My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Damon merely gave her a resigned smile. She hated that smile. She hated how he was looking at her at this moment.

She would have been able to accept it if he were angry. If he unleashed all his power. But instead, he gave her that same tired, resigned look, and it made her feel unbearably frustrated.

The twisted dagger in her hand felt cold, even though it was not an actual object. It was a magical construct carrying the souls of thousands of mortals… and one god.

This should have been over. This nightmare should have ended, but it had not.

Seraph Null was dead. They had won. It was over.

Lilith was tired. She was hurt. And she… she was afraid.

She was not so sure anymore. This was the one thing she could do. This was the only answer she had certainty in.

'I just want us to go back home together…'

That was the only thought in her heart.

She just wanted to go back with him. To Luna and Iris. She wanted to return to the days they spent at Iris's house, with Matia standing in the garden, making snowmen with Luna.

With Lilith sipping tea and arguing with Renata.

The days when Damon would stop being a half-assed teacher and actually train Iris.

That was all she wanted. It was not much. Not right now.

She clenched her teeth until they bled.

Lilith did not care about taking on the world. She did not care about the Goddess of Doom. She did not care about destroying the temple.

She just wanted to go back home and reclaim what normal meant to her.

There was nothing wrong with that.

Then why was the one person who should have understood standing against her.

Why was he so obsessed with ending his own life?

Boom.

She left an afterimage as she dashed toward him. The ground cracked. Damon raised his sword in a single swing, his blade colliding with the dagger as sparks exploded in all directions. Astral winds surged outward, hurling debris across the collapsing space.

Around them, the world was slowly unraveling due to the death of its god. It was now a godless world.

Even so, even as chaos spread, all they could see was each other.

Lilith felt so frustrated.

"Why… why are you looking at me like that," she screamed, abandoning all of her usual calm and composure. Her voice tore through the chamber.

Damon did not look away.

Then he whispered, "Because… you're crying."

His voice was so low she almost did not hear it. And in that moment, she felt it. The warmth on her cheeks.

It was not blood.

It was tears.

She raised her hand, splitting the space between them. The world seemed to bleed as mana grew even more chaotic. Spatial rifts formed, and strange monstrous eyes peered in from the void, eager to devour a world without a god.

"I… I… I don't know," she said, swiping the dagger at him.

"I do," Damon replied.

Of all the times, of all the reasons, he could not feel angry or betrayed.

He never imagined anyone would fight this desperately just to preserve his lowly life.

But seeing someone go so far for him—

She was haggard. Covered in blood. Tears streamed from her eyes. She was exhausted, but she was still fighting.

"For… me…"

Damon's hands went weak when he tried to strike her. She kicked him back instead.

He stopped looking at her.

When was the last time he had actually talked to her. Really talked to her.

"I… I'm sorry, Lilith. For everything."

She froze.

Just for a moment.

"I'm not going to fight you anymore," he continued quietly. "I'm just so tired… of all the fighting. Fighting is what turned me into… into this."

He slowly turned his back to her and began walking toward the spear behind him.

This was her opening.

Lilith did not miss it.

Without hesitation, she charged at Damon, dagger in hand.

...

Swords were drawn, and it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe.

Abellona and Damon's friends reached the doors of the tower with ease.

Standing before them was a single female knight, her armor seemingly forged from shattered ice.

When they arrived, she turned her sword toward them, her face hidden beneath her helm.

"I'm afraid I cannot let you pass."

Evangeline, drenched in blood after killing the Wind Apostle on her own, stepped forward.

"What are you doing, Matia? We have to go. Damon and Sylvia might need help."

Matia shook her head.

"I cannot let you pass."

Xander frowned. Something was wrong.

Leona's eyes narrowed.

"You're awfully chatty today. What's happening."

That was it.

Matia was not the type to speak this much. Not since they returned from Lysithara. She was a taciturn knight.

Matia paused, then pointed her sword again.

"My lord is about to end his suffering in this mortal plane. I cannot let you interfere."

There was pain in her voice.

Evangeline nodded slowly.

"I see. So that's what's going on."

She understood.

Matia was loyal to Damon. That was her honor as a knight. She would not go against his wish. Even if she did not want him to die, she could not stop it if it was his decision.

That was why she told them instead.

If they defeated her and entered the Black Tower, they could stop Damon's suicide.

Talking was pointless.

Evangeline drew her sword.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to talk some sense into that bastard."

Beneath her helm, Matia smiled.

Before they could move, a faceless figure appeared behind them.

"None shall pass."

Xander heard the voice. His expression went cold.

He turned around, filled with hatred, staring at the entity that had killed his brother in cold blood.

"Amon."

Brandishing his spear, he stepped forward. Emilia Highgon took a deep breath and followed him.

"You guys go stop that son of a bitch. I'll deal with Amon."

Matia slowly raised her sword. Ice spread from her wings, freezing the air.

"Apologies. While I wish for you to pass, I shan't allow it."

A line of ice appeared around the door. Her wings unleashed an area of absolute winter.

"Whoever steps forward shall die."

Someone was foolish enough to try.

An adventurer, greedy for the elixir, rushed forward.

He made it past her.

Then his body hit the ground.

Along with his head.

Evangeline clenched her teeth.

"You can't hope to take us all together. Even you aren't that powerful."

A young woman with violet hair stepped forward.

"Who said she was alone?"