My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 875 - 876: Taking Charge

Damon didn't look back.

Evangeline was destined to fight her own war, driven by convictions that were just as relentless as his. Perhaps joining her to eliminate the Wind Apostle would have been the logical choice, but that foe belonged to her. More than anyone else, Evangeline craved his death.

While the sounds of conflict roared behind him, Damon sprinted toward the Black Tower. Brilliant bursts of golden radiance sliced through the atmosphere as Evangeline’s duel with the apostle grew more violent, sending ripples of shockwaves outward with every strike.

“Goodbye, Eva...” he whispered under his breath as he ran.

He knew this was likely the final time their paths would cross.

Damon had searched for words—anything to say as a parting gesture before one of them was claimed by death. Ultimately, however, he remained silent.

He merged into the darkness, reappearing as he cleared a massive, ruined structure in a single bound. Far above, swirling shadows fought to consume a chained angel. Though the combatants were far away, the intensity of their battle tore massive spatial rifts into the sky, warping the very fabric of reality.

It was like watching an unfolding apocalypse.

From the heavens, scorched feathers from Seraph Null’s wings fell like flaming meteors, crashing into the urban landscape and erupting into waves of fire.

Damon narrowly dodged a direct hit as a feather slammed into the pavement nearby. The resulting blast threw him through the wall of a neighboring building.

“Cough—cough...”

Groaning, he forced himself to stand amidst the falling debris. He rolled away just before more of the ceiling gave way, then shoved a broken wooden shelf off his body.

Suddenly, a hand reached out to seize him.

Damon’s shadows flared in an instant reaction, but he halted the strike when he recognized the familiar aura.

It was Leona.

Her face was masked in blood and soot. A jagged wound across her side bled heavily. Standing behind her was Wendy, who bore a fresh, deep cut across her back.

Damon’s brow furrowed as they helped him to his feet.

“What happened to you two?”

Clenching her teeth, Leona pressed a hand against her injury.

“It’s total chaos,” she gasped out. “We’re being overrun. This is their territory, and they are well-organized.”

Without a word, Damon produced several potions and handed them over.

Leona swallowed hers at once. Before his eyes, her flesh began to knit together, the flow of blood slowing until it stopped entirely.

“Everyone is pushing toward the Black Tower,” Wendy noted with a calm demeanor. “But the Chained are establishing a final line of defense there.”

Damon wasn't shocked by her insight. Wendy possessed a sharper mind than most realized. Months of integration had dulled her primal monster instincts, replacing them with a keen understanding of human nature and the mechanics of war.

“I’m guessing that’s not where those wounds came from,” Damon remarked coldly.

He fixed his gaze on Leona.

“Who did this to you?”

Leona’s jaw tightened in frustration.

“The Water Apostle. We held the upper hand initially, but then the Fire Apostle launched an ambush. We were outranked and outmatched. We had no choice but to fall back.”

Damon took a slow breath, suppressing his rising fury.

“I see,” he murmured. “That’s their strategy. Deploy the apostles to pick off our elite combatants while they dig in at the Black Tower.”

All around them, the city continued to crumble under the weight of the struggle. Lightning tore through the clouds while ice and fire clashed. Artifacts shrieked upon impact, and magic unraveled the world.

All of it was done in the name of war.

Damon projected his shadow perception, creating a mental map of the surrounding carnage. He then turned his attention back to his companions.

“If you had reinforcements of equal or greater power, could you take down those two apostles?”

Leona cracked her knuckles, sparks of electricity dancing around her hand.

“The fourth class isn’t invincible. If you join us, we’ll kill them.”

Damon shook his head.

“No. I won’t be the one going.”

He paused for a beat.

“However, we all know that ice is the counter to both fire and water.”

Wendy blinked in confusion, but Leona began to smile.

“She’ll work perfectly.”

A silhouette detached itself from Damon’s shadow.

A woman emerged, wearing black armor that seemed constructed from shards of frozen ice. Veins of glowing blue light pulsed across its surface.

Her Ascendant Armor: Shattered Ice.

Her icy blue eyes locked onto Leona’s.

She gave a single, curt nod—the only greeting she intended to give.

Leona’s expression brightened as she lunged forward.

“Matia! I’ve missed you so much! I’m so happy you’ve returned!”

Matia hesitated for a moment.

Slowly, she raised a hand and softly brushed Leona’s beastkin ears.

“I... missed you as well,” she spoke softly.

She had actually used her voice.

Wendy’s eyebrow shot up in surprise.

“Wait. She can actually talk?”

Damon rolled his eyes at the comment.

“Yes. Now go handle those apostles. But keep two things in mind. First, look out for the Wardens. They are fourth class, but they aren't apostles.”

Leona crossed her arms, questioning him.

“What’s the distinction?”

Damon’s gaze grew stern.

“That leads to the second issue. While Apostles and Wardens are the same class, apostles have access to Nascent Soul-level domains. They are on the verge of the fifth class and can almost manifest true domains.”

Leona frowned at the news.

“How are we supposed to fight a domain?”

“You don’t,” Damon said bluntly. “If they successfully deploy one, you’re dead. You must eliminate them before they can activate it. At their current level, the activation cost is massive—that split second of hesitation is your only window.”

Leona nodded as her helmet snapped into place, lightning coiling around her blade.

“And if things go sideways?” she asked. “What if they manage to use it anyway?”

Damon looked toward Matia, who radiated a faint, freezing aura.

“That is why she is accompanying you. Her ability can mimic a domain—not perfectly, but enough to cause interference.”

Leona’s confidence returned, visible even through her helm.

“So you believe the three of us can take down two fourth-class apostles?”

Damon paused for a fleeting second before nodding firmly.

Leona was no amateur. Wendy was a creature that the impure found nearly impossible to kill. And Matia... she had survived decades in the abyss, enduring corruption and rot itself.

She would not be defeated by this.

Leona smirked.

“I’ll bring you their heads as trophies.”

She disappeared in a crackle of lightning.

“May the goddess watch over you, my friends...”

Damon tapped his ear, triggering his brand.

“Abellona. Do you copy?”

Her annoyed voice crackled back immediately.

“That’s Princess to you. And I’m right in the middle of something.”

“Good,” Damon countered. “That implies you aren’t doing anything vital.”

“—Excuse me?”

“We need a change in tactics,” he pushed on. “I’ve developed a plan. Direct all available mages and archers to my position.”

The war was far from over.