My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

"Was the note really necessary?" Lilith sighed.

"I wanted them to know it was me," Damon replied, full of smug confidence. After all, he knew they couldn't do anything to him—not here, not beyond the academy barrier.

The vice-captain's scream of rage had echoed behind them. It was almost reassuring. It reminded Damon of the time he was being hunted by the wendigo in the evil forest… and how the moment he crossed the academy's barrier, he was safe.

He could still feel the frustration boiling in the elves, stuck just on the other side.

"Hey… are you obsessed with making enemies everywhere?"

Damon scoffed. He hadn't done anything. He was the victim here.

"Was I supposed to bow my head, fall to my knees, and beg the elves to let me go? That never works. Begging just makes people step on you. If you're going to get stepped on anyway… might as well have some backbone."

Lilith sighed. That was Damon, through and through.

But this wasn't some back-alley squabble or a few thugs from the underworld. This was a nation's army he'd just humiliated. Did he really think it would be that simple?

Then again… he had gotten away with it.

Naturally, Damon didn't actually vanish into thin air. He'd turned himself into a shadow and slipped into Matia's own. While they searched the carriage, desperately combing every inch, he'd been literally under their noses.

Not that they could have searched the girls without adding sexual harassment to the list of violations Lilith was already compiling in her head.

Damon stepped into the academy for the first time in months.

Nothing had changed.

The campus was alive—students moving briskly, most wearing their combat gear rather than standard uniforms.

"Looks like everyone's preparing for the War Games…" Damon muttered.

His presence shouldn't have drawn attention… but walking beside Lilith Astranova and Matia—covered in her intimidating armor—they were too eye-catching a group for people to focus on one individual.

Still, since they were now safely inside, Damon saw no reason to keep hiding.

He pulled down his hood. He was tired of wearing it. And more importantly, this was a diplomatically free zone. No one could pressure him for showing his face and crown.

Even if some noble tried to stop him, they wouldn't be able to do anything.

In the months Damon had been gone… he had changed. And that change had not gone unnoticed.

"Who… who is that guy?"

"Think he's a prince?"

"Probably an incoming student touring the school?"

"Then that person with the ice sword must be a knight assigned to guard him…"

He almost felt a little insulted. Had he not terrorized this academy enough before?

"I'm such a forgettable guy…"

He didn't pay the murmurs any mind. Not until—

"No way… it's that bastard Damon Grey! He really didn't die?!"

Damon almost smiled.

That voice… hot-headed and loud. Natch Wuta.

The students gasped.

"Are you serious? I saw the news, but I thought it was propaganda!"

"No one survives three death zones…"

"I heard he even killed a rank four monster!"

"Yeah right. That's bullshit. No one's that strong."

Damon didn't say a word. He just kept walking with Lilith, ignoring the growing buzz around them.

'I have fans… they still hate me… ahh I really miss the academy..'

Among the crowd, a young man with green hair bit his lip. His gaze locked onto Damon, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes. Then—hesitating—he pushed through the crowd.

"Please wait… wait!"

Damon paused, glancing at him. Was this his welcome challenge?

He recognized the boy.

Falz.

He gave Matia a brief glance. This guy… had once been one of her friends.

Well—not that he'd recognize her now.

Falz rushed in front of him, arms spread wide, his face filled with anxiety.

"Mat… Matlock! Where is Matlock?! I read the papers—your whole party returned—but there was no mention of Matlock Faldren!"

Damon glanced at Matia. No response. Her posture remained stoic.

He'd hoped she'd react. After all, back when she was crossdressing as a boy, this had been her friend. Well—until he found out she was a girl and they kicked her out.

"Suppose they still don't know her real name…" Damon muttered.

He looked Falz dead in the eyes.

"There is no Matlock Faldren. He died… a long time ago."

Falz's lips trembled. His voice cracked, tears welling.

"I… I… This is all my fault. Why… why did we kick Matlock out? If we hadn't—"

Damon blinked.

He didn't expect this reaction.

He sighed and looked at Matia again.

"There was never a student named Matlock Faldren. But there is a Matia Faldren. And if you're looking for her… she's right here."

The crowd froze.

Damon decided this was the moment. There was no point hiding anymore. The academy would know the truth—Matia wasn't a boy. There was no need for her to wear cross dress to protect an identity she no longer needed.

Her father could go screw himself.

She was too beautiful—and too powerful—to live in anyone's shadow.

Well, actually, she was living in his shadow, but that wasn't the point.

Falz turned slowly. His eyes locked on the black-haired, heavily armored knight standing behind Damon.

She was silent.

Still.

The one he remembered had green hair. Brown eyes. Always fidgeting.

This woman?

She radiated cold power. Black hair. Ice-blue eyes.

Only one thing remained the same—their shared ice attribute.

He could feel the chill even here.

Damon nodded to her.

"You can take off your helm if you want."

Lilith said nothing. She watched with crossed arms, as students paused in their training and gathered, watching the return of Damon Grey and the revelation that followed.

Matia stood still for a moment, then lifted her hands.

Snowflakes formed at her fingertips. Her helm dissolved into glimmering frost, revealing the face of a beautiful young woman.

She was cold. Silent. And breathtaking.

But Falz recognized her.

"Matlock…"

He ran forward, arms outstretched—but before he could touch her, she shifted to the side.

He fell flat on his face.

She turned away, calm as ever, and her helm reformed.

Around her feet, ice carved a single phrase into the ground:

Ruin Fairy

Then she stood behind Damon, silent once again.

Falz looked up, tears in his eyes, watching them walk into the building.

And just like that… she was gone.