My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 930 - 931: Hanging Paths Below The Orchard Of Regret

His Ragebaiting advanced to the next level. Upon his reappearance, he materialized in an unfamiliar territory. The earth quivered violently before he had a chance to absorb his surroundings.

In the remote distance, miles upon miles off, Rexagon bellowed fiercely and unleashed torrents of fire toward the skies.

"I will find you. I will crush you... even if it’s the last thing I do..."

Astral gusts swept over Damon’s flesh as a colossal, winged form resembling a mountain ascended into the air.

He looked down at the imp clinging to his legs, his face turning impassive. A sudden spark of fire erupted from his hand, reducing the beast to cinders.

Seras advanced and seized his collar, shaking him with force.

"Was that last part really necessary?"

Fog enveloped the terrain. Below their feet stretched an obscured abyss. Enormous trees, surpassing mountains in height, towered afar, their limbs laden with house-sized fruits. Strange nests perched above those fruits, where shadowy figures darted without pause.

The whole area carried a heavy, oppressive vibe. The trees' roots remained concealed, and massive vines, thick as drawbridges, wove endlessly through the haze.

"Where are we?" Damon inquired, peering up as Rexagon’s faraway silhouette glided over the woods in its hunt.

Seras dropped her eyes and regulated her breaths.

Fortunately, Rexagon remained unaware of the displacement flowers' destinations and was far too massive to squeeze through them. He might shift to human form, yet his arrogance would forbid such a thing.

She let go of Damon’s collar and blew out air sharply between her teeth.

"Did you really have to make things worse? You could’ve just fled without bruising his pride," she grumbled, irritation seeping into her tone.

Damon crossed his arms as the group paused to recover.

"Well excuse me for saving all our lives from a crazy edgy dragon. This is the thanks I get," he shot back, utterly unapologetic.

Seras rubbed the bridge of her nose and drew in a deep breath.

"Fine. Fine. You’re right."

Damon tilted his head up a bit, keeping his arms folded.

"Yeah I am. Now, to my previous question if you don’t mind."

Seras pivoted and eyed Renata, who was dusted and sooty, wrapping up her tally of the survivors.

Renata wiped soot from her sleeve and gave a nod.

"It’s a miracle we faced a great dragon and still lost no one."

Damon rolled his eyes with flair.

"Oh great Renata. Thanks for jinxing us. Now he’ll find us and a few people are going to die."

Renata pressed her lips together and sulked at him, obviously wishing she’d held her tongue.

"So where are we anyway?" Damon pressed once more, his eyes scanning the eerie landscape.

Renata stood tall.

"We are in a place called the Hanging Paths."

Damon winced.

"I see. A terrible combination. From the name alone I know I’ll hate it."

Wendy huddled on the ground, arms encircling her knees, lost in the fog’s depths.

"I regret following you here."

Damon smirked under his breath. That’s what came from blackmailing him. Yet, catching a hint of remorse from Wendy struck him as odd. He picked up on it but stayed silent.

Renata gestured at the massive fruits dangling overhead.

"And above us is the Orchard of Regrets. They are two different zones but closely linked. The safer one is the Hanging Paths."

"Orchard of Regrets... I see. That explains Wendy’s attitude," Damon murmured.

Seras approached the closest vine and placed a palm on it, checking its firmness.

"We will be crossing through the Hanging Paths. Those who don’t know what it is, listen carefully. Talking is dangerous on these vines."

Renata agreed with a nod and went on.

"The rule here is simple. The more fear you feel, the more gravity increases."

She explained deliberately, ensuring the group paid attention.

"Those who hesitate feel heavier. Vines tighten when panic spikes. Some bridges slowly invert while being crossed, so don’t trust your spatial awareness. And avoid trying to fly. You’ll just die faster."

A quiet dread rippled across the expedition members.

"Victims are crushed or dropped into the unseen depths. Screams echo upward for hours, which means if you scream as you die our dragon friend will find us sooner," Renata warned.

She paused briefly.

"No bodies ever hit the ground. At least from what I remember."

Seras lifted her hand, pulling all eyes to her.

"The trick is simple. Cross without stopping. No talking. Carrying unconscious people is safer than fearful ones since they can’t feel fear."

Damon nodded, grasping the reasoning. His attention shifted skyward to the huge fruits.

"Wait. What about the orchard? And if we can’t fly, why can the dragon?"

Seras folded her arms.

"Because it’s a dragon. The rules for us don’t apply to it. And the orchard is both a blessing and a curse."

Renata retrieved a creased parchment from Lana, who dug into her pack and passed it along.

"According to the record Amadeus gave us," Renata stated, spreading it open.

"The grotesque fruit trees bear red pulsing fruit, or at least most people see them that way. They smell sweet and comforting," she recited, her gaze sharpening.

"Make no mistake. The fruit looks different to each person. The bigger they appear, the more regrets the person carries, and the worse the effects of eating them."

Damon tensed a little. To his eyes, the fruits seemed gigantic, rivaling houses in scale.

"The forest feeds on unresolved longing," Renata pressed on.

"Eating fruit grants powerful healing or buffs, which seems beneficial, but it is hardly worth it."

She gulped.

"Each bite manifests a regret as a physical wound later, worse than ever before."

Damon quietly resolved to steer clear of the fruit.

"Some fruit contains memories of people you loved," Renata noted, her look lingering on Damon like a targeted caution.

"Over time regret turns into corporeal entities. The worse the regret, the more vicious and dangerous they become."

Her grip firmed on the parchment.

"These entities hunt their originator and anyone nearby. Killing them causes unbearable emotional pain to the originator."

She refolded the parchment.

"It says here. Never eat the fruit. If you must, never twice. Burn the orchard when possible, though it is better not to."

Renata returned the parchment to Lana.

"Those with no regrets suffer least, making them terrifying."

Her tone grew gentle as she bowed her head.

"No one alive lives regret free. We are all victims of regret."