My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 870 - 871: Shadow Drones

Damon trailed behind them, venturing into an unfamiliar wing of the subterranean vault. The mere existence of this area confirmed his suspicions; these halls had been carved out during his absence.

Upon crossing the threshold, Damon’s pace slowed instinctively.

The atmosphere shifted abruptly.

He was greeted by air that felt scrubbed and sterile. Beneath his boots, the floor was a polished mirror, catching his reflection in the gleaming surface. The walls were lined with bizarre apparatus—arcane tools, containment arrays, and enigmatic machinery that vibrated with a low, controlled hum of power.

However, it was the black cocoons that commanded his attention.

They were integrated throughout the space.

Resembling biological capsules, they were recessed into the architecture, each one thrumming with a rhythmic pulse as if harboring a living, breathing occupant.

For a fleeting second, Damon felt as though he had stumbled into the hidden laboratory of an illicit alchemist—the sort spoken of in dark rumors. It felt like a sanctuary where the pursuit of immortality demanded the sacrifice of flesh, turning bodies into mere reagents.

Paradoxically, this place was indeed dedicated to monstrous experiments.

Except immortality wasn't the goal here.

Advancing further, Damon noticed a youth, likely still in his teens, positioned before one of the pods. With a quill in hand, he was focused on a parchment, meticulously recording every subtle vibration in the capsule’s shell.

The young man turned toward them, a relaxed smile on his face.

"Welcome back, Damon."

His eyes scanned Damon’s features, pausing for a fraction of a second too long. A single brow arched upward.

"Why the long face, my friend?"

Damon subconsciously touched his cheek.

Was his irritation truly that obvious?

"It’s a long story."

Sithara suddenly bolted past him, her excitement palpable as she skipped toward the young man.

"Show him! You have to show him the new combat drones!"

The youth gave a soft chuckle and ruffled her hair.

"Of course, of course."

He turned to lead them deeper into the facility, waving for them to keep up.

"We haven't been idle while you were away. Initially, the drones Maw produced were strictly for reconnaissance—the skull models and those floating shades."

Damon’s brow furrowed as he walked.

"The shades as well?"

Lyn gave a firm nod.

"They are integrated into the hive mind now. We experimented to see if Maw could produce shade-type constructs, and the results were successful. They possess more offensive utility than the skulls, though scouting remains their primary directive."

Damon nodded, processing the update until they reached a much larger hall.

The energy here was different.

A full squad of knights stood in perfect formation. Unlike the previous versions, these were clad in midnight-black armor. Nearby, cavalry units sat atop grotesque, unnatural steeds that remained eerily motionless.

Then, Damon’s gaze shifted upward.

Five massive, winged monstrosities sat with their pinions folded tight, looking more like wyverns than any natural beast.

Lazarak pointed a hand toward the dark-armored infantry.

"These represent our third-generation combat units. In contrast to the basic versions, these are capable of a limited degree of independent thought."

He folded his arms, looking quite satisfied with the work.

"Impressive, isn't it?"

Damon raised an eyebrow.

He could sense it beneath the plate—shadows. Not in a figurative sense, but literal shadow essence. It was the same substance as Maw, just more concentrated and refined.

"What was the cost for these?"

Lazarak shared a look with Lyn and Sithara. They both grinned.

"The report will tell you everything."

Damon took the parchment and scanned the text until he found the resource tallies.

He nearly choked.

"...This many corpses were required?"

Lyn held up a finger to interrupt.

"Don’t overlook the magical ores, the mana crystals, and the mana cores."

Damon’s eye gave a frustrated twitch.

"These are far more costly than standard knights."

"But their combat prowess makes them worth every coin," Lazarak countered smoothly.

"Test one out," Sithara urged, gesturing wildly.

Damon observed the units for a moment. They were at the third class advancement level, matching his own current standing in this world. Controlling even a small group of such units was a significant advantage.

He stepped toward one and issued a basic directive.

"Step forward."

The knight moved without delay.

Damon spoke again.

"Destroy me."

The unit remained still.

Sithara shook her head at the attempt.

"I doubt they are permitted to follow a command like that. You should try a spar instead."

Damon nodded and adjusted his order.

"Fight me."

The world became a blur.

Before Damon could react, he was sent crashing into a wall.

The speed was incredible, exceeding his expectations entirely.

Matia looked over at him.

"This model has already analyzed and adapted to my own fighting style. It would be a mistake to underestimate them."

Damon pushed himself off the floor. Using a flash step, he materialized next to the machine and slammed his palm upward, sending the drone spiraling into the air before it hit the ground hard.

Before he could press the advantage, the drone rolled and lunged for his legs.

The room spun as he was once again flung into the stone wall.

Damon let out a small smile.

He dissolved into the shadows and shot forward, emerging directly above the unit. He threw a punch with full force—

A shield manifested instantly to meet him.

The collision sent a powerful shockwave through the chamber.

A hidden blade whipped out from behind the shield, cutting through the air and clipping a few hairs from Damon’s head.

He tried to circle around, but the shield tracked his movement perfectly to protect its rear.

Damon noted a dent in the armor.

It was already beginning to knit itself back together.

"...I'm impressed."

And he had a whole squad of these at his disposal.

"Let’s see how you deal with heat."

Ashborn flames flared from Damon’s palm—

The drone sank into the shadows and vanished.

It reappeared right beneath his feet.

Damon twisted in the air to evade and then brought his foot down in a crushing blow.

"Hmm. That's enough for now."

With a fluid motion, he ripped the drone’s arm from its socket and dropped it to the floor.

They were formidable, but Damon still held the upper hand.

Regardless, fighting these would be a headache for anyone.

"That black-armored unit is specifically an infantry variant," Lazarak explained. "The one you just faced was a tank model."

Sithara nodded in agreement.

"We have cavalry, archers, assassins, and even mages." She pointed toward the wyverns. "And those are the air units—the most expensive of all. Producing flying shadow drones consumes an immense amount of resources."

"Every model keeps a fragment of its own intelligence," Lazarak added. "Even though they are tethered to the hive."

He looked toward Maw, who was shifting shapes nearby.

"Because Maw is a shadow entity, they all share that nature. Unfortunately, we’ve run out of materials to make more."

He offered a faint smirk.

"Shadow drones. It’s a fitting name. How does it feel to command your own shadow army?"

Damon crossed his arms over his chest.

"...They are still too weak to truly change the tide."

He paused, then gave a slight shrug.

"But it’s a start. Given a few years—and a few more wars—I could raise a real army. Provided I survive that long."

Lazarak met his eyes with a knowing grin.

"You will."

Sithara looked at the broken drone on the floor.

"Also, do you have to be such a show-off? Why did you break it? That model cost a fortune!"

Damon rubbed the back of his head, looking slightly sheepish.