, something entered his perception.


    He froze.


    His connection recoiled. He pulled back his shadow perception instantly.


    Then he crouched, grabbing Matia and pulling her down with him.


    Below, at the base of the slanted ruins, dark water shimmered faintly.


    Something humanoid was walking across its surface.


    His danger sense went wild.


    The creature stopped.


    And slowly... ever so slowly...


    It looked up.

 Chapter 385 - 386: Chase

    The creature''s gaze drifted upward, scanning past the slanted, geometrically disabled ruins that loomed like the broken bones of a forgotten civilization. Damon instinctively pulled his head back before their eyes could meet.


    He tugged Matia''s arm gently, slowly edging them both away from the ledge.


    The fear he felt¡ªreal, [remorseless]¡ªheld his body still, not in paralysis, but in controlled calm. A calm born from survival instinct.


    What he saw down there wasn''t just a monster¡ªit was a horrible monster.


    He didn''t even know if it had seen them yet... but he had seen it. Its body, its form, its dreadful silhouette standing in the dark.


    It resembled too many things they had already encountered in Lysithara.


    And it felt wrong.


    Tall. Gaunt. Drenched in waterlogged robes that clung like seaweed¡ªcold, decaying kelp. Its limbs were elongated, too long, arms dangling well past its knees. Its fingers were jointed wrong, the way a broken marionette''s hands might be.


    Its face... hidden. Concealed behind a cracked ceremonial mask, fused to its skull with age and black rot.


    It dripped black water constantly. The liquid sizzled and hissed upon touching anything.


    Damon didn''t dare meet its gaze. He didn''t want to.


    But he was certain... it was still staring up toward them.


    And worst of all¡ªthis wasn''t even a monster they could hope to fight. This was a being in the realm of true horror... the realm of nightmares... the realm of monsters like the Beldam.


    A creature with the power to impose its will on the world itself, shaping a small area to its nature.


    A Rank Four Monster. A creature with a domain.


    Damon knew it.


    Matia hadn''t moved. Not an inch. Her expression was calm, but her iris trembled¡ªa tiny quake betraying how shaken she truly was.


    Damon began moving. Slowly. Quietly. Back into the darkness, pulling Matia with him, step by careful step.


    Then it came.


    "Ahhh... I see you..."


    Its voice was a chorus of drowned whispers. A multitude of voices, all whispering the same words in perfect, horrific unison.


    Damon didn''t hesitate. He didn''t wait for an invitation.


    He unleashed the shades hiding in his shadow.


    "Slow it down," he whispered.


    That was all he said. That was all he needed to say. The shades scattered, becoming his eyes.


    He and Matia bolted into the darkness.


    And through the vision of his shades, Damon saw¡ªred eyes, glowing beneath the wet hood.


    The black water around the creature rose unnaturally, spiraling beneath its feet into a pillar, lifting it upward.


    Damon''s teeth clenched as he ran faster. He left more shades behind, scattered and watching.


    They were his alarm. His early warning. His window into the gap between death and escape.


    Thunderous footsteps echoed behind him. A dreadful rhythm. A heartbeat of doom.


    They reached the others¡ªjust in time.


    The party was packed and ready. Tension hung thick in the air.


    Evangeline touched Matia''s forehead, casting a spell.


    A soft glow spread over Matia''s eyes¡ªNightlight. Her vision shifted into the dark spectrum.


    Damon noticed a pair of lips resting on Evangeline''s shoulder¡ªValarie had woken up at some point.


    No time to celebrate.


    Sylvia stood at the front of the tunnel leading deeper. Her posture sharp. Eyes scanning.


    "Come on! Hurry¡ªwe don''t have time!" she barked.


    Damon followed. Leona took the lead, sword drawn, lightning dancing along her armor.


    "It''s after us," she hissed. "I can hear the whispers even here..."


    Damon ran beside her.


    "I don''t know what it is¡ªbut it''s rank four."


    Valarie, still perched on Evangeline''s shoulder, gave a dry smirk.


    "Trapped together like this... Looks like your luck just ran out."


    "Not helping!" Evangeline shouted, ducking under a shattered statue.


    "How''d you know we were in trouble?" Damon called out.


    Sylvia glanced back at him, voice grim.


    "I had a vision... of our deaths."


    He climbed over a ledge, offering a hand to the others as the sound of rushing water grew louder... vast and monstrous.


    His shades were dying one by one.


    "It''s a Drowned Saint..." she muttered.


    Sylvia spoke louder now, her voice carrying over the sound of water.


    "They''re worse than monsters."


    Valarie nodded slowly. "Used to be human. Comrades, even. They tried to save the city... and performed some terrible ritual. I don''t have all the details¡ª"


    "I do," Sylvia growled.


    "Once, they were beloved high priestesses in Lysithara. When doom loomed, they turned to forbidden rites¡ªinvoked the old gods through the metaverse. It failed. It always fails."


    Her voice grew heavy.


    "The old gods were amoral even then... even now most of them are unknowable, indifferent. They was cursed. Transformed. Half-human, half-forgotten."


    " Drowned Saints. Forever walking the surface of black waters. They can''t be killed. Only escaped."


    She took a deep breath.


    "At least... not by us."


    Then the voice returned.


    "Hehehehe... I see you..."


    Damon''s jaw clenched. He sent more shades. They vanished the moment they neared the creature.


    "If it''s Rank Four, then that water must be part of its domain..." Xander murmured, eyes gleaming with cold focus.


    "How do we escape it?" someone asked.


    Valarie''s lips curled slightly. A memory stirred in her eyes.


    "Just keep running... until you see the light."


    Damon pushed his perception outward. Shadow spilled into the tunnels.


    Then¡ªhe saw it.


    A glow.


    Not magic. Not flame.


    Moonlight.


    And behind them¡ªriding a rising surge of water¡ªthe Drowned Saint wasn''t even running. It was gliding. Riding its own flood, as if it already knew the outcome.


    "Confident bastard," Damon hissed.


    "I see it!" Leona shouted, pointing. "The light!"


    The whole party surged forward.


    But the Drowned Saint moved. The vast gap was nothing.


    It leapt. One single step¡ªand the distance between it and Evangeline vanished.


    Too fast.


    That was all Damon could think. His heart froze as its hand reached for Evangeline.


    Valarie''s voice whispered playfully.


    "Sorry. Not today."


    From the disembodied lips came a surge of white light¡ªcrackling through time itself.


    The world slowed¡ªbut only for the Saint.


    It was like it had entered a different timeline altogether.


    This was the power unique to the seventh class.


    The lips smiled faintly.


    And Damon and the others crossed into the light.


    "Stop."


    Her voice froze them. The weight behind her words left no room for doubts.


    "There''s no need to run anymore."


    They turned.


    The Drowned Saint stood at the edge of the moonlight. The pale rays revealed the rotted face beneath the hood¡ªblackened flesh, sealed beneath the mask.


    But it didn''t step forward.


    It looked down at the ground¡ªpaved in white, polished stone, carved like a palace floor.


    It turned away. And slowly, it faded back into the receding current.


    "It won''t step into another monster''s domain," Sylvia said quietly. "It doesn''t want to risk battling another Rank Four."


    The water withdrew with it.


    Damon, overwhelmed, hugged Evangeline before he could stop himself. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn''t speak.


    He pulled away quickly. her face flushed. Embarrassed.


    Damon avoided looking at her.


    He''d been afraid. Afraid she would die.


    He understood now¡ªthe horror of a Rank Four. They were like demi gods to them. And they were nothing before that power.


    But that brought a new question.


    "What do you mean we''re in another Rank Four''s domain?" he asked slowly.


    Valarie''s lips pressed together.


    Her voice was calm. Cold.


    "Welcome to the Forbidden Library."

 Chapter 386 - 387: Just Yam Head

    Valarie''s words aside, Damon looked around with an awed expression.


    They were in a library¡ªa library so vast he couldn''t even see the bottom floors. There were only books stretching in all directions, vanishing into the distance as far as the eye could see.


    They were standing on one of the upper levels, and yet somehow, despite having just been underground mere seconds ago, they''d arrived here. It didn''t make sense. It was as if the very rules of space had been distorted, warped, and perverted. Even his perception felt... wrong somehow.


    A faint mist lingered in the corners, just beneath the edges of towering bookshelves.


    He stepped closer to the arched windows, gazing out at the moonlight.


    Outside was the vast, ruined city of Lysithara in all its broken majesty. In the sky flew monstrous shapes¡ªunspeakable horrors drifting like shadows across the stars. And on the ground, twisted forms of nightmare wandered through the ruins, their outlines visible under the pale luminescence.


    The massive crystal tower in the city center glowed with bright, silver light, reflecting the moonlight that bathed the land.


    Damon froze mid-thought.


    ''Moonlight... how is there moonlight...?''


    If there was light of any kind, wouldn''t that attract the creatures from the rift? Wouldn''t it provoke a nightmarish battle that wouldn''t end until sunrise?


    "How is that possible..." he muttered aloud.


    Valarie''s lips curved into a smile.


    "Impressive, isn''t it? This is where we gathered all knowledge since the Zero Epoch... the jewel of Lysithara... the Forbidden Library..."


    Damon''s eyes flicked toward the disembodied pair of lips on Evangeline''s shoulder.


    "Ahh... right, that too. But it''s mean..."


    "The city..." Evangeline finished for him, her gaze joining the others'', all fixed on the moonlit ruins below.


    "How is the light not summoning the monsters in the rift...?" Damon asked, voice low.


    All eyes turned to Valarie.


    The pair of lips smiled, though they betrayed something heavier behind them. Perhaps they didn''t truly understand what had happened in the past either.


    "Isn''t having the moon in the sky normal...?"


    Damon shook his head. The longer he stared at the sky, the more things seemed off. Only one moon... that was strange. Aetherus had two moons.


    ''Why is there only one...?'' He shook the thought from his mind.


    Leona clenched her fists, ears twitching sharply atop her head.


    "No, that''s not it. I thought light made the rift monsters come out..."


    Valarie sighed, despite being only a pair of lips.


    Xander gripped his spear tightly, as if expecting something awful to emerge from the sky at any moment.


    "I don''t understand the rules of this strange city..."


    Valarie smiled again.


    "You don''t have to..."


    She pressed her lips together as though pondering deeply.


    "You remember how I told you we were seeking Akasha, right? And that we opened the door to the Metaverse at Mugu''s behest?"


    Sylvia nodded with an unimpressed expression¡ªmore irritated than anything else.


    "You didn''t explain anything about Akasha..."


    Valarie giggled lightly, a teasing lilt in her voice.


    "Right, my bad... but suppose I should explain. I''ve mentioned some of the names of the Outsiders to you, haven''t I?"


    Damon nodded. He could recall her mentioning only two names.


    Leona''s hand shot up, her beastkin ears perking eagerly.


    "Yes! You said Ittorath and Yam Head¡ª"


    Damon facepalmed. She got the first name right... and completely butchered the second.


    Sylvia exhaled loudly and gave her a glance.


    "Ythar. Not Yam Head, Leona..."


    "Pfttt... hahaha! That''s quite a fitting name! Ythar was quite the Yam Head..." Valarie laughed.


    Xander glanced up at the sky once more.


    "You still haven''t explained why the moonlight isn''t attracting the rift creatures."


    Valarie, still just a pair of lips, turned her unseen gaze toward the broken city.


    "Ittorath and Ythar are the only two visitors you''ve met... right?"


    Matia''s eyes narrowed behind her visor, suspicion flickering.


    "If we met them, we''d be dead. They''re supposedly beyond the Class Advancement system."


    Valarie sighed again.


    "They are. At least, their true bodies are. But in this world, they only have false forms, bound to the limitations here¡ªthe Seventh Class Advancement. Even so, they were stronger than us... they understood the systems and power far better."


    Damon frowned.


    "Wait. Are you saying even when suppressed to the same level... they were still stronger than you guys?"


    Valarie, now perched on Evangeline''s shoulder, twitched slightly.


    She hated to admit it, but...


    "More or less. They are beyond the Nine Mortal Ranks..." she paused, then added, "It''s like a master spellcaster who returns to the past with all his memories. Even if he''s in the same body as everyone else, he''ll destroy them on an even field."


    Evangeline bit her lip.


    "So basically... they had more experience. Then... how did you defeat them?"


    Valarie''s smile turned somber.


    "With the help of other outsider beings... like the former Old God Unseen Singularity, the Blind Old Daoist... and a few others..."


    "So you had a chance," Damon muttered, though more to himself.


    He still had questions¡ªlike the "Nine Mortal Ranks." He guessed that referred to the First through Seventh Class Advancements. As for why they called it "nine," maybe it was because the Sixth Class was split into three stages, adding two more?


    "That still doesn''t explain the moonlight," Xander interjected, sticking to the core mystery.


    Valarie scoffed softly.


    "Actually, it does..."


    She turned slightly, her voice lowering.


    "You told me you passed through the forest to reach this city. That forest wasn''t like that originally. It only became that way after Vathren killed Ythar. The entire Whispering Forest is Ythar''s corpse. The mist? That''s the lingering remnant of Vathren''s power, suppressing Ythar''s resentful soul..."


    She smiled¡ªmalice glinting in her tone.


    "Vathren obtained the power to kill an Outsider all by himself... and the secrets of the Ascendant Armor from the Unknown God. That was his secret... heheh... I remember now. That was his lie..."


    Damon''s eyes widened. Didn''t the knowledge of the armor come from the visitors? No... no, this made more sense. The Unknown God... he was also an Outsider.


    Knowledge of the armor came from the crystal palace, but the unknown god was also born there, the progeny of the vile thief.


    Damon recalled that much from the system.


    Valarie giggled, voice trembling slightly.


    "As for that rift in the sky... that''s just Ittorath. Trapped in a rift after Valcara and I defeated him. She imprisoned him with the second moon... and I bound him to my attribute¡ªthe Sun. He''s always searching for the moment when both attributes align... when there is light in the night."


    Her voice turned wild, filled with a madness born of rage and grief.


    "We also cursed the sky to never have an eclipse..."


    Her lips quivered, the sound caught between laughter and weeping.


    "Ahhahh... Vathren gave everything¡ªbecame a monster¡ªfor this. And we still lost."


    Her voice cracked.


    "Damn you, Mugu... Damn you. Was all this worth it? You could have just accepted it... Damn you... damn you..."


    Damon watched in silence, lips pressed tightly together, as Valarie¡ªa disembodied mouth¡ªcursed the name of Mugu, trembling with old, bitter sorrow.

 Chapter 387 - 388: Not My Problem

    The others all lowered their heads, seeing Valarie express so much rage and sorrow.


    Ever since they met her, she had always been on the cheerful and playful side. She was like the sun¡ªbright, radiant, full of energy.


    Then again, that was her attribute.


    But now... something had changed. Either more of her memories had returned, or perhaps the ancient Ascendant had chosen to reveal them.


    Damon had learned a lot.


    The Whispering Forest¡ªa literal death zone¡ªwas nothing more than the corpse of one of the Outsiders.


    It was vast, twisted, and filled with countless horrors that now called the titanic corpse their home.


    If that was the case, then what about the Duhu Mountains and all the monsters that dwelled there?


    Damon shook his head. He recalled the skill description that mentioned Mugu passing by the Duhu Mountains for the first time.


    ''Which meant the Duhu Mountains are older than the Whispering Forest...''


    The skill in question had read:


    [Omen of Dread]


    [Description]


    These vile mountains were old and ancient, leaking a small gap into the Metaverse. When Mugu came upon these mountains, he was paralyzed by the fear of the vile spirits that hid within the trees. Those who tread too close find themselves ensnared by the same terror, their bodies frozen as unseen horrors creep ever closer.


    [Effect]


    Unleashes an aura of overwhelming dread, paralyzing enemies weaker than the user and instilling hesitation in those who fear him.


    [Type]


    Active


    [Cooldown]


    3 seconds


    Which begged the question¡ªwhen Lysithara was first created, did they know the Duhu Mountains had a hole to the Metaverse? Was it intentional?


    The Metaverse seemed to be the passage or doorway that allowed entities from a higher realm to enter this world.


    At least able to bypass the goddess.


    He bit his lip.


    There were just too many questions.


    And if the Unknown God gave the six Ascendants knowledge on how to forge the Ascendant armors... then why was City Lord Vathren now corrupted?


    But above all¡ªeverything, all of it¡ªseemed to lead back to a single name.


    "Mugu..."


    Damon was certain¡ªeverything was connected to this Mugu person.


    He was the one who gave the rulers of Lysithara the idea of searching for Akasha. To do so, they needed access to the Metaverse. And by opening it, they invited the Outsiders in. The Outsiders shared knowledge... but all of them had ulterior motives.


    Which, if Damon had to guess, all led back to the so-called Pillar of Conflict.


    ''If I''m not wrong... everything was for the Pillar of Conflict. The Unknown God wants this pillar, so he designed this elaborate chessboard across three epochs...''


    Damon almost chuckled at the absurdity of it all.


    One god wanted something¡ªand three, no, four epochs of mortals had to suffer for it.


    ''Which means... this pillar is something the Goddess of Doom owns. But why does the Unknown God want it...?''


    Damon gritted his teeth.


    It didn''t make sense¡ªbut at the same time, it did. Each era had its main characters. The Zero Epoch? Damon had no idea who the key players were. But the First Epoch had Mugu, the six Ascendants, and the Outsiders. The Second Era had Ashcroft, the demons, and the temple.


    Sylvia had said Ashcroft¡ªseen through the memory of the dark spirit Rashi Ignath¡ªwas looking for this Pillar.


