My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Chapter 1122: Chapter 1123: What Will You Do At The End Of The World

”I want a world where Ranar never has to see another battlefield.”

He said it to Ashcroft before giving one last glance to the little girl sleeping peacefully on the bed. His fingers lingered briefly on the edge of the blanket, gently pulling it over her shoulder before he turned away. He quietly opened the door to his large chamber and stepped into the empty hallway.

”How many do you think have tried to do that... bring an end to war?”

”Every tyrant and despot has uttered those same words years before you were born, and look around you...” Ashcroft’s voice echoed through his mind, carrying an unusual melancholy. ”The world you have today is the inherited ruin of their ideals.”

”Do you know how many kings uttered those same words before drowning the world in blood?”

”Peace is always the excuse.”

”Conquest.”

”Domination.”

”Genocide.”

”Every tyrant believes the final war will create everlasting peace.”

”They were all wrong.”

His voice seemed to thrum through Damon’s mind, each word carrying the weight of countless centuries.

There was a small lingering silence.

”You are talking about yourself, aren’t you...” Damon muttered, slowly making his way down the corridor, his footsteps echoing against the polished stone floors.

Damon had grown up in a world where Ashcroft was little more than a myth. The Demon Lord of Domination who had almost conquered the known world before he was destroyed by the goddess. Many didn’t even believe he had been real, dismissing him as nothing more than a story told to remind people of the goddess’ greatness, a cautionary tale for children.

However, no matter how much people tried to downplay his greatness, the idea of Ashcroft lit a fire in everyone who heard his name.

The Demon of Domination.

The monster who could not be stopped.

”Have I ever cared for right or wrong Ashcroft?” He said without shame. ”... I have never wanted anything more in my life than this.”

Damon lowered his eyes as he continued walking.

”For the first time... I am not just trying to survive.”

”I want to change everything.”

”For a time, saving my sister was my only goal. I didn’t care for anything or anyone else.”

”When I saved her...”

His voice faltered.

”I didn’t have anything to fight for... anymore.”

”That’s your problem.”

Ashcroft interrupted immediately.

”You believe you need to fight for something.”

”It’s like I said.”

”You have a heart consumed by the fires of war.”

”How can someone who has only known war live in a peaceful world?”

”Humans crave violence.”

”They crave something to break the monotony of life.”

”War is one of those things.”

”There are many like you in this world who need war.”

”People like you can’t live in a peaceful world.”

His voice grew colder with every sentence.

”Do you intend to kill them too?”

Ashcroft didn’t wait for an answer.

”This world has the Pillar of Conflict as a driver of war.”

”But let me break you out of your delusions.”

”Even worlds that don’t have some abstruse Pillar of Conflict still have wars.”

”War.”

”Conflict.”

”Violence.”

”Death”

”Those things can’t be defeated.”

”You can only win one war and wait for the interlude before the next.”

”That is all peace is.”

”An interlude before the next violent outbreak.”

”Your world simply has it a little worse than the others.”

Damon didn’t know how to reply.

His brows slowly drew together as he stared ahead.

Other worlds had wars.

Of course they did.

He had already figured that out.

”Then why here?”

His voice came out barely above a whisper.

”Why us...”

”Why do we have to be burdened with the Pillar of Conflict?”

”The goddess could have chosen a world without life.”

”There are countless stars in the heavens.”

”Surely some of them are empty wastelands.”

His jaw tightened.

”Why here...”

”Why us?”

His fist suddenly slammed into the wall beside him.

Boom!

The stone shattered beneath the impact, cracks racing across the corridor as chunks of marble exploded onto the floor. Dust drifted through the hallway while fragments bounced across the polished tiles.

The alarm immediately sounded.

Within moments several knights rushed around the corner with weapons already drawn, only to stop abruptly when they recognized Damon. Their expressions stiffened as they lowered their blades and saluted.

Damon didn’t even spare them a glance.

Taking another step, his body dissolved into shadows.

The darkness swallowed him whole.

When he emerged again, he stood within a vast garden.

Fresh air filled his lungs.

Flowers swayed gently beneath the evening breeze while moonlight bathed the quiet garden in silver.

He took one deep breath before a violent pain exploded inside his head.

His knees buckled.

One hand caught himself against the stone path while the other gripped his forehead tightly. He remained there for several moments, breathing heavily as waves of dizziness washed over him.

The destruction of his Shadow Clone was still taking its toll.

”Hey... are you okay?”

Evangeline’s voice came from behind him.

Damon hadn’t even sensed her.

He turned his head, slightly startled.

She sat quietly upon a stone bench beneath a flowering tree, dressed in a long white dress made of thin flowing fabric. The breeze gently stirred loose strands of her golden hair as she watched him with quiet concern.

Damon pushed himself back to his feet.

His legs still felt weak.

Walking over slowly, he lowered himself beside her with a tired sigh.

For several moments neither of them spoke.

Evangeline remained lost in thought, her eyes fixed upon the endless sea of stars overhead.

”You shouldn’t be out.”

