My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 961 - 962: Bestowal

Damon felt a touch of surprise at the abrupt expansion of his Seed of Depravity.

He never anticipated that bringing a handful of trolls under his control would trigger such a response.

Usually, the seed expanded through just two sources.

Souls.

And a heart brimming with bitterness.

These elements nourished it well.

Lately, Damon experienced much less bitterness. The intense fury and loathing that once pushed him to damn the entire world had diminished greatly.

In fact, he felt more at peace these days.

He had come to terms with various realities.

Including aspects of his own being.

Self-loathing had lessened considerably.

As a result, the Seed of Depravity had become much more subdued.

This seed originally stemmed from Ashcroft.

Damon occasionally pondered the depth of bitterness Ashcroft must have harbored to form such a thing.

Its strength could shake the heavens.

Yet Damon had zero plans to wield it without caution.

He aimed to steer clear of turning demonic.

And even more crucially, he sought to prevent the fierce clash between that force and the divine essence inside him.

Though Damon might endure pain without complaint...

He wasn't some pain enthusiast.

Damon gradually shut his eyes.

The meadow's breeze swept across the pale locks of his hair.

The goblins had fallen quiet long ago, observing in awe as he brought the trolls to heel.

With a casual flick of his hand, he gestured.

"You may rise."

The trolls paused uncertainly.

Dread still gripped them tightly.

Their leader cast a sneaky look at the remains of the troll that had attacked Damon. The form lay shredded, with no opportunity for renewal.

Damon anticipated spotting bitterness in the troll leader’s gaze.

But instead...

A peculiar glint of joy appeared.

Damon’s brow furrowed.

Why the foolish grin?

The troll gradually lifted his head.

Damon gazed upward at the massive beast.

"Why are you grinning like a fool?" he demanded icily.

"Me happy, lord," the troll replied in crude Common.

Damon arched a brow.

What reason could bring him joy?

One of his kin had just perished.

And the entire group had been conquered.

Gabo and the goblin leader, his father, abruptly dashed ahead.

They fell to their knees in front of Damon, foreheads pressing into the earth as clouds of dust billowed up.

"Great lord, please accept our humble tribe as well."

Damon blinked in surprise.

Confusion deepened for him now.

What in the world was happening?

Renata edged nearer silently and bent close to him.

"Er... I think they believe you’re a demon warlord," she murmured.

Damon went still briefly.

Then his eyes widened a bit.

Based on his knowledge, demonkin frequently assembled forces by conquering beasts like these. Tamer was the title for those who controlled basic-minded monsters.

However, those who overpowered clever monsters through raw might, without relying on spells...

Such figures earned the names warlords or lords.

Among demonkin, these types held the top prospects for advancing to demon lord contenders.

And should they endure sufficiently...

They might even ascend to Demon Lord status.

In the meantime, warlords clashed against one another for land. Each rival they vanquished and each demon they enlisted bolstered their standing.

"Oh... I see," Damon mused inwardly.

That said, binding creatures such as trolls or goblins didn't impress anyone.

The true test lay in subduing lesser demons and advanced demon breeds.

Balrogs.

Goristros.

Armanites.

Along with various other fearsome demon kinds.

Subduing lesser demons proved incredibly tough already.

Attempting to master the rest bordered on self-destruction.

Typically, warlords commanded no more than one or two of those. Maybe a balrog in one spot, an armanite in another. Such beings served as treasured aces.

Demon Lords themselves kept only a handful of them.

Their danger and resistance to control were immense.

No demon lord could govern demons without effort.

Save for one.

Ashcroft.

And at present...

Damon.

Demon Dominate proved an insanely powerful skill against demons.

"This continent is basically heaven for me," Damon reflected.

As Damon pondered silently, the goblins and trolls fidgeted in anticipation of his reply.

At last, he flicked his hand.

"Fine."

"You all work for me now."

The goblins bowed even lower right away, as the trolls dipped their heads in obedience.

Damon lifted his hand once more without fanfare.

Dark flames erupted outward.

The bodies were engulfed by Ashborn's searing might, reduced to dust in mere moments.

While the flames consumed the fallen troll, Damon abruptly caught a familiar chime after a long absence.

[You have acquired skill: Bestowal]

Damon offered a subtle smile.

Ages had passed since the system last awarded him a fresh skill.

And to imagine...

It came merely from devouring a troll's remains.

Damon promptly accessed the system interface to inspect the latest skill.

[Bestowal]

[Description]

The Unknown possessed endless skills and endless spells.

Knowledge gathered over boundless realms.

From this vast wisdom, he granted gifts to those deemed worthy.

Take heed.

Not every gift appears as it truly is. Certain gifts prove more harmful than curses.

Thus speaks the essence of the deity lurking in the Abyss—

eternally mourning his own contradictory being.

[Effect]

Your skills remain limited in number, alas.

This ability lets you boost the capabilities of your followers, potentially skyrocketing the odds of unlocking a secondary skill—challenging the world's fixed rules.

Yet rebellion requires forfeiture.

A cost you might not have settled yet.

[Type]

Active

[Cooldown]

0 seconds

Damon gazed at the display.

His initial new skill after so long...

And it involved granting rather than gaining.

It applied solely to his followers.

That gave him cause to hesitate.

Bestowal...

Could this be the method the Unknown God used to deliver skills via the system?

Through granting them?

Moreover, the perpetual dire caution tied to all things of the Unknown God persisted.

His gifts might swiftly twist into curses.

Truth be told, Damon no longer found it shocking.

He had adapted to it fully.

The system stood as the ultimate gift he ever gained.

And simultaneously...

It burdened his very being most heavily.

Regardless, Damon turned his gaze slowly to the goblin leader and troll leader.

Next, he extended his hand.

"Kneel," he ordered.

"Receive my boon."

His tone chilled the air, seeming to emerge from the depths of the abyss.

The troll dropped to a single knee at once.

The goblin leader complied without delay.

As Damon lifted his hand toward them, it started to shimmer softly.

Suddenly, he sensed an odd sensation.

Something departed from within him.

Just a minor portion, as he offered only a fraction.

Yet he perceived it distinctly.

A subtle weariness brushed his spirit.

Demonic energy seeped from his form and poured into the bowed figures.

Tremors seized the troll first.

Then the goblin leader.

Damon’s eyes grew wide.