    ''Then there''s this epoch... me and my shadow... Lilith the priestess of the Unknown God... then there''s Sylvia, who has his tome...''


    ''What a fuck fest...''


    He couldn''t help but curse.


    Lilith had been right. The two of them were at the center of a great conflict. This went beyond war¡ªthey were caught between two true gods.


    The Goddess of Doom¡ªan ancient, boundless being beyond creation.


    And worse... the mysterious Unknown God, who was equally powerful¡ªor perhaps even more harrowing.


    ''I can''t forget the strange relationship they share... Minerva... bride of the Unknown God...''


    Just thinking that part¡ªnot even saying it¡ªmade Damon''s shadow tremble in dread.


    He shook his head. Why was he even thinking like this? He was just a small fry¡ªbarely first class.


    ''But...'' his gaze lifted to the drifting rift in the sky, like a crack in the heavens.


    That was the body of Ittorath.


    ''More Outsiders are probably still alive. Ashcroft will also return... I have a feeling¡ªno, I know¡ªthis era will be the final showdown...''


    Then there was the temple. From what he could surmise, it didn''t exist or wasn''t as strict in ancient times¡ªat least, not until after the fall of Lysithara.


    ''Which means... the temple gained power and influence after Lysithara fell...''


    Before or during the rise of the demon races, the temple had grown. It was at its peak during the age of Ashcroft.


    Damon tried connecting the timelines, tried making sense of it all. But there were just too many holes. And everything about the Zero Epoch was a blank.


    After all, even Valarie didn''t know much about it. She hadn''t even been born then.


    He clenched his teeth, thinking of Lilith Astranova.


    ''Boy do I have a lot to tell her...''


    She had been right. The secrets the temple tried so hard to bury were in the death zones and ancient ruins.


    And there were still clues Ashcroft had left behind.


    Regardless of who won¡ªwhether the Goddess of Doom or the Unknown God¡ªthe result was bound to be catastrophic.


    But Damon shook his head.


    I don''t care about that. I can''t care about that right now...


    "My priority is saving my sister..."


    And what better place to do that than a library with almost every book ever written in the past three hundred thousand years?


    "Damon... Damon, hello?"


    Leona waved her hand in front of his face.


    She frowned, arms crossed.


    "You''ve been standing there absent-minded for the past seventeen minutes. Let''s go already¡ªwe''re all waiting for you."


    Damon turned around, blinking as if snapping out of a daze. He glanced at his party.


    He snickered softly.


    Who was he kidding?


    The most important task... was surviving.


    Let the gods play their games.


    For now... it wasn''t his problem.


    "That''s future Damon''s problem. And I have a feeling he''s in for a shitshow."

 Chapter 388 - 389: Hail Unknown — The Unknown God

    They moved deeper into the library, searching for the door¡ªand hopefully, a way out.


    Xander moved through the moon-bathed rows of shelves. The library almost reminded him of his older brother.


    His brother had spent countless hours in places like this, studying war strategies to use in the demon wars. That is, when he wasn''t out on the training grounds.


    Xander gritted his teeth. He had seen many horrors while trapped in the ruined city of Lysithara... but he couldn''t be sure if they compared to the horrors his brother had witnessed in war.


    ''When he returned... he was no longer the man I remembered.''


    His brother had looked hollow inside, like someone carrying a sin too heavy to confess¡ªhaunted, as though he feared someone would discover what he had done.


    Xander was no longer a child. He''d seen his fair share of nightmares. Even so... he didn''t understand his brother.


    That man¡ªonce the person Xander admired most¡ªnow did nothing but drink and shut himself away.


    The wind drifted through the tall, arched windows lining the walls. Xander cast a glance toward them, then looked back at the others.


    They were on a very high spire.


    "Hey, why aren''t we jumping out the window?"


    Damon sneered and gave a shrug.


    "I don''t know, because we don''t want to die...?"


    Xander narrowed his eyes in irritation.


    "I can slow our fall, you know. I was asking why we aren''t using my ability to control gravity."


    The disembodied lips of Valarie Sunwarden smiled faintly.


    "There are a few reasons, if you must ask... the library walls are warded, the internal space is disorganized, there are chaotic time streams in the area, monsters in the air, on the walls, and even more waiting on the way down... among other things."


    Damon snickered. "He''s too eager to die. How about you defenestrate yourself?"


    Xander clicked his tongue. He''d practically invited Damon to pick on him.


    He glanced at Evangeline, silently hoping she''d put Damon in his place before things escalated again.


    She met Damon''s antics with a tired look, resting her hands on her hips.


    "That''s enough. You''re doing too much."


    Damon scoffed but listened, walking ahead between Xander and Leona. He had several shades scattered forward, acting as his eyes in the shadows.


    Thanks to them, they had avoided direct confrontations with any of the library''s monstrous inhabitants.


    Still, the place was like so many they''d passed¡ªit was unnerving.


    Some of the books were cursed. Others were alive. They had even passed a shelf with actual eyeballs peering at them from the spines.


    Apparently, it was always like this.


    Damon was starting to understand why the people of Lysithara called it the Forbidden Library.


    And yet... Damon would''ve risked it for a good book. Goddess knows Sylvia already had.


    She''d ended up blasted into a wall by a warded shelf.


    They''d learned from Valarie that the library was locked¡ªthe city''s Lord Key was required to access most of the library''s restricted knowledge, as well as other city functions.


    Damon had to abandon any hopes of finding a cure for his sister here.


    The knowledge to cure magic circuit cancer might still exist in this library... but it was out of reach.


    Still, it wasn''t a wasted trip. The library was filled with ancient tomes, and after so many battles and the passage of time, some of the wards protecting the shelves had broken.


    "Which means we could find some nice spell books, skill books, scrolls... heheh."


    "Or we could find something cursed and die..." Evangeline said flatly. Damon hadn''t realized he was thinking out loud.


    He coughed awkwardly.


    "Sorry about that. My love for material wealth almost got the best of me."


    Evangeline sneered. "At least you know."


    Damon nodded, almost taking the hit with grace¡ªuntil Sylvia spoke, a teasing smile on her lips.


    "Actually... cursed books sell for a great price. Especially if you auction them as relics found in the legendary Path of Kings¡ªLysithara."


    Damon''s love for money flared.


    He couldn''t help but say playfully, "I love you, Sylvia. You''re the best."


    Sylvia''s face turned completely red. She lowered her head, flustered¡ªeven though she knew he was joking, her heart pounded.


    Damon, already fantasizing about potential profits, began eyeing every broken shelf. He''d even sent his shades Futher shadows skimming around the library, looking for weak spots.


    So far, they''d found nothing... even after traveling downward for hours.


    It was roughly three hours before dawn when Valarie finally said they were close to the library''s exit.


    The journey had been mostly uneventful, save for the occasional monster that caught sight of them¡ªthose didn''t last long.


    They''d survived by sticking to the lower-class threats, thanks to Damon''s scouting. He called his shades back, letting them slither into the shadows and vanish beneath his feet without anyone noticing.


    Soon, they arrived at a wide floor.


    A plaque read:


    History and Theology Wing.


    Damon halted.


    The open chamber made his skin crawl. Despite his danger sense, he didn''t feel any immediate threat.


    He scanned the room¡ªand saw it.


    A massive, hooded librarian sat slumped on a chair.


    Impaled by dozens of swords, wrapped in heavy chains, unmoving. He was massive¡ªeasily thirty meters tall. Covered in a cloak, face unseen.


    Runes circled the floor around him.


    It wasn''t the first corpse they''d seen, but something about this one made Damon uneasy.


    Valarie made a small noise as she stared at the giant figure.


    It looked... as if it were watching something.


    When Damon followed the gaze, he saw it too: a mural. It bore the symbol of the Unknown God.


    And beneath it, carved words.


    Damon found himself reading them aloud.


    All hail Unknown ¡ª


    God of Names, Unmaker of All.


    The Dreamer and the Void,


    The Birth and the Silence.


    Wielder of All Absolutes,


    Bringer of Truth, Master of lies


    Genesis Alpha ¡ª the First Light,


    Nemesis Omega ¡ª the Last Breath.


    He who is the Law, and He who denies it.


    He who dreams reality and wakes into nothingness.


    The End of Ends, the Origin of Origins.


    God of Wrath. God of Resentment.


    Praise to the God of the Damned.


    Hail the Lord of Choice.


    Unseen Sovereign.


    The Silent Witness.


    Discordia the Imperfect.


    Hail the Paradox.


    Hail the Abyss.


    Hail Unknown, the Unknown God.


    As he spoke the final words, a pulse ran through the air¡ªso faint it could''ve been imagined. And yet... Damon swore the mural breathed.


    "Hail... hail... hail..." a withered voice echoed from behind them.


    Chains rattled.


    The supposedly dead librarian lifted its head, eyes glowing faintly beneath the hood.


    "I offer your souls to the Unknown God..."


    Damon''s danger sense exploded.

 Chapter 389 390: Nemoriel

    The air rippled¡ªspace itself seemed to tear as Damon felt the visceral sensation of death...


    And just before the absolute sensation of death could reach them¡ª


    The chains and the runes on the ground flared, glowing in harsh, ancient light as they yanked the Liberian down like a puppet meeting its strings.


    The ground trembled violently.


    Damon hadn''t even moved. It had been fast¡ªso fast. The air in the forbidden library had only begun to shift after the movement had finished, as if reality lagged behind it.


    As if stunned, Damon slowly lowered his head, his gaze falling upon the runes etched into the stone and the iron chains linked to the tens of ancient, cursed swords impaled through the librarian''s grotesque body.


    He hadn''t seen it before¡ªnot with the heavy hood masking its features¡ªbut now, as the chains dragged the supposedly dead librarian lower, his face emerged into the light.


    Rotten teeth like thin yellow needles jutted from his mouth, black and brown smudges coating them like decay itself had made a home there. His face was half-rotted, pulsing with blue-black veins. His skull was bald¡ªsections caved inward like wax melted under divine judgment. Thick, green mucus leaked from his chest where the swords still held him in place.


    "Ahhh..." he groaned¡ªa long, guttural exhale laced with age-old pain¡ªhis voice trembling from the suffocating magic that sealed him.


    Damon and his party had survived. They had lived... only because they''d stopped just short of the boundary of his seal.


    If they had taken a step further¡ªif they had truly believed he was dead and gone closer...


    ''Then we would have died...''


    If they hadn''t paused to read the words scrawled across the walls¡ªif they had dismissed them like the others had¡ª


    ''We would have never made it out alive.''


    Damon could feel it now¡ªits dreadful aura, thick and oppressive like smog in the lungs. It was unmistakable... This was the aura of a monster that had reached the Fourth Class Advancement.


    A rank four monster.


    This entire section of the library ¡ªit was its domain. He could exert control here, bend world itself within this small zone.


    That was why the Drowned Saint hadn''t followed. It had sensed it too. It didn''t want to risk facing this.


    But someone¡ªsomething¡ªhad sealed this creature here.


    It wasn''t a random event. No... it was intentional. A punishment? A prison? Or perhaps a duty... guarding the library. Or maybe it was never guarding the books¡ªbut the words on the walls. The murals. The secrets.


    The others had gone pale. Their feet shuffled, slowly retreating.


    The librarian twitched¡ªslowly pushing himself up, blood seeping from his ruined mouth. As he stood, he began to whisper¡ªhis voice distant, almost ritualistic.


    A poem. One they had all heard during their time in these vile lands.


    "...The Weeping Star came first, and the god who gives names devoured its light. All names that followed were lies."


    He continued, whispering in that same monotonous, hollow voice¡ªas if he had spoken these words a thousand times before, each repetition tearing a bit more from his sanity.


    "...So the goddess took it, carved it from the hearts of men and cast it into the void."


    "...In oblivion, she bound them. In silence, she damned herself."


    Damon and the others watched in horror, too afraid to interrupt, too uncertain of his limits. Even sealed, Damon''s danger sense was still flaring¡ªless violently than before, but present. Always present.


    Sylvia backed away, step by trembling step, until her back hit something solid.


    She froze. That was supposed to be the way they''d come... it should have been clear.


    Slowly, her gaze shifted¡ªand what she saw made her breath catch in her throat.


    A bookshelf... no. A thing pretending to be a shelf. Its surface was sticky, made of twisted, jutted human flesh¡ªpale skin stretched over bones, orange bodily fluids oozing between the cracks.


    She gritted her teeth, choking back bile, forcing herself to pull away. Her hair and skin peeled from it, strands sticking to the shelf with greasy clumps of human fat.


    Evangeline turned, catching the sight just as the librarian continued.


    "...He called her Bride, but the veil she wore was never white¡ªit was woven of false fates."


    She glanced at Xander, then to Leona.


    With only a nod, the three unleashed a torrent of magic¡ªgravity, light, lightning¡ªall hurtled at the grotesque bookshelf.


    But the magic faded, dissipating into the thick air like stones tossed into the sea.


    Damon clenched his jaw. He knew what was coming.


    The librarian reached the end of the poem.


    "The god who blessed names hated his own..."


    "Ohh, tragic tale of the abyss and his bride..."


    The wind shifted.


    The librarian raised his hand.


    And suddenly, Damon and the others were airborne.


    Their bodies slammed against the floor with bone-snapping force. Blood splattered. Bones cracked. Damon''s head spun¡ªthe world flipped.


    He groaned, breath stolen from his lungs.


    He heard the others cry out in pain.


    The chains rattled. The librarian groaned as his hand rose once more.


    Reality shattered.


    Up was down. Right was left. No direction mattered. The geometry of the library broke apart¡ªbookshelves floating, twisting, multiplying endlessly. There was no gravity, no consistency¡ªonly madness.


    This... was the horror of a Fourth Class domain.


    Even if it couldn''t move from its seal, as long as they stood within the space it ruled... they were bound by its laws.


    There were two types of Domains. One, forged in a place familiar to the user¡ªunshakable, powerful, personalized. The other, a mobile, temporary construct.


    This was the former.


    Each domain bore the soul of its creator¡ªits fears, its ideals, its philosophy.


    In simple terms, a Domain was a soul given form¡ªa throne built from the caster''s mind.


    And this one... reeked of madness.


    Death hung thick in the air.


    "This domain is The Indexium..." the librarian suddenly froze¡ªmotion halted, as if time had skipped a beat.


    A voice had echoed from an impossible place¡ªfrom a pair of lips on Evangeline''s shoulder.


    Valarie Sunwarden''s.


    "You''re Nemoriel... aren''t you..."


    The corrupted librarian gasped, the sound wet and trembling. Something ancient flickered in his ruined eyes¡ªrecognition... pain.


    He collapsed to his knees.


    "That voice... Lady Valarie... you... you persist even now..."


    Valarie''s lips pressed together in the air.


    "You are Nemoriel, Vathren''s student... boy, what has become of you..."


    The ancient librarian went still.


    Damon and the others forced their bodies to move. Sylvia seized the moment to heal them¡ªher hands glowing faintly, flickering like a candle against a storm.


    Nemoriel remained on his knees, broken.


    "I saw... too much..." he whispered. "I learned too much... I gazed into the eyes of a god... I gazed into the abyss... ahhhh... ahhh..."


    His voice cracked, weak and brittle, like dry leaves breaking underfoot. He trembled¡ªnot from rage, but from terror. He was too afraid to scream. What if his scream called it back...


    Valarie''s voice hovered now, drifting from Evangeline''s shoulder into the air.


    "Nemoriel, you were with Vathren when he and Mugu conducted the ritual... to call the unknown god. You were there the day Vathren received knowledge of the Ascendant Armors..."


    "Please... I need you to tell me..."


    "What did you two give the unknown god? What did Vathren ask for... why did he become corrupted... ?"


    Nemoriel shook¡ªtremors wracking his body.


    Damon had never seen a horror tremble like that.


    Still, the words fell from his lips.


    "Master... Master... he... failed... he failed, he failed, he failed..."

 Chapter 390 391: A Gods Game

    The corrupted librarian, Nemoriel, remained on his knees as if reliving a harrowing memory, his hulking form trembling beneath the weight of something ancient and dreadful.


    "It was during the siege.... we were losing, even with the help of some of the visitors... we stood no chance. Worst of all... we knew the truth... these allies of ours did not have our best interest at heart..."


    His voice¡ªlow, pained¡ªbroke through the thick silence like the groan of a dying colossus. Each word dragged through his throat as if barbed, his tone steeped in suffering.


    "It was then Mugu offered a way to Master. He claimed he felt guilty for what had happened... what was happening... he wanted to atone..."


    Nemoriel''s face remained as disgusting as ever¡ªbloated with rot and centuries of decay¡ªbut his voice carried a grief they could not ignore.


    Corrupted for thousands of years... and still he persisted.


    Now that Damon thought about it, the ancient residents of Lysithara must have truly loved this city. That was why¡ªeven corrupted¡ªthey still rose to fight Ittorath and his minions whenever they appeared from the rift, still clinging to their broken vows.


    "Master couldn''t blame him. We had all been greedy for the Akasha and what it represented. The goddess... she had a reason. She simply taken away everyone''s true names and modified the ranking system... all so she could stop the Unknown God from gaining influence in this world..."


    Valarie''s lips pressed together. She had been corrupted too. But unlike Nemoriel, she had done something unthinkable¡ªcut off the part of her that had been tainted, which, in her case, was most of her physical body. Only her lips remained... a disembodied, floating mouth.


    It was all that was left of her.


    Yet, seeing Nemoriel... she realized she wasn''t the only one who had fought against the rot that came from the Metaverse and the outsiders who had brought it.


    "What... what did Mugu make you do...?" she asked quietly.


