My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 871 - 872: A Splendid Dream

"So... what brings you back here so quickly?" Lazarak questioned while filling a cup and sliding it across the wooden surface toward Damon.

Damon bit down on his lip, the memory of his encounter with Lilith resurfacing. She was likely... actually, she was definitely furious with him. She probably had no desire to speak with him. No, that wasn't quite right. He was the one avoiding her.

His gaze shifted toward Lazarak before falling back to the beverage. Lazarak was likely the only individual he could confide in at this moment.

He was the only person who wouldn't look at him like he had completely lost his mind.

Lazarak appeared to be in the prime of his youth now. He was a handsome young man—no, "handsome" didn't do him justice. He was beautiful. His dark hair flowed long and sleek, his black robes were pristine and sharp, and his face held a tranquil, gentle expression.

A spark of envy flared within Damon, and he didn't bother to hide the feeling.

"I had a bit of a disagreement with a friend..."

Lazarak gave a slow nod, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"I'm guessing you're the one at fault, considering you came running back here."

Damon grabbed the drink and swallowed it in a single gulp, the glass making a soft clinking sound as he placed it back on the table.

"I wouldn't exactly say I was wrong... I was just trying to exercise my rights. She didn't need to get so worked up about it."

Lazarak nodded again, leaning back slightly as he took a deep breath.

"And what exactly was this right you were trying to assert? I'm assuming it was something unpleasant..."

Damon bowed his head, his grip tightening for a brief second.

"She discovered I was planning to end my insignificant little life, and she got angry at me for it."

"I see. So she had a completely valid reaction," Lazarak replied nonchalantly.

He was already well aware of Damon's desire and had even personally provided him with a weapon capable of ending his life without fail. Nevertheless, Lazarak sensed that it was not Damon's fate to perish by that spear.

"What did you expect? Did you think she would clap and celebrate your suicidal tendencies?"

Damon scowled, taking a much slower sip of the wine this time.

"Yeah, I get that, but it's just... Lilith has always stayed by my side. Even when I'm in the wrong. She’s the one person I always counted on to have my back. Now that she wants something different from me..."

His voice trailed off into a softer tone. "I just feel a little lonely..."

Lazarak nodded once more, his ancient eyes shimmering with understanding.

"You cannot expect her to just accept it simply because she understands. Life offers second chances. Death does not. In life, no matter how far you fall, the possibility of redemption remains. She is gambling on that possibility."

Damon rolled his eyes and looked away.

"It's nice to see you're taking her side too..."

Lazarak stared at the drinks between them, his fingers tracing circles around the rim of his cup.

"If I were to die... Damon, would you feel sad?"

Damon’s eyebrows shot up, completely blindsided by the question.

"Yeah. You're my friend. It would be a tragedy."

A soft smile touched Lazarak’s face, though a flicker of sorrow passed through his eyes before he averted his gaze.

"I'm sorry..."

Damon’s brow furrowed slightly.

"What are you apologizing for?"

Lazarak shook his head, then forced a smile as he looked back at his companion.

"I’m sorry I can’t support your nonsense. If my passing would make you sad, then what about your own? All of your friends would be heartbroken. You have a sister who adores you. You mentioned a grandfather as well. You possess so much, and you have so much to live for."

He looked down at his palms, slowly curling and uncurling his fingers.

"I, on the other hand, am a god with nothing to my name. My own brother is my greatest foe. My creator loathes me. My peers despise me..."

Damon went quiet as Lazarak spoke, listening intently.

"I'm your best friend. I adore you. I look up to you."

For every point Lazarak made, Damon instinctively tried to find a counter-argument. It wasn't like him to be so open about his emotions, but for Lazarak, he made the effort.

"Then live..." Lazarak whispered.

"Succeed where I have failed. You mentioned a promise to a mentor about creating something beautiful. I know you're capable of it."

He smiled at Damon with genuine warmth.

"And when you do, build a massive statue of me. That way, no one will ever forget a minor god like me, because I’ll live on in everyone’s hearts."

His words weren't as gloomy as Damon's. Instead, they were vibrant with life and potential.

Lazarak found beauty in that flicker of hope.

Damon bit his lip, hesitating as he weighed whether or not to speak.

"Hey... do you know...?"

Lazarak nodded with a gentle smile.

"We are inside a dream, aren't we? A dream so vivid it makes the real world feel like a lie."

Damon’s eyes stretched wide with surprise.

"How... how did you figure it out?"

Lazarak gave a simple shrug.

"The signs were there from the beginning. I never actually saw how you were trapped in Eidolon, only that you were. That's where it all started. Then there was the confusion. Then the words of Root Ore. I didn't confirm my suspicions until I laid eyes on the Lake of Tears."

He looked at Damon, centuries of divine wisdom and experience reflected in his eyes.

"Arriving in this city and meeting people like you only served to confirm it."

Lazarak exhaled a long, slow breath.

"I am a god, after all."

His fist tightened as screams and images flooded his mind. He had been present. He had heard every sound. He had watched millions perish. Many had begged God to save them from the flames and the blades, and he had been the only god listening.

He offered no response.

"But that still doesn't excuse what I've done. What I've been a part of. The horrors..." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I fear that before this dream concludes, I will have forgotten my true nature because I chose to compromise."

"Then this is a nightmare... for you, isn't it?" Damon asked softly.

Lazarak nodded slowly.

"Yes, it is..."

He turned back to Damon, giving him a tender smile.

"But it was also a magnificent dream."