My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

"Aura Farmer…"

Damon was a little confused. Was this some kind of spell or skill he didn't know about? Or was it a unique class? He'd never heard anyone mention it.

Lena tilted her head with an inquisitive expression.

"You're an aura farmer?"

Damon raised an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that. I have no idea what he's talking about…"

Saint rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Right… suppose you wouldn't know what that means. Sorry… sorry about that. Forget it. It's nothing."

Damon sighed and glanced at his shadow — who, oddly enough, seemed interested.

His shadow's sudden movement caught Lena off guard. She yelped, almost falling off the moving carriage. Damon reached out, grabbed her clothes, and pulled her back.

She steadied herself.

"Ahh… your shadow… it moved…"

Damon sighed. Explaining himself was annoying.

"A side effect of my first class."

She nodded in understanding. The group didn't seem to mind his shadow moving at all.

His shadow even waved at Lena, who awkwardly waved back.

Then, with a motion like it was clearing its throat, his shadow began a brief explanation of aura farming.

Damon narrowed his eyes. His shadow actually knew what they were talking about. That was… not common.

It even gave a strange military salute — except by moving its hand to its head instead of its chest.

Damon glanced at them. This party was definitely weird.

"So basically… aura farming is the act of looking cool…"

Twilight narrowed his eyes, insulted.

"Aura farming is the act of looking cool…? You dare insult the art of aura farming?! Aura farming is an art form! No… it's more than that! It's a way of life!"

As he spoke, the others nodded slowly, agreeing with his words.

Damon just stared at them with a deadpan expression.

"So… it's basically being a poser and getting attention?"

The lunar moth, Dred, immediately reached out and pulled his lunar blades, rage flashing in his eyes — before he could attack, the androgynous elf Aleph Cantor pinned him down.

"No… no… scum like this aren't worth killing. You may be a pedo, but you have dignity…"

Dred roared, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Yo… you… but he… he said something repulsive!"

Damon didn't even move. These guys really were eccentrics…

Ilukras stood up, calm as ever, his monk-like aura radiating as his hair danced in the wind.

"It seems we have found a lost lamb… we must guide him on the path of aura farming. That is our true purpose in this world… that is why we are here…"

Lena glanced at Ilukras — he looked so cool, standing there with his lantern in hand and the wind blowing around him.

"Amazing…" she whispered.

Unnoticed Singularity sighed.

"Dude… can you stop aura farming on us?"

Ilukras cleared his throat and sat down.

"Ahem… sorry about that. It's a reflex now…"

Wimpy smiled, glancing at the calm Ilukras.

"If what he says is true… then we must guide this young aura farmer to his full potential. It's the only way…"

Lena leaned over and whispered to Damon.

"I think they like you…"

Damon furrowed his brows.

"You think…"

He didn't take them seriously — until Unnoticed Singularity glanced at Saint.

"Bring it out."

With a solemn nod, Saint stood up and waved his hand. A rift opened in space beside him.

He reached inside the spatial pocket created by Unnoticed Singularity's magic… and pulled out a massive book.

As soon as it appeared, Aleph stood up and waved his hand, creating a metal podium.

Mind you — they were still on top of a moving carriage — but clearly, they weren't done.

Saint waved his hand, and light streamed down from the sky, shining on the book.

As soon as he placed it on the podium, Dred took out a pair of gloves and glasses and handed them to Ilukras.

Twilight touched his left shoulder, then his right, then his forehead, muttering a short prayer.

Damon and Lena watched this whole display with stupefied expressions.

"Ahem… ahem…" Ilukras cleared his throat and opened the book.

There was a solemn silence — it almost reminded Damon of a religious sermon in a temple.

Ilukras lifted his head and, in a clear voice, spoke:

"Before there was Heaven… before there was Earth… before there were thots, goth lolitas, and Latina baddies… before even gods… there was aura farming…"

Damon could not understand half of that. Or rather… he did… but he'd never heard of any of those.

What the hell is a Latina baddie…?

Ilukras continued — everyone listening with a solemn expression.

"It was aura farming that brought life to the heavens and earth. And I say unto you… do you see this fit… do you feel this aura…? My enemies are many. My equals are none. If I had a million days… I would aura farm…"

He closed the book. All of them placed their hands together.

"Amen."

Damon glanced at Lena. Lena glanced back.

What were they even talking about…? How did this conversation even lead to this weird display…?

She leaned to his ear.

"Is this some circular religion…? Should we report them to the temple?"

Damon leaned back.

"Just smile, Lena… just smile. Don't eat anything they give you… or you might get indoctrinated into their strange cult."

Saint cleared his throat.

"Do you understand now…? This is aura farming. It's a way of life."

It was then Twilight stepped away from his corner and walked up to Damon — raising his hand.

"Would you like to join the aura farmers?"

Damon's eye twitched.

"Ermh… sorry about that… last week my mother told me… not to join any organization. I'll have to get her permission first…"

"Tsk…" Aleph clicked his tongue, spitting to the side of the moving carriage.

"He's obviously lying… you have the stench of a filthy orphan… you don't have a home…"

Damon's eyes twitched.

'Go ahead… hit me where it really hurts…'

Saint smacked Aleph on the head.

"That's rude… let me talk to him…"

He placed a hand on Damon's shoulder.

"Aura farming isn't a cult. It's a way of life."

He smiled — giving off an aura of pure warmth.

"Why don't you try it…?"

Damon shook his head.

"I'd rather not…"

They surrounded him.

"We insist."

"Come on… just one time."

"Kid, you're a natural…"

"Just do it…"

Damon finally experienced something he never had in his life… peer pressure.

"Fine… one time…"

After that, Saint whispered some instructions. Damon sighed and stood up.

He stepped in front of the carriage — the wind blowing his hair… he wore a calm expression. He made sure the light and shadows intersected in just the right way.

Lena's eyes sparkled.

"Amazing…"

Damon was about to speak… when he heard a system chime.

Ding!

[ You have gained Mastery: Aura Farming Lv. 3 ]

[ Your Presence and Charisma grows. You can now influence individuals more effectively. ]

[ You have gained Mastery: Charisma Lv. 2 ]

Damon's jaw dropped.

"You're kidding me… that was an actual thing…?"

In a world ruled by perception, even bullshit becomes reality.