    The others all watched in silent horror as the thirty-meter-tall librarian began to weep in agony, black tears oozing from the sockets of his ruined face, as though fulfilling some great and final purpose.


    "We helped him with a ritual... that sent our minds into the Metaverse. Since the Unknown God could not enter our tiny realm without destroying it..."


    ''The Metaverse...'' Damon''s mind spun.


    There, they had conversed with the Unknown God.


    Each of them had received something... in return for something else. Equivalent exchange.


    "Master received the knowledge of the Ascendant Armors... and the power that would guarantee that as long as he remained in Lysithara, he would never be vanquished by an outsider....."


    Nemoriel paused, trembling.


    "But he did not have enough to make an equivalent exchange... for those boons."


    Sylvia''s eyes narrowed. She already suspected what would come next. The Unknown God... was not simply benevolent. He was cruel as well.


    "He gave you options. A choice..." she muttered, half-afraid the corrupted librarian would lash out.


    "Ahh... yessss..." Nemoriel hissed, voice threadbare.


    "He offered for us to play a game... in which he would ask questions with obvious answers. If we won, he would grant us what we wanted."


    Valarie''s expression darkened. She could already see how they had lost. And yet, she still needed to know... how Vathren had gotten that knowledge. Why he had lied, told them it came from the outsiders and not a god.


    "What questions..." she breathed.


    Nemoriel rasped and held his head, the chains wrapped around him rattling with the motion.


    "It was a simple question... ''What happens when a god dies?''"


    "We pondered for what felt like eternity. And finally, we gave our answer. ''A god cannot die.''"


    He clutched his skull tighter, his form convulsing.


    "We failed... the answer was simple. ''When a god dies, the world dies with them.'' He wasn''t asking if a god could die. He was asking what comes after. We expected a trick... so he used simplicity..."


    Damon''s heart twisted.


    ''The Unknown God... he''s a horror...''


    Nemoriel''s chains rattled once more. The dozens of rusted swords embedded in his monstrous body ached less than the memories did.


    "Then he asked us the second question... ''What happens when a true god dies?''"


    Damon tensed. He could already see the answer forming, logical, cruel in its scope.


    "If a normal god''s death causes the death of the world... then a true god''s death would be the end of the omniverse. Existence itself would cease. The Metaverse, the Multiverse, all dimensions... all of it dies too."


    He voiced it aloud.


    Nemoriel turned his gaze on him, nodding.


    "That was our answer as well... but we were wrong."


    His voice became hollow, dead.


    "The answer was simple... death is a mortal concept. True gods do not die. All concepts are mortal before a true god. Thus... we failed again..."


    Xander drew in a sharp breath, fear forming on his lips. The whole game had been a deception¡ªestablishing a pattern, only to shatter it with truth.


    And yet... they couldn''t argue with the logic. It was divine logic.


    "Yet... you returned with the knowledge, didn''t you?" Evangeline whispered, her tone faint, as though afraid her words would provoke something.


    Nemoriel cast his gaze down, hiding his hideous face behind the curtain of his own shame.


    "We did. He gave us more than we asked for. Each of us received a boon... and a bane."


    "What was the bane...?" Valarie asked, almost desperately.


    "Time..."


    The word came out like a curse.


    "We were cursed with time. If we found the Pillar of Conflict before the time limit... we would be free. If we failed... we would be corrupted. Our minds... corroded by endless time. Until we fulfilled a series of tasks..."


    Leona clenched the side of her hand, eyes flashing.


    "So you were enslaved... even with a choice. Why did you agree to play his game?"


    Nemoriel lifted his broken eyes to her, and in that gaze was a madness forged by eons.


    "We were desperate."


    He said it without shame, without defiance. Just truth.


    "Still... even now I know it was a fair bargain. We cannot in good faith say we were swindled. He gave a choice. I accept that..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes, stepping closer.


    "What did he give you?"


    Nemoriel smiled, and for a moment the grotesque stretching of his lips revealed a maw full of jagged, needle-like teeth.


    "Our wishes... Master wished to save this world... to undo the events we had caused. I wished for knowledge. Mugu... he was resentful of the ruler of Valtheron..."


    He paused.


    "We all got our wishes..."


    Their eyes widened.


    ''Valtheron...? Isn''t that our homeland...?''


    His gaze lingered on Evangeline, and something unspoken passed between them. Her eyes flickered, filled with dread.


    They all got their wishes.


    "And we all paid the price."

 Chapter 391 392: A Clue To Die For

    As soon as Nemoriel uttered those final words, his body began to crack.


    Veins of light tore through the corrupted flesh of the ancient librarian. His form, towering and grotesque, started to disintegrate before their eyes. He opened his mouth, and a desperate gasp escaped.


    "Huh... my task... it''s... is this my final task? Am I finally free... to die...?"


    Tears streamed down his rotten, patchworked face. Even as his body turned to radiant fragments, Nemoriel did not vanish just yet.


    He had more to say¡ªand the more he spoke, the faster the end would come.


    "It is here... in this world... hidden by the goddess... the Ninth Pillar. The Pillar of Conflict. Bellum... It is the first of many. The Unknown God has traversed countless worlds to find them. He will obtain them. He will reveal the lie of the True Gods... and the True Demon Kings..."


    He cast a final glance at the ancient murals on the walls, their faded symbols now beginning to glow.


    "My time has come... There isn''t much time..."


    "What lie?" Sylvia asked, her voice taut with urgency.


    "The lie of perfection... when Discordia exists... The lie of perfection... when the One True Unknown God exists... He is both..." Nemoriel''s voice cracked with reverence and horror. "They all signed the No Absolutes Accord after the war... but he is... the Arbiter..."


    His body gave way further, collapsing into motes of soft, dying light.


    "The... the Snake Temple... You must find the place where the God of the Abyss blessed his priestess..."


    Damon stood frozen as the chains binding the librarian began to fade, vanishing like morning mist.


    Nemoriel raised his gaze one last time, staring at the murals¡ªat memories too old for words.


    "Years ago, someone named Ashcroft came here. I told him all I could... and he left... swearing to spread the truths he''d learned... He sealed me here... forced me to finish my task, even as my mind deteriorated..."


    He turned his gaze to them, the glimmer of purpose lighting up what remained of his expression.


    "You must seek the truth of the Zero Epoch... Wake the lesser gods... The drums of war will soon beat once more..."


    Then, faintly, a smile¡ªgentle, sad¡ªsettled on his disfigured face as he looked to Valarie.


    "Goodbye... Lady Valarie... I hope the times had been kinder to you..."


    His body shrank into a glowing mass of light. Sparks scattered in every direction. The oppressive power in his domain began to fade, just like the Beldam after she died.


    Damon had so many questions. Was this truly Nemoriel''s final task¡ªto tell him all this? Then why did it only raise more?


    More than that... Ashcroft had been here.


    The one who always left behind clues. The one whose footsteps echoed in every shadow they uncovered.


    And Nemoriel mentioned the place where the God of the Abyss blessed his priestess...


    ''Lilith...'' Damon thought of her¡ªhis senior, the woman with the burning emerald eyes and the haunting grace.


    She was the priestess of the Unknown God...


    If they found where she had received her stigmata... they would have another piece of this tangled puzzle.


    But even now, Damon could feel it¡ªthe Unknown God had all the pieces in his hand. And somewhere, out there, Doom would make her move. She had kept him at bay this long.


    As the final glimmers of Nemoriel''s soul faded into silence...


    Valarie''s disembodied lips floated quietly in the air, suspended above broken chains and cracked stone.


    Then¡ª


    A figure appeared in the mist, standing where Nemoriel had vanished.


    He gave off no aura. No warmth. No hostility.


    And yet, every instinct in Damon screamed.


    A dreadful chill sunk into the marrow of their bones.


    He stood there, silent¡ªlike a ghost, born of sorrow and ashes. The mist clung to him, refusing to part.


    Then he spoke. A single, husky whisper carried by the air.


    "...Nemo..."


    Damon shuddered.


    He remembered that presence¡ªthe weight of it. The oppressive dread. The nameless terror.


    This was him.


    The former City Lord of Lysithara.


    The one creature they had never wanted to encounter.


    The Keeper of False Truths.


    Valarie felt the dread grip the hearts of Damon and the others, but she knew¡ªVathren had not come for them.


    He had come to say farewell to his fallen disciple.


    Somewhere deep within her heart... a memory stirred. A child, covered in mud, had once clung to the robe of a tall man cloaked in mist¡ªbegging to become his apprentice.


    Vathren had refused.


    But Nemoriel had persisted.


    He had become a student to a reluctant teacher. In time... Vathren had come to love him like a son.


    Even corrupted, the city lord must have felt the moment Nemoriel died. And he must have celebrated, too¡ªfor the long-awaited liberation of the one who had suffered most.


    Where a corpse should have remained, there was only a book.


    A final remnant of a student who had endured many millennia of corruption.


    The same as the rest of his city.


    "Nemoriel never doubted you, did he?" Valarie''s voice echoed in the stillness.


    "Always believed... even when everyone else gave up hope. Is that why you were so desperate for the Ascendant Armors?"


    Vathren¡ªno, the Keeper of False Truths¡ªlowered his head.


    A single white teardrop slipped from the mist. It struck the floor with a quiet plop.


    "I... I wanted to save him, too... Mugu lied again. He didn''t pay any price. Because he was the one who let the Unknown God in..."


    The Keeper''s voice was heavy. Hollow.


    "He was his prophet... Still, I chose to hope. Because... while He is a Unknown..."


    His words trembled.


    "...He is also a god...."


    Damon''s eyes widened.


    His heart raced.


    He heard the word¡ªUnknown. But the Keeper hadn''t meant it in title¡ªhe meant it literally.


    Why not an unknown, but he said a unknown.


    And that was impossible.


    The word was forbidden. The goddess herself had made it so.


    Damon made a single, terrible conjecture.


    ''He''s a True Demon King... and a True God... at the same time...''


    But how could that be?


    How could one being be both the peak of divinity ... and the pinnacle of depravity?


    The One True Demon God.


    That was the true meaning behind "Unknown God."


    If that were the case, then he was also... their lie.


    It was so obvious... the imperfection... was....


    It was senseless¡ªmadness¡ªbut the moment Damon had that thought¡ª


    A warm sensation spread across his lips.


    He looked down.


    Blood.


    Blood was pooling beneath him, soaking through his clothes. His legs trembled. Then collapsed.


    "Ahhh... wha¡ª?"


    His body hit the stone floor with a dull thud.


    Before his confusion could register¡ªbefore a single breath could escape¡ª


    A system chime echoed in his ears.


    [You have died.]


    That was it.


    Damon died.

 Chapter 392 393: Dreaming The Nightmare Of The Unknown God

    Death was the natural end of all life. All mortals die. It was the ultimate finality.


    It came for kings and beggars alike.


    It was equal to all¡ªabsolute.


    No matter how long you lived¡ªa day, a century, a millennium, or even an eon¡ªso long as you were mortal, you would fall into the embrace of death.


    Just as we are not asked when we are born, we are not asked when we will die.


    All exist within the circle of life and death.


    We are all fated to die.


    Doom was a goddess of fate¡ªshe was also the goddess of death.


    If she wanted anyone¡ªor anything¡ªto end, then it would be the end of their fate.


    But the Unknown God... he was different. He was the god of the circle itself.


    The beginning and the end.


    The god of choice, who believed fate belonged not to deities... but to those who chose.


    Damon was born in the world of Aetherus...


    He was a creature molded by the hands of Doom herself.


    She held dominion over his soul¡ª


    At least, until Damon made a choice.


    He called to the Unknown God.


    With a prayer. With a heart full of burning resentment.


    He had spoken words only that god would hear.


    And the god answered.


    He was given a choice¡ª


    The same one he was given now.


    System Reinitialization Complete


    [Do you wish to proceed?]


    [Y/N]


    When Damon had first received the system, he had been given an option.


    Did he wish to proceed?


    The Unknown God was cruel...


    But he was also benevolent.


    A god of duality.


    He believed in choice.


    And that belief had changed everything.


    Damon''s eyes slowly fluttered open...


    Tears streamed down his cheeks, unbidden, uncontrollable.


    He had dreamt.


    A nightmare.


    The nightmare of the Unknown God.


    These tears... they weren''t his.


    And yet, he couldn''t remember the dream.


    It slipped away like most dreams¡ªvanished into oblivion.


    Only the echo of pain remained in his chest.


    And by the time his vision adjusted to the dim light... even that was gone.


    His lungs sucked in air.


    His corpse... now warm.


    He could feel it¡ª


    His heartbeat.


    His memories returning like fragments of broken glass.


    And there, before his eyes¡ª


    A floating panel.


    ''Yes,'' he willed.


    [Welcome back to the Living, Shadow System Individual: Death Dealer]


    [Your shadow is alive.]


    Damon stared.


    There was a warm weight on his chest, but he was too weak to move.


    Too weak to care.


    This... this was what he had seen the first time.


    But what came next was different.


    [Welcome back, Death Dealer. Your soul has stabilized.]


    [Time elapsed: 31 days, 6 hours, 17 minutes.]


    [Restoration Status: Complete.]


    Damon opened his mouth as if to gasp¡ª


    But no sound came.


    He simply lay there, eyes wide, watching the panel flicker.


    [You have died...]


    That line.


    It cut through the fog.


    Everything clicked.


    He had learned secrets.


    Terrible secrets.


    The first was the truth of the Unknown God.


    The second¡ª


    The lie of the gods.


    And for that...


    He had died.


    But the system panel wasn''t finished.


    [You have evoked the ire of the True Gods, the True Demon Kings, the True Dragons.]


    [Authority: Law Maker has been used to protect you.]


    [Notice]


    [Failed]


    [Failed]


    [Failed]


    Damon''s heart pounded as the failures flooded the screen¡ª


    One after the other, hundreds, thousands, millions,blurring past.


    [The Unknown God is displeased.]


    [Authority: Karma Maker has been used.]


    [Your fate has been...]


    [You have been written out by the God of Inspiration.]


    [Plot Manipulation Resistance has been used]


    [Failed...]


    [True Dragon ***** has devoured you]


    [Failed]


    [Failed...]


    [True demon..... has...]


    On and on.


    Time itself seemed to stop.


    The gods wanted him gone.


    Truly gone.


    [You have been destroyed by the God of Cosmos.]


    [Authority: Dream Maker has been used.]


    [You are dreaming¡ªthe nightmare¡ªof the Unknown God.]


    [Authority: No Absolutes has been used.]


    [Successful...]


    [Your fate has been concealed.]


    [You have been bestowed the skill: Fate Manipulation Resistance.]


    [Failed]


    [Notice: Individual Death Dealer does not meet skill requirements.]


    [Authority: Creation Maker has been used.]


    [Mastery Created: Fate Manipulation Resistance Lv.1]


    [Authority: Life and Death Maker has been used.]


    [Individual: Death Dealer has been resurrected.]


    [Memories of Individual: Death Dealer have been sealed. Increase Fate Manipulation Mastery to unlock.]


    Damon''s pupils dilated.


    He stared in horror.


    These were thirty-one days'' worth of System messages.


    The true gods.


    The true demons.


    The true dragons.


    All of them wanted him dead.


    And the Unknown God...


    He had fought them all.


    All to keep Damon alive.


    [Notice: System Mechanic Item has been unlocked.]


    [You have one item.]


    [Do you wish to use it?]


    [Y/N]


    Damon blinked.


    His heart swelled with dread.


    He couldn''t remember what he had figured out¡ª


    And he didn''t want to.


    His death had been too sudden.


    Too final.


    Too complete.


    ''Yes.''


    [Item: Message Scroll]


    A small scroll appeared¡ªpure white.


    The moment it manifested, it fused into the system panel.


    [Message]


    [You died knowing the truth. But truth comes with a price.


    You are resurrected.


    Your fate is now concealed in the eyes of the gods.


    You are erased.


    You now belong to the Abyss.


    Your next death shall be final.


    The Unknown God watches with gleaming interest...


    All has fallen according to plan.]


    Damon''s breath hitched.


    He had thought his death was because he learned the secret.


    He had believed the Unknown God had fought tooth and nail to defy the True beings...


    But no.


    ''This was all part of his plan...''


    The True beings


    All of them had tried to bury the truth.


    Damon froze.


    He couldn''t recall what the secret was...


    It was just¡ªgone.


    His eyes widened.


    Everything was going according to someone''s plan.


    This...


    This was what it felt like to be part of a god''s design.


    Damon couldn''t even feel resentment.


    Because in exchange for his memory, he had been given something else¡ªa direction, a purpose, a clue that might save his sister¡ª


    A gift.


    A single truth¡ª


    One that still burned in his soul:


    The knowledge that would allow him to save his sister.


    That was his reward.


    For dying.


    For being obliterated before he even had the chance to be afraid.


    He whispered, voice dry and rasping¡ª


    "The place where I can find the cure..."


    And in that single breath, the nightmare began again.

 Chapter 393 - 394: 31 days

    Damon didn''t get a chance to check his system panel¡ªor even discover the new mechanic, or the mastery of fate manipulation resistance.


    What he noticed first was the weight on his chest.


    It was white.


    No¡ªhe was staring at white hair, strands of snow-like hair floating gently as a pair of soft breaths rose and fell against his skin.


    A beautiful young woman.


    An elf.


    Her ears were long, regal, pointed like crescent moons. Her face, though delicate, carried shadows under her eyes¡ªdark circles born not of sleep, but grief. Fatigue. She had waited long. Too long.


