My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 1149 - 1150: Hunter
Previously on My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger...
He snapped his eyes open.
This was the fifth Shadow drone that had been destroyed.
And this one had been in the Third Class.
Damon’s eyes narrowed.
Something was lurking within those mountains.
Whatever it was, it wasn’t targeting people.
It was hunting Shadow drones.
He had underestimated the Anarchy Mountains.
The barrier wasn’t the only danger hidden within them.
No.
The barrier was merely one part of the problem.
Damon slowly rose to his feet, his expression growing colder as he looked toward the distant silhouette of the Anarchy Mountains.
If that was the case...
Then Ric and Ranar were in far more danger than he had originally believed.
He turned toward Renata, who stood several meters away with her usual calm expression.
At first glance she appeared perfectly composed.
But Damon noticed the tiny movements of her fingers as they repeatedly fidgeted against one another.
She always did that whenever she was worried.
Even if her face betrayed nothing.
"Is it ready yet?" he asked, unable to hide the impatience in his voice.
Renata nodded.
The space beside her suddenly warped.
A door of distorted space silently opened, and Lilith stepped through first. Behind her, several Shadow Drones emerged, each helping carry a large black box resembling a coffin.
Together they lowered it onto the ground.
Thud.
A small cloud of dust rose around it.
Renata stepped forward, raising a hand.
With a flick of her fingers, the coffin lid was torn away.
Inside lay a human-shaped Shadow drone.
Its body was matte black, smooth like polished obsidian, while a pair of enormous wings rested folded against its back.
Even while motionless, it radiated an oppressive presence.
A sword rested beside it.
One of the Temple’s Holy Relics.
A weapon Damon himself had stolen from the Temple years ago.
It was a terrifying blade that ignored both distance and space.
Yet the weapon wasn’t what drew the most attention.
The drone itself had no life signs whatsoever.
Despite only possessing the strength of a Third Class Advancement, it looked far more dangerous than its rank suggested.
Damon reached down, resting a hand against its cold chest.
A faint smile spread across his face.
"It came out better than I expected."
His fingers traced the smooth armor-like skin.
"Although... considering the amount of resources poured into creating it, it’s a shame it only reached the Third Class."
He sighed softly.
"And it still has no will of its own."
Renata nodded.
"That was intentional."
She stepped beside the coffin.
"This model wasn’t designed to think."
"It was designed to become your body."
She gently tapped the drone’s shoulder.
"Its frame continuously absorbs ambient mana."
"It can unleash sword skills."
"It carries an extensive catalogue of combat abilities."
"I’ll send you the full list later."
She rested a hand against one of its folded wings.
"It’s classified as an Assassin model."
"However, it performs equally well in magical warfare and close quarters combat."
"And these wings aren’t decorative."
"They’re designed for aerial warfare."
Damon listened quietly.
Most of what she said barely registered.
His thoughts lingered elsewhere.
Tracking.
That was all he cared about right now.
Lilith folded her arms.
"You can possess it."
"While you do that... we’ll protect your real body."
Damon slowly nodded.
He understood the implication.
Possessing the Shadow drone meant abandoning his own body completely.
He only had one soul.
Wherever his consciousness went...
His true body would become an empty shell.
He looked between Lilith and Renata.
"You’re seriously suggesting the two of you meet up with Eva... and guard my body?"
Lilith answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
"That’s exactly what I’m suggesting."
Renata frowned slightly.
"What happens when we bring them back?"
"What if Ric sees all of us together?"
Lilith fell silent.
"...Hmm."
She rubbed her forehead before letting out a quiet sigh.
"I understand you’re worried about him."
"So am I."
"But we have to think logically."
Renata crossed her arms over her chest.
"Even though we taught Ric to keep our identities secret... we never intended to trap him inside the tomb forever."
She shook her head.
"Keeping him there would’ve been the safer choice."
"I still don’t understand why you’ve become so soft on him."
Her gaze hardened.
"Do you even realize the political fallout if the truth gets out?"
"We don’t even call him Godric anymore."
"We call him Ric."
"What happens if he slips up?"
Damon remained silent for several moments.
Because...
She was right.
Logically...
She was completely right.
Yet...
"If Ranar had been the child handed to me..."
His voice became quieter.
"I wouldn’t have wanted her growing up inside a dreadful cave."
"I wouldn’t have wanted her to suffer."
He lowered his head.
"I don’t want Ric to suffer either."
He looked directly at Renata.
"I know what the logical choice is."
"But the logical choice isn’t always the right one."
His fingers slowly curled into a fist.
"Perhaps once..."
"I wouldn’t have hesitated."
"I may have become more powerful over the years..."
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"But I’ve also become weaker."
"I can’t even bring myself to be that ruthless toward a child."
"A child that isn’t even mine."
His fist tightened until his knuckles turned white.
"If Ric has to suffer for the truth..."
"Then I don’t care if the truth is revealed."
"So what?"
"I rarely make the right choices."
"But I know this is one of them."
"And I won’t regret it."
Renata quietly bit her lip.
It was ridiculous.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Yet...
She couldn’t help smiling.
Damon’s ruthless side had always appealed to the demon within her.
But this side...
The gentle side.
The one that chose compassion over logic.
For some reason...
That side made her heart soften even more.
"Well then," she said with a faint smile.
"Shall we go find our ward?"
"He’s grounded for getting into this much trouble."
Damon chuckled.
A genuine one.
"I doubt you’d actually have the heart to punish him."
Sooner or later...
The truth would come to light.
Damon could already feel it approaching.
He couldn’t change the past.
But he refused to create any more enemies.
Ric would not become one.
He would never allow that.
That was why he had raised Ric with honesty.
Between the two of them...
There had never been lies.
Perhaps one day, when Ric finally met his real parents...
He would resent Damon for everything.
If that day came...
Damon would accept it.
He had long since stopped trying to fight fate.
The Unknown God never spoke empty prophecies.
Its words always came to pass.
Every attempt Damon had ever made to defy them had only tightened fate’s grip, turning possibility into certainty.
He had never forgotten those words.
The truth is a steel horse.
No matter how hard one pulled at its reins...
It would always reach its destination.