My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 1040 - 1042: Camp Fire Scalers

The distinct aroma of wyvern filled the soldiers' camp. They stood frozen, observing Damon and the two young women.

They had just slain and were now consuming a sixth-class wyvern as if it were a trivial matter.

"Could you pass me the sauce?" Evangeline inquired, gesturing towards a bottle near Damon. With a mere wave of his hand, shadows glided the bottle across the ground, delivering it to her.

"They are like monsters, actual monsters."

"I had heard the Ascendants were powerful, but they exceed my expectations."

"Hmph, you newcomers haven't witnessed their true strength; they are far more formidable than this," another soldier interjected.

Damon paid no attention to the soldiers' chatter. He viewed this as their opportunity to decompress and recover from the profound mental and physical strain of the battlefield.

The cruel reality of war had a way of exposing the darkest aspects of human nature, dragging forth the primal beast within each person.

All semblance of civilized order would dissolve, reverting to the ancient, brutal laws.

The unwritten rules of sheer violence.

Within this inferno, individuals cried out to any entity they believed could offer salvation.

This desperate plea remained unchanged, even throughout history.

In ages past, people would implore the gods for deliverance. Depending on their region, they invoked various lesser deities.

The soldiers in their makeshift camps were free to converse, and Damon, unbothered, simply listened.

Their discussion soon devolved into a heated debate over the ranking of the strongest Ascendants.

Curiously, Damon's name was entirely absent from their evaluations.

"Silence! We all know Lady Leona is the supreme one; she can obliterate enemies in an instant!" a soldier declared, pointing animatedly at another.

"Nonsense! So what if she can? Lady Evangeline possesses healing abilities and much more, plus she can fly and move at the speed of light!"

"That's incorrect. While she is swift and wields light magic, it doesn't equate to light speed. To achieve such velocity, one's body must be at least seventh class, as matter cannot maintain a solid form when traveling at light speed," a knight wearing glasses countered, adjusting his spectacles.

A disheveled man scoffed, raising his hand.

"But… but magic… so anything is possible, right?"

The argument intensified, escalating into a exchange of battle accomplishments and physical prowess.

Damon found the entire spectacle rather amusing.

"Ah, power scalers, you find them lurking everywhere," Ashcroft's sardonic voice echoed in his mind.

The term "power scalers" was entirely new to Damon, leading him to assume Ashcroft had coined it himself.

"I understand everyone's viewpoint, but personally, I believe Lady Sylvia is the best. Her abilities are far superior, and honestly, I've never witnessed her sustain any damage."

The soldiers abruptly ceased their argument and turned their attention to the young woman who had spoken.

"You mean she lacks demonstrable feats?"

"Sounds like a fraud to me…"

"No way, her potential is—"

"Is what?" someone interrupted.

"Always discussed, but never realized. She possesses a legendary grasp of magic but seldom employs it. Zero combat achievements."

Damon was unsure how to react, contemplating whether he should defend Sylvia.

Just as he considered speaking, Ashcroft's voice interjected.

"It is best to remain uninvolved. If you engage, they will inevitably draw you into the vortex of endless power scaling debates. Before you know it, your nights and brain cells will be wasted discussing power realms you barely comprehend, devolving into a full-time live-action role-play."

Damon felt as though Ashcroft was recounting a deeply traumatic experience.

"Yeah, whatever, I don't even care," he stated aloud.

This declaration caused Leona to chuckle softly, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Do not trouble yourself over it. The same sentiment prevails in other camps. The soldiers enjoy extolling their leaders while denigrating those from rival camps. They mean no offense."

It felt as though she were attempting to smooth things over.

Damon simply shook his head.

"It's fine; I don't mind at all, as long as everyone here acknowledges that Xander Ravenscroft is a complete loser."

"Wow, Xander is really catching strays, and during his honeymoon no less," Leona remarked, swallowing her drink.

"I shall make sure to spread the word."

Evangeline remained silent, her gaze fixed on Damon. She then crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"You truly intend to keep your strategy for dealing with the great dragon a secret from me, don't you?"

He slowly shook his head.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't trust you at all. The reason I'm not telling you is because..."

He observed the shifting expressions on her face before adding with a grin.

"I don't have a plan. Not even one. Nothing at all. I honestly came here relying on hope and good fortune, but knowing my luck, I expected to leave here half-dead."

Evangeline felt a surge of anger. In truth, she was incensed. However, she suppressed it, recognizing that Damon's presence had elevated the troops' morale to an unprecedented high.

She harbored a deep animosity towards the wretch, yet simultaneously found herself drawn to him. One undeniable fact remained: his success rate was unmatched.

He was quick-witted and could react swiftly.

That is, as long as he made decisions promptly; any hesitation would spell disaster. But since he seemed to have committed to a course of action, she wouldn't have to fret.

"Let me take a guess. I'm crucial to this plan of yours, a plan that you apparently don't even have yet, right?"

"Precisely. Your presence here could determine whether we live or die."

"So, you do have a plan then?" Leona inquired.

"Not at all. I'll improvise as we go."

Evangeline rolled her eyes and rose to her feet, dusting off her attire.

"I'm going to get some rest. You two are on first watch."

With that, she departed, avoiding a confrontation with Damon.

He gasped and leaned forward, befuddled.

"Wh-where are you headed? Come back here, young lady! Get angry at me! Put up a fight! You can't just surrender! Why are you suddenly acting so mature...?"

Her eye twitched slightly, but she resolutely refused to be drawn down to his level.

"Did... did you gain weight?" he blurted out.

She halted her steps abruptly. A golden projectile shot from her hand, striking Damon squarely on the head.

Evangeline retired to her bed, simmering with indignation.