    Damon tried to move his hand, but¡ª


    He tilted his head slightly, wincing, and found his right hand was firmly buried in the bosom of another girl¡ªthis one bearing the distinctive ears of a beast-kin. Her long black hair had streaks of white, and her face bore streaks of dried blood.


    Her armor reeked of death¡ªblood caked in layers, the aftermath of slaughter still lingering thick in the air.


    Damon tried to pry his hand free, or at least will his body to move. But it was stiff, rigid. Cold, even.


    Dying could do that to you.


    But dying millions of times... being erased from existence... torn through the cosmic whirlpool of godly authority and divine laws...?


    Stiff limbs were the least of his problems.


    The fact that he was breathing at all was miracle enough.


    His awkward, shaky movements didn''t go unnoticed.


    The elf girl¡ªSylvia¡ªstirred first. Her head had been resting over his chest, and it rose ever so slightly as if she had been listening intently for the rhythm of his heart.


    And when she heard it¡ªthat steady, miraculous beat¡ªshe froze, then slowly lifted her head.


    Tears welled in her already-tired eyes.


    When Damon looked back at her¡ªconfused, blinking slowly like he''d just returned from the bottom of the abyss¡ªSylvia let out a small, sharp gasp.


    She moved instantly.


    Just as Leona stirred from her half-sleep, Sylvia dived toward Damon¡ªletting out a sound that was part sob, part relief¡ªas tears spilled freely from her eyes, soaking his face with warmth and salt and emotion too heavy for words.


    Leona trembled beside them, one hand gripping his arm, the other wiping her face as her own tears refused to stop falling.


    She seemed almost like a crying child.


    Damon''s body was still half-numb, but he managed to lift one hand slowly, gently running it through Sylvia''s hair¡ªtrying to soothe her, or perhaps remind himself this wasn''t some cruel dream.


    He heard it then¡ªthe rush of footsteps. The door slammed open.


    Xander came through first, sword still bloody, face pale.


    Behind him came Matia and Evangeline¡ªEvangeline carrying Valarie on her shoulder.


    Their bodies were stained, blood-soaked, their hair a mess of battle and dread.


    And all of them¡ªevery last one of them¡ªstopped in their tracks.


    They stared at him.


    The impossible.


    The unthinkable.


    "Damon..."


    Xander''s voice cracked from the relief.


    Then they all swarmed him.


    Damon couldn''t remember every word that was said¡ªeverything blurred around the edges. But he remembered their faces.


    He remembered their tears.


    The relief. The joy.


    They had stayed.


    Thirty-one days.


    They had stayed with his body, fighting, surviving, hoping¡ªbelieving¡ªthat maybe... just maybe... this wasn''t the end.


    Xander tried so hard not to cry. He kept his face tilted toward the ceiling, eyes hidden behind his hand. But the soft plip of falling tears onto the floor betrayed him.


    Matia and Evangeline crushed him in a hug that nearly shattered his ribs.


    Leona and Sylvia refused to let go.


    And for the first time in a long while...


    Damon realized¡ª


    He had never been alone.


    Not for a second.


    He may not have been a perfect person.


    But he was loved.


    And that... that made all the suffering worth it.


    ---


    It took time for everyone to settle. Damon was still a little listless, soul not fully synced, thoughts still adrift.


    Dying for a month could do that to a man.


    When the haze finally lifted, he began to recognize his surroundings.


    They were in a room¡ªa large one. Ornate. The kind nobles would keep for guests they respected.


    He was on a bed. Large. Comfortable. The sheets had the scent of old magic.


    The room itself was carved with runes¡ªtemperature regulation, air purification, silent warding. Quality-of-life runes, nothing offensive.


    There were remnants of ruined luxury¡ªancient Lysitharan technology long since broken: a dead screen, a broken light panel, a cracked timekeeper that still flickered the current hour.


    This place was no dungeon... it wasn''t hell either.


    It was a mansion. They had found him sanctuary in this very hell.


    He flexed his fingers slowly.


    Everyone watched him, ready to help. Ready to hold him if he fell.


    Leona was already gone, rushing to prepare food¡ªso much food. Normally, Damon cooked for her. Now she was repaying him with everything she had.


    He smiled faintly.


    "Thank you..."


    Leona nodded through a sniffle, pressing her sleeve to her face.


    Damon had questions. A lot of them.


    What happened after he died?


    Why didn''t they bury him?


    How did they survive the Keeper of False Truths?


    Did they find the exit from Lysithara? The teleportation gate?


    What about the City Road, the path through the ruin gate?


    His mind was full of holes. Puzzles waiting for pieces.


    ''I mean... I literally died.''


    He glanced toward the window, hesitant.


    Unless...


    Unless they didn''t know.


    But that was unlikely. Maybe.


    He had seen something. Or was close to it. The flaw of the world. No... not the world. The Omniverse.


    He had come close to the truth.


    And then¡ªhe died.


    Before he could ask anything, Evangeline stepped forward.


    She handed him a small, ornate locket.


    It felt... familiar.


    His fingers curled around it.


    His mother''s locket.


    "You... dropped this. When you fell in the Forbidden Library..." her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.


    Damon nodded slowly, fingers closing around it as he slipped it back around his neck.


    "Luna would be mad if I lost Mom''s locket..."


    Evangeline smiled faintly, her expression warm despite the tears that still rimmed her eyes.


    He looked at all of them. His chest tightened. The burning question finally left his lips.


    "Wha... what actually happened?"


    Silence.


    They looked at each other. Then at him.


    Sylvia bit her lips, her shoulders trembling.


    Evangeline lowered her gaze.


    "You died."


    Damon felt his heart thump, loud and clear in his chest.

 Chapter 394 - 395: The Last Stretch

    "Or at least we thought you did..."


    The next part of Evangeline''s words struck Damon with a sensation that left him suspended between confusion and relief.


    They didn''t think I had died?


    But he had died. Thoroughly, unmistakably. He couldn''t have been more dead if he tried. Not just dead¡ªobliterated. On the brink of being erased from existence itself.


    What changed their minds?


    If it was fear of him rising as undead that held them back from burial, they could''ve simply cremated him and been done with it. Yet they hadn''t. And Evangeline continued to speak.


    "We had initially assumed the Keeper was the one who killed you... so in a fit of rage, we tried to kill him... but as you can imagine, we lost..."


    Leona bit her lower lip, her expression tightening. Humans¡ªso often driven by emotion¡ªseldom considered odds when grief clouded their minds.


    "The Keeper let us go... he just left. He had someone to mourn, so he let us mourn our own fallen..."


    Damon nodded slowly. That would make sense. When the Keeper of False Truths had reappeared, he hadn''t come to confront them. He had come to mourn Nemoriel in his final moments.


    All according to the Unknown God''s scheme.


    Nemoriel''s purpose had never been to fight, but to deliver messages... clues.


    The writings on the walls, the name of the pillar of conflict¡ªthose had been the true signs. And even one clue had been enough to kill him.


    "...Why didn''t you bury me?"


    Xander clenched his fists tightly.


    "We had been sure you were dead... accepting it took a while. We had to let go. I carried your cold corpse with my own hands..."


    None of the girls had been able to bring themselves to touch Damon''s body. They''d stood frozen, as if burying him meant acknowledging the unbearable.


    So Xander had stepped forward. He''d forced himself to be strong.


    Valarie had tried to speak to him then. Told him to get a grip.


    Matia''s voice came, her cheeks streaked with dried blood and pain carved into her features.


    "We did think you were dead. But you weren''t. Sylvia insisted you were alive..."


    Evangeline bit her lips, her eyes flickering with guilt.


    "Honestly, at the time, there was no basis for it. We actually thought she had gone insane from the grief..."


    Damon glanced at Sylvia. A small smile tugged at his lips.


    She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck.


    "I may have threatened to kill everyone if they didn''t listen..."


    Valarie chuckled dryly.


    "Which only convinced us she had gone mad... I mean, it was two days after. From the blood you lost to your cold corpse¡ªthere was no way you would be alive. All biological functions had ceased. Even your shadow wasn''t moving..."


    Damon nodded slowly. An accurate assessment...


    Leona pressed her lips together.


    "We made it out of the Forbidden Library... Sylvia was unconscious at that point. But I heard it. I heard... a heartbeat."


    Evangeline exhaled, arms crossed tightly against her chest.


    "We also suspected Leona was being pulled under by grief... But then Sylvia woke up. This time, she was a little calmer..."


    Xander scratched the back of his head, as if the memory still embarrassed him.


    "She explained to us she had a vision... of you leading us out of Lysithara on a dark night..."


    He paused.


    "Honestly, more than anything¡ªwe wanted to believe. Against all odds, we needed to believe you were still alive."


    Matia looked at Damon with quiet intensity.


    "And then it happened. Your shadow moved..."


    Sylvia spoke, her eyes fixed on him.


    "We had been in a hurry to bury you... because we didn''t want your corpse defiled. Or turned into an undead..." Her voice cracked.


    "So... my wanting to keep you was selfish. Honestly, a small part of me didn''t care if you did become undead, as long as I could see you... but I also knew that wouldn''t really be you."


    She placed a trembling hand over her eyes as tears began to stream down.


    "I''m... I''m sorry..."


    Damon said nothing. He merely stepped forward and gently stroked her head, his touch warm despite the cold silence around them.


    So they hadn''t known. That was... good. Because it would be impossible to explain that he had been killed by the hands of the goddess. Or that he had been dragged back by the Unknown God, provoking every true being in existence, nearly getting erased from reality. That he had died, been devoured, recreated, hidden in a dream¡ªwhile the Unknown God fought off divine entities.


    Then brought him back.


    He almost felt like a character from some ancient myth. At least he wasn''t as unlucky as the Demon Lord of Domination¡ªAshcroft¡ªwho had been slain in the temple of the goddess, where her power was strongest.


    Damon, in contrast, had died in a place where the Unknown God was glorified. So he had a better chance.


    Still... hadn''t the Unknown God also ordained Ashcroft''s return?


    He remained silent as they began to recount the past 31 days.


    They had discovered a teleportation gate¡ªbut it was useless without the City Lord''s key. So they turned their attention to a waypoint. They''d found one¡ªguarded by a fifth-class monster. And gave up.


    Weeks passed. They searched, carried Damon''s corpse, enduring the stench of death, the toll on their minds, the burden of hope.


    They were besieged by monsters. Creatures that only grew more cunning with each encounter, as if someone¡ªor something¡ªwas orchestrating their suffering.


    Eventually, they found another waypoint, guarded by a weaker monster. They tricked it, bypassed it, and used the waypoint.


    Only to discover the city''s waypoints didn''t connect to the outside world.


    Every effort, every escape route, led back to Lysithara.


    More cunning attacks followed. So they found the mansion. Fortified it. And made it their base.


    Leona had insisted on a mansion¡ªbecause Damon would have wanted one.


    In the days that followed, they cleared out weaker monsters. They hunted the source of the cunning that stalked them.


    Again and again.


    But it never stopped.


    Damon clenched his fists.


    They''ve been through so much... all while dragging my lifeless body along.


    He could barely imagine the weight of it. The emotional strain. The hopelessness.


    "I didn''t die..."


    He finally whispered.


    Lifting his head slowly.


    "Let''s get out of this city... we walk right out the gates..."


    Most of the distance had already been covered while he was unconscious.


    This¡ªthis was the final stretch of their journey.

 Chapter 395 - 396: Message For Lilith

    Damon decided to stand up¡ªbut after being dead for a month, his legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed with a thud onto the wooden floor.


    The sound startled the others, prompting a chorus of concerned gasps as they rushed to his side, trying to force him back into bed despite his protests.


    In the end, Damon was issued a firm command: rest and resuscitation for two days, no exceptions.


    Evangeline was not taking no for an answer.


    With his entire party being unreasonably pushy, he had little choice. For whatever reason, the place had been under constant siege by low-level monsters. They were stretched thin¡ªdefending the perimeter while also scavenging for resources.


    Well, their last academy-issued supply bag was in Damon''s shadow storage, after all.


    As the thought crossed his mind, his gaze drifted to the familiar bracelet on his wrist. It had been silent for a month... With his vitals flatlining for that long, had the academy assumed he was dead?


    More pressingly¡ªLilith Astranova. Was she worried?


    No. He could already imagine it. His picturesque senior wouldn''t panic, not outwardly. She''d smile, composed and cold as ever... but he could guess at the thoughts behind those green eyes.


    He forced himself upright again, grimacing from the soreness that clung to every muscle. Reaching into the swirling shadows beside him, he pulled out his collapsible bow¡ªthe one he had gotten from Anvil.


    He couldn''t help but think of the old smith. And that wretch Carls.


    ''I hope they''re doing well.''


    Damon spread his shadow perception. Like a wave, it flowed across the room, a quiet pulse of his awareness¡ªmaking sure neither Leona nor Sylvia heard him move.


    Both of them were fast asleep, curled up at his side.


    They must have stayed up for days, hoping he''d wake up...


    Damon didn''t stray far¡ªif he did, he had a feeling Evangeline would explode.


    Instead, he crept toward the window. A quiet breath. Then he leapt out, climbing up the wall and onto the roof. His body felt like it had been trampled by an army.


    He stood atop a small, bloodstained section of the rooftop, the cool breeze ruffling his hair as he looked into the distance.


    He couldn''t see the creature with his eyes¡ªit was too far¡ªbut his shadow perception could.


    Hidden in a shattered building far from the mansion, a grotesque presence lingered.


    Damon sat down, his legs throbbing with numbness, but what he was doing was too important to wait. He clutched four arrows in his hand, pricked his fingertip, and used his blood to etch a simple rune onto each one.


    The moment he poured mana into the markings, they pulsed faintly.


    His breath hitched. His mana... it had changed.


    It wasn''t just restored¡ªit had grown. Overflowing. Something was different now.


    He stood again, rolling his shoulders, stretching his aching limbs. With his bow in hand, he took a stance, locking onto the target.


    Damon''s eyes snapped open.


    He loosed the arrow.


    It soared across the twilight sky, his skill Dead Eye activating¡ªcreating a glowing beam guiding the projectile with perfect precision. His mastery Sniper had taken over, calculating arc, wind, and gravity.


    The arrow struck true¡ªembedding deep into the creature''s hideous eye, right between the sockets.


    A familiar chime echoed in his ears.


    [You have slain Home Crawler]


    His gaze shifted down to his bracelet. The academy points ticked up, just a little.


    ''That should be enough... she''ll know I''m still alive.''


    "Now, one more just to be sure¡ª"


    But the quiet was broken.


    A sharp movement inside the house¡ªthen Sylvia''s head popped up from the open window, her hair a tangled mess and her expression thunderous.


    "What do you think you''re doing? Get back inside now."


    Damon blinked. Then groaned.


    Her voice brooked no argument.


    With a long sigh, he inhaled the evening air... then leapt down. His Parkour skill cushioned the impact, letting him tumble back into the room with practiced ease.


    The moment he landed, Leona and Sylvia pounced¡ªverbally.


    He got thoroughly chewed out. They left nothing out. He could only slump, offering sheepish nods as he was shoved back into bed.


    Apparently, to make extra sure he didn''t sneak off again... they decided to sleep with him.


    Each girl clung to one of his hands like prison shackles.


    He tried to argue it was inappropriate, but Sylvia had a full essay prepared¡ªand unfortunately, it was very persuasive.


    Ermm... he lost.


    Not long after, he found himself nestled between two beautiful women. If their parents knew... he would be dead. No doubt about it.


    Still, he had bigger issues gnawing at the back of his mind.


    "I hope Lilith got my message..."


    He could feel his shadow stretching quietly along the room''s corners... ''good, it had survived too.''


    But it was weak. Almost lethargic.


    Damon exhaled, then mentally opened his system panel.


    [HP: 695/695]


    [Mana: 16,499/16,499]


    [Strength: 1034]


    [Agility: 957]


    [Speed: 1485]


    [Endurance: 910]


    [Class: Death Dealer]


    [Shadow: 1000]


    [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%]


    [Shadow Level: 10]


    [Condition: Shadow Is Full]


    [Attributes: Umbra]


    [Skills:]


    [ 5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder''s Gaze] [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn] [Omen Of Dread] [Dealer''s Hand] [Bloodletting] [Shadow Movement] [Shadow] [Faceless] [Danger Sense] [Shadow Storage] [Wave Walk]


    [Mastery:]


    [Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv3] [Survival Lv5] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv3] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv2] [Trap Lv3] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv2] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv2] [Mana Control Lv2] [Magic Gatling Lv1] [Pain Resistance Lv3] [Mental Contamination Resistance Lv3] [Disintegration Resistance Lv1] [Sniper Lv1] [Rune Magic Lv1] [Insanity Lv2] [Fate Manipulation Resistance Lv1]


    [Items:]


    [Pale Crown Armor] [Broken Bonds] [Deep Quiver] [Silver Blades] [Miscellaneous Items]


    [Locked:]


    ---


    Damon stared at the panel in stunned silence.


    His mana hadn''t just increased¡ªit had exploded. He had barely anything left when he died... but now?


    He''d heard rumors¡ªwhispers¡ªthat a near-death experience could spark growth in mana. But this wasn''t a spark.


    This was a detonation.


    The rest of his stats were unchanged. But his shadow energy was full again¡ªa small mercy. A fresh start. He''d need it when the hunger returned.


    No new skills¡ªbut several masteries had grown. Survival was now Level 5. Fair. He''d survived getting killed by gods.


    His Mental Contamination Resistance had also risen¡ªsomehow.


    More troubling... was his Insanity mastery. It had grown.


    That was not a good sign.


    Then there was the new one. Fate Manipulation Resistance.


