My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

”Your power at the seventh class is truly extraordinary...” Aethergon’s booming voice filled the ruined jungle. ”You may be the first mouse I have ever faced that has pushed me this far.”

The dragon slowly lowered his enormous head until it rested against the ruined earth.

Leona’s lips trembled.

She lowered herself until her head touched the ground, exhaustion finally forcing her body to acknowledge the punishment it had endured.

”I still didn’t win.”

Her voice was quiet.

”I lost again.”

She clenched her trembling fists.

”I don’t want to just hold my own. I want to win. I want to win.”

A deep spark of lightning flickered within her eyes.

Aethergon remained silent for a moment.

Then his enormous head moved closer to her, his eyes watching the battered woman lying before him.

”Little mouse, you have come a long way in no time at all. You are the storm incarnate.”

Leona wasn’t satisfied.

Everyone had thought she had gone mad when she challenged Aethergon.

Seven years ago, no one had known why the Great Cloud Dragon had left the Fog Sea. When the ancient beast appeared, however, Leona had been the only one foolish enough to approach it.

There had been no reason to provoke such a disaster. Aethergon had remained deep within the jungle, far from civilization.

But Leona had sought him out.

She had found the dragon.

And she had raised her sword.

The first battle had nearly killed her.

Aethergon had intended to finish her, but something unexpected had happened. The storm surrounding him only made Leona stronger. The more lightning struck her, the more she adapted. The more she fought within his domain, the more terrifying her own power became.

So she stayed.

Year after year.

Battle after battle.

For seven years, Leona had returned again and again to fight Aethergon.

Somehow, somewhere along those countless battles, something had changed between them.

Understanding had slowly grown between mortal and dragon.

After all, even a Great Dragon had a heart.

And Leona had a strange ability to reach that heart.

Aethergon had been moved by her.

She was the first mortal who had ever truly caught his interest.

At some point, she had stopped being merely an interesting enemy.

She had become a companion.

A treasure the ancient dragon genuinely cherished.

”I’m still no good,” Leona muttered.

She slowly pushed herself upright, using her sword as support. Her legs trembled beneath her, and her vision swayed from exhaustion, yet she still raised her sword toward Aethergon.

”I can’t stop anything. I can’t help my friends. I’m so useless.”

Aethergon’s enormous eyes narrowed slightly.

”I am afraid you have injured me, little mouse. After all, we are now in the same rank, even if you only entered the seventh class recently.”

His massive head remained resting against the ground.

”It seems my presence has been quite beneficial to your growth.”

Leona stared at her own trembling hand.

Seventh class advancement.

She had finally reached that rank.

She had stepped into the highest realm of power known to the world, standing at the apex of mortal strength.

A god among men.

And yet...

She didn’t feel particularly powerful.

”Damon once told me that when you break into a new rank, you realize there are actually lots of people on that rank.”

A faint smile appeared on her battered face.

”All those rare and powerful people suddenly become like cabbages growing beside the road.”

Aethergon’s eyes softened.

He looked at her fondly.

Her smile was genuinely beautiful.

This mouse was truly hopeless.

And yet, the Great Dragon enjoyed her company.

”Come, little mouse.”

Aethergon’s deep voice rumbled across the ruined landscape.

”Tell me a story. Tell me an amusing tale about one of your ridiculous friends. I crave mirth.”

Leona’s eyes immediately lit up.

The exhaustion on her face seemed to disappear as she walked toward the enormous dragon. She grabbed one of Aethergon’s scales and climbed onto his massive horn, settling herself comfortably upon it.

”Did I ever tell you about the time Damon tried to blackmail our headmaster?”

Aethergon slowly closed his eyes.

”He’s so shameless. Oh, and the funniest part was that he tried to frame Xander for the whole thing.”

Aethergon listened quietly as Leona continued talking.

No mortal had ever climbed onto the horns of a Great Dragon.

Leona was the first.

The ancient dragon liked watching her smile. He liked listening to her speak about her friends, her wishes, her dreams, and the goals she carried in her heart.

Somewhere along the way, Leona had stopped being an interesting enemy.

She had become something far more precious.

A treasure this ancient dragon cherished.

This was Leona Valefier.

Leona could not stay here for much longer. She would have to leave soon.

She had already reached the seventh class after years of relentless training and battle. That was all she had done. While others had been caught up in politics, responsibilities, and the countless distractions of the world, Leona had spent her years fighting, growing, and pushing herself beyond her limits.

Now she could feel it.

She could feel it in the wind.

She could feel it in the water.

She could feel it in the soil beneath her feet and in the thunder rumbling through the heavens.

Something had changed.

Time was running out.

The world had entered its final phase, and death was coming.

And he was beautiful.

He had long silver hair.

The end was here.

It was so clear to her now that she had reached the seventh class advancement. She could sense something that she had been unable to perceive before, something vast and terrible approaching the world.

Everyone else had been trapped in life and politics, unable to devote the same time and effort she had.

But Leona had been free.

She had trained.

She had fought.

And she had been rewarded.

”I can’t wait to see Damon’s face when he finds out I reached the seventh class before him.”

A soft smile spread across her face.

Part of her desperately wanted to see him again. She wanted to show him what all those years of training had produced. She could already imagine the look on his face when she told him.

It was almost time to leave.

She was certain her father would come here soon.

Leona turned toward Aethergon, her expression becoming excited again.

”Hey, Aether... let’s have one last battle before I go, okay?”

She tightened her grip around her sword.

”Don’t hold back at all, because I won’t either. I know that when I fight my enemies, they won’t hold back against me.”

The Great Dragon remained silent for a while.

Then his ancient, booming voice rolled across the ruined jungle.

”It will sadden me to see you scurry off, little mouse. Such is the nature of your small creatures. Always in a rush despite possessing such fleeting forms.”

”You know, you can just call me Leona.”

Leona kicked his enormous horn with her leg, earning a faint rumble from the dragon.

”Hah. The great Aethergon does not need to remember the name of a mouse.”

Leona smiled.

”You will when I beat you.”

She raised her sword.

”And I will.”