My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 7 The Ultimatum

Upon hearing that voice—frigid, demanding, and utterly dominant—Damon froze in his tracks. A wave of weakness washed over his legs as he turned to confront the speaker.

'Dammit… it looks like my string of luck has finally snapped.'

He turned around with deliberate slowness, meeting the sharp gaze of a man in his thirties. The individual possessed long, dark hair and a face set in a permanent scowl of discipline; his pale gray eyes radiated a sense of absolute command. Clad in black attire, his presence was every bit as dark and intimidating as his storied reputation suggested.

This was Professor Kael Blackthorn, famed as the most merciless instructor in the academy. Damon had long suspected that the man harbored a specific, personal disdain for him.

Professor Blackthorn was a master of dark magic. In theory, this should have made him the perfect mentor for Damon, whose shadow attribute was naturally aligned with that path. However, the moment Kael discovered that Damon’s mana pool was a pathetic thirty, he had discarded him as worthless.

Kael’s icy gray eyes narrowed, his stare cutting through Damon like a blade.

'This is going to be trouble.'

A heavy sense of dread filled Damon's stomach, a premonition that whatever business awaited him in Blackthorn’s office would be grueling.

"Follow me, Damon Grey," Professor Kael commanded, already pivoting to lead the way without waiting for a response.

Damon knit his brows, frantically searching for a way to escape the situation.

"I have a lecture starting right now; perhaps I could drop by later?" he suggested hopefully.

Kael didn't even slow his pace.

"I have already informed your Elemental Manipulation professor. You have been granted an official excuse."

Biting his lip, Damon realized he was trapped. Regardless of the fate that lay ahead, he was forced to follow.

"Ah, goddess protect me," he whispered under his breath, reluctantly trailing the professor.

As they moved through the corridors, Damon’s gaze darted around. Students bowed to Professor Kael with deep respect, while those aware of the man’s temper looked at Damon with pity. Others, who viewed Damon as the academy’s resident failure, cast sneering glances his way—some even grinned, clearly enjoying his predicament.

He chose to ignore them, realizing these people would never be more than minor background characters in his journey. If belittling him provided them with a sense of importance, he decided it didn't matter. Such was the nature of most mortals, he thought—they required the sight of someone lower than themselves to validate their own existence.

And currently, he was their favorite target for such validation.

They soon reached Professor Kael’s office, a massive room filled with shelves of ancient tomes, rare alchemical ingredients, and the preserved remains of exotic monsters—likely kept for high-level research. The decor was sophisticated and expensive, reflecting the status of a noble from the Blackthorn family.

Damon had no opportunity to admire the surroundings; his heart was drumming against his ribs so fiercely he thought it might burst. He maintained a mask of tranquility, even as his mind whirled through every possible excuse or defense. If the situation turned dire, he was prepared to beg for mercy.

"Sit," Kael ordered, pointing toward a chair across from his desk before taking his own seat.

Damon gave a small nod and sat down, forcing himself to remain vigilant despite how comfortable the chair felt. He knew better than to lower his guard in this lion's den.

The moment he was settled, Professor Kael slammed a bundle of documents onto the desk. The papers slid across the surface, each one clearly marked with Damon's name.

Kael leaned back, his freezing eyes locked onto Damon.

"Do you recognize these, Damon Grey? These are your marks… your total accumulated scores since you first entered this academy."

Damon bit his lip hard. He didn't need to examine the pages; he was well aware that the numbers were catastrophic.

Kael continued, his voice heavy with contempt.

"Since your enrollment, you have failed to show even a hint of progress. Every assessment serves as further proof of your total incompetence."

Lifting one of the sheets, Kael read the contents aloud.

"Mana evaluation: student Damon Grey holds a mana pool of 30. This is not merely low—it is a record-breaking disaster. You have established a new bottom for this academy’s history. Furthermore, your physical fitness evaluations were just as pathetic."

Kael ground his teeth, struggling to contain his mounting annoyance.

"Let us ignore physical prowess for a moment. Not every individual possesses the raw strength to serve the goddess races through combat or high-tier magic. But let us look at your theoretical knowledge…"

He snatched up another document, his face darkening as he scanned the lines.

"You are ignorant of even the most fundamental terms! You are nothing but a clueless commoner… lacking even the most basic Foundation."

Kael’s complexion flushed red as a vein throbbed in his temple. Taking a deep, controlled breath, he continued,

"A person of your caliber should never have been permitted to pass through the gates of our prestigious Aether Academy. And yet, here you stand…"

Kael shook his head, his tone thick with revulsion.

"The sole reason you occupy a seat here is due to a golden ticket—a privilege you have done nothing to deserve."

Damon kept his chin down, remaining silent as Kael tore into his character. He offered no rebuttal; every harsh word was rooted in undeniable fact.

"When you arrived with that golden ticket, the academy was skeptical. We wondered how a lowly individual could obtain such an item. Following an investigation, we found the origin, and it was… quite shocking."

Damon looked up at those words, his interest suddenly ignited. He had always been confused about the ticket’s origin himself. He only knew it had been in his family’s hands, left to him as part of the inheritance for himself and his little sister, Luna.

A golden ticket was a legendary item—a literal pass that granted the owner entry into Aether Academy, the most renowned school in the world. It also provided a massive scholarship of one million zeni every single semester.

These tickets were only awarded once a year to the top-tier graduating student as a supreme recommendation. If that graduate chose to gift it, the new owner inherited all its glory, gaining entry to the academy without needing to pass any entrance exams.

He lifted his head, a spark of hope flickering in his heart. Who would give such a priceless treasure to him? What kind of tie could they have possibly had with his kin?

Kael continued to glare at him with intensity.

"It is incomprehensible that a person of such high status would waste a golden ticket on you. A person like you will never achieve anything of value."

Damon’s hands balled into fists, and the shadow beneath his feet shifted violently, reacting to his hidden irritation. Yet, he kept his mouth shut, forcing his anger down.

"You have made no strides forward, failing every single test and review. Your standing in this first quarter is at the absolute bottom," Kael spat, his voice dripping with mockery.

"By the goddess’s light, I cannot understand why someone as magnificent as Seras Blade would hand her golden ticket to you… only for you to come here and bring shame to her reputation."

The moment that name was spoken, Damon felt the air leave his lungs. His resentment vanished instantly, replaced by a massive wave of shock that weighed heavy on his chest. His eyes grew wide, reflecting pure disbelief.

"Seras Blade…" he breathed, completely stunned.