    A reward, perhaps. A gift... or a curse. This was the mastery that had kept him alive.


    ''I have resistance to fate-altering powers, huh...''


    He had no idea how it would affect his life.


    Finally, he looked to the completely new system mechanic.


    The one unlocked by the unknown god.


    Just so he could send Damon a message.


    Now, he was about to find out what it really did.

 Chapter 396 - 397: Item Mechanic

    [Item]


    Item Acquisition: Upon vanquishing foes, the user may claim their essence¡ªeither by slaying them to harvest their souls, or by devouring their broken remains to gain gifts. Each prize bears the mark of its origin, feeding power into the twisted gifts bound to your shadow. But beware¡ªsome spoils carry curses that linger like whispers in the dark.


    Damon sighed.


    Once again, the system was giving him vague, overly poetic nonsense. He would''ve much preferred several pages of clear, concise documentation¡ªsomething logical, methodical, structured.


    But no. The system seemed hell-bent on making him figure everything out the hard way. Trial and error. Cryptic riddles wrapped in ominous prose.


    Still, he had some idea of how it worked.


    It wasn''t even that hard to deduce. This new mechanic clearly allowed him to acquire items¡ªartifacts, scrolls, weapons, tools... maybe even cursed junk. Hopefully not cursed, but knowing the system?


    He''d better expect the worst.


    I should be careful and check each item properly when I receive it.


    Damon''s eyes drifted to the next section of the interface: the Item List.


    At the top were Pale Crown Armor, Broken Bonds, Deep Quiver, and Silver Blades. The rest were lumped together under a single catch-all label: Miscellaneous Items.


    "Even my bow and arrows aren''t classified... or my omnidirectional gear."


    Odd. The only gear it had properly listed was the deep quiver he''d taken from Back-to-Back. That, and something labeled Silver Blades.


    Damon frowned. He didn''t recall owning anything called that.


    ''Unless... it''s that damn pendant. The one from Back-to-Back.''


    That had to be it. Though he couldn''t be sure, it was only a guess at this point.


    Curious, he willed the system to show him the details.


    [Pale Crown Armor]


    [Type] Armor


    [Soul Counter] 1325 / 10000


    [Description]:


    The Ascendants'' armors were first forged within the Crystal Palace as symbols of the vast power wielded by the Archons. These armors were not made for war, but for the quiet sacrifice of death without resentment. Their wearers¡ªsilent guardians¡ªwere tasked with watching over the Weeping Star.


    They failed.


    The Weeping Star was consumed by wrath and twisted into bitter resentment, birthing the Unknown God.


    This pale imitation of their armor stirs something deep within that nameless god¡ªa faint, familiar echo of home.


    [Effects]:


    Soul Veil ¨C Allows the user to phase through solid objects briefly.


    Cloak of Ruin ¨C Passively enhances soul damage dealt, and gradually restores soul damage taken.


    Empty Throne ¨C Dominate the mind of a weak willed, turning them into a puppet... or possess their body creating extensions of your ego.


    Crown of Silence ¨C Grants immunity to insanity and mental domination.


    ---


    Damon was... impressed.


    This was the first time the system had actually described an item in detail. And what a description.


    The Archons. Were they what became of the offspring of the vile thief? Was the Unknown God one of them?


    It almost sounded like they''d tried to prevent him from becoming what he was now. But failed.


    The enchantments were another matter entirely.


    He hadn''t hit the ten-thousand soul mark yet, so most were still locked¡ªbut they were powerful. Empty Throne in particular intrigued him.


    What would it feel like to possess someone...?


    Crown of Silence also felt essential. Especially with how often his madness had begun creeping at the edges. Even now, in the corner of his vision, he could see it¡ªBack-to-Back watching him with that smug, eerie grin.


    Waiting to mock him. Waiting for him to slip.


    ''I won''t give you that chance...''


    He closed his eyes for a moment. The two girls at his side stirred faintly in their sleep, but he froze, careful not to wake them. They were just watching over him. That was all.


    He moved on, glancing toward the next item.


    [Broken Bonds]


    [Type] Weapon


    [Description]


    From flesh to soul, none shall I leave.


    [Effect]


    This sword has the ability to disintegrate both the flesh and soul of those cut by its blade.


    ''Hmmm, suppose that''s the description of Alazard''s cursed sword.''


    ---


    [Deep Quiver]


    [Type] Tool


    [Description]:


    A poorly made spatial artifact with a lackluster name.


    [Effects]:


    Holds more than a normal quiver.


    ---


    Damon stared at the minimal description with a flat expression.


    So much for flair.


    The artifact was clearly low-level¡ªjust functional. Nothing more.


    Then came Silver Blades. He didn''t even open the description right away. Instead, he tried summoning them.


    To his surprise, it wasn''t a weapon that rose from the shadows.


    It was a pendant.


    The pendant he''d taken from that wretched mentor¡ªBack-to-Back. Even dead, the vile elf haunted him, now as a phantom of his own madness.


    Damon narrowed his eyes at the shimmering pendant, then glanced back at the system screen.


    ---


    [Silver Blades]


    [Type] Weapon


    [Description]:


    Forged in wartime, the Silver Blades are passed from master to apprentice¡ªheirlooms of the Silver Glades. Their power holds symbolic weight and ceremonial meaning.


    [Effects]:


    Hidden Blade ¨C Can morph into swords.


    Demon Slayer ¨C Deals deathly damage to demons and dark entities.


    Charm caster ¨C Can be used as a charm, giving other weapons its effect.


    ---


    He clenched his jaw and glared at the hallucination of Back-to-Back still lounging in his periphery.


    ''You son of a bitch...''


    The figment burst into laughter, collapsing in a heap.


    "What? I''m dead. You can''t kill me twice. You better keep those blades safe, kid¡ªthe Halls of Steel have probably been hunting for them for ages. Congrats! You just made some serious enemies."


    Damon clicked his tongue.


    This wasn''t even Back-to-Back. He was literally talking to himself. So everything back to back said was in fact just Damon''s conjecture.


    ''I really am going insane...''


    With a grim look, he shoved the pendant back into his shadow storage.


    "No one''s gonna know if I never use it..."


    Next, he checked the Miscellaneous Items. Most were just junk¡ªbooks, monster parts, and old gear. Each was listed with short, unceremonious descriptions.


    But one entry stood out.


    His mother''s locket.


    ---


    [Rachel''s Locket]


    [Type] Trinket


    [Description]:


    One of two items crafted from Sunstar¡ªa token of her love for Damien. Passed down to their children. Eventually taken by Ranar, then to her children.


    [Effects]:


    Not cursed. Just a really durable locket. Try not to lose it.


    Damon stared at the panel, deadpan.


    Of course it wasn''t cursed. He knew that already. It had belonged to his mother, and her mother before her.


    Still...


    "Who the hell is Damien?" he muttered. "And why does that name sound like a cheap knockoff of my own?"

 Chapter 397 - 398: Just A Nickname

    Three days had passed since Damon miraculously woke up from the dead.


    During those three days, their base of operations had been under constant attack by monsters¡ªeach assault more refined, more cunning than the last.


    Naturally, it became more difficult for them to defend themselves.


    It was almost as if the enemy was studying them, adapting, exploiting their combat patterns, finding weaknesses in their party formations.


    At least, Damon thought so. He hadn''t actually fought. He was just made to rest¡ªundergoing physical therapy while Evangeline and Sylvia insisted on examining his body for any lingering injuries.


    That had been Sylvia''s idea. Damon tried to argue, of course, but she''d pulled out a whole book filled with legitimate-looking medical records and fake healer''s notes justifying why it was necessary.


    ''Where did she even dig those up.''


    Evangeline simply played along. She didn''t even want to argue.


    Of course, Sylvia may have taken some liberties with him.


    Or maybe he took liberties¡ªit was a blur. Using her lap as a pillow definitely felt good.


    What didn''t feel good was having to constantly worry about ending up on the shit list of some powerful elven king.


    Sylvia Moonveil, despite her obvious feelings for him, was a princess¡ªand he was just a commoner.


    Damon might''ve been egotistical, but he was also pragmatic enough to know that playing into Sylvia''s feelings wasn''t a good idea. Not with his current power.


    If he gave himself an inch, he''d end up wanting a mile. Eventually, he wouldn''t be able to hold himself back...


    That was why he''d drawn a line between them.


    If he played dense long enough...


    Ehrm... actually, nothing would come of it. Sylvia wasn''t a weak-willed person. Eventually, she''d get what she wanted¡ªno matter what.


    He sighed, staring at his reflection in the mirror.


    Teenage angst aside...


    They were in real trouble. So Damon, as the party leader¡ªand the guy who hadn''t fought a single battle in the past three days since waking up¡ªhad finally decided.


    They needed to leave. The teleportation gates weren''t working, and the waypoints only led in circles around the cursed city.


    It would be better to leave through the city gates.


    He stretched his limbs. After sparring with Evangeline and Leona over the past few days, he was back to peak condition.


    He could tell they were holding back¡ªbut that was fine. He wasn''t looking for a serious fight, just a way to get his blood moving again.


    What was weird, though, was Matia acting as his bodyguard.


    ''I''m not helpless, guys. Come on...''


    Damon stepped out of the room, clad in the pale crown armor. In his hand, he carried Alazard''s cursed sword¡ªthough now that he knew its name, he might as well call it Broken Bonds.


    He closed his eyes, recalling its description.


    ''Flesh and soul... none shall I leave.''


    Tyrannical.


    It only had one effect¡ªbut that was enough.


    He walked through the halls. The scent of blood from outside clung to the air, following behind him, along with Matia''s silent footsteps. She trailed him, clad in her icy armor, ever the quiet sentinel.


    ''I''d appreciate it if she made conversation''


    He soon made it to the mansion''s grand entrance. The entire place had been fortified with heavy wooden and metallic barricades. He could see runes, painstakingly carved, etched into them like a last desperate prayer.


    In the center courtyard, the rest of the party waited.


    Xander stood in front, holding his spear and a tower shield¡ªGoddess knows where he found it. It was massive, inscribed with more runes and soaked with near-irremovable bloodstains. Clearly, that shield hadn''t just blocked attacks¡ªit had ended things.


    ''I''d hate to be on the receiving end of that thing.''


    The others were all clad in armor. There wasn''t much difference in their appearances, but their auras were sharper¡ªfar more refined than before. They must''ve fought a hellish number of monsters during the thirty-one days he''d been dead.


    He felt left behind.


    They were all close to their second class advancement.


    No doubt about it.


    ''What a group of monsters...''


    If any of them punched an ordinary person, they''d probably pop like a blood balloon.


    Evangeline stepped forward, her armor lined with golden inlays. She carried her sword in hand.


    "Are you sure you don''t need a few more days to rest? We aren''t in a hurry..."


    Damon smirked. Seeing her worried was strangely amusing¡ªbut they didn''t have the luxury to wait. If they kept defending, they''d eventually be overwhelmed.


    "I''m fine. And in fighting condition. Geez, stop acting like my mother..."


    Evangeline bit her lip. She didn''t argue like she usually would. She just sighed.


    "If you say so..."


    That subdued response caught him off guard.


    She was worried.


    He stepped up, gently lifting her chin.


    "Eva, it''s okay. I promise I''m fine. Trust me..."


    Her golden eyes locked with his darker ones.


    "Hmm." She nodded quietly.


    He glanced past her. Sylvia''s eyes were on them, watching. Unmoving.


    Damon looked around at the others.


    "Ermm... okay, guys. Let''s go."


    "We''re heading for the gate. It''s still a ways off, but we''ll be out of this cursed city soon enough."


    From inside his pouch, a familiar pair of lips floated out.


    "Isn''t that a bit rude to say about someone''s home...?"


    Valarie landed on his shoulder. Damon sneered and took the first step into the ruined city.


    The vile stench of blood struck his nose¡ªbut there were no corpses. His party, or maybe scavengers, had already cleaned them up.


    ''Bummer''


    The ground was soaked in blood so deeply he couldn''t even see the pavement.


    ''What the hell had they been doing this past month...?''


    For this much blood to have dried, they must''ve killed hundreds of horrors¡ªagain and again.


    "Huh..."


    Damon took a deep breath, the stench of rot filling his lungs. He stepped forward, leading the party into the ruined city.


    At some point, Sylvia came to walk beside him. She kept stealing glances at him, as if she wanted to say something.


    "What is it, Sylvia?"


    She shook her head, her face cool and expressionless.


    "It''s nothing."


    He sighed.


    ''Sure doesn''t look like nothing...''


    Glancing at her, he asked again.


    "Tell me."


    She bit her lip.


    "I just think you''re being unfair."


    "How so?"


    She twirled her hair around her fingers.


    "You... call everyone by their names¡ªbut you gave Evangeline a nickname."


    Damon blinked.


    Was she... jealous?


    A small headache started to form.

 Chapter 398 - 399: A Monster Of Will

    Damon was quiet for a moment.


    He needed to give Sylvia a simple answer... but the way she was looking at him¡ª


    ''Ahh, what a pain...''


    He forced a smile.


    "Erhm, actually, there is a very logical reason for me calling her Eva. It''s quite obvious¡ªher name is such a mouthful... saying Evangeline was a pain, so I just call her Eva..."


    Sylvia glanced at him with a deadpan expression.


    Then she nodded.


    "Sylvia is a mouthful too..."


    Damon sighed, gaze falling to his shoulder¡ªwhere a pair of human lips were perched. Valarie. She was smiling with a knowing expression.


    The goddamn old hag looked like she was enjoying herself.


    Damon felt the urge to curse.


    "...Hmm, wait a minute..."


    He smiled at Sylvia, as if struck by inspiration.


    "Sylvia, tell you what¡ªlet''s come up with a cute nickname for you. I''m sure Valarie would love to help out. Right, Valarie?"


    The pair of disembodied lips twitched.


    "Don''t get me involved. I''m just minding my business here..."


    She pressed her lips together, muttering,


    "Wretched womanizer."


    Damon was close enough to hear the whisper¡ªand it made him feel incredibly aggrieved. This really wasn''t his fault.


    ''Fine, you settle this.''


    He grabbed the pair of lips and placed them on Sylvia''s shoulder.


    "Ehmr... Valarie will help come up with a cute nickname."


    He didn''t even give Sylvia a chance to respond. His form blurred into shadow and glided to the front beside Xander.


    Sylvia pouted slightly, lips tightening. She glanced at Valarie¡ªwho somehow seemed to be looking at her, even without eyes.


    "...What?"


    Valarie smirked.


    "It''s nothing. I just think the wearers of the Armor of Crescent Seer aren''t very blessed when it comes to romance..."


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Valarie''s lips pressed together. Her voice dropped, quiet and slow.


    "Valcara had the same problem. Love is quite painful, you know..."


    Sylvia tensed. Valcara. That was the teacher of Mugu... and she had fallen for him too. It hadn''t ended well.


    She remembered¡ªthe first time she had seen Valcara was on the bridge leading into the Whispering Forest. The lady in the mist.


    Or rather... what remained of her. Even in death, she was still sad.


    Sylvia had an inkling of how she felt. Damon had, more or less, rejected her. Played the oblivious role. Blamed her actions on a dark spirit... acting like he had no idea.


    "Why does it hurt so much..."


    She couldn''t help but whisper the words.


    Hearing this, Valarie was silent.


    "Valcara said those exact same words to me once... and my answer still remains the same..."


    She paused.


    "I... I don''t know."


    She sighed, watching Sylvia''s downcast expression.


    "For Valcara... she couldn''t have won. Mugu loved someone else. At first, I thought he was in love wi¡ª"


    "He is. I mean... I think so." Sylvia cut her off.


    She clenched her fists.


    "I know this is pathetic, but I... I think he''s in love with Lilith Astranova. I see the way she looks at him, and the way they look at each other, and..."


    She raised her head, her expression torn.


    "I really want to hate her... but I can''t. But I can''t bring myself to like her either..."


    Valarie could hear the frustration tangled in her voice. She didn''t know who Lilith Astranova was, but she got the picture.


    "Instead of beating around the bush, why not just tell him?"


    Sylvia''s eyes turned red, tears welling up.


    "I can''t. I want to... but I know how it will end. I''m a Seer, remember? I can see the future..."


    She tilted her head, chest tightening as she choked back the tears.


    "If I go there right now and tell him how I feel, he''s just going to tell me all the reasons why we can''t be together. And I can''t argue against that. Because if he chooses to be with me regardless... he''ll be the one in danger."


    Valarie remained quiet as Sylvia whispered,


    "Do you know 99.9% of female noble-to-male commoner relationships end in bloodshed? I have a skill that lets me dig up all this information. I wanted to use it to argue against his logic, but... I only dug a grave for myself."


    Her sad eyes turned to Valarie.


    "In 426 of the Doom Calendar, Lady Meri of House Tatin ran away with her commoner love and got married. They had two children. One year after their second child was born... her family found her.


    They threw her husband and first child off a balcony as she watched. Then... they boiled her infant alive.


    She killed herself two days later."


    Valarie was silent.


    The world was still too dark.


    Sylvia gave her example after example. Horror after horror.


    If Valarie had a stomach, she would have thrown up.


    "Things have changed over the years. After the Aether Academy was created, commoners mixed more with nobles. But that didn''t really change much. Whole villages can still get destroyed just for earning the ire of a noble. Mixed blood might as well be a curse."


    "Male nobles have it easier. They can''t marry commoner women, but they''re allowed to let their bastard children live¡ªmostly as substitutes, because of how hazardous the demon wars are. They also make good cannon fodder. Or expendable political hostages."


    Sylvia wiped her eyes quietly, unnoticed.


