My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 866 - 867: Anyone’s Gamble

The sheer intensity of his loathing for demonkind was palpable, vibrating through his voice and the suffocating weight of his aura.

It was exactly what one would expect from the warrior who had finished Amon, the mysterious sovereign of the demon races. Throughout the goddess races, he was hailed as a hero. Even if his personality was trash, his detestation of demons was undeniable. That single fact was enough to win him respect in this room.

A youth of the goddess races was supposed to be like this—a perpetual hater of demons.

His arrogance mattered little when he possessed the raw power to back it up. As long as his enmity toward demons remained steadfast, it was sufficient. Ishara Fang watched him, her ears twitching slightly. Meanwhile, Velora Nyxfall of the Silver Glades, lurking silently within the shadows, let a subtle smile play on her lips. It was only natural for the bearer of the Silver Blades to despise the demonic host.

Those blades had been forged for the sole purpose of slaughtering demons, passed down through the lineage as sacred heirlooms for that very task.

Magnus Trombone gazed at Damon, his eyes shimmering with rising emotion.

"What righteous indignation. Such a noble loathing for the disgusting demon race. Please accept my apologies, sir. I was unaware that you were a man of such steadfast convictions."

Agreeable whispers circulated through the assembly. Admiration surged quickly, fueled by Damon’s overwhelming presence and the iron certainty in his tone.

Sylvia let out a weary sigh.

She was forced to proceed with this absurd theatrical performance. Had she been more prudent, or perhaps had she not lost her heart to the wrong man, she wouldn't be standing here committing social suicide. Then again, she had already sacrificed her political standing once before by feigning a pregnancy out of wedlock for Damon’s sake. In comparison, this was a minor ordeal.

"The demons wield significant power," Sylvia declared, straightening her posture. "Every one of them is a formidable powerhouse. They possess distinct talents and employ unorthodox tactics."

Damon gritted his teeth.

"Sylvia, I find it hard to believe an elven princess of noble birth would propose such a thing. Do you truly intend to betray the legacy of your ancestors who spent centuries battling demons?"

She bit down on the inside of her lip.

'Leave my ancestors out of this, you bastard.'

The audience reacted instantly, shouting their support for him. She forced herself to press on.

"Our prospects are grim. You admitted it yourself. Incorporating the demons improves our chances. Many of you have families and loved ones waiting at home. You must weigh the lesser of two evils."

Damon folded his arms, looking torn as his eyes swept across the now-silent chamber. He shut his eyes tight.

"In that case, I choose death."

Lilith’s hand began to shake. Against her will, a memory surfaced: Damon laughing with arrogant defiance, mangled and broken, finding liberation only through his demise.

Her vision blurred as she observed the debate like a detached spectator. One more opportunity remained. If this failed, she still had a single regression left in reserve.

'At what point does surviving under Damon's protection become the same as being enslaved by him?'

The people here only cared about survival, and he was manipulating them with terrifying proficiency.

Sylvia crossed her arms defiantly.

"Then we treat them as disposable tools. We station them in the most lethal sectors while our own forces remain out of harm's way."

Damon hesitated.

"Hm. Are you suggesting we abandon our honor?"

"Exactly!" someone yelled from the crowd. "We'd rather perish! We belong to the honorable goddess races!"

Damon lifted a hand, instantly silencing the room.

"'We'? Who exactly is 'we'?" he asked slowly, arching an eyebrow. "There is no such thing as honor when dealing with demons."

He turned his gaze toward the gathered group.

"Don't you see the logic? We maintain a facade of alliance and then deploy them into the deadliest zones of the front lines."

His shadows began to bleed outward, casting a gloom over the room.

"We settle two scores at once. This shall be the vengeance for my comrade, Prince Wagon."

The sheer pressure of his aura stifled any lingering disagreement. With nothing but his presence and a basic ruse, he demolished all thoughts of defiance.

"It is a brilliant plan. I'm glad I thought of it."

Sylvia winced. He could at least pretend she had helped.

"Oh. And Sylvia as well," Damon added with a lazy shrug.

He raised his hand high.

"All those in favor of utilizing demons as expendable pawns, say aye."

A moment of silence followed, then the voices rose.

"Aye."

"Aye."

"I concur."

Xander narrowed his eyes in disapproval.

"It lacks honor. Nonetheless, I will not stand in the way."

Damon rolled his eyes dismissively.

"Be quiet, Xander. Nobody asked for your opinion."

He surveyed the room once more.

"Let us move on to logistics. We are mobilizing thousands. We require rations, potions, mana cores, food, armaments, and more."

Abellona, who was technically supposed to be presiding over the meeting, found herself completely pushed aside. She closed her eyes in frustration.

'I truly despise it when he takes over like that.'

Lilith, who had already endured this war in a previous life, raised her hand to speak.

"Your strategy is to ignite chaos in the outer sectors while elite strike teams, organized into forty parties, launch a raid on the Black Tower."

Damon blinked in surprise.

"Ah. Yes. That. How were you aware of that?"

Internally, he frowned. 'Am I really that easy to read?' Or perhaps Lilith simply understood him too well, including his penchant for absolute mayhem.

She shook her head solemnly.

"Seraph Null will have a countermeasure. Our losses will double. Even if some miracle allows us to slay him, it will be a hollow victory."

She let out a slow breath.

"The cost is too high. Especially since the Elixir of Pseudo Immortality is perpetually guarded by the apostles."

She allowed the information to slip out on purpose. Damon noticed the shift immediately as the adventurers' eyes began to burn with avarice.

"The Elixir of Pseudo Immortality?" he questioned.

Lilith looked directly at Damon. Her emerald eyes were freezing, every bit of the agony she felt watching him choose a path to the grave burning through her calm exterior.

"Yes. A mythical tonic forged by a deity. It eradicates all sickness and provides functional immortality."

A thin smile touched her lips.

"It is the ultimate prize within the Black Tower. Seraph Null has protected it for ages. Such an artifact is peerless. Whoever claims it would possess wealth exceeding that of any empire."

Damon’s brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn't understand her angle.

Lilith clenched her teeth. She was finished with grieving and done with being helpless. If he refused to value his life, she would provide him with an irresistible reason to stay alive.

Her fingers brushed the flower pinned in her hair.

This time, she would be the one to prevail.

"Anyone in this room has the chance to claim it."