My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 974

[ … words ]

The sky was still bright and sunny, or at least it had been. The light warped unnaturally as if something unseen had taken hold of it, and then the sun dimmed, shrinking into a singular pale moon that hung high above.

Beneath it, water spread across the battlefield without warning, forming a vast lake that reflected the moon perfectly. The surface was still, too still, like a mirror that refused to ripple.

In the world of Aetherus there were two moons, and the Moon Glades revered them above all else. Kadelas’ domain followed that same principle, manifesting both. One moon remained in the sky, real and oppressive, radiating power that pressed down on everything beneath it. The other existed only as a reflection in the lake, an illusion that should not have held weight yet somehow felt just as present.

Around the lake, a forest rose and stretched outward endlessly, trees forming in silence until they surrounded the entire space. There was no wind, no sound of leaves, only a quiet that felt deliberate.

Kadelas stood at the center, the Moon Disc hovering above his palm as he slowly lowered his hand. His robes swayed lightly as the domain stabilized, his expression calm yet focused, as if every part of this space was under his control.

This was not just an ability. It was a reflection of him.

He was the Moon Above the Glades, distant and untouchable, a ruler who stood above all yet illuminated everything below. The moon in the sky embodied that distance, something all could see but none could reach.

And yet, he loved his people.

That was why the second moon existed.

The reflection in the lake was not lesser. It was closer, grounded, within reach. Even if he stood above them as their king, his heart remained below, where they could touch it.

This was his domain.

Moonveil. Moon Above the Moon Glades.

His duty was simple. To give light in darkness. To offer beauty in a world that had very little of it.

“RAAAWWGGGGHHHH!”

Rexagon’s roar tore through the domain like a storm breaking silence. His massive wings beat once, distorting the air, but before he could move further the moon above responded.

Thin white strands descended.

They struck his scales instantly.

The impact was sharp and precise, slicing into his body and leaving glowing lines that did not close. His muscles tensed as his head jerked slightly to the side, irritation flashing in his eyes as the attack bit deeper than expected.

He twisted his body midair, trying to shake it off, but the light followed, unrelenting.

Then the lake moved.

The reflection of the moon trembled, and something unseen reached upward.

Rexagon’s expression shifted.

His wings faltered for a brief moment.

His breath caught.

There was no visible wound this time, yet his body stiffened as if something had grabbed him from within. His soul was being torn alongside his flesh, an invisible force dragging at something deeper than his scales.

A low growl rumbled from his chest as he forced his aura outward, trying to suppress it, but the pressure did not ease.

Kadelas clenched his hand slightly, tightening his control.

“Hold formation.”

Around him, the other elves steadied themselves, their hands raised as they poured mana into the domain. Some of them were already injured, blood staining their robes, but none of them stepped back. Their auras synchronized with the Moon Disc, reinforcing the space.

The light intensified.

The strands thickened.

They dug deeper into Rexagon’s scales while the lake below surged again, sending another wave of invisible force into him.

Rexagon’s movements slowed.

Molten blood dripped from his wings, hissing as it struck the surface of the lake. His earlier wounds were catching up to him, reopening under the constant pressure.

His eyes burned with rage.

He opened his jaws, and the air around him distorted as power began to gather.

A domain.

Kadelas saw it immediately, his gaze sharpening as he raised his hand higher.

“Suppress him.”

The domain responded.

The moonlight above grew harsher, pressing down with greater force, while the lake stilled completely, its reflection locking into place as if pinning him there.

Rexagon growled, his claws flexing as he resisted, his body lowering slightly as the power within him continued to build.

He was about to release it—

A figure shot forward.

Sylvia.

She moved without hesitation, forcing her way through the pressure of the domain as her clothes whipped violently around her. The strands of light grazed her, but she didn’t slow down.

Kadelas’ eyes widened.

“Sylvia—!”

She reached Rexagon first, stopping directly in front of him, so close that the heat from his breath should have burned her to ash.

She leaned in and spoke.

No one else heard her.

Rexagon froze.

His pupils narrowed, locking onto her.

“You lie.”

His voice was low, dangerous, carrying a weight that made the surrounding air tremble.

Sylvia did not step back. She placed a hand over her chest, meeting his gaze directly.

“I swear.”

For a brief moment, everything stilled.

Then Rexagon exhaled slowly, the heat gathering in his jaws fading.

“I see.”

His wings spread wide.

Kadelas reacted instantly.

“Stop him!”

The domain tightened, the barrier thickening as the moonlight pressed down harder.

Rexagon roared and slammed his body forward.

The impact shook the entire domain, sending cracks through the air like shattered glass. The lake rippled violently, and several elves staggered as the backlash struck them, some coughing up blood as their control wavered.

Rexagon pulled back and struck again, harder this time.

The cracks deepened.

Molten blood poured from his wings as his wounds tore open further, yet he did not stop.

“I have no time to waste on the likes of you.”

He pushed off with all his strength.

His wings beat once, releasing a violent surge of force that shattered the weakened barrier.

The domain flickered.

Kadelas clenched his teeth, forcing more power into the Moon Disc, but it was already collapsing.

Rexagon shot into the sky, his massive form tearing through the domain and breaking free.

He did not look back.

He did not slow down.

He simply left. That was it.

The forest faded.

The lake receded.

The moon dimmed.

Kadelas lowered his hand slowly, his breathing heavier now as the domain fully collapsed.

They had not defeated him.

Rexagon had chosen to leave.

And there was nothing they could have done to stop him.

Kadelas glanced at his daughter in shock.

“What did you tell him”

Sylvia smiled at her father.

“That’s a secret.”

She slowly floated towards her mother and raised her hand.

“Give me your communication crystal, the one for the assassins you sent after Damon.”

Daphne gave it to her without even saying anything.

Sylvia activated it and contacted Damon.

As soon as the communication went through, the first thing that came through was, “Hey Daphne darling, are you finally ready to leave that shifty husband of yours for a better guy…”

Sylvia wore a deadpan expression while everyone looked at her awkwardly. Her mother felt like dying.

“It’s me,” Sylvia said coldly.

Tap. He turned off the communication crystal.