My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 849 - 850: Branded Elite Layer

She wondered if this implied his danger level was comparable to a being capable of shattering the world's very foundations.

The mere suggestion caused a tight knot of anxiety to form in her chest.

Inevitably, she squeezed him for every scrap of information available, persisting with her interrogation until her throat felt raw and his responses became curt.

Eventually, she settled onto the mat beside him, her gaze fixed on the shadows of the ceiling above.

"So... what happens now?" she whispered, her certainty completely eroded.

While Damon didn't suffer from the biting desert winds as intensely as she did, he could sense his mana reserves slowly trickling away. A hollow hunger began to gnaw at his gut, spurred by the parched, oppressive atmosphere of the realm.

"Now, we locate the others," he declared. "I despise the idea as much as anyone, but survival dictates that we must cooperate."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You mean working with demons."

"If that is what it takes," Damon answered, his eyelids drooping with exhaustion, "then so be it."

Evangeline bit down on her lip.

Was their predicament truly that dire?

To her knowledge, Damon’s hatred for demons was absolute. He loathed them with a relentless passion, slaughtering any he encountered. Yet here he was, openly contemplating an alliance with them.

This was the man who had preferred the perils of the Whispering Forest over capture by a demonic legion—a prudent choice, as that very army was later incinerated by the draconic breath of the great dragon Ashergon.

The memory alone was enough to make her skin crawl.

"Do you think they would even consent?" she questioned. "Especially not after you took down the Unknown Ruler... Amon."

A flicker of tension crossed Damon’s features.

Indeed, Evangeline remained unaware that he was Amon, yet her logic was sound. The demons would certainly be reluctant to join forces with him. However, in practical terms, they would likely have no choice. Damon possessed the strength to topple the demon many believed to be Ashcroft.

Evangeline quietly weighed the advantages and disadvantages in her mind, but they were essentially at a standstill.

Eventually, Damon rose to prepare a modest meal.

Calling the spread "modest" was an understatement.

At least seventeen aromatic, steaming dishes materialized, and the pair ate until their hunger was finally satiated.

Once Evangeline drifted off into a deep, rhythmic sleep, Damon stood silently and slipped into the adjacent room.

He retrieved a specialized file that Lazarak had crafted for him in the past.

Without a moment's pause, he pressed the tool against his forehead, where a small demon horn had begun to sprout. Ignoring the sharp pain with cold indifference, he started filing it down. His jaw remained locked and his hands shook slightly, yet he did not falter.

After finishing the task, he stowed the file back into his shadow storage and returned to rest.

The secret growing from his head was one he could share with no one.

......

When morning arrived, Damon and Evangeline made their way toward the city’s more prestigious district.

This was the middle tier, populated by the branded elite. It was an area that partially merged with the high bastions where the wardens resided.

Damon grumbled inwardly as they surrendered mana cores to gain entry.

Evangeline was dressed in a delicate white sundress that fell below her knees, designed for ease of movement should a fight break out. Damon donned a simple black tunic, a sword hanging visibly at his hip to signal his status as a warrior.

To an observer, they appeared to be just another affluent couple living in the district.

Damon scanned the area, his head held high.

This section of the city exceeded his expectations. There was no segregation here; the branded and the chained lived side-by-side. The residences were grand, well-maintained, and aesthetically pleasing. The streets were neatly paved, and not a single beggar could be spotted.

Evangeline’s face remained neutral.

"I've been attempting to enter this area for a long time," she remarked. "I just never managed to keep enough savings for the fee."

The fee in question was a staggering seven hundred rank three mana cores.

"That seems unlikely," Damon countered. "Couldn't you have hunted outside the desert regions?"

She gave a slow nod.

"I did. However, every time I returned to the city with the cores, I ended up handing them over to people who looked like they were on the verge of death from mana depletion. I never have the required amount by the time I get here. It’s a never-ending cycle."

Damon stared at her with a flat, deadpan look.

She had to be joking.

Her obstacle was her own charity.

He stopped walking.

"Wait... this wouldn't happen to be because of what I told you before, would it?"

She looked at him, startled.

"What? Did you say something?"

Damon gave a faint smile and shook his head.

He had once criticized her for ignoring the suffering and dying people she passed. It appeared that particular lecture had resonated more deeply than he had anticipated.

He let out a sigh.

"You really are an idiot."

She nudged him playfully with her elbow.

"Well, it’s certainly fortunate that I have you here to pay my way now, isn't it?" She offered a mischievous grin and leaned in, whispering, "What's the point of family otherwise?"

Damon let out a dry huff.

"So, having a blood connection is just an excuse to fleece me? Just so you know, I’m charging eighty percent interest."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Perfect. I’ll just apply the 'taking care of me is your job' discount. How about I pay you... absolutely nothing."

He winced.

He only had himself to blame. He was the one who decided to reveal their kinship.

"I’ve only officially been part of this family for a few hours and the regrets are already piling up."

"If you're looking for an exit, you're out of luck," she said with mock sweetness. "You're stuck with me until death."

"Sounds more like a cult," Damon muttered, reaching out to gently brush a stray lock of hair from her face.

She looked up, her golden eyes locking onto his as a tender smile graced her lips.

"Ptuiii!" A bystander spat on the ground nearby. "Get a room, for heaven's sake!"

A man stomped past them, his expression sour and twisted with envy at the sight of the young pair.

"Sick of these damn couples flaunting it everywhere."

Evangeline’s cheeks flushed a bright crimson.

"We... we aren't a couple!" she tried to protest, but her voice was drowned out by Damon’s sudden burst of laughter.

She gnashed her teeth in frustration.

"Come on," she snapped. "Let’s move. We have friends to find."