My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 865 - 866: Odds And Allies

Damon grabbed a fruit from the platter on the table. Among the selection was a tamberry that resembled a plum. As he bit into it, the juice trickled down the side of his mouth.

"I’ve always been a fan of tamberry cakes, though the raw fruit isn't really my thing. Still, seeing local produce from home in this world is a nice touch."

He spoke with a casual air, acting as though he hadn't just dropped a massive revelation on the assembly.

Abellona’s eyes gave a sharp twitch.

"We aren't here to discuss your preferences in fruit or baked goods. You claimed to know the identity of Lazarak."

Swallowing the mouthful of tamberry, Damon lifted his head and scanned the individuals in the room.

"Yeah. We went to jail together."

A sigh escaped Lilith. Having endured multiple regressions, she was already aware of these facts, yet this specific interaction was a new development.

In her past lives, Damon had always been much colder, showing no interest in jokes or redirection.

Nevertheless, she knew better than to let herself feel hopeful.

Evangeline also let out a sigh; he was putting her through his antics once more.

Xander shut his eyes in resignation, while Leona, seated next to Damon, couldn't help but erupt into laughter.

"What is that even supposed to mean?" Abellona demanded, her voice thick with frustration.

A thin smile played on Damon’s lips.

"It means we were both in Eidolon. The very bottom floor. You know how it is—locked up as great evils or whatever."

The murmurs that had filled the room died away instantly, replaced by a heavy silence.

The reputation of Eidolon was known to everyone there. They had all heard the legends. It was common knowledge that even Seraph Null refused to set foot within its walls.

Eidolon served as a tomb for both the guards and the prisoners, a place designed to seal away calamities capable of shattering the world. The more catastrophic the entity, the deeper it was entombed.

Damon was already recognized as a threat. He had previously fought and bested Amon the Unknown Ruler, a figure many believed to be the reincarnation of Ashcroft the Dominator.

But surely, they thought, even he couldn't be that dangerous.

"Wait," Leona interrupted, her laughter dying down. "Then who exactly is Lazarak?"

Damon took another bite of his fruit.

"He’s a god."

Silence reigned.

The air grew thick with expectation, as if the entire room was holding its breath for Damon to elaborate.

"I’m not saying another word about it," he stated firmly. "Don’t bother asking. Just understand that I’ve got the situation handled. Information regarding Lazarak is strictly on a need-to-know basis."

He tossed the half-eaten remains of the tamberry aside.

"And you don’t need to know."

The adventurer who had participated in the war games glared at him. It appeared he had managed to survive the chaos.

"Why should we offer you our trust when you refuse to be transparent? You’re keeping secrets. Scheming, like you always do. We want the truth."

Damon let out a mocking scoff.

"You can’t handle the truth." He gestured with his thumb toward the exit.

"The door is right there. Feel free to try surviving on your own."

The man’s brow furrowed, and the aura of a third-class advancement began to ripple from his body.

Slam.

Damon struck the table with his palm and stood up abruptly.

"Lazarak is the least of our concerns. In case it hasn't clicked yet, that damn unknown god is pulling all the strings here. And if you haven't realized, he has no intention of letting any of you reach a fourth-class advancement."

His sharp gaze swept across every face in the room.

"Victory is a never-ending nightmare, and defeat is the moment of waking."

He winced slightly after speaking.

"That isn't some poetic quote. It’s likely a riddle. He has a thing for those."

"What I’m getting at is this: unless we decode that meaning, we’re as good as dead, even if we somehow manage to take down Seraph Null."

The adventurer rose to his feet in anger.

"You withhold the facts and yet expect us to stumble upon the answer by magic? In my profession, having the right information is the only thing that keeps you alive."

"Which is exactly why I can't just hand it over," Damon shot back icily. "Any person in this room could be a mole. I'm not accusing you specifically, but what if someone here is compromised? Is it worth the lives of everyone here just so you can hear a bedtime story?"

Abellona sighed and raised her hand to quiet them.

"That’s enough. Fine, Damon. What information can you provide that won't put us at risk?"

Damon gave a slow nod and returned to his seat.

"As far as I can tell, this world has a hard rank cap. Nothing can go above fourth class, which is a small mercy since none of us are there yet. But we have a mana problem. Ambient mana cannot be absorbed in this place."

He purposefully shifted the topic away from Lazarak.

If Seraph Null had planted spies, they would already be on high alert.

The adventurer’s glare didn't waver.

"For a commoner, you certainly have a lot of arrogance."

"Have I ever been known for my humility?"

Abellona slammed her hand down this time.

"Following the agenda is our only priority right now."

She tightened her fist. "That goes for you too, Damon."

He leaned back in his chair, conceding the point.

"Now then," Abellona resumed, "let's discuss our numbers and resources."

"As it stands, we lack the manpower and the supplies required to take down the Chained Knights. And Seraph Null is on a level far beyond any of us."

Evangeline crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then we will have to find a way to manage."

Damon nodded slowly.

"True. But they have us outnumbered a thousand to one. I doubt any of you are capable of fighting a thousand enemies of equal strength."

A heavy silence followed his words.

Then Sylvia looked toward Lilith, who gave a nearly invisible nod of agreement.

Both recognized the direction Damon was pointing them toward.

Sylvia raised her hand, her white hair shifting even though the air in the room was still.

"We could seek out unlikely allies. Those who are trapped in the same situation as us."

Damon tilted his head. He knew exactly what she was getting at, but his public persona required him to push back.

"Huh? We’ve already gathered everyone. At least, everyone who hasn't been killed yet."

A few murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.

Sylvia sighed. He was clearly forcing her to say the words out loud.

"Not everyone," she said with caution. "Have you forgotten about... them?"

Abellona’s brow darkened. She had anticipated this path from the start, but proposing it herself would have been a political disaster.

Damon’s eyes went wide, performing a look of exaggerated revulsion.

"You don’t mean—"

Sylvia nodded firmly.

"We must form an alliance with the demons."

Damon threw his hand up.

"Absolutely not!"

He stood up with sudden violence.

"I’d prefer we all perish at the hands of the Chained than spend a single second allied with demons. I don't care if their strength boosts our odds by thirty percent. I’d rather we take the risk and die bloody deaths."

He made sure to clearly state the exact benefit of the plan while "opposing" it.

Sylvia fought the urge to groan. Instead, she maintained the act.

"But if we don't, we will all fail," she argued, doing her best to keep her eyes from rolling.

Damon was already fuming with staged indignation.