My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Damon had so many questions—so many things that needed answers.

The Pillars and their power. The Abyss and the Unknown God. The Old Gods and the True Beings.

How did it all tie together?

Dred closed his eyes.

"Hmm… I kind of noticed something. The twelve Pillars seem to be categorized in a way…"

Damon raised his eyebrows.

Singularity nodded.

"Yes, that's true. They're categorized based on their nature."

He raised his first finger.

"Foundational Pillars — Genesis, Reality, Time, Soul — these form the basis of creation."

He raised his second finger.

"Developmental Pillars — Emotion, Knowledge, Chaos, Order — for the developmental stage of the Omniverse, keeping all things growing and changing."

He raised his third finger.

"Terminal Pillars — Conflict, Ascension, Void, End — these are the ones that bring things to a close. Concepts like death and endings fall under them."

Damon nodded, understanding dawning on him.

"What do they look like?"

Singularity groaned.

"I don't know, okay? I don't have all the memories. You guys can't imagine what it's like being fused with an Old God. I do things sometimes that don't even make sense, I—"

He paused, lowering his head.

"…I'm sorry," he whispered, realizing he'd lost his composure.

Damon bit his lip.

"Sorry for putting you on the spot like that… it must be hard. Knowing the things you know… learning something causes agony."

Damon felt his heart pound with dread.

He knew what it felt like to face a True Being. His hands trembled, even though he couldn't remember the encounter.

Still, he forced his trembling hands to stop shaking, pushing a smile.

"I actually once got erased from existence by the God of Inspiration… I think."

Dred caught the clear attempt to change the topic.

"How are you still here? Are you a ghost?"

"Ghosts still exist, bug brain." Aleph sneered.

Singularity sighed, shaking his head.

"I think that would be Muses—the God of Inspiration," he corrected with a wry smile.

"Let's talk about something else. It's not because I'm scared, mind you—it's because I'm ignorant. I don't know all the things Unnoticed Singularity knew, and he didn't know everything under the heavens."

Damon nodded, feeling slightly disappointed.

Knowing cosmic secrets was just too appealing… even if dangerous.

Singularity must've sensed the guilt. He glanced at Damon.

"The Outsiders were sealed away. If you find the Blind Old Daoist, he might just tell you. Though be careful—most cultivators are sly old monsters."

Damon nodded again.

That was a name he'd heard mentioned before—by Valarie Sunwarden.

"Erhm… this is my last question. You can choose not to answer, but… why did the Outsiders come here?"

Singularity shrugged.

"To fulfill their heart's desires. Some came for power. Some were promised something by the Unknown God. Some did so out of reverence. Some… against their will. But all were tricked by the Unknown God."

Damon nodded.

That made sense. The Unknown God was truly sinister. He wanted to ask more… but stayed quiet.

No more questions. He had gained a lot tonight.

Even if it didn't have much to do with their world.

Dred feverishly glanced at the moon, a devoted look in his eyes.

"The moon is gentle… why worship a goddess of doom when we have something so beautiful and divine?"

Damon awkwardly glanced at the others.

Who all shook their heads.

"Sorry about him. He was dropped on his head as a baby…" Ilukras muttered.

Damon raised his hands, waving them in front of him.

"No, no—it's fine. I understand. Lunar Moths love the moon and believe in a goddess of the moon…"

He smiled warmly.

"I think the moon is beautiful too. My little sister has hair and eyes like the moon, and has the same attribute. My parents must have thought so too, since they named her Luna…"

Dred paused. He slowly turned away from the moon.

"…Come again?"

Damon didn't notice the helpless expressions on everyone's faces.

"My little sister Luna has a lunar attribute. I mean, it's a rare attribute, but nothing to write home about…"

Dred's expression instantly contorted.

"You bastard. You dare blaspheme my goddess!?"

Damon tilted his head in confusion.

"Huh? What—?"

Twilight began cracking his knuckles.

Aleph forged a huge metal club and began passing it around to everyone… except Dred.

By this point, Dred was already holding Damon's shoulder tightly.

"So your sister… I want to have babies with her."

Damon's face instantly contorted.

His fist clenched.

"Huh…?" He calmed himself down. He could understand the misconception…

"Arrgh… Luna is underage. She's fifteen."

Dred had a distant expression on his face.

"I don't care. I'll marry her. I love her."

Damon didn't even hesitate.

He kicked the bastard away.

"Absolutely not. My sister is a child, you damn bug!"

Saint sighed, raising his club.

"He really isn't beating those pedo allegations now, is he…"

Dred stood up, fluttering his wings.

"Dred x Luna forever!"

He smiled at Damon.

"Brother-in-law."

That was the last straw.

Damon took the club and began bashing him.

Singularity raised his club.

"I'm open—pass him here!"

Aleph grabbed his head.

"This is why I hate orphans. Damn orphan pedo…"

Saint was already crying black-hearted tears.

"You always disgrace us… every time we try to make new friends…"

Twilight smacked Dred with his club.

"I will beat the perversion out of your soul!"

"I love her… she's going to be my wife!"

"No she's not.."

This guy must've been pain-proof because he got the beating of a lifetime, leaving him on the ground with a swollen face.

They all collapsed, sweating buckets after the intense beatdown.

The ground was shattered. Trees uprooted. The metal clubs were broken.

Yet that bastard Dred was still weakly chanting:

"Dred x Luna forever…"

Damon huffed, taking a deep breath.

"How… how does he still have the energy to talk?"

Twilight and Aleph—who had given him the most hell—were drenched in sweat.

"I think he's a cockroach, not a… ahh… ah… a moth…"

"He's never meeting my sister. Ever."

If he was already this down bad from a name alone, what would he do when he actually saw Luna?

"I better get my sister a protective charm… and some extra security. Perverts are on the loose…"

Singularity nodded.

"Make that double. He's sneaky."

Damon nodded uncontrollably, still boiling with anger.

"How is he pissing me off so much!?"

Aleph raised his hand.

"He's a master of ragebaiting. He can make people cough blood from anger."

Dred laughed maniacally.

"As my brother-in-law, I'll teach it to you. No need to thank me—"

Damon busted out Ashborn.