My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

One day, a couple went to a lowly altar to beg a forgotten lesser god for a child. On that same day… a vile man forced himself on the wife.

Nine months later, Gubina was born.

From the moment she took her first breath, she was hated — by both her mother and her father.

She was never given their name. So, she took one of her own.

Gubina of Purity.

A cruel joke, considering she grew up being told, time and again, the disgusting truth of her origin. It wasn't her fault. Still… she was unloved. Hated even more than that.

Life was one of constant misery, Gubina was a walking stigma.

At ten, Gubina awakened her magical attribute. Years of trauma had stunted her growth, but her magic wasn't weak — it was just like her father's. Not that he believed she was his.

She was strikingly beautiful and born into a family of alchemists. The talent was in her blood.

If that cursed day hadn't happened… maybe, just maybe, she would've been raised like a princess of her clan.

But fate was never kind.

Her father grew tired of seeing the child he doubted was his and sold her to a wandering alchemist.

Maybe he thought she'd have a better life.

Or maybe… he just didn't want her around.

For a while, it even seemed like her life might change. Until she was old enough to bleed.

Then, her teacher — that same alchemist — began making advances.

She fought.

She lost.

When it was over, he gave her a choice:

Let it happen again, or be thrown into the streets.

She chose the streets.

But that man… he followed her there. Like a hunter stalking prey, again and again.

In the end, she was reminded she wasn't a person — just property.

Eventually, she resisted. And when she did, he decided to sell her.

Filled with hate, Gubina was delivered to the Quick Hand gang as merchandise.

But instead, she poisoned the man who came to trade her.

She expected death. Maybe worse.

But Lumberjack — the gang's boss — saw potential. And so… she became one of them.

The underworld became her life.

In those blood-soaked years, she saw countless women suffer the same fate. And with every story, her hatred for men grew.

By then, she had mastered poison. She even reached the First Class Advancement.

Life continued; nothing could change her past. In those years, her family lived on without her; somewhere along the lines, her parents were blessed with another child.

It was almost like she never existed. At last, the family was fixed.

She did not pray to any god. A god's cruel prayer had been why she had been born.

Life continued. She found monotony in this new life.

Then one day… they brought in a boy.

Bleeding. Beaten. Stubborn.

Gubina didn't care at first.

Until she saw him act.

He was weak — but never meek.

He was spiteful. And he made sure they all knew it.

He dared everything they told him not to.

And she hated him.

She didn't know why.

He wasn't a man. He was barely a child.

Maybe… maybe he reminded her of herself. How weak and helpless she had been.

But why couldn't he just accept his fate?

So she took her hatred out on him. All of it.

Damon closed his eyes.

That was all he knew about Gubi.

Back-to-Back had told him as much.

She'd lived like scum… and died like scum.

She even gave up what little dignity she had left in the end.

Damon didn't care that her life ended unfairly. This wasn't a fairy tale.

There was no justice here.

And Damon… Damon wasn't just either.

Maybe one day, his own sins would catch up to him.

When that day came — he'd pay.

He didn't know who would be his killer.

That was fine.

Was this her fate… or her choice?

Damon looked up at the sky.

The Unknown God would've said it was all choice.

Her parents chose to be there that day.

That man chose to violate her mother.

Her parents chose to hate her.

Her teacher chose to abuse her.

Gubi chose to kill him.

She chose to torment Damon.

And Damon chose to kill her.

In the end… everything was just choices.

That… was fate.

He didn't know if this was mourning or something else.

But the Unknown God always said fate wasn't some invisible hand.

It was nothing more than choice.

Blaming fate… that was the excuse of the weak.

Damon took a breath. The scent of blood lingered in the air.

Gubi was dead. Her soul would meet the Unknown God.

She was now part of His endless cycle of life and death.

He wondered… if she saw Him, would she resent Him?

Would He care?

Or would she be just another soul — drowned in the abyss?

"She wasn't a monster because of what was done to her. She was a monster because she chose to be."

Damon glanced at his bloody gauntlets.

This was Aetherus.

There was no justice here.

"If there's a god… he's blind and deaf."

He chuckled.

Of course, there were gods.

They had a Goddess of Doom. And like the rest… she didn't care.

He looked ahead.

Two men stood at the road, weapons in hand.

One was a red-haired beastkin with leopard ears and a small cap.

He carried a spear, cold brown eyes glaring.

Beside him stood a winged man — elven ears, light armor, a golden chakram on his waist.

A fae.

The beastkin narrowed his eyes.

"You the bastard who hit Quick Hand? Do you even know who you pissed off? The Charkata Family's not gonna let this slide." This chapter was uploaded by the team at M|VLEMPYR.

Damon gave them a passing glance.

He sighed.

"The Charkata Family sure is confident… sending just three Third-Class lackeys."

He waved dismissively.

"I've got no grudge with you. Walk away."

They stared.

Was this guy for real?

They chuckled.

"We'll peel the skin off your bones before you die."

Damon sighed again.

"And I was being nice."

He snapped his fingers.

"Matia. Kill them."

She stepped forward, a sword of ice forming in her hand.

A winter chill spread through the air.

This wouldn't take long.