My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

The forest was eerily quiet, save for the distant chittering of unseen critters and the occasional tremors shaking the earth. Each time Ashergon roared, the heavens seemed to quiver in response, sending ripples through the ground and rattling the trees.

The Red Cap Goblins were already accustomed to the unnatural disturbances. This hunt had dragged on far longer than they had anticipated, and frustration burned in their weary limbs. They were hunting members of the Goddess Race—a hunt that should have ended long ago. Yet their prey had not only evaded capture but had also managed to kill their mage, slaughter several of their kin, and grievously wound others.

Hatred burned in their eyes, but even that rage couldn’t mask their exhaustion.

The chase had been grueling. The prey they pursued were merciless, leaving behind false trails that led the goblins straight into monster dens or onto the paths of enraged creatures. More had been lost to the monsters of the Forest than to the enemy themselves.

Worst of all, they hadn’t even seen their foes.

They only knew one thing—the enemy refused to fight them head-on. That alone fueled the goblins’ confidence. Cowards could only run for so long.

One of them sniffed the air, his battered body covered in bruises. Of all the Red Cap Goblins that had set out on this hunt, only a handful remained. The rest had perished in a region that should have been relatively safe.

“Keketetery…”

Their guttural curses carried into the air as they swore vengeance upon the Goddess Race.

The goblins came to a halt before a vast stretch of muddy terrain. Their boots sank slightly into the sludge, the thick muck clinging to their feet. They knew this place well. The sand crawlers lived here.

If the humans had passed through, they would have had to navigate this treacherous ground.

The goblin at the front raised his hand, signaling the others to move forward.

The last time they had crossed this area, they had carefully found footholds, stepping only on solid patches to avoid disturbing the sleeping monsters lurking below.

Their movements were light and precise, each goblin carefully placing his foot only where it was safe. One mistake meant death. A single misstep, and they would be dragged beneath the mud, suffocated, and devoured.

The lead goblin gulped, sweat beading on his red skin. His muscles tensed as he leaped forward, hoping that the next foothold was there—and luck was on his side. His boots landed on solid ground.

He would live to see another day.

He almost let out a sigh of relief—

Until he heard the faint whistling of something cutting through the air.

His instincts screamed at him to move. But before he could react—

A small, precise hole tore through his skull.

His beady eyes widened in shock, his mouth opening soundlessly. A single drop of blood trickled down his forehead before a torrent followed, painting his vision red.

His body swayed.

Then, without a sound—

He collapsed sideways, sinking into the mud.

From the safety of the trees, Damon lowered his bow, a cold smile creeping onto his lips. He had already knocked another arrow.

This was just the beginning.

The cursed ore embedded in the arrowheads would soon begin their true work—

Attracting monsters.

Including the sand crawlers beneath their feet.

Damon’s attack was only the beginning.

What followed was a relentless bombardment of magic from his allies hidden in the trees. Each strike carried a unique magical attribute, painting the battlefield in chaos.

Arrows imbued with the power of the moon streaked through the air, cutting through the goblins with lethal precision. From another vantage point, Evangeline unleashed a devastating scatter-shot of light magic, a cascading wave of radiance that forced the goblins to scramble for cover—only to step straight into the quicksand. Their frantic movements sealed their fate, their bodies sinking as they struggled in vain.

Leona raised her hand, a cruel smile stretching across her face as storm clouds crackled overhead.

“Lightning flows well in wetland…”

With a flick of her wrist, a web of electricity descended upon the battlefield.

The goblins trapped in the mud had no way to escape. The instant the lightning struck, their bodies convulsed, smoking as the electricity surged through them. Their agonized cries filled the air, but the onslaught wasn’t over.

A blast of ice magic followed, freezing several goblins where they stood.

Matlock exhaled, his earlier dread now absent—there was no longer room for fear. This was a slaughter.

Yet, despite the devastation, the remaining goblins weren’t ready to die just yet. The leader snarled, barking orders in their guttural tongue as they took formation. From within their tattered armor, they pulled out crude projectiles and hurled them toward the trees, launching a desperate counterattack.

Damon’s eyes flicked to the next tree over.

“Xander, barriers.”

Xander nodded. His magic alone wouldn’t have been enough to block a full frontal assault, but he didn’t need to. His role was simple—create barriers, control the battlefield, and deny the goblins any chance of retreat.

His lips curled into a cold smirk. “What a dishonorable way to fight.”

Cowardly tactics, traps, ambushes—this was war. The goblins had been forced into an inescapable kill zone, right in the middle of a deadly crossing, and Damon had trapped them there to die.

The noise of battle did not go unnoticed.

The mud began to quiver.

A low rumble echoed through the swamp, and for the first time, the goblins’ faces contorted with true dread.

They turned to flee.

Damon’s voice was calm, almost cruel. “Don’t let them retreat.”

He turned to Evangeline and Leona.

“Xander, cut off their escape.”

Xander bit his lip, pushing his magic to its limit. A shimmering barrier materialized in the distance, cutting off the goblins’ path to safety. The panicked creatures smashed their weapons against the barrier, clawing at it, screaming in terror.

But it was too late.

The mud beneath them rose and churned.

The first goblin barely had time to scream before a deafening gulp swallowed him whole.

For a brief, horrifying moment—

There was silence.

Every living creature on the battlefield froze, watching in morbid fascination. Then—

Chaos.

The goblins shrieked in blind panic, scattering in all directions, but the sand crawlers were already awake.

The unseen predators dragged them under, one by one, without ever revealing themselves.

Damon knocked another arrow and fired, watching the kill notifications flash before his eyes.

[You have slain Red Cap Goblin.]

[You have slain Red Cap Goblin.]

[Archery Mastery +6]

More and more goblins fell, their numbers dwindling.

But the victory was short-lived.

A distant rumbling grew louder. The earth shook. The trees snapped like twigs.

And then—

A massive shape came crashing through the forest.

A war troll.

It barreled forward, its grotesquely muscular body covered in thick, rock-like skin. With a monstrous leap, it reached the quicksand in an instant, raising a massive club high above its head.

The impact was earth-shattering.

The moment the club struck the ground, a wave of mud exploded in all directions, splattering across the trees. The shockwave was strong enough to silence the entire battlefield.

For the first time, a sand crawler had been killed instantly.

And the war troll… laughed.

Its twisted, yellowed teeth gleamed as it gazed across the quicksand, locking eyes with Damon.

It smiled.

“Haaa… Finally found you, dirty human.”

Damon’s grip tightened around his bow as his instincts screamed a warning.

There were two more.

This wasn’t over.