My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Chapter 956: Chapter 957: Excuse Me My Good Man

He stepped forward without hesitation.

It should have been dangerous.

But Damon was technically part demon.

He had horns already, even if he usually hid them.

Here… he could blend in.

In fact, he was already thinking about filing them down slightly so they’d look more natural.

Seras nodded.

“Alright. In that case you can take a group with you.”

Damon already knew who he wanted.

“I’ll take Wendy, Renata, and Matia.”

They were the only ones who already knew his secret.

And Renata was demonkin herself.

For her, this continent was practically home.

Lana suddenly bit her lip before raising her staff and pointing it at Seras.

“With all due respect, Commander, we cannot allow this.”

Her voice trembled but she forced herself to continue.

“His Excellency the Grand Duke ordered us to make sure Lord Damon returns home alive.”

She pointed toward Damon.

“And you… you are sending him on a suicide mission!”

Seras watched her calmly.

The Brightwater Knights behind Lana had tense expressions.

Clearly they agreed.

“I’m not sending him,” Seras replied flatly. “He volunteered.”

Damon waved a hand dismissively.

“Stand down. This is a small matter. I can handle it.”

Silas, the knight captain, had been quiet until now.

He stepped forward.

“My lord, your bravery is unquestionable,” he said carefully. “But if you enter a demon city you’ll stand out immediately. There’s no way to blend in.”

Damon already had an answer to that.

But Seras spoke first.

She reached into her cloak and tossed several brooches.

They clattered onto the ground near Damon’s feet.

“These are disguise brooches,” she said.

“They’re excellent for altering appearances, but they only add demon features.”

She crossed her arms.

“They can give you horns, wings, tails… things like that. The illusions feel real and look real.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“But they’re still illusions. If the brooch gives you wings, you can’t actually fly unless you already had wings or use flight magic.”

Then she turned toward Lana.

“I commend your courage,” Seras said coldly. “Your loyalty has impressed me.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“That’s why you’re still alive.”

The pressure in her voice hit Lana like a physical force.

For a moment it felt as though countless invisible swords surrounded her.

Her knees buckled.

She dropped to the ground, sweat dripping from her face as she struggled to even look up.

Meanwhile Damon picked up one of the brooches with a grin.

He was actually excited.

A chance to walk through demon cities.

Seras handed him a small enchanted page.

“Report every day,” she said. “Keep me updated.”

She tapped the paper.

“If necessary, I’ll contact you and arrange a rendezvous.”

Her expression turned serious.

“Remember our objective.”

“The Snake Temple.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“And keep that temper of yours under control.”

Damon nodded and pinned the brooch to his chest.

Immediately horns grew from his head.

Dark wings spread from his back.

Lana bit her lip again before slowly standing.

Then she looked at Damon.

“I… I’m coming with you.”

Damon’s lips twitched.

“Erm… you really don’t need to.”

“I insist.”

Her voice became firm.

“I can’t leave you alone in enemy territory. The dignity of a Radiant Knight will not allow it.”

She straightened her posture proudly.

“We are here to be your shields and your swords. I will come too.”

Damon stared at her in disbelief.

Weren’t knights supposed to obey orders?

Why was she being so stubborn?

He absolutely did not want her coming along.

He had planned to do some very questionable demonic activities while inside demon territory.

Preferably without witnesses.

“No,” he said quickly. “You should stay here.”

Unfortunately he couldn’t come up with a convincing excuse.

Seras watched the exchange quietly.

Then she nodded slightly.

“I agree with her.”

Damon turned slowly.

“A knight should do exactly that,” Seras continued calmly. “Lana will go with you.”

“I mean… I don’t think—” Damon started.

Seras waved her hand.

“It’s decided.”

She turned away.

“She’s going.”

Then she added without looking back.

“Pack your bags.”

In the end, Seras made the final decision as the expedition commander.

A short while later Damon found himself wearing a long travel robe and carrying a pack over his shoulder. Large horns curved from his head, and broad bat like wings stretched from his back.

He flexed them slightly.

Then he willed them away.

The wings folded inward and disappeared beneath the illusion.

“Nice,” he muttered.

Lana immediately shook her head.

“Not nice, my lord. Not nice at all. Those hideous things are ruining your amazing looks.”

Damon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Er… thanks, Lana.”

He glanced at her.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

She pouted instantly.

Clearly she was not happy about having demon wings either.

Unlike Damon, she did not have horns. Female demonkin were not supposed to have them. Horns were a male trait, supposedly a sign of reproductive capability.

Which meant Damon may or may not have made his own horns slightly larger than necessary.

They left the hidden camp behind them while Seras and the rest of the expedition moved deeper into the forest in search of a concealed base.

Damon’s group headed down a gentle hillside.

Their goal was simple.

Find a demon town or city.

They had already agreed on their cover story.

They were from a small rural village high in the mountains. The strongest fighters in their settlement. Adventurers who had left home to explore the wider world.

The road itself was uneventful.

Occasionally they encountered wandering monsters.

Nothing serious.

Low level creatures like spiders and small beasts that scattered the moