My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 822 - 823: Relic Of His Greatest Failure

[Womb of Healing]

[Description]

That which is brought into the world deserves nourishment, affection, and protection. How steep was the descent of the one who refused to acknowledge her very being? It was the existence of this tainted entity that caused the Weeping Star’s fall, leading to his rebirth as the Unknown God.

Stained with blood and fueled by a heart full of fury, he believed with absolute certainty that he had ended the life of his unborn offspring.

Whether by a stroke of luck or a lingering hex, she survived. After enduring within the womb of her deceased mother, she eventually stood before the Unknown God seeking paternal love, only to be discarded with loathing.

The God of the Abyss felt no connection to this radiant angel and drove her away with his blade.

[Effects]

This miraculous charm serves as a vessel of life, capable of manifesting an heir using the blood of both parents. While being sustained by the blood of a single parent, the charm will shatter once its purpose is fulfilled.

[Type: Charm]

This stood out as one of the most peculiar rewards Damon had ever pulled from the system.

Though it was labeled a charm, it didn't truly fit the classification.

Its function was straightforward: it required blood from two parents to spark life, and then one parent had to provide constant nourishment until the moment of birth. That was the extent of its power.

’It’s nothing more than a high-end artificial womb,’ Damon mused.

The name certainly fit the function.

Regarding the lore in the description, Damon felt a flicker of shock. The Unknown God had actually attempted to murder his own child.

’I suppose he earned the title of demon for a reason.’

However, there were layers to the story. What drove him to seek the death of his own unborn flesh and blood?

Logically, the Unknown God wasn't a creature of pure evil—at least not at the start.

Damon assumed a father would protect his child, yet that very act seemed to have triggered his transformation into the Unknown God. He recalled a different description stating the Unknown God could never forgive his own kind for their actions.

Was the death of his child by his own hand the sin he blamed on his kin?

"With rage in his heart, huh?" Damon pondered if he, too, was being swallowed by anger. He was the God of Wrath, after all.

Reaching into his shadow storage, he retrieved the item.

The artifact possessed a peculiar design.

It was a small glass capsule containing a clear liquid, just large enough to house a human infant.

"This is useless to me right now."

He stowed it away again, realizing it offered no solution to their current troubles.

Damon let out a sigh, a hint of frustration coloring his breath.

He scanned the horizon before turning his attention back to Lyn and Sithara.

"Lazarak, do you think we should pit them against monsters?"

The toddler-sized god folded his arms across his chest.

"It’s not my preference, but they aren't exactly helpless. Both have their own ways of fighting. Facing the genuine threat of death might be the catalyst they need."

Damon gave a slow nod of agreement.

"Get down from the lesser demon, both of you. You'll be traveling on foot from here on out."

Lyn and Sithara exchanged a quick look and climbed down without a word of complaint.

"Move out."

They began to follow him, but Damon suddenly halted.

He realized he had no idea where to locate beasts that matched their current strength.

He looked down at his own shadow.

"Scout the area for an opponent. Find something that can kill them slowly."

His shadow gave a crisp, military-style salute before diving across the dunes, disappearing into the distance.

Damon looked back at Lyn and Sithara, his gaze freezing cold.

"Pay attention. You are about to fight for your lives. If you fail, you will die. Neither Lazarak nor I intend to step in and save you."

Fear flickered in their eyes for a second before they steeled themselves and nodded.

"We can do this."

Damon nodded and resumed his trek, the loose sand shifting heavily under his boots with every stride.

Time passed under the blistering heat of the sun.

Matia suppressed her mana entirely, letting the oppressive temperature weigh down on them without any magical relief.

As they walked, Damon questioned the two about their magic and innate abilities.

To his surprise, their talents were quite formidable.

Both held spatial magic attributes, but with unique variations that let them influence specific elements within a given space.

That level of control was the mark of a true prodigy.

Damon hadn't considered that spatial magic could be applied in such a manner.

He stared at his palm.

’If they can do that, what is the true potential of my Umbral attribute?’

It was becoming clear that his power extended far beyond simple shadow manipulation.

"I’m not using my magic to its full potential."

Ashcroft had made a similar observation previously.

Damon began to weigh the possibilities in his mind.

When the Face Stealer Fuska had mimicked his powers, the creature could solidify shadows. But there had to be deeper secrets.

There was always something more.

After a long period of quiet, Damon addressed the only expert in their group.

"Hey, Lazarak. What do you know about Umbral magic?"

Lazarak arched an eyebrow, a mocking sneer forming on his face.

"Asking me about Umbral magic is like asking if I know what water is. I am a god of darkness. It’s only natural that I understand the branching attributes."

Damon’s interest peaked.

The small god snorted.

"So, heaven’s favorite son managed to obtain the Umbral attribute. There's no need to brag about it."

Damon smirked, feeling a sense of relief.

"Then you know what its capabilities are, aside from controlling shadows."

Lazarak blinked in surprise.

"Wait. Are you telling me you actually don't know how to use your own attribute?"

He locked his hands behind his back, a devious grin spreading across his face.

"Finally, you come to a god for guidance. You mortals are all the same, always begging for divine help."

Damon’s smile turned thin, a vein pulsing in his forehead.

"You’re really asking to be buried alive in this sand."

Lazarak cleared his throat nervously, glancing at the desert floor.

"Fine, I won't lower myself to your level."

He looked at Damon again, his tone turning serious.

"The Umbral attribute is raw power. It rules over the secondary energy within your body—the same force that sustained your life when only your heart was left."

Damon’s gaze sharpened instantly.

"The shadow attribute is just a diluted version of the true terror that is Umbral."

Damon narrowed his eyes at the toddler god.

"Are you going to explain what it does, or are we going to keep playing games?"

Lazarak held up his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Souls. It has the power to alter souls. Furthermore, it grants you the ability to trap or release beings within a secondary shadow world of your own creation."

He paused for a moment.

"I figured you would have stumbled upon that yourself once you attempted to manifest a domain."

Damon was stunned.

"Wait. That's it?"

Lazarak crossed his arms defiantly.

"What else could you possibly want? The creation of worlds is a feat that belongs solely to the domain of gods."

Damon’s eyes grew wide with realization.

"The domain of gods."