My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Damon did not really know what to do with the young Godric, but it could not be denied how fond he was of the boy. After all, he was the one who had raised him.

Perhaps he had spent more time with Godric than even Ranar, and in turn the boy had picked up many of Damon’s habits.

Even the way he spoke was somewhat similar to Damon. The boy had no fear whatsoever. It was as though he lacked even the most basic survival instincts.

He had grown up in a place that was safe and protected. Damon had done his best to ensure that Godric was raised in the best conditions possible.

A soft sigh escaped his lips.

”I think you did your best.”

A woman’s voice echoed from behind him as she materialized out of thin air. She was a beautiful woman with long red hair and emerald-green eyes. If an artist attempted to paint her beauty, they would surely weep, for no canvas could ever capture its true essence.

This woman was, of course, Lilith Astranova.

She glanced toward the door through which Godric had just left.

”He turned out to be more upright, more reasonable, and far kinder than you,” she said, folding her arms beneath her chest. ”You have created an upstanding young man.”

Damon rubbed his chin and shook his head.

”I do not care whether he’s an upstanding young man or not. I just want him to be happy.”

Lilith turned back to him with a soft smile. Strands of her crimson hair drifted around her despite the lack of wind.

”You did your best. Though I still don’t understand why you told him the truth at such a young age.”

Damon lowered his gaze.

As soon as Godric had become old enough to understand the world around him, Damon had told him the truth of his birth. He had explained who his father was, who his mother was, and what relationship Damon Grey had with him.

Of course, Godric knew that his father had traded him to Damon Grey for the foreseeable future. Damon had also taught the boy from a young age to keep his identity secret, along with the story behind it.

Naturally, for a time, Godric had been curious about his parents. Damon had told him about Xander and Emilia, and the boy’s response had been simple.

”Ah, they sound boring.”

That had been his reaction upon hearing about his parents.

Then, after a brief pause, he had added,

”At least they’re rich.”

Damon had immediately smacked him with a pillow for being insensitive.

Unfortunately, that was exactly the sort of response Damon Grey himself would have given, so he could not blame the child too much.

The door opened once more, and Renata stepped inside, shaking her head in exasperation.

”This is not what I had in mind. A normal kidnapper would try to turn the child against his parents, not the other way around.”

Damon rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

”Again, I didn’t kidnap him. He was given to me as part of a deal. Looking back on it, I could have asked for something else. That kid is far more trouble than he’s worth.”

Renata ignored his complaints, though the corner of her lips curled upward.

”Still, I think we raised him right.”

For a brief moment, warmth filled her expression. Perhaps they had not obtained the child in the most honorable manner, but they had genuinely tried to love him and raise him as their own.

Then her expression turned serious.

”We have finally reached a conclusive end to our search. We have determined that the Luna Moth you are looking for is no longer in this world.”

She waved her hand, and a stack of documents slid across the table toward Damon.

”The last place he and his companions were seen was the city of Sama on the Sky Continent. That was their final confirmed location before they disappeared. Some claim they simply left the city, but according to my investigation, several witnesses saw them heading beneath the Sky Continent.”

Damon took a deep breath.

He understood exactly what that meant.

The Luna Moth and his companions had taken the path through the Abyss and left this world behind.

”How lucky... or unlucky for them,” Renata murmured.

If they had truly escaped and survived the journey through the Abyss, then they were fortunate beyond measure.

If they had fallen deeper into it...

Then they were unimaginably unfortunate.

She had read Seras Blade’s reports over the years, and she knew with certainty that she never wished to go anywhere near that place.

According to Seras, the Abyss was a psychedelic realm born from the nightmares of a god. There, everything and anything could happen. Dreams and horrors walked side by side. Miracles and curses existed as equals.

It was the most beautiful place Seras had ever seen.

And also the most terrifying.

In that sense, perhaps it truly was hell.

Many times over the past seven years, Seras Blade had submitted reports stating her intention to abandon the expedition and return. Yet each time she stood on the verge of leaving, some new discovery would appear before her.

A new path.

A strange phenomenon.

Another clue.

And so she remained trapped within that endless cycle of obsession.

Over the years, soldiers and specialists had continuously been sent to replace those who had died, those who had been corrupted, and those who had suffered fates far worse.

Eventually, sending regular troops was no longer considered viable.

The kingdoms of the world had reached a cruel conclusion.

Death-row prisoners would be used instead.

These men and women were sent ahead to test unknown dangers. They were disposable, and unlike trained soldiers, their loss would not weaken the armies of the world.

Many races had contributed to this shared endeavor.

Even the demon races had participated.

From what Damon had heard, at least seven million people had already perished, yet almost no meaningful progress had been made.

He was glad he had never attempted to cross the Abyss himself.

If the outer reaches alone were this horrifying, then what sort of nightmare waited within its depths?

He leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly.

”I suppose we have nothing to worry about. Seras most likely won’t be able to enter the Tomb.”

Renata was silent for a moment before giving a small nod.

”For now,” she said, ”let us focus on the Anarchy Mountains.”