My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Chapter 1297: Chapter 1297: Those Who March

A heavy weight settled on Damon’s shoulders, and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Today would be the day the final outcome was decided.

Damon didn’t know what Ashcroft was planning, but if he had to guess, Ashcroft hadn’t entered the battle blindly. His reason for doing so was quite simple. The Outsiders were too powerful and more skilled than them in a head-on war. Even if they outnumbered them, they would still lose.

So he had to find a way to lure the Outsiders into a trap, and what better trap could there be than the prize they had spent many thousands of years looking for?

He would use the Outsiders to kill the Outsiders. Going towards the Pillar of Conflict would cause anyone to be consumed by a desire for conflict, turning allies into enemies.

Even the Outsiders would turn against each other, and they would die by their own weapons.

This was Ashcroft’s plan, and if that was the case, he was leaving the rest up to Damon.

That was heavy.

Damon didn’t get along with Ashcroft, but somewhere along the way, they had gained an understanding. Of course, Ashcroft was still trying to take over his body, and given the opportunity, he might succeed, but Damon believed he understood Ashcroft.

For one, Ashcroft had a rule against harming children or even putting them in wars. Damon didn’t know why, but apparently, Ashcroft had been a child soldier in his past life. He had spent his whole life fighting in wars he had no business being part of. Some were fought because rich people wanted to extract resources, so they destabilized weaker countries. Others were fought for reasons that could only be called senseless.

The Demon Lord of Domination, who waged war across the whole world, was actually someone who hated wars. Ironic, wasn’t it? Men of peace creating wars.

Either way, Damon understood Ashcroft. He was tired of being part of the oppressed.

Damon didn’t know if tomorrow would come or if today was the last day.

"If there is a tomorrow, I wonder what it will look like."

He hoped it would be as beautiful as Abellona dreamed, a world for everyone where children would not be raised on hate and fear.

A world where there would never be another child who would become Damon Grey.

He raised his gaze and looked at the massive dragon before him. Damon stepped onto the dragon’s tail and climbed onto its back until he reached its head. Then he looked forward. Before him stood all the fighting forces they had left.

There were also many powerful Shadow Drones with deep auras, as well as Damon’s own friends. At least, what was left of them.

Xander stood at the forefront, holding his spear with a solemn expression. Everyone here had said goodbye to those they loved, for many of them would never return.

A lot of people were scared, but many still came, carrying their weapons and heavy hearts.

Damon could see a young man holding a sword. Tears welled in his eyes from fear, and his hands would not stop shaking. He was scared, yet despite that, he was still here.

He wasn’t the only one. By his side stood demon kin, elves, and beast kin, all of them survivors.

They had joined the ranks of their own free will. No one had forced them. Damon was more than capable of going alone if he had to, but they had still insisted on coming.

After all, they had loved ones behind them. Every day, the camp grew larger as more and more people were found and brought back.

Damon glanced at Abellona, who stood far away at the back with those who would remain behind. Her hand rested on her large stomach. She had wanted to come, but Damon would not allow a pregnant woman onto a battlefield.

In times like this, he knew what to say to make people brave, to make them risk their lives. But Damon didn’t want to say those things. He didn’t want to embolden them with courage.

"I am scared," Damon said, his voice echoing out to everyone who could hear him.

Yes, people weren’t Shadow Drones. They weren’t fearless. All they could be was brave, and that was all they could do. The bravest thing was to admit that they were afraid.

"The odds are against us. Most of us will die, maybe by each other’s blades. We will not win."

His words only deepened the fear they felt, and then Damon went quiet.

"We will lose. We stand no chance. Everything you loved, everything you hoped for, everything you thought had meaning, none of it matters. You will die. We will all die."

Then he lifted his head, gritted his teeth, and slowly raised his broken sword.

"So what?!"

"I’ve been losing my whole life. I’ve even died, and here I am, standing in front of you, ready to lose again and again if that’s what it takes."

"The God of the Abyss has come for us. He has come to end us. The Goddess of Doom has descended, and she brings with her the promise of annihilation. So be it! If the gods want us to perish, what good can we do? We must perish. But we will fight! We will fight like our forefathers, and we will die knowing that we fought to the very end. As we walk towards certain death, let it be known that this was our finest hour! Let it be known that we fought the gods!"

"Let us be the fools who died bravely, for as we lie forgotten, let the silence remember our names."

"Forward," he whispered. "To our doom."

The dragon rose into the sky, accompanied by the tearful battle cries of those who marched towards death and those who witnessed their final, brave march against the absolute power of the gods. Surely, they would not be victorious.

And so they roared as they marched to their doom.

Abellona silently tore a piece of her garment and tossed it after them. Another person did the same, and soon, everyone left behind had cast a piece of themselves into the wind, carrying their hopes with it