My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

What was the difference between the Umbral attribute and the Shadow attribute? Wasn’t Umbral just a fancy way of saying Shadow… or had his attribute actually been upgraded without him knowing?

That would make sense, actually. Lilith’s attribute changed when she came in contact with the Unknown God. So maybe something similar had happened to him?

Then there was Matia—or in this case, the Ruin Fairy. Her very existence was a quiet defiance of the fundamental laws imposed by the Goddess.

Having two attributes was impossible. Against the rules. A violation of Dooms decree.

And yet… here she was, bearing both.

After thinking on it a bit longer, Damon concluded that one of them must be a secondary attribute. A side effect of becoming a Shadow. Since she was technically created by the Unknown God, she probably didn’t have to obey the same restrictions—at least not completely. She was no longer a creature of the world. She was a product of the System.

‘Can I even say she’s truly Matia…?’

Could he return to the party with that bitter look on his face and just say, “I found Matia”?

He couldn’t.

He couldn’t say it.

He couldn’t accept it.

But he couldn’t deny it either.

He sighed. He was tired.

From the shadows, Damon retrieved a few vials of advanced healing potions, popping the corks and downing them without hesitation. His wounds mended under the potion’s potent effects.

He didn’t have many of these left. But using them helped free up space in his shadow storage.

Looking at Matia—no, the Ruin Fairy—he could understand now. Understand why she was so terrifyingly powerful. Those skills of hers were too deadly.

That’s why he had started their battle with an explosive magical attack and ended it quickly. If he hadn’t, it wouldn’t be her corpse on the floor.

It would’ve been his.

Though whether he could truly die was doubtful… He would have suffered, yes. But death?

No.

He raised his eyes and glanced at her. She hadn’t moved a single step. Standing silently in front of him like a statue, as if expecting him to speak.

He didn’t.

He wouldn’t.

Damon turned instead to his own system panel. It was almost laughable—how far he’d come in such a short time.

—

[HP: 1595/1595]

[Mana: 23,567/23,567]

[Strength: 3004]

[Agility: 2057]

[Speed: 5485]

[Endurance: 3010]

[Class: Death Seeker]

[Shadow: 1200]

[Shadow Hunger: 0%]

[Shadow Level: 12]

[Condition: Shadow is Full]

[Attribute: Umbra]

—

[Skills:]

[Remorseless] [Shadow Perception], [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder’s Gaze] [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn] [Omen of Dread] [Dealer’s Hand] [Bloodletting] [Shadow Movement] [Shadow] [Faceless] [Danger Sense] [Shadow Storage] [Wave Walk] [Deathless] [Shadow Clone] [Blitz] [Flash Step] [Air Walk] [Appraisal] [Iron Bones] [Astral Projection] [Accel] [Terror Engine] [Vengeance] [Soul Tongue] [Eyes of Veracity]

—

[Mastery:]

[Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv3] [Survival Lv5] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv3] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv3] [Trap Lv3] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv3] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv3] [Mana Control Lv4] [Magic Gatling Lv5] [Pain Resistance Lv4] [Mental Contamination Resistance Lv4] [Disintegration Resistance Lv1] [Sniper Lv4] [Rune Magic Lv2] [Insanity Lv4] [Fate Manipulation Resistance Lv1] [Ravenous LvMax] [Poison Resistance lv 5] [Elemental Resistance lv1] [Petrification Resistance lv 2] [Magic Resistance lv3] [Curse Resistance lv2] [Pressure Resistance lv 2] [Corruption Resistance lv4]

—

[Items:]

[Pale Crown Armor] [Broken Bonds] [Deep Quiver] [Silver Blades] [Staff of Carnage] [Sword of Nicolas] [Furnace of Frost] [Helm of Balero] [Gravenail]….MORE….. [Charms], [Potions], [Miscellaneous Items]

[Locked:]

—

He stared at the panel with quiet indifference before rising to his feet.

He had accumulated a mountain of things during his time here. Days, weeks—maybe even months—had passed. He no longer kept track. But he had grown powerful. He had potions, charms, monster parts, weapons, strange items… some had been lost. Some fed to his shadow. Some discarded. Many were destroyed in battle.

Each was unique. Some were even cursed.

He could say it now—he was no longer among the helpless. While he couldn’t fully dictate his fate… he had carved out power for himself. Enough to slay someone in the third class. Maybe even survive an encounter with a fourth.

Actually, with his Deathless skill, he could survive any class.

But win?

No.

Not against a fourth.

There was a saying: All below the fourth class are ants.

He believed it. He had been crushed by more than a few.

The fourth class lived a thousand years, maybe two thousand. And he was still walking among the ephemeral.

Though his lifespan as someone in the second class was allegedly three hundred years or more.

A shame not many lived that long in the world of Aetherus.

As he walked forward, he heard the quiet echo of steps behind him.

Matia’s.

She followed like a shadow.

She was a shadow.

He bit his lip and stopped.

But he said nothing.

All he could do was keep walking.

“Where are you going?” Valarie finally asked, her voice emerging after a long silence.

Damon paused. He looked up into the sky of endless blackness above.

“Home,” he said softly. “I’m going home.”

The single upper lip of a woman that was Valarie’s body lifted in acknowledgment.

She had known her words fell on deaf ears—that was why she stopped speaking before. But now, something had shifted.

He had accepted it.

“Very well then… allow me.”

A white light surged, wrapping around both Damon’s body and Matia’s armored form. The light began to rise, lifting them slowly from the abyss.

They were leaving this corrupted hell—this graveyard of insanity—where trees of bone bore fruits of flesh and bled from open wounds in place of sap.

Where nightmares battled horrors without rest, drenching the land in endless, tainted blood.

Where the air stank of rot and death, and every wound whispered madness.

At last… they were leaving.

Damon closed his eyes.

He was tired.

He just wanted to rest—

“Rumble rumble…”

From the heavens above came a vast, terrifying rumble.

A massive hand of corruption slammed down from the void, swiping them from the rising light and dragging them back into the depths.

You could come… But you would never leave.

Damon fell, his expression unchanging.

He scoffed.

“I knew it wouldn’t be that easy…”