My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 813 - 814: River

Even after three full days, Lazarak remained bitter about the incident; his resentment showed no signs of fading.

"This is nothing short of aggravated assault against a minor..."

He used both hands to scratch his cheeks, dragging his fingers down his face in a theatrical display of misery. His eyes constantly darted toward Damon, who was doing his level best to ignore the divine being by keeping his focus on the path ahead.

"You struck me. I am but a babe..."

Damon shot a look at the toddler-sized god, his brow furrowed and an eyelid twitching in irritation before he finally grimaced.

"Lazarak, by the goddess, if you don’t stop talking... I will truly thrash you..."

Lazarak bared his small teeth and let out a scoff, puffing his chest out like a sparrow that had been deeply insulted.

"You lack all respect for the divine. I am a god..."

"Shut up..." Damon roared, pressing two fingers against his temple as a sharp headache began to throb behind his eyes.

For three straight days, it had been like this. Lazarak had not ceased his whining for a single moment ever since Damon had slapped him.

The moment they stepped out of the illusory prison known as Eidolon, the natural pressure of the world had slammed into them. It was particularly heavy on Lazarak, who was a god possessing immense reserves of power. Though he held very little of that strength now, the world still recognized his high rank and treated him as a primary threat.

Furthermore, because of his divine nature, Lazarak had the potential to manifest his true power—a feat impossible for anyone else in this realm.

Consequently, the world viewed him as the greatest danger, subjecting him to the most brutal suppression.

Adapting to such harsh conditions took time, but both Damon and Lazarak eventually adjusted. However, what Damon couldn't get used to was Lazarak’s incessant complaining. When the world's pressure had first collapsed upon him, the god had blacked out, which was the only reason Damon had slapped him in the first place.

"Where exactly are we going?" Damon inquired. They had departed without a clear goal, embarking on a seemingly endless trek across this unfamiliar territory.

The environment was somewhat normal, at least. A blue sky stretched above and the trees were heavy with fruit, yet everything possessed a quality that felt both alien and strangely familiar to their home world.

"Hmmm. Our objective is to flee this world. To do that, we must head toward the center; that's where the exit will be located."

Damon’s eyes narrowed slightly. This explanation didn't quite match what Lazarak had mentioned previously, but he didn't have the energy to argue. As he moved through the dense foliage, a peculiar sensation washed over him—

"Deja vu," Lazarak whispered, pausing in his tracks.

Damon frowned and turned toward him.

"Are you reading my mind?" he asked the god.

Lazarak gave a slight shake of his head, his tiny features twisting into a scowl.

"No, I am not. Unless I were to employ insidious magic like a soul search... but Damon—"

He squinted, scanning the woods while his small fingers curled in the air as if trying to grasp the atmosphere itself.

"Is it just my imagination, or have we stood in this spot before..."

Damon immediately extended his shadow perception in all directions to hunt for anomalies. Dark, invisible tendrils of shadow slithered through the grass and underbrush, yet they found nothing. There were only wild animals and small creatures; no humans were in sight.

He detected no traces of hostile magic capable of causing such a sensation.

He let out a tired sigh.

"Perhaps, but I’ve felt strange ever since I first encountered you..."

Lazarak rolled his eyes at the comment, tossing his head back dismissively.

"Well, it might be nothing. For now, let’s locate a settlement and plan our next move."

Damon gave a slow nod and continued walking. Behind him, the rhythmic thud of footsteps followed—the lesser demon tasked with lugging Lazarak’s baggage.

"And once we find a settlement, then what? They could very well be hostile," Damon noted.

Lazarak stopped for a moment, shaking his head with a look of exaggerated disappointment.

"You are always so pessimistic, my friend."

Hours of travel soon bled into days. The trek was becoming monotonous, as they encountered no real threats. While monsters did inhabit the path, they were intelligent enough to keep their distance from Damon’s group.

It simply wasn't worth the peril of engaging such a formidable party. At least, that was Damon's assumption. In reality, Lazarak simply didn't want to be bothered with fighting, so he was passively emitting an aura that caused weaker beasts to flee in terror.

Damon should have appreciated the lack of combat, but the peace only made the trip feel dull.

The lack of life-threatening stakes was making him feel sluggish and lethargic.

With his shoulders slumped, he trudged along until the distant sound of splashing water reached his ears.

Damon snapped his head toward the sound and cast out his shadow perception. In the time it took to take another step, he had already vanished, teleporting through the shadows like smoke caught in a gale.

Lazarak didn't even have a chance to react. He muttered a curse under his breath at Damon for abandoning him and hurried after, followed by the lesser demon who nearly stumbled over tree roots in its haste to keep pace.

Damon emerged at the bank of a river. Hidden behind a tree with a hand resting on its bark, he observed the cause of the commotion.

A gargantuan crocodile with pitch-black scales and jagged, serrated teeth was thrashing in the water. It stood nearly fifteen meters tall.

The massive predator was lunging through the river, desperately pursuing a small raft and sending huge waves crashing toward it.

Its tail whipped through the water, clearly intending to flip the fragile craft.

Damon’s brow furrowed. Two children—a boy and a girl—were on the raft, using magic to maintain a protective barrier around themselves.

Their magical talent was quite notable. Though the spell was simple, it possessed the raw power of a high-level incantation. For the moment, they were holding their own.

However, it was only a temporary reprieve; if they didn't reach the shore soon, their fate would be sealed.

The boy seized a mana core and crushed it, his hands shaking as he began to chant something under his breath.

Damon intended to watch a bit longer, but Lazarak suddenly charged into the fray. The tiny god leaped into the air and landed squarely on the crocodile's back, his small feet hitting with incredible force.

With a single punch, he created a massive shockwave that jolted the creature, causing it to let out a roar of agony.

He looked back at Damon.

"What are you waiting for? Move, end this..."

Damon looked at the beast and sighed. With a single stride, he stepped onto the river, standing firmly on the water's surface. With calm, measured steps, he drew his blade and swung. A brilliant crescent of energy sliced through the monster, and a rain of blood followed. The river turned crimson as the beast's corpse began to drift.

The children watched the scene, showing no fear—only looks of pure bewilderment and awe.

"Did you see that, Sithara?" the boy whispered.