My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Damon took a deep breath, steadying his mind. There was no room for hesitation.

He walked up to Leona.

"I know I'm asking too much, but I need your help."

She smirked. "If you bow your head to me, I'll break it."

A chuckle followed. "Do you even need to ask? I mean, it's only a dark spirit with the power to destroy an entire city… no biggie."

Damon allowed a faint smile. Leona was a good person—where had she been all his life? If he had met someone like her earlier, maybe he wouldn't have been so mistrusting.

He turned to Xander, his pride catching in his throat. Asking Xander Ravenscroft for a favor...

It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Pride? What pride? He took pride in having none.

Still, he stood in front of the other boy.

"I… I need your… help."

Xander's eyes widened, not with fear, but with shock.

"You what…?"

Damon glanced at Evangeline. She had lowered her head slightly, a silent plea.

If he were the one in danger, Sylvia would help him too… right?

He exhaled sharply.

Then, slowly, he lowered his head.

"Please… I need your help. Help me save Sylvia."

Xander's breath hitched.

"You… you…"

He was at a loss for words.

This was Damon Grey. The same Damon who claimed he had no pride but was so arrogant that no one—absolutely no one—could stop him from saying or doing what he wanted.

And yet, here he was, lowering his head.

Not for himself.

For someone else.

Xander trembled.

"Don't insult me, Damon Grey." His voice was firm. "Do you think a scion of the Ravenscroft household would abandon a friend?"

Damon slowly raised his head. He whispered, "Hmm… thank you."

Xander nodded. "Let's go. We have a friend to save."

Then, he glanced at Damon. "Well? What's the plan?"
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Damon was surprised. Xander was actually letting him take the lead.

He nodded, his eyes turning cold.

"Our primary objective is to find Sylvia. If my guess is right… she's currently the vessel for that."

He pointed at the rampaging dark spirit in the distance—the massive form and its broken fragments wreaking havoc.

Xander narrowed his eyes.

"And should I ask how you know all that?"

Damon frowned, but before tension could build, Leona stepped in.

"That's not important right now. We need to save Sylvia. Damon, come up with something—something underhanded and unusual—and let's get her back."

Xander sighed, grumbling, "That's assuming he doesn't have a hidden agenda."

Evangeline moved closer to Damon.

"I… I will take responsibility for any fallout," she said firmly. "So you don't need to trust Damon. Trust me instead."

Damon looked at Leona.

"First course of action: split up. Keep your pagers close."

He turned to Xander and Evangeline.

"You two take Leona to Sylvia's dorm. Find her clothes—or something with her scent. Leona, use that beastkin nose of yours to track her down."

Xander and Evangeline nodded.

"No matter what, make sure you deliver Leona there safely. Take the west hall route—after that, jump out the window onto the roof of the Blue Gallery. Stop by there and gear up."

Leona tilted her head. "Should I bring you any weapons?"

He shook his head, "I have enough weapons on hand."

Xander gritted his teeth. "We're taking academy property without permission. That's stealing."

Evangeline lowered her head. Then, something changed in her eyes.

"We're saving our friend's life." Her voice was sharp. "I don't give a damn about the rules right now."

Damon nodded, standing up.

Xander scrunched his face.

"And you? Where are you going?"

Damon turned away.

"To find Sylvia."

He walked toward the window. The halls were too congested with students making a run for it, their screams echoing in the chaos. Their fear wasn't lost on him, but it was inevitable—they would have to fight for their lives.

He glanced outside.

In the distance, the second-year students and seniors had already engaged the enemy. They had battle experience and wouldn't run from something like this.

Apparently, after the first-year end-of-semester evaluation, all students who survived it became hardened by battle. It was the first exam after the entrance trials—one that carried the risk of mortality.

Without hesitation, he leaped out the window, firing his omnidirectional gear. The wires shot from his wrist, anchoring him as he swung through the air.

He landed smoothly, rolling forward before pulling out his pager.

Immediately, he called up Lilith Astranova.

Her calm voice came through.

"The plan worked. We messed up the summoning."

He bit his lip. "Where are you?"

A pause.

"I'm right behind you."

His body tensed, he was caught off guard it was like she suddenly appeared out of thin air.

'Teleportion.' He thought mildly irritated

He turned sharply at the voice behind him, spotting the red-haired young woman standing there, her expression unreadable.

The distant battlefield roared with chaos—flashes of magic, the clash of weapons, and the cries of students and professors rang through the air. The ground trembled under the sheer force of battle.

Lilith's gaze swept over the unfolding carnage.

"We ruined the summoners' plans. They can't use the spirit's power properly like this. We've limited it—shattered its form into many smaller parts. But even in fragments, it's still powerful."

She studied him, watching his unwavering stance amidst the chaos.

"We need to find the host vessel and extract the soul fragment. Do you know who it is?"

His fists clenched, his eyes betraying a flicker of pain.

"I know who the host is…"

She held his gaze.

"It's Sylvia Moonveil."

Her eyes widened slightly, her brow twitching.

"Well… our situation just went from bad to worse."

She turned slightly. "Sylvia Moonveil has a special background."

Damon bit his lip, his shadows flickering—his emotions barely restrained.

Lilith watched him closely. "Your plan is coming to fruition… do you regret it?"

He raised his head, his eyes cold with resolve.

"I don't regret it yet… If I save Sylvia, I won't have anything to regret."