My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Damon caught up to his party, swinging over branches and trees with effortless speed. His movements were fluid, his body adjusting naturally to each leap and twist. The omnidirectional gear made traversal seamless, and his parkour skills allowed him to vault over obstacles with ease.

As he landed next to Evangeline, he snatched his bag without a word. She eyed him for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Damon glanced at them all, offering a thin smile. “I’ve got good news and bad news.”

Evangeline gave a small, weary smile. “I’d prefer no news at all.”

Damon chuckled. At least the mood wasn’t too heavy. He didn’t want them overcome with fear.

“The good news is there are no lesser demons—yet. And some of the goblins are dead or injured,” he said, adjusting his bag. “The bad news? There are three war trolls, and they already hate us. I imagine we’ve got a day, at most, before they catch up.”

He waved his hand at them, urging them forward. “Let’s go. I’ll explain on the way.”

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the weathered travel journal, its pages worn with age. He handed it to Sylvia.

“Read as much as you can. This book is important to them, which means they’ll do whatever it takes to get it back—and kill us in the process.”

Sylvia frowned, flipping through the brittle pages. “It’s old… and difficult to read, but I’ll try my best to transcribe and make a copy we can use.”

Damon nodded. He took a breath, focusing his will, and ordered his shadow to detach discreetly from his body, sending it ahead to scout beyond the range of his perception. The dark form gave a slight nod before slipping away, vanishing into the underbrush.

With that, their march began. The sun inched toward the horizon, casting long shadows as they moved deeper into the forest. They advanced with cautious efficiency, keeping their formation tight and their weapons ready. Every step was calculated—tracks were covered, scents were masked, and false trails were left behind to mislead any pursuers.

Navigating unfamiliar terrain while maintaining these precautions was mentally exhausting. The looming pressure of being hunted by war trolls and goblins weighed heavily on them, each of them feeling the invisible noose tightening around their necks.

Despite the fatigue setting in, Damon made them gather small branches and twigs along the way, collecting materials as they moved. He even managed to take down two wild rabbits with his bow, ensuring they had food for later.

Even then, fear gnawed at their hearts, pushing them forward.

By the time the sun dipped behind the trees, Damon signaled for a stop at a small clearing near a river. The moment he gave the order, his companions collapsed to the ground, exhaustion overtaking them.

Damon glanced at the group, his face weary and streaked with dust, leaves, and the occasional smear of mud. He took a slow sip from his waterskin before speaking.

“I wouldn’t advise that. Start building a fire using dry wood. Wet or damp wood will create smoke, and that’s as good as telling them where we are. We cook, warm up, then put the fire out once we’re done. No lights after that.”

Leona groaned, raising her hand lazily. “Err… Damon, why do we have to cook these rabbits? Why not just eat our rations?”

The others murmured in agreement, their exhaustion evident.

Damon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We need to save the rations. We don’t know when we’ll get another chance to prepare food. For all we know, we might be running day and night. If we lose those rations, and we don’t run into anything edible, we’ll be going hungry.”

Leona sighed, flopping onto her back. She couldn’t argue with that logic.

Nearby, Sylvia shifted awkwardly, her legs twitching as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t bring herself to.

Damon’s patience was wearing thin. He eyed her. “What is it now?”

Sylvia hesitated, looking around as if checking for something. Then she shook her head quickly. “No… nothing…”

Damon frowned, watching her closely. Then he noticed her uneasy glances around the area and sighed. He finally understood the problem.

“Alright. Party break. I need to take a piss. Boys on one side, girls on the other. Stay together, and if there’s trouble, holler.”

Sylvia’s expression of relief was immediate. Evangeline also seemed grateful, standing up with the other girls and heading off together.

Matlock got up and followed after them.

Damon raised an eyebrow. “Matlock, where are you going? The boys go the other way.”

Matlock froze mid-step, clearly caught off guard. “Ahh… yeah… right.” He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “My… my bad.”

Damon sighed, glancing at Xander. “Go with him. I’ll set up the fire. We rest for a few hours, then move until sunset.”

Xander groaned, stretching. “Very well, then. I’ll be his bodyguard. I need to go too.”

Matlock paled, shaking his head. “No… I can go alone…”

Damon arched a brow and looked at Xander. “Dude, don’t be shy. It’s just us guys here. He may look like a degenerate, but he won’t pounce on you.”

Xander clicked his tongue. “You look far more suspicious than me.”

Matlock shook his head frantically. “No, no, please! I want to go alone!”

Damon stroked his chin. “You sure? There might be monsters out there…”

Matlock stiffened, his face paling. Tears welled up in his eyes. “I… I… I…”

Damon sighed. “Fine. You can go behind the trees. Xander and I will look the other way if you’re shy. But between the three of us, there’s nothing to hide.”

Xander rolled his eyes. “You sure made him comfortable.”

Matlock wasted no time sprinting behind the trees, carefully peeking out to make sure Damon and Xander weren’t looking. He let out a deep sigh of relief before crouching down, still staying close enough not to be left alone.