My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 1033 - 1035: World Gone Mad

War councils, events where fates were sealed and lives decided, were a familiar scene for Damon. The outcome often hinged on whether individual deaths or sacrifices served the overarching military strategy.

In these gatherings, the decisions of a select few could dictate the destiny of countless others, shaping the very course of history.

Damon entered the expansive chamber, the sound of his boots on the stairs a soft echo in the vast room. He proceeded to a seat designated for House Brightwater and the Empire, settling himself with practiced grace.

Positioned centrally, his viewpoint commanded a view of the surrounding sections. The seating arrangements were organized by continent, with nine distinct areas, all but one rapidly filling.

A slight frown creased Damon's brow.

The presence of a ninth area was unusual. Typically, only eight continents dispatched representatives, with the Temple occupying the ninth. However, this time was different, as the Temple's delegation was seated alongside the Empire in Soltheon.

The other seating sections were designated for delegates from various continents. At the uppermost tier were the seats reserved for individuals who had achieved the Seventh Class advancement.

A magical apparatus floated above the room's center, projecting maps and diverse imagery, with a dedicated section for vocal communications. The seats were plush, and the tables broad and tiered, etched with faintly luminous runic patterns.

"Intriguing," Ashcroft's voice resonated.

"Do you perceive it? Indeed, it's a familiar resonance. The aura of a deity. It appears they possess a hidden advantage."

Damon maintained a composed demeanor as Ashcroft's thoughts echoed in his mind. The divine aura likely belonged to Aetherus, whom Damon suspected the Temple was awaiting.

The pieces seemed to fit together logically.

"So, the god of life has returned? I doubt even he can halt the invaders," Damon mused mentally. This was a stark reality; Aetherus wielded considerable power, yet even as the world's sole deity, he was powerless against the 'outsiders'.

"If anything, he’s a vulnerability," Damon added in his thoughts to Ashcroft.

Aetherus, while potent, was intrinsically linked to the world itself – his body was the world's very essence. His demise would mean the planet's annihilation.

Should he appear on the battlefield and fall, their entire existence would cease.

"The outsiders will hesitate to strike him down directly, not while their objective remains undiscovered," Ashcroft stated coolly. "Though I wouldn’t put it past a few of them, the truly malevolent, peculiar, or unfeeling ones who possess scant regard for morality."

Damon gave a soft scoff, lifting a hand to his chin, stroking it thoughtfully.

"No wonder. Three hundred thousand years of confinement can fray anyone's sanity. I cannot fathom experiencing such an expanse of time."

"Naive," Ashcroft whispered.

"That duration is insignificant to them. They are beyond mortal comprehension. They have transcended the limitations of lifespan. They have witnessed phenomena beyond our wildest imaginings. After millennia, the concept of time loses its grip. Believe me, a day, a year, or a minute will scarcely differ in significance."

"That sounds rather melancholic," Damon replied, a shadow dimming his eyes.

"I cannot say if it is sad, but I assure you, time's passage affects all beings differently. Even if it appears somber or isolating, it is infinitely preferable to oblivion. When your time expires and all potential vanishes, you are merely an end."

Damon fell silent, his hair obscuring his vision as he gazed at the projected displays.

"You have experienced death and returned. Does that not imply that death is not the absolute conclusion of all possibilities?"

"Hmm, perhaps. But I will always choose existence and fight against the inevitable progression towards death. Even the transcendent outsiders cannot escape that," Ashcroft's voice conveyed conviction in Damon's mind.

Damon had no opportunity to respond or gain further insight from Ashcroft. His attention shifted when he noticed the woman seated beside him.

A familiar scent, reminiscent of the battlefield, permeated the air.

"I anticipated your return," Seras declared, pulling the adjacent seat closer and taking a seat.

She was clad in battered and heavily damaged armor, scorched and partially melted, its mithril and runes warped. Patches of blood marred her face, hastily wiped but still visible.

The smudges indicated her recent presence on the battlefield, and some last-minute effort had been made to appear presentable.

"Did you presume I would perish then?" Damon inquired slowly, inhaling the distinct aura of a Seventh Class cultivator. Seras now exuded an even stronger scent of conflict, and as he regarded her, visions of war's grim realities flickered around her.

The clang of steel and the sharp tang of blood assailed his senses.

"No, not at all. I just didn’t expect they would have a seat for you so quickly for the war council."

Seras spoke in a businesslike tone while her eyes scanned him as if to check whether he was in pain or not.

"I’m sorry," she whispered under her breath.

"It was my failings as a commander that led to your loss. I’m sorry about Wendy too. I searched around when I heard you came back without her."

Damon shook his head slowly.

"No, it’s fine. Wendy lived for three hundred years but she told me her life only truly began when she met me. I want to be the type of person she thought I was, so I will not let her down."

Seras chuckled softly and smiled at him.

"You’ve changed, Damon Grey."

Damon did not want to keep talking about personal matters so he turned his head toward the chamber that was steadily filling up.

"What type of war council is this."

Seras took a deep breath, the first calm breath she had taken since sitting down.

And just as she was about to answer, demons began to walk into the chamber from another door. Their first representative walked into the area and sat down in the place arranged for the Demon Continent.

Damon’s eyes flashed sharply.

"Demons in the war council."

"Has the world gone mad."