    "The Peasant Revolution changed a lot. At least now female nobles are allowed to talk to commoner men without them getting castrated or lynched..."


    Her voice faltered. Her head lowered.


    "So I should be glad I can still talk to him... but I wa¡ªI want more. And I hate that I do..."


    Valarie sighed, lips pressed tightly together.


    "I hear what you''re saying. I understand. But this is the world of Aetherus. A world of conflict and war.


    If you want something... it won''t be handed to you.


    Sylvia, you must take what you want¡ªno matter who gets hurt, or whose pride gets shattered.


    Look at Damon. If he really loves that Lilith Astranova, trust me when I say¡ªthat boy would burn this world to be with her.


    Are you willing to do the same?"


    She leaned in closer, her voice a cold whisper.


    "Don''t be Valcara. Don''t make her mistakes.


    So what if he belongs to another woman? If you can''t have him¡ªthen no one should even dream of it.


    Do you want to be a weak woman... or do you want a piece of that Damon pie?


    If you''re powerful enough... why should ''no'' matter?"


    Sylvia''s eyes widened.


    "...If I''m powerful enough..."


    Valarie smiled faintly.


    "Yes. If you have the power and the will to do absolutely anything¡ªwho can stop you?


    The people from your examples... they ran."


    Sylvia looked at Damon. Her fist clenched.


    Then her gaze turned slowly to the invisible book floating in front of her.


    She did have the means.


    She just lacked the will.


    "...If I have the will... no one can stop me."


    "I don''t want to hurt anyone... but if I don''t act... I''ll lose....."


    On that day, Valarie Sunwarden created a terrible monster.


    She made Sylvia Moonveil realize¡ªshe had all the power.


    The power of a god sat in the palm of her hand.


    All she needed... was the will to use it.


    Sylvia turned and began walking toward Damon.


    But before she could reach him¡ªa monstrous growl erupted.


    The wall nearby exploded into pieces.

 Chapter 399 - 400: Juju Grunts

    Damon reacted instinctively.


    He hadn''t spread his shadow perception too far¡ªno doubt avoiding the risk of something sensing him first¡ªbut his danger sense was still active, if dulled by the constant danger around them.


    At the sound of walls being shattered, Xander''s arm had already moved. His shield slammed up, deflecting the wreckage, then sent it hurtling back with a surge of gravity at the creature that had lunged at them.


    They had grown used to this sort of chaos in the month Damon had been gone. With his absence, the others had learned to adapt¡ªto rely less on his danger sense, and more on their own instincts.


    Damon followed Xander''s defensive maneuver, ducking behind him and firing a magic bullet toward the unknown assailant.


    He heard a grunt as the bullet struck its target.


    Evangeline was already moving, her sword gleaming as it arced forward.


    "Radiant Blade¡ª!"


    A golden arc of light followed Damon''s bullet. However, the creature didn''t even attempt to dodge.


    With a guttural groan, it took the blow head-on.


    It didn''t die. But it bled.


    Damon narrowed his eyes.


    "Magic resistance..."


    The creature had shrugged off both magical attacks¡ªclearly not immune, but tough enough to make spells ineffective. Then he heard it¡ªsounds, subtle but many, crawling and echoing from the buildings and alleys around them.


    More were coming.


    "We''re dealing with more juju creatures," Leona muttered grimly.


    Damon glanced sideways at her. It was clear now¡ªhis entire party already knew what these were.


    "I sure missed a lot being dead all this time," he muttered wryly.


    Leona nodded, her blade swinging in a clean arc and cleaving the creature''s head clean off.


    The monster looked like some warped beast. Jagged skin covered its form, with a circular maw ringed with rows of tiny teeth. Several thin, human-like arms jutted from its torso, sickly and twitching. But its primary limbs were monstrous¡ªthick, powerful, bestial arms that radiated brute force.


    "The juju creatures resist magic," Leona explained. "And they''re freakishly strong. This one''s a juju grunt¡ªnot even the worst of the species."


    Damon gave a brief nod, then raised his sword. Shadow energy laced across the blade.


    "Dark Blade."


    The slash mirrored Evangeline''s earlier attack, but with shadow instead of light.


    He glanced toward Sylvia. "Something tells me that''s not all."


    Sylvia took over from Leona, drawing closer.


    "They aren''t many this time," she said, her bow already drawn. "So we can kill them."


    Damon held his sword in a firm grip, exhaling a grim sigh.


    He hadn''t taken down a single one yet, and the others were treating these things casually... but he could feel it. These creatures were first-rank. Normally, he could kill them without even thinking.


    ''Or are they one of the few exceptions?''


    Sylvia''s arrows flashed through the air, streaking toward the rooftops. She wasn''t aiming to kill¡ªshe knew better. Magic wouldn''t do much. But her shots were precise enough to slow them down.


    "There are three kinds," she continued. "Each worse than the last. These here? Juju grunts. Simple beasts."


    She leapt onto a road sign with practiced ease, landing with a graceful crouch.


    "The next tier''s juju knights. Kinda like mist knights, but not nearly as dreadful. Same magic resistance. And their armor''s a nightmare to crack."


    "If they''re a rank above..." she added, her eyes flicking toward the distance, "we usually run."


    Damon nodded, then activated his [5x] skill, surging his physical strength to its peak.


    When the first one lunged, he caught its head mid-air¡ªand crushed it in his palm until the skull caved in.


    ''Bet you didn''t know I can boost my base strength by five.''


    A low chime echoed in his mind.


    [You have slain Juju Grunt.]


    He didn''t stop. He couldn''t risk being seen devouring the corpse, not now.


    Sylvia was close, flipping through the air as her bow switched into blades mid-spin. She sliced one of the creature''s arms clean off, then impaled it through the chest.


    "The last kind is called an apostate," she added. "They''re usually rank three¡ªand very dangerous."


    From Damon''s shoulders, Valerie finally spoke, smiling faintly.


    "Back in the day, we called them mage hunters," she said. "The whole group was designed to hunt rogue magic users. At least, that was the official story."


    She chuckled softly.


    "But the truth? They were created to keep the city''s secrets buried."


    Damon raised his hand, summoning Ashborn.


    A group of juju grunts leapt toward him.


    The black flames erupted like shadows, consuming them all. The pain that followed was sharp¡ªhis body trembled as the fire ate into him, burning like real fire rather than magic.


    He gritted his teeth.


    "Thanks a lot for creating a group this deadly... You deserve a real pat on the back."


    Valerie smiled wider. "Thank you. I did my best."


    Damon ignored her.


    [You have slain Juju Grunt.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [You have slain Juju Grunts.]


    [You have gained 5 attribute points.]


    [You have acquired an item.]


    He smiled. This was what he was hoping for.


    The system always rewarded him when he devoured the corpses¡ªespecially the ones he had slain himself.


    Most of the time it gave attribute points. Sometimes, it granted skills. Occasionally, even mastery. But he always gained something.


    Ashborn consumed both flesh and soul. In a way, he was feeding on them¡ªthough not always the same way.


    When he burned shades, he didn''t gain shadow energy. Only attribute points. Unlike traditional devouring, burning didn''t add to his overall pool¡ªit merely restored what he had spent.


    No sacrifice skill needed.


    Damon stepped back slightly, noticing something else. The juju grunts were focusing on him. Not Sylvia. Not Xander. Just him.


    It felt like they were testing him.


    Each one attacked from a different angle¡ªabove, below, the sides¡ªnever repeating the same tactic.


    So Damon kept killing.


    He shifted through every weapon and skill he had¡ªshort-range, long-range, swordsmanship, daggers, magic bullets, and more.


    The fight lasted roughly fifteen minutes. By the end of it, he had the workout he didn''t know he needed.


    Once the last grunt dropped, they moved away from the area, continuing their journey out of Lysithara.


    Damon''s armor was slick with blood. The vile stench of gore clung to him like rot. Worst of all, the close combat had left blood soaking into his hair¡ªwhich had been growing longer the past few months.


    Now, it stuck to his scalp in thick, bloody strands.


    ''Ahhh... this is going to be a pain to wash.''


    Still, his mood was high.


    He had obtained three new items from the battle.


    His mastery had grown.


    And he had earned more attribute points from devouring the corpses.

 Chapter 400 - 401: Time To Say Goodbye

    Their journey had been nothing short of eventful¡ªan entire day spent fighting monsters and sneaking past the ones they couldn''t afford to engage.


    The sun was close to setting, casting long shadows across the ruins. Damon exhaled, the red sheen of blood on his sword catching the crimson hue of the dying light.


    He stood atop the corpse of a monster¡ªan ugly creature with eyes in its mouth. Hideous, malformed. A shame Matia had landed the killing blow. The beast had been guarding a waypoint, but for some reason, it had chosen to attack them instead.


    Which worked out. They were going to use the waypoint anyway.


    Damon turned and walked toward the others. He could feel Evangeline and Sylvia glancing at him.


    He needed healing¡ªhis wounds were deep and pulsing¡ªbut he didn''t ask. Both girls could heal, though Sylvia had a stronger affinity for it. Evangeline''s magic was built more for purification. She hadn''t used that skill today, not yet.


    Purge. The first class skill that allowed her to remove corruption and send a portion of it into her own body. Dangerous. Costly.


    "Do you need healing... you look injured..."


    Damon shook his head.


    He was injured, badly even. But he didn''t want their help. Not yet.


    ''I want to test out that item.''


    There was something in their expressions¡ªboth of them. Sylvia''s eyes carried something unspoken, but Damon already knew what was on her mind.


    As for Evangeline, she had been glancing at him with a hesitant expression all day. He couldn''t guess what she wanted to say.


    Now wasn''t the time for either of those conversations.


    Besides, he had another option now. A new way to heal. He needed to test its effectiveness.


    The new item acquisition mechanic.


    "Let''s go..."


    The others nodded and stood. Damon didn''t want to wait to find camp¡ªhis hair was stiff with dried blood. He reeked. No doubt everyone was eager to clean up.


    He approached the waypoint. It hovered in front of them, a small monolith embedded with glowing gems that pulsed softly as it floated in place.


    Damon reached out and placed his palm against the surface. As he did, a soft swirl of light blossomed from the contact¡ªlike a tiny nebula unfolding before them. Icons appeared, celestial symbols that shifted until they formed the image of Lysithara.


    The city was mapped out in brilliant detail¡ªexcept for the places he had never been, which remained dim and obscured.


    One icon blinked¡ªa known waypoint. Then several more.


    Valarie''s voice came from his shoulder, her lips disembodied yet somehow untouched by the blood and grime that coated the rest of him. Even the crevices of his armor were caked in gore, his once-pristine gear dented and scarred.


    "Select the farthest active waypoint. It''s closest to the city gates..."


    Damon nodded toward the clean, floating lips. Even now, she sounded regal. The sword in his hand¡ªBroke Bonds¡ªwas battered. It had taken a lot of punishment today. He hated the idea of losing such a fine weapon.


    Still, he tapped the farthest waypoint.


    The world shifted. He remained standing before a waypoint¡ªbut it wasn''t the same one.


    They had arrived.


    The party turned and looked up.


    The sight before them stole their breath¡ªa massive tower, impossibly tall, looming ahead. From afar, it had looked distant. Now it felt close. But it wasn''t. Its size simply defied distance.


    They stared in awe.


    Thud.


    The shockwave launched them briefly off their feet. A giant''s step, taken miles away, yet powerful enough to collapse the ground beneath them from sheer force.


    A behemoth. Somewhere out there, a monster too vast to comprehend moved through the world, unaware or uncaring of their presence.


    A shadow eclipsed the sky.


    A massive, three-headed reptile¡ªsnake-like and wingless¡ªdrifted above the clouds. Space tore open in its wake, reality fracturing as the beast slithered through the air. The cracks sealed slowly behind it, as if the world were desperate to stitch itself whole again.


    They stood amidst spiraling ruins. Below was blackness¡ªa chaotic spiral of space and time. Damon felt an instinctive, bone-deep dread. A fall into that abyss would never end.


    He looked up.


    The wreckage climbed like a wall. A windowless tower, gutted and skeletal. Old motifs and crumbling pillars told of a forgotten age. Ahead, beyond the wreck, a vast tear in space stretched across the city¡ªan entire section obliterated, replaced by a void.


    Sylvia pointed upward.


    "We have to go up. We can''t cross the rift. But there''s another waypoint further above. If we use that one, we''ll reach the other side..."


    Damon nodded, eyes tracing the gaping void beneath them. It was centered in the ruined tower.


    Valarie''s lips moved.


    "This is the Spiral Tower," she said. "A defensive structure. The hole below leads beneath the Crystal Tower. That''s where... or rather where Mugu imprisoned some outsiders. Even some of our allies..."


    Valarie scoffed, "As for that rift that splits the city¡ªthat was a sword strike from the Blind Old Daoist."


    She smiled. "But there''s good news. Dawn Break Hollow isn''t far from here. We''re at the very heart of the city now¡ªmaybe even past it. You kids kept your promise."


    Sylvia pointed upward again.


    Leona bit her lip, her gaze lingering on Valarie''s disembodied lips. Her expression was pained, wistful.


    Were they really going to say goodbye?


    Damon felt a pang in his chest. They had all grown used to Valarie¡ªher calm presence, her wisdom, her sarcastic grace. She was someone they respected deeply... someone they might even admit to loving.


    Saying goodbye to the last of the Ascendants hurt more than he''d expected.


    "I guess this is goodbye then..." Sylvia muttered, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes.


    Valarie smiled.


    "It doesn''t have to be. Let me see you kids off. I''m sure I can still make it to the gate,"


    she laughed softly. "With you trouble magnets, I can''t rest in peace without making sure."


    She glanced at Damon.


    "Especially with him in the lead."


    Damon smiled, a tear gleaming in his eye.


    "Damn old hag."

 Chapter 401 - 402: Money Making Mechanic

    Ascending the spiral tower had been surprisingly easy... at least for now.


    There were monsters here, of course¡ªDamon hadn''t sensed any yet, but he wasn''t nai?ve.


    This place reeked of danger.


    A massive void spiraled in the center of the structure, chaotic time rifts swirling around it like broken glass caught in a storm. Each rift shimmered with unstable energy¡ªif you fell into one, you might never come back the same.


    Valarie had casually dismissed the risk.


    Apparently, the worst case scenario was a time displacement of seven to ten years. If you were unlucky enough to fall in, you''d get spat out at the bottom.


    That... was the real problem.


    The lowest level of the spiral tower was a living nightmare. A crumbled graveyard of the city, soaked in the blood of centuries lost and forgotten.


    Countless monsters roamed down there, locked in endless combat¡ªfighting each other, fighting each corrupted, and sometimes fighting remnants of Ittorath''s minions that had somehow survived daybreak.


    Damon felt a chill crawl up his spine just thinking about it.


    It wasn''t the corruption that terrified him¡ªit was the land itself. Everything about that place tried to kill you.


    If you fell you would face corruption.


    Becoming one corroded by rot.


    A cesspool of ruin and hatred, where strong and weak battled until even time gave up.


    Matia clutched her shoulder at the mention of corruption, her voice brittle.


    "I would rather die..."


    Damon gave her a wry smile.


    "I would rather not end up there at all..."


    Leona lifted her hand toward the crackling firelight, her lips parting in a playful smile.


    "I don''t know about you guys, but I''m glad we can finally have some light and heat at night."


    Sylvia looked up, her eyes reflecting the vast emptiness of the shattered sky above them¡ªframed by the jagged husk of the tower.


    "The spires and towers can have light, remember..."


    Xander bit into some roasted meat, chasing it down with a steaming cup of water.


    He groaned with contentment.


    "Beats being cold... I can stand the dark, but the cold gets to me¡ªespecially in armor."


    Valarie smirked from where she lay sprawled on a thick fur coat Sylvia had stitched together from some unfortunate beast.


    The disembodied pair of lips laying nearby seemed to have something to say as always.


    "No need to be impressed, you bumpkins. If the city''s core functions weren''t sealed, you''d be amazed... Lysithara has the most advanced facilities in the world."


    Damon sneered, wringing out a bloodstained rag he''d used to clean his hair.


    "Yeah, maybe like a gazillion years ago. I''ll have you know, Valtheron¡ªour home country¡ªhas railways in the city."


    Valarie paused at that, then sighed dramatically.


    "That''s not a big deal. You do realize the first rail was developed here in Lysithara, right? Airships too¡ªalthough their assembly was done on the Sky Continent.


    In fact, we were developing automaton carriages... Yes, kids, you heard it here first¡ªno horses or magic beasts pulling your carriage."


    Sylvia scoffed, tossing a twig into the fire as she came to Damon''s defense.


    "Don''t act like you all came up with that yourselves. Didn''t the visitors help you out with that?"


    Valarie''s lips twisted into a pout, biting into themselves with exaggerated betrayal.


    "So much for girl power. She betrayed me... for a man. Teenagers."


    That broke the group into laughter.


    Banter flew. Insults and teases were exchanged like daggers dulled by affection. Despite the gloom looming around them, they refused to let it settle in.


    They spoke of the future. What they would do after they left this cursed city.


    Damon, predictably, was planning to sell everything he''d scavenged from Lysithara¡ªfor cold, hard cash.


    Xander didn''t miss the opportunity to jab at him.


    He teased Damon for his shameless love of wealth, and Damon, as always, bore it with a grin.


    Eventually, they began to settle down for the night.


    Damon took first watch.


    Seated alone, the crackling fire casting dancing shadows across his face, he pulled up the system''s interface. A new tab had appeared.


    [Potions]


    Curious, Damon tapped it open.


