My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger-Chapter 329 - 330: Man Of Too Many Lies

Five days had passed since they camped out in the ruined cathedral. They had fought off the occasional rotfolk and rested as best they could. During that time, they studied the layout of the city and planned their route through the ruins.

They stayed indoors, waiting for Sylvia to recover, and tried to rid themselves of fatigue. The days were mostly uneventful—Matia showed no signs of suffering after sacrificing her wings. There was always that creeping sensation of being watched, but by now, they had grown used to it.

They hadn't found anything worthwhile.

The cathedral was a safe haven… but they couldn't remain behind its broken walls forever. If they ever wanted to return home, they'd have to venture into the heart of the ruined city.

The only problem was Damon. He was getting hungrier by the day. He had used his sacrifice skill to feed his shadow—at the cost of his overall strength. Every day they stayed hidden, he grew weaker.

But he was hell-bent on going back. Nothing would stop him.

"Should we investigate the altar now…?" Leona's voice was soft, but not without weight.

Damon shook his head. "We're leaving tomorrow anyway. Might as well wait until then. Even if there's some monster hiding there, we'll be packed and ready to flee."

Matia leaned against a cracked pillar. "We've been doing a lot of that lately… fleeing, I mean…"

Evangeline gritted her teeth. "We haven't had a choice. Even at first class, the strongest things we could kill were second class at best."

"We've also been bleeding a lot…" Sylvia said, smiling faintly, her voice distant.

Xander clenched his fist. "We've been losing a lot."

Leona smiled despite everything. "But we've been growing too. Even changed. We got stronger. It was bad, sure, but at least we grew from it… Our situation looks grim, but we'll make it… right, Damon?"

He gave her a slight smile. Leona was being unusually optimistic.

"Well… I can't see the future, but yeah. We will."

Leona's eyes drifted to Sylvia, the group's seer. She wanted her input.

"We'll be fine." Sylvia nodded, then added, "In fact, why don't I give a random reading? And before you guys say anything, it's safer… maybe…"

Damon frowned at her. She caught his expression.

"Erm… it's not what you think. It's just my skill giving random readings—it won't affect me."

He sighed. "Fine. As long as you're safe, I guess."

Sylvia nodded and activated her skill. A book—visible only to Damon—hovered in the air, faintly glowing with shifting runes.

"Let's start with you, Leona…"

She paused, the book drifting in front of Leona for a moment.

"Your life is pure, yet you surround yourself with one who walks with ruin and death… Oh storm-bringer, you will be dragged into darker clouds."

Leona blinked, confused. Her eyes turned to Damon for answers.

"Erm… what does that mean…?"

Damon could make a few guesses. The one who walks with ruin and death—that was probably him. Did that mean he was going to drag Leona into trouble later?

He shrugged. "Don't know. Ask the seer."

She pouted. She could tell he had his theories, but he wasn't saying. She knew him too well. "Fine, don't tell me. Meanie."

Damon sighed and walked up to her, patting her head. "You're so juvenile."

She shrugged. "I'm sixteen."

Damon smiled. "So am I."

Sylvia turned to Evangeline next.

"Let's see… yours says: The prodigal child returns home… showered with love… and given all… Do not worry—you are loved as well. The golden sun merely wishes to make up for lost time."

The others looked to Evangeline. For once, they saw hope in a prophecy.

"Does that mean… we'll be able to go back home?" Leona's voice was barely a whisper.

Something lit behind Evangeline's eyes—just for a moment.

Sylvia shook her head. "I don't know. These words are vague at best. This might mean something completely different."

Damon nodded. "Yeah. 'You are loved as well' sounds like it wasn't even directed at you."

Matia narrowed her eyes, her voice almost desperate. "But it's still a small sign… Try using that on the rest of us. Maybe we can form a puzzle or something. Anything."

Xander nodded. "Try mine next."

Sylvia glanced at the brown-haired boy and read his future.

"Angry shadows descend… The noble knight's dark deeds become known. He had murdered night and day… He is disgusted by his own reflection… His dark deeds will be embraced by hungry shadows… Death is his final resting place… You will be his silent avenger… forced to forever hunt a faceless enemy… Hope you never see its face…"

Xander narrowed his brows. "I don't get it. The first part doesn't even seem to be about me…"

Leona tapped her chin. "How does someone even murder night and day?"

Damon sighed. "Figure of speech. Don't take it literally."

Matia looked at Xander. He was the most upright of them all. "What dark deeds…? That part wasn't about you. And who's he supposed to be?"

Evangeline shook her head. "It doesn't matter. What matters is—our chances of surviving are still high."

Matia turned to Sylvia again, eyes sharp.

"What about me?"

Sylvia closed her eyes.

"The wingless fairy will rise again… The one who has been lost will return…"

Matia's eyes widened, her expression glowing with renewed hope.

"Does that mean I'll get my wings back?"

Sylvia raised her hand to stop her. "I don't know. Remember, we can't take these literally…"

Damon felt a sting in his chest. She had given up her wings for him. She never acted like it mattered much—but it had to. It had to hurt, losing something so vital to her life.

Sylvia looked tired now.

"You're next, Damon. Do you want one?"

He nodded slowly. "Sure… What's mine?"

She looked at the book floating in front of her.

"I offer a gentle warning… a caution. Beware—your peril has only begun. That, I guarantee.

The truth is a steel horse… Your lies will be broken. Your truths will be revealed. And when they do… you will be betrayed by one you cherish."

Damon felt his heart sink.

His lies were one too many.