She finally broke the silence without looking at him.

”You need to rest.”

”I’m fine...”

Damon answered automatically.

She simply nodded.

She already knew he wouldn’t listen.

Tilting her head back, she continued gazing into the night sky.

”I can’t believe the Holy City got destroyed...”

Her voice was quiet.

Almost absent-minded.

Damon wasn’t surprised.

He had been the one who used the Staff of Carnage to level the entire city during his battle against Aetherus.

”It just feels so unreal.”

”The Holy City always seemed untouchable.”

”And now...”

She slowly lowered her gaze.

”It’s just gone.”

Damon remained silent, allowing her to continue.

”Why is this happening?”

She asked softly.

Damon leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as another wave of nausea churned inside him. His head still throbbed relentlessly, making him feel as though he might throw up at any moment.

”Why do I feel so helpless to do anything...”

She continued speaking even though he hadn’t answered.

Slowly she raised one delicate hand.

Golden mana gathered around her fingertips, swirling gently like ribbons of liquid light.

”Do you feel it, Damon...”

Her voice became quieter still.

”This fear...”

The mana drifted between her fingers, dancing with every subtle movement of her hand.

He narrowed his eyes.

”The world is afraid.”

”I can feel it in the air...”

”In the water...”

Her fingers slowly closed.

”More vividly than anything...”

”It’s urging us all to hurry.”

”To grow.”

”Something is coming, Damon...”

”The era has come to an end.”

”And perhaps this one is the last.”

”There will be no legacy after us.”

She lowered her hand into her lap.

”It happens every era.”

”Heroes rise.”

”But never as many as this.”

”In the past there were the Ascendants.”

”Then there was Ashcroft.”

”And now us.”

”We’re growing powerful...”

”Far too quickly.”

Damon sat quietly beside her for a long time before finally speaking.

”What will you do at the end of the world?”

His voice was calm.

Almost emotionless.

”What will you do if you know our world will die...”

”And everything will come to an end?”

He slowly turned his head, looking directly at her.

”Tell me, Evangeline.”

”What will you do...”

”At the end of the world?”

Evangeline didn’t answer immediately.

The breeze carried the scent of flowers between them as she continued staring at the stars.

For a long while...

Neither of them spoke.

Then she smiled.

It wasn’t a happy smile.

It was quiet.

Almost Fragile.

”If the world really is ending...”

Her fingers lightly brushed across the petals beside her.

”...then I’d probably cry.”

Damon blinked, surprised she admitted that.

”I know that’s not a very heroic answer.”

She laughed softly to herself.

”I’ve always admired heroes.”

”They stand in front of everyone else.”

”They fight impossible battles.”

”They save people.”

”They are just.”

Her eyes drifted toward Damon.

”I wanted to become someone like that.”

She looked back toward the sky.

”But...”

”I don’t think I’m that brave or even just.”

”If I knew tomorrow was the end...”

”I’d want to spend today with the people I love.”

She folded her hands together.

”I’d eat good food.”

”I’d watch the sunrise.”

”I’d talk with Iris.”

”I’d tease Luna.”

A faint smile tugged at her lips.

”I’d probably get angry at you for doing something reckless.”

Damon snorted.

”Only probably?”

She ignored him.

”I’d tell Father that I was grateful.”

I’d tell mother I love her”

”I’d hug grandfather, I always wanted him to be proud of me.”

”I’d tell Ranar how proud I am of her.”

Her voice softened.

”And...”

She hesitated.

”...I’d tell the people I care about everything I was too embarrassed to say.”

Silence settled between them once more.

”What about trying to save it?”

Damon asked.

She nodded.

”Of course.”

”I’d fight.”

”I’d fight until my last breath.”

”But not because I believe I can win.”

She closed her eyes.

”I’d fight because I don’t want the people behind me to face it alone.”

She opened them again.

”You asked what I’d do at the end of the world.”

”I’d stay beside the people I love.”

”Whether we live...”

”...or die.”

Damon lowered his gaze.

”...You’re kinder than I expected.”

She smiled.

”No.”

”I’m just more selfish.”

”I’d fight.”

”I’d fight because...”

”...I’m terrified.”

”I don’t want to be the last person alive.”

He looked at her in confusion.

”I don’t want to die alone.”

Another silence followed.

The stars glittered quietly overhead.

Then Evangeline asked,

”...Can I ask you the same question?”

”If you knew this world couldn’t be saved...”

”If you knew tomorrow was truly the end...”

”What would Damon Grey do?”

She already knew the answer before he spoke.

Even so...

She wanted to hear him say it.

”I..I don’t know..”

She smiled.

”You do.”

Damon looked toward the twin moons hanging above the garden.

”...I’d lie.”

She frowned softly.

”I’d tell Ranar everything would be alright.”

”I’d smile.”

”I’d tell everyone we still had a chance.”

”Then...”

”I’d go and fight until there was nothing left of me.”

”If the world was ending anyway...”

”...I’d rather die buying one more tomorrow.”

”Then I will die...”