    [Basic Healing Potion] x3


    [Mirror Water Potion] x1


    He smirked and continued to scroll. A few items had been filed under Miscellaneous.


    [Blanket] x1


    [Pure Water] x2


    Damon deadpanned, but a part of him was undeniably eager. He selected the first entry.


    ---


    [Basic Healing Potion]


    [Type:] Consumable ¨C Healing


    [Description:]


    A simple red liquid stored in a dull glass vial. It lacks scent, taste, or warmth ¡ª yet it binds torn flesh and calms burning nerves as if remembering what the body should be.


    No one remembers who first created it, only that it works.


    For now.


    [Effect:]


    Gradually restores a moderate amount of health. Leaves behind a faint warmth in the chest. Overuse may dull the potion''s effect.


    ---


    Damon reached into the shadows, retrieving one of the vials.


    He blinked.


    ''Dull glass vial, my ass...''


    The container was elegant, shaped like it belonged in a noble''s collection¡ªdefinitely expensive-looking.


    ''Someone better tell the unknown god what dull means.''


    He wondered if the vials alone could fetch a price. No, better yet¡ªwhat if he could sell the potions and the vials? That was easy money.


    He popped the top and drank. The liquid tasted like... nothing. Cool, like spring water.


    Then, just as the system described, he felt the warmth bloom in his chest. Wounds began to knit together slowly. His smile widened.


    "Heheeh I can''t wait to get back... this is a nice money-making mechanic... I''ll be rich."


    And if this was the basic version...


    ''Advanced... Great... maybe even Legendary? Could I even get a cure for Luna?''


    The thought was a ray of hope.


    ''Like that''s going to happen...''


    Still, he was eager as he clicked on the next entry. One he didn''t recognize.


    [Mirror Water Potion]


    [Type:] Consumable


    [Description:]


    A vial of fluid so clear, it reflects more than just your face. Those who drink it see time ¡ª of others, of themselves, of something deeper beneath the surface.


    Be careful not to look too long.


    [Effect:]


    Grants limited precognition for a few seconds in combat. Slight foresight of enemy moves. After use, leaves the user disoriented for a short duration.


    ---


    Damon couldn''t help the wild grin stretching across his face.


    "Rich. I''ll be rich..."


    Combat potions like these? Rare. Expensive. Priceless.


    "Hehehe... what more can I get?"


    But then he paused.


    If his system could give him anything, didn''t that also mean it could give him cursed items?


    ''Yeah... that''s a possibility.''


    He took a deep breath, muttering a quiet prayer to whatever god might be listening. No cursed loot, please.


    He was careful not to pray to the goddess, god forbid she killed him again.


    Next up was Miscellaneous.


    ---


    [Blanket]


    [Type:] Misc


    [Description:]


    Better not do anything erotic under these sheets.


    [Effect:]


    It''s a blanket


    ---


    Damon stared.


    A completely flat expression.


    ''Am I getting sex ed from a god?''


    I''m definitely doing something erotic if I get the chance.


    He didn''t even have a girlfriend, but¡ª


    ''I wonder if Lilith woul¡ª''


    He stopped himself there, sighing. He moved to the next item.


    ---


    [Pure Water]


    [Type:] Consumable


    [Description:]


    Fresh drinking water is better than gold.


    [Effect:]


    A very refreshing drink.


    ---


    He reached into the shadows again and pulled out a plastic bottle labeled Pure Water with a sticker that read:


    Licensed and Patented. Better than anything a certain goddess has.


    His expression turned to stone.


    Was the system mocking him... or the goddess?


    He took a sip¡ª


    His eyes widened.


    It was incredible. Cold, crisp, clean. He finished the whole bottle in one go.


    "Damn... that was some good water..."


    He licked his lips.


    "I''m gonna be rich... I should start a business. Yes. A business."


    "Hmmm really... can you hire me then?"


    The voice was soft, teasing. Damon''s heart nearly jumped out of his chest.


    He snapped his head around¡ª


    Sylvia stood beside him, smiling.

 Chapter 402 - 403: Trouble In His Future

    Damon blinked.


    He wondered how much of that she had heard. A quiet sigh almost slipped past his lips¡ªhis disuse of shadow perception had left him vulnerable, open to surprises he normally would have sensed a mile away.


    His danger sense helped, sure... but it was no real substitute.


    Sylvia''s smile was gentle, unwavering. Her eyes never strayed from his as she lowered herself slowly beside him.


    Damon tried not to shift uncomfortably. There was something different about her tonight. Or was it just him? Did she... look prettier somehow?


    His thoughts betrayed him.


    He thought of the blanket...


    Bit his lips...


    ''No. Absolutely not.''


    Sylvia''s gaze never faltered, locked on him with eerie intensity.


    "I guess I should go straight to the point... you know, don''t you?"


    Damon forced a wry smile, trying to deflect.


    "What do I know...?"


    She looked up at him. Her expression¡ªalmost cold. A chill smile curved her lips as his danger sense gave a soft whisper at the edge of his awareness.


    "Huh... fine, be like that," she said, her tone cold, yet her smile never left.


    "I never get what I want. The Moon Glades are quite beautiful... but even being the princess there, I can hardly say I know the place."


    Damon almost sighed in relief at the shift in topic. At least she wasn''t talking about feelings. Or romance. Or anything dangerous like that.


    As he had told himself many times before, he couldn''t understand these childish crushes. Not because he didn''t feel them... but because emotionally, he was stunted. Part of him¡ªmaybe the most important part¡ªhad simply stopped growing. That disconnect between his actions and his intentions, it showed more often than he liked.


    Still, Sylvia continued.


    "Someone once told me... if I want something, I should take it by force. I don''t need to ask permission."


    She turned and met his eyes directly.


    "Today was a good opportunity. Too bad you didn''t take it."


    Damon had no idea what she was talking about, but a shiver crept down his spine.


    "Sylvia, I¡ª"


    "Damon," she interrupted, her voice firm but quiet, "I actually came here to apologize in advance. For anything I do in the future. I hope you can forgive me. Just know... I''ll do what I must. Because I intend to claim what I long for."


    He suppressed the urge to gulp. Her aura shifted¡ªsubtle, but impossible to miss. He recognized the resonance of a second-class advancement.


    "And what is it that you want?"


    Sylvia didn''t look away. She didn''t blink.


    "I wanted two things. Knowledge¡ªI''ve already obtained that. The second still eludes me... though it''s so close."


    She slowly raised her hand and brushed her fingers against his cheek.


    "I can even touch it... yet apparently, I can''t have it. Because the world and society say so. Isn''t that... ludicrous?"


    Damon chuckled awkwardly.


    "Ohhh huh...hu... I see."


    She smiled again. A shade of red colored her face, but it didn''t look like an innocent blush.


    "I''ll get it. I will have what I want. That''s why I''m apologizing. My methods... may cause you some trouble. But you''ll forgive me, right?"


    Damon couldn''t help it anymore. He gulped.


    "Ermh... yes... sure. As long as you stop creeping me out..."


    Sylvia smiled, radiant as ever.


    "Okay. I''ll hold you to that promise. Don''t forget these words... Anyway, you wanted to ask me about the Silver Glades?"


    Damon blinked.


    "How did you...?"


    She gently pushed her white hair aside, the silken strands parting to reveal her elven ears catching the moonlight.


    "I''m a seer. And I had a vision."


    Damon had only wanted to change the topic¡ªher presence was freaking him out, and that was saying something coming from him.


    ''I haven''t gotten chills like this since that one time Lilith messed me up...''


    Women could be terrifying. Sylvia Moonveil might just be the most dangerous of them all.


    ''Goddess help me... help us all...''


    Damon even risked praying to the goddess.


    He braved another question. "What do you know about it?"


    Sylvia smiled.


    "Nothing... but I know everything. Remember, I''m a seer."


    He narrowed his eyes slightly.


    "Yeah, but your skill is dangerous. Evangeline learned her lesson and only uses it when necessary. You just... do whatever, don''t you?"


    She tilted her head, then leaned it softly on his shoulder.


    "Are you... concerned?"


    He gave her a deadpan look.


    "It''d be weird if I wasn''t."


    She wrapped both hands around his arm.


    "You''re really sweet. You act like you don''t care... but you do. A lot. Don''t you?"


    He scoffed, turning his face slightly.


    "Tsk. Are you going to tell me about the Silver Glades or not?"


    She nodded. He could feel her warmth through the cold night air.


    "The Silver Glades is a land of warriors. It borders my home¡ªthe Moon Glades. Unlike the other elven kingdoms, it''s a nation ruled by strength. The title of ruler passes from master to apprentice."


    Her fingers idly played with a lock of her hair.


    "The current ruler is old. All his apprentices died in the Demon War. His last one disappeared¡ªassumed dead... so technically, he has no successor. Unless... that apprentice is still alive. Or if he had another."


    Despite her casual tone, her words carried weight.


    "Despite being neighbors, like most countries in this world, we''ve fought more than a few battles. Now that I think about it... it probably has something to do with the Pillar."


    "That''s enough." Damon cut in, his voice sharper than before. "I get the picture. Let''s not talk about that. Or any Pillars."


    He caught the sly smile tugging at her lips.


    "As you wish. I thought you''d let me ramble on and on..."


    She gave him a knowing look.


    "You should be careful during the upcoming War Games. Don''t get carried away... warriors from all over the world will show up for a chance to prove their mantle and enter the World Dungeon in Valerion."


    The moonlight made her white hair shimmer as she smiled again.


    "The whole world will be watching..."


    Damon didn''t know what she meant by that. But he had a sinking feeling that if he asked, she''d only answer with something cryptic.


    This girl was becoming more mysterious with each passing day.


    "Assuming we actually get out of here alive..."


    Sylvia exhaled, her cold breath fogging slightly in the night air.


    "I should go. It seems Evangeline wants to talk to you too..."


    As she walked back toward the firelight, he noticed the faintest pout on her face.


    Evangeline approached quietly from the other side, where she had been watching the ruined city below.


    Damon sighed.


    Today must be bother Damon day...


    ''God forbid a man wants to brood in peace''

 Chapter 403 - 404: Knowledge In The Dark

    "Tsk. At least be happy people actually talk to you..."


    The voice came from Damon''s side again¡ªBack-to-Back.


    Damon didn''t react. It wasn''t actually back-to-back. Just another figment of his unraveling mind.


    His insanity was at Level 2 now. He used to ignore these hallucinations. Now? He talked back to them. Argued. Fought. Fully aware it was all in his head.


    "Screw off," he muttered.


    Evangeline approached, biting her lips as she looked at him.


    ''Seriously, Evangeline... what do you want?''


    Damon wondered, but didn''t say it aloud.


    "He''s grown. Wasn''t this the girl he used to tell to screw off?" came Carmen Vale''s voice, off to the side, sitting on nothing, sipping tea from a cup that probably didn''t exist.


    Or at least, Damon hoped it was tea.


    He sighed and ignored the second phantom of his madness.


    "Eva... what''s on your mind?"


    Evangeline nodded, rubbing her palms together¡ªa small habit reacting to the bite of the cold night air.


    She''d been quite far from the fire, sharing first watch with Damon.


    "Are you cold?"


    He asked again. She shook her head slowly and sat down beside him.


    Back-to-Back sighed.


    "She''s quite beautiful, isn''t she? Hmm. I can see why Xander was so smitten with her... too bad you stole his girl. So much for being brothers in arms. With a friend like you, who needs enemies..."


    "Shut up," Damon muttered.


    Evangeline blinked, startled. "Hmmm? What¡ªI... I didn''t say anything..."


    Damon forced a smile. "It''s fine. Wasn''t talking to you. You were saying...?"


    Evangeline glanced at him, worry rising behind her eyes.


    "I haven''t said anything yet..."


    Damon could see the anxiety written on her face. He had died and come back. Her concern wasn''t misplaced.


    Somehow, her expression warmed his heart.


    "I wonder why I didn''t focus on these two when Sylvia was here..." Carmen mused, sipping his imaginary tea with a smug smile.


    "You were too busy undressing her in your mind. There was no room for us..."


    Damon lifted his hand to call forth Ashborn, then stopped.


    Right. They weren''t real.


    Evangeline caught the gesture, her gaze locking onto his. Without a word, he reached into his shadow storage. His fingers brushed through the darkness and pulled out a blanket¡ªsoft and warm, woven from finer materials than most would afford.


    He offered it to her.


    "Here. It''s cold."


    Evangeline''s smile lit her face. She opened the blanket and gently draped it over them both, snuggling closer to share the warmth.


    "You''re cold too."


    Damon glanced down at the blanket now covering his legs.


    "Don''t do anything erotic, you bastard. Her father and grandfather will destroy you. Hey¡ªjust remember the story. What does she even want?"


    He shot a glare at Back-to-Back, who casually gestured to Damon''s shadow.


    ''Mind your business...'' That one, he kept to himself.


    Evangeline''s gaze drifted to Damon''s neck, where his mother''s locket lay.


    "I... I wanted to ask you something... erm, your... mo¡ªvillage. What was it like...?"


    Damon tilted his head back. He could already hear Back-to-Back whispering that something was off, but not without slipping in some insult first.


    "Why?"


    She looked away. "Erm, you told Matia about... your past. I mean, you don''t have to tell me anything..."


    Damon sighed. There wasn''t any real reason not to. So... he told her.


    He spoke about his village¡ªnot the parts he hated, not the pain¡ªbut the fragments of joy. The laughter. The warm days when his parents were still alive.


    Evangeline opened up too. She spoke of her father. She didn''t mention much about her grandfather¡ªthe way she avoided the subject made it clear that part of her life was strained.


    Somehow, the topic shifted to Valtheron.


    Evangeline laughed at Damon''s casual, borderline disrespectful commentary about some of the empire''s most powerful nobles.


    "I don''t know... you don''t get called Abellona of Destruction for being a peaceful person."


    Evangeline sighed. "The Valtheron imperial princess is a powerhouse. She''s only a few years older than us..."


    Damon chuckled. "Have you ever seen her face? I mean, she''s supposedly always wearing a veil..."


    "She must be really ugly..."


    Evangeline elbowed him sharply.


    "You''d definitely get executed. No doubt. She wears a veil because she''s beautiful. The Jewel of the Empire."


    Damon sneered. "Or it''s shame. Hey, you can''t know¡ªyou''ve never seen her face."


    Evangeline couldn''t argue with that logic.


    She huffed, arms crossing as they sat there beneath the blanket, the cold air unable to reach them.


    Back-to-Back yawned.


    "Alright, we''ve indulged her enough. Are you actually an idiot, or did you get dropped on your head as a baby? It''s obvious what''s going on here..."


    Carmen nodded at the hallucination of Back-to-Back.


    "She was gathering information... seems Sylvia wasn''t the only one that learned from his no-good methods..."


    Back-to-Back gestured toward Damon''s shadow.


    "Imagine the audacity to use his own tricks against him..."


    "Damon, you little shit... I raised you better than this. Don''t let her go. You know you''re curious..."


    Damon narrowed his eyes. Insanity aside... they were right.


    ''I see... so this is the power of Insanity Mastery. Each mastery actually has an effect on me. I just never noticed... because I was already strong. For Swordsmanship, the effect was techniques¡ªlike Dark Blade. For Insanity... it''s different.''


    Carmen tilted his head at Back-to-Back.


    "What''s this fool doing?"


    "Wasting time, that''s what."


    Evangeline started to stand¡ªor tried to.


    Damon reached out and pulled her gently into his arms.


    She fell against him, cheeks flushed as he leaned closer.


    Her face reddened deeper, her head shifting slightly.


    "Erhmm... not here..."


    Damon didn''t stop. His face was so close their noses nearly touched.


    "Eva... did you get what you wanted? This whole thing... was because you wanted information on... my mother, didn''t you?"


    Evangeline blinked. Her eyes widened. She bit her lip.


    He continued, softly, "My mother''s locket''s been with you this past month. And you opened it. Curious, Evangeline..."


    Her gaze met his.


    "I... I was just curious..."


    Damon grinned, then placed a playful kiss on her cheek.


    "Hehehe. What are you so freaked out about? Jeez, I was just teasing..."


    Evangeline touched her cheek, then glared, punching him in the gut before storming off.


    Back-to-Back leaned in close to Damon''s face.


    "What is wrong with you? Are you an idiot? She knows something. Hell, she might even know about your mother... you idiot..."


    Damon nodded.


    "That''s fine. If she doesn''t want to tell me now, it''s probably because she thinks she''s protecting me..."


    He glanced at Back-to-Back.


    "I''m sorry I''m not the same person you raised... why would I risk hurting someone I care about for knowledge that might not even serve me? Mom is dead... I don''t have to know everything about her life."


    Carmen smiled gently.


    "But we have a clue. A very glaring clue. Just don''t let your thoughts spiral too far..."


    Damon turned toward the ruined city.


    "We''ll be home soon."

 Chapter 404 - 405: Separation

    "Something is wrong..."


    Back-to-Back had said that for the seventh time in the hours since they continued their climb up the spiral tower.


    Damon cleaned the blood off his sword as he downed a recovery potion.


    This particular potion helped an individual recover from wounds, fatigue, lost mana, endurance¡ªand all that sort of thing.


    He wasn''t stingy. He gave the ones he got to his party.


    Good thing he could.


    They had been under constant monster attacks. The potions and drops he looted were surprisingly useful, though some were outright cursed or just plain useless... so he fed those to his shadow instead, boosting its power.


    He only kept what he thought was worth keeping.


    Like the recovery potions.


    ---


    [Recovery Potion]


    [Type] Consumable


    [Description]


    Return to your persistent state and be cleansed of the demons of pain, blood, and fatigue.


