My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Its gaze was hidden behind stone, but the moment they felt it settle upon them, they couldn’t help but freeze in terror. Cold sweat streamed down their backs, and their small faces turned deathly pale.

The very thought of running toward that direction was unimaginable.

However, with tears of sheer terror spilling from his eyes, Ric slammed his sword into the ground, sending dust and loose gravel bursting into the air.

Then he sharply nudged Ranar with his elbow.

She didn’t wait for him to say anything. She immediately understood what he wanted to do.

Raising her hand, a blinding light burst forth, flooding the direction they needed to run and obscuring the angel’s face from sight.

”Run!” she yelled, grabbing one of the children by the arm and dragging her forward.

Without slowing down, she lifted the little girl and tossed her toward the mouth of the cave before doing the same to the next child and finally the fat Beastkin boy.

They were the slowest in the group, so she gave them priority.

Ric sprinted ahead, leading the way.

Just as they reached the mouth of the cave, a gigantic stone hand descended from above, its enormous fingers reaching to seize them.

Ric dropped into a slide, barely slipping beneath the crushing hand before disappearing into the cave. As he slid past, he stretched out one arm, grabbed the older boy by the wrist, and yanked him inside with all his strength.

Ranar came right behind him, diving through the entrance just as the stone fingers slammed into the ground where she had been a heartbeat earlier.

Boom!

A thunderous impact echoed through the mountain.

Then...

A single enormous eye slowly leaned toward the cave entrance.

It peered into the darkness, its stone fingers stretching inward, scraping against the rocky walls as though trying to reach them.

No one spoke.

Their bodies trembled uncontrollably as they slowly backed away, never taking their eyes off the monstrous face.

Only when they had retreated deep enough into the darkness that the eye disappeared from sight did they finally turn around.

Then they ran.

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, not caring where the tunnel led anymore.

Anything was better than staying there.

Finally, Ric came to a stop after deciding they had put enough distance between themselves and whatever that thing was.

His throat felt like it was on fire.

”Ahh... water. I need water,” he gasped, clutching his throat as he struggled to catch his breath.

The smallest girl quietly walked over to him.

Her short black hair swayed around her cheeks as she held out a worn Beastkin waterskin.

Ric quickly accepted it and drank greedily.

”Ahhh... that was good.” He let out a long sigh before grinning weakly.

”Hehehe... that was close.”

His laugh eased the tension a little, causing the other children to relax, though their frightened eyes still wandered toward the darkness behind them.

”Now this is a proper adventure.”

He said it with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.

He figured that, at a time like this, that was exactly what his master would have done.

What was that saying again?

The one his master always used during difficult times.

Something about life being a tragedy up close but a comedy at a distance.

He really missed him.

Though he would never admit it out loud.

Ranar sat against the cave wall with a foul expression, hugging one knee as she lowered her head.

”We almost died,” she whispered.

Unlike Ric, she forced herself to stay calm.

That had been far too close.

All because they hadn’t been careful enough.

After taking a slow breath, she pushed herself back to her feet.

”Ric.”

”We need a plan.”

”A direction.”

”Our goal isn’t about leaving anymore.”

”We already established that we can’t do that on our own.”

”So it’s safer if my father finds us.”

Ric looked at her for a moment before nodding.

She was right.

This had only been one close call.

What about the next one?

They needed a destination.

They needed something to work toward.

”From your expression...” Ric muttered, tilting his head slightly.

”I think I know what you want.”

Ranar slowly clenched her fists.

Maybe none of these children knew who she really was.

But she was Damon Grey’s daughter.

”Let’s go to Anarchy City.”

”If my father is looking for me, then he’ll go there.”

”And when he shows up, and he will...”

”We’ll leave this place for good.”

Ric smiled and nodded in agreement.

”Good point.”

”My master will be there too.”

Ranar could tell he was trying to compare this master of his to her father, but she decided to let him.

When he saw how amazing her father was, he’d shut his mouth.

”What... what’s with that expression?” Ric asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked at her suspiciously.

”Nothing.” She answered smugly, the corners of her lips curling upward.

”Ohh, I see how it is.” Ric scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

”You think your so-called dad is better than my master.”

”Well, joke’s on you.”

”My master is the best.”

”Sure.” Ranar rolled her eyes.

”The best at not being here.”

”If he’s so great, why were you stealing food?”

She pointed accusingly at Ric.

She had had enough of this master nonsense.

Her father was Damon Grey.

What could be better than that?

Who could be better than that?

”Ah... ah...” Ric scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

”Fine, fine... that was on me.”

”But Master is rich.”

”And he’s powerful too.”

”He also has two wives and a bunch of other lovers.”

”How many wives does your dad have?”

Ranar scrunched up her face before clicking her tongue.

”My dad has Eva.”

”He has Sylvia.”

”And a whole lot of pretty aunties.”

”And my mom too...”

Her voice became quieter.

”...if she wasn’t dead.”

Ric suddenly felt a pang of guilt when he heard her say the last part so casually.

For a brief moment, he didn’t know what to say.

Then Ranar lifted her chin proudly.

”Your master doesn’t compare.”

She grinned triumphantly.