    [Effects]


    This potion allows for quick recovery, healing wounds, restoring mana, and endurance.


    ---


    Damon frowned, clearly annoyed with the phantom of Back-to-Back.


    "I''m telling you, something is off..."


    Damon sighed. "Fine... you''re the part of my insanity that represents my paranoia and rational thinking. What''s the problem?"


    Back-to-Back glared.


    "I''m you. I don''t know. Why else would I be nagging in my own head?"


    Damon exhaled again, wiping more blood from his blade. "Right. I can''t see the future. Guess I''ll just proceed with caution. Thanks for nothing..."


    He understood how his insanity worked¡ªit was disturbingly simple.


    The two phantoms he saw were pieces of him.


    Back-to-Back represented Damon''s paranoia, self-loathing, and critical thinking. Snarky and cruel. Which made sense¡ªBack-to-Back had practically raised him on the brutal streets of Valerion, sharpening the already bitter child into someone colder, meaner, and smarter.


    Out there, it was a dog-eat-dog world. No dignity. No honor. Just survival.


    Then there was Carmen Vale¡ªone of the few who had shown him kindness.


    No surprise that the kind hunter''s way of life had shaped Damon''s philosophy to some degree.


    Damon still lived with the guilt of killing him.


    So Carmen appeared as a calm, slightly amused observer. A manifestation of rationality, maybe past guidance, maybe guilt. Rarely did he speak cruelly¡ªbut when he did, it cut deeper than anything Back-to-Back ever said.


    Together, they formed a Greek chorus of madness¡ªmocking, guiding, and breaking him all at once.


    His mind was a horrible place.


    "Let''s go," Damon called to his party.


    Everyone looked exhausted¡ªeven with the recovery potions.


    In the meantime, he hadn''t gotten a new skill. He pushed the thought aside.


    They continued their ascent through the ruined skeletal frame of the tower.


    Then¡ªthe attacks stopped.


    Those constant swarms of specialized low-level monsters were gone.


    ''Hmm. My gut''s telling me something''s off...''


    "No, not your gut. Just me." Back-to-Back sneered.


    Damon glanced at his shoulder, where a disembodied pair of lips hovered, glaring at a strange tear in space-time.


    "Valarie, what''s on your mind?"


    She smiled faintly.


    "Something''s up there. I feel a powerful aura."


    Damon sighed. "I see. So that''s why..."


    "What do we do?" Sylvia asked, tense.


    Valarie scoffed. "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it. Think of it as a parting gift. I''ve got power to spare. Just... make sure I get a good burial, okay?"


    Damon didn''t know how to feel. Valarie had been dead for a long time. This was just her discarnate soul possessing her lips.


    Evangeline nodded slowly. "Let''s go, then..."


    "We... we''re finally at the point where we can leave."


    Damon could tell she was trying to be strong.


    He glanced at Matia beside him. Then Sylvia.


    All of them knew they''d have to part ways with Valarie Sunwarden eventually.


    They had always known.


    Still...


    "Why does it still hurt..." Carmen''s voice whispered from his side.


    "Should you really be thinking about that right now?"


    Damon bit his lip.


    This was getting annoying¡ªbut the voice was right.


    He glanced at the towering pillars holding the spiral structure aloft... the deep darkness below... the crackling rifts in space itself yawning open¡ªone misstep and it was certain death.


    The vast distance of Lysithara. His battered party. Bloodstained, dented armor. Grime smeared on faces. Expressions etched with weariness.


    Their journey had brought them to the end. This was it.


    Crack.


    Damon heard a fracture echo beneath them¡ªhis danger sense screamed.


    It felt like the heavens had shifted; the space felt wrong, the air cold... dread. He felt dread.


    He yanked Evangeline backward as the ground beneath her cracked open. The party scattered as the floor gave way, a spatial rift forming where it collapsed.


    They weaved between falling rubble and shattering earth, jumping to safety before each part of the ground fell.


    Xander moved, shattering rocks with his armored fist; Leona ran close by his side, sparks flying around her sword.


    Evangeline, like a mirage of light, frantically dodged.


    Damon grabbed Sylvia and Matia, activating his omnidirectional gear¡ªwires shot upward, and he pulled them with him.


    A formless creature reached out from the top of the tower¡ªits translucent arm manifesting through the rift.


    Damon slammed into the floor above, rolling with both girls and Valarie in tow.


    He looked up.


    The creature retracted its arm¡ªit hadn''t even attacked them.


    It hadn''t even noticed them.


    Damon exhaled.


    They''d ended up one floor above. He peered through the rift¡ªXander, Leona, and Evangeline were still safe below.


    Fortunately.


    "What now?" Matia called, crouching down and yelling through the rift.


    "There''s another route if you go around," Sylvia replied. "We''re close to the top. Let''s meet there."


    Valarie''s voice echoed from his shoulder. "I''ll deal with the monster up top. So you kids don''t worry. Just meet us at the next floor..."


    Damon clenched his jaw.


    "Let''s regroup on the floor beneath the last. Whoever gets there first, wait for the others."


    He bit his lip¡ªfrustrated. The spatial rift between them made it impossible for Xander to float the others up using gravity magic, or for Damon and the rest to climb back down.


    Back-to-Back grinned beside him.


    "And the fellowship has been split..."


    He leaned in closer.


    "That''s never a good sign."

 Chapter 405 - 406: Closest To His Heart

    Making it to the top was easy¡ªuneventful, really¡ªbut the chill in Damon''s spine only got worse.


    "I can see why you''re anxious. That thing is quite strong..."


    Damon glanced at Valarie, who hovered in front of him like a wisp.


    "You... can take that thing, right?"


    Valarie turned to him, his hollow gaze drifting toward the final floor of the spiral tower. The others had yet to arrive. It was just him, Matia, and Sylvia.


    "I can," she said simply.


    Damon clenched his fist. "How are you still able to fight? And if you could, why not just take yourself to Dawn Break Hollow?"


    Valarie smiled faintly.


    "I was sealed, remember? Even now, I''m just a discarnate soul. I can use remnants of my power... by burning what''s left of me."


    Sylvia bit her lip until blood reached her tongue.


    "Then you''ll be... burning your soul now too..."


    Valarie scoffed. The disembodied lips curled into a grin.


    "I''m already dead. All I want now is a good place to rest. If what''s left of me can help you all... then I will be honored to help."


    Matia stepped forward, removing her helm. She stood in front of Valarie, her mouth parting slightly, yet no words came.


    The silence made Valarie''s smile widen.


    "Don''t worry. As long as I don''t overdo it, I can last a little longer¡ªjust long enough for you to bury me. The waypoint can get you to Dawn Break Hollow, so consider it a nice stop before your departure."


    Damon nodded, taking a deep breath.


    "We''ll wait for the others..."


    Valarie floated around like a flickering wisp.


    "I''ll take care of the monster above before they arrive... should be a decent surprise."


    Damon raised his hand to stop her, but Valarie vanished¡ªa streak of dancing light ascending the tower.


    Moments later, the sounds of battle rang out above¡ªbestial growls, the roar of magic. Damon noticed a shimmering golden light bloom across the ceiling. Valarie had cast a barrier to keep them safe.


    Still, Damon felt a rising unease.


    "And that''s all you can do..." came the mocking voice of Back-to-Back again, slithering into his mind.


    Damon ignored it, eyes fixed on the floor above. The only sounds were the crackles of the spatial rift and the haunting echo from the abyss below¡ªthe kind of hole that would swallow even hope.


    The group stood in anxious silence. No indicators. No warning.


    Damon''s skin prickled.


    His danger sense flared¡ªand the moment it did, he spun¡ªbut something grabbed his mouth. Sharp pain stabbed into his cheek. He narrowly dodged, avoiding a lethal hit, but blood flowed.


    Then chaos.


    Sylvia''s head was smashed against the wall. Matia was kicked across the chamber like a ragdoll.


    Mana surged. A blade¡ªan artifact¡ªflashed with power, slashing Matia as she rolled perilously close to the edge of the pit.


    Damon tried to scream her name¡ªMatia!¡ªbut he couldn''t.


    He couldn''t scream.


    He couldn''t because¡ª


    Because Damon no longer had a mouth.


    It was gone.


    Stolen.


    He tried to scream, but his mind floundered.


    No scream came.


    Not even a gasp.


    Just the throbbing of this violation, the raw terror of being made less than whole.


    Rage consumed him. He unleashed Ashborn in a mad fury. The dark flames burned his mind, a torment worse than dying, as shadow energy and mana bled from his very soul.


    But the flames were pulled away¡ªdevoured by another artifact.


    He didn''t even have time to be surprised; it was too fast.


    This was an ambush. A well-planned strike by an enemy that knew how they fought.


    Damon staggered. His vision blurred.


    Sylvia stood, blood soaking her snow-white hair.


    She struck at the attacker¡ªbut the enemy unrolled a white scroll. Its runes flared, and her mana was drained in an instant.


    Damon teleported¡ªhis blade slicing out¡ªbut the enemy anticipated his movement. Still, Damon shifted again, slicing its side with a sharp rip of steel.


    It groaned.


    And the sound that came out¡ª


    Was his own voice.


    Then he saw its face.


    The creature was white, bipedal. Its body was smooth, unblemished¡ªits fingers long and pale. Its face, or lack thereof, was blank.


    Except now... it had something it didn''t before.


    A mouth.


    His mouth.


    This thing¡ªit was...


    A Face Stealer.


    Damon''s body grew heavy. He shook his head, trying to fight the influence of whatever curse or mental assault it had placed on him.


    This creature wasn''t just terrifying. It was intelligent.


    It used human tools. It wielded artifacts. It fought strategically.


    He didn''t wait. He couldn''t. He was bleeding out¡ªbut so was the creature. Damon had used the Bloodletting skill¡ªits wounds would not stop bleeding.


    It smiled with his mouth while Damon stood, jawless¡ªskin stretched tight where his lips should be.


    He unleashed his shades¡ªweak, but enough to distract¡ª


    But it only smiled, as if expecting it.


    "I''ve been watching, human," it said, voice dripping with smug certainty.


    It pulled out an orb. A flash of blinding light banished the shades.


    "I''ve been learning your methods."


    Then came a flash of ice. A jagged shard shot from the floor, impaling its legs. Matia groaned¡ªher body drenched in blood.


    The Face Stealer winced¡ªbut before Matia could move, it raised its hand, commanding shadows¡ªDamon''s attribute ¡ªusing Damon''s mouth to do it.


    It could also imitate the attributes of its victims.


    The darkness clawed at Matia, wrapping around her bleeding frame¡ªthen hurled her into the void.


    Damon fired his omnidirectional gear, latching onto Matia¡ªhe was pulled toward her, grabbing her hand just as the gravitational pull of a spatial rift seized her legs.


    The Face Stealer grinned using Damon''s stolen lips, staggering toward Sylvia.


    "I need a face... I need her face... I need to heal..."


    The voice echoed¡ªhis voice.


    Sylvia was bleeding. Unconscious. Helpless.


    Valarie was still battling the monster above.


    The rest of the party was nowhere in sight.


    Damon held onto Matia, her hand slipping in his grip. The void below howled like a hungry god. His body ached. His consciousness flickered.


    This was the worst ambush they''d ever faced.


    Matia''s hand slipped further.


    The hole exhaled with force¡ªDamon''s bones groaned as he held on.


    And the Face Stealer was nearing Sylvia, hungering for her face.


    Then a voice whispered in his mind.


    Back-to-Back. Close. Too close.


    "Let her go... you can only save one."


    Damon''s bloodied hand tightened around Matia''s.


    Another voice echoed. Cold. Inevitable.


    "Let her go..."


    Damon closed his eyes.


    Matia or Sylvia.


    He could only save one.


    Choose.

 Chapter 406 - 407: I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream

    The options were laid bare before him. The choice was clear¡ªit was obvious.


    The face stealer limped toward Sylvia. She was unconscious, groaning softly as if struggling to wake, blood pouring from her torn body.


    Damon held onto Matia by the edge of the ledge. Her armored hand was slippery with blood, his grip barely keeping her from being pulled down into the void.


    ''Sylvia... wake up...''


    He wanted to yell, to scream at the top of his lungs, to call out for Valarie¡ªstill fighting the monster above, unaware of the chaos down here.


    But he couldn''t.


    He had no mouth. His mouth had been stolen.


    He had to hold Matia with both hands as the gravitational pull of the rift below threatened to rip her away. The strain burned through his shoulder. He was weakened, poisoned by whatever the face stealer had done.


    The white, bipedal creature moved with slow purpose, Damon''s own stolen mouth twisted into a grin.


    "Ahh... finally. After all these months... I''ve finally caught you, white elf..."


    It spoke with Damon''s voice, mockingly gentle, as it neared Sylvia¡ªher eyes fluttering weakly between unconsciousness and pain.


    "Let her go, boy..."


    "You can''t save them both."


    "Can I? Can I have to?" Damon screamed these words in his mind, but he knew the cruel truth: he couldn''t.


    It wasn''t possible to pull Matia up, and still save Sylvia from the face stealer.


    He would never make it on time if he stayed to help. Matia, the face stealer, would kill Sylvia and then finish off both offspring at its leisure.


    "Let the girl go.. "


    He shook his head violently; he wanted to scream, but he had no mouth.


    Despair settled in his heart as his mind buzzed with options and alternatives.


    "If you hold on they will both die.."


    Carmen''s voice echoed inside Damon''s skull. Tears welled in his eyes. He didn''t want to¡ªhe couldn''t.


    No. No.


    But he had no mouth to cry that word.


    He looked down at Matia¡ªthe fairy who had given up her wings to save him.


    If she still had them, she could''ve flown out. But she didn''t. She had sacrificed them... for him.


    She stared into the abyss below.


    "Le... let me go, Damon..."


    Hearing her say those words only deepened his despair; he shook his head desperately.


    Tears spilled freely down his face. He shook his head violently, as if that alone could defy the world.


    "Let go..."


    Beside him, the phantom of Back-to-Back loomed¡ªglaring at Sylvia with panic and urgency.


    "Hurry, hurry! Let one go. Let Matia go... you''ll never pull her up in time!"


    The rift''s pull grew stronger, ripping at Damon''s arms.


    Tears mixed with his blood.


    The face stealer reached Sylvia, just in time for her to open her eyes¡ªonly to have her head smashed back into the stone. The floor cracked. She groaned.


    It pinned her down, gripping her bloodied face, fingers pressing.


    Stealing her eyes.


    Suddenly, the creature had gray eyes.


    Sylvia wailed, kicking weakly as she tried to push the creature off.


    Damon could hear her scream; his grip slipped slightly.


    "Damon... let go... you have to save Sylvia!"


    Matia could hear her. She saw Damon''s eyes. She tried to pull herself up¡ªbut it was no use. The rift had her now.


    "Stop wasting time!" Carmen snapped again. "You can''t be in two places at once! The others won''t make it in time!"


    The face stealer tore Sylvia''s nose off next.


    She screamed, barely able to breathe through her blood-choked mouth.


    Matia gazed up at Damon, her vision blurry with blood.


    "Please... let me go, Dam... Damon..."


    He shook his head, staring at Sylvia. Matia jerked her body, trying to make the decision easier for him¡ªtrying to fall.


    She bit her lip, tears falling.


    "I''m sorry..."


    Damon heard Sylvia scream again¡ªthen fade.


    He closed his eyes. His Remorseless skill had been screaming at him for a while now.


    He lowered his forehead to the cold ground... and let go.


    Her hand slipped from his grasp.


    He tried to scream. He tried to call her name.


    But he had no mouth.


    All his rage¡ªall his sorrow¡ªcollapsed into a single, focused madness.


    And he charged the face stealer.


    Sylvia thrashed, trying to fight back, but the creature''s strength overwhelmed her.


    Damon''s fist slammed into its face.


    Blood sprayed¡ªhe didn''t know if it was his or the creature''s.


    He tried to scream. To roar.


    But there was only silence. His tears burned as they fell. His fists clawed and crushed the face stealer. It fought back, stabbing and bludgeoning him.


    But Damon didn''t feel it.


    All he heard was the madness inside:


    Kill. Kill. Kill.


    There was no finesse now. No swordplay. No tactics. No magic.


    Only rage.


    Only aura.


    His power surged¡ªflames pouring from his broken form.


    Even Ashborn''s agony was meaningless now.


    His fists were shrouded in black fire, encased in cracked shadow-armor, as he pummeled the ground.


    Blood soaked everything.


    The more he raged, the more of his shadow energy burned away.


    The ground splintered beneath them. His tears mixed with blood.


    He strangled the face stealer. It thrashed. A magic artifact pierced him.


    It pulled free, staggering back.


    Damon reached into his shadow storage.


    Pulled a potion.


    He had no mouth¡ªso he poured the liquid into his nose.


    The potion spilled down his throat.


    Precognition.


    What followed was pure carnage.


    A system chime echoed in his mind.


    He didn''t care.


    His Hunger spiked¡ªhis stats flaring.


    The face stealer lunged.


    Damon moved faster.


    Grabbed its arm. Slammed it into the ground.


    Then tore it off.


    He jammed his hand into its stolen mouth.


    And pulled.


    The creature struggled.


    It was in vain.


    With both hands, Damon ripped its upper and lower jaw apart. Bone cracked. Flesh split. Blood gushed out in torrents.


    The creature shrieked in his stolen voice until there was nothing left but shredded remains.


    A final chime.


    [You have slain: Fuska, the Face Stealer]


    [You have leveled up]


    [You have awakened the skill: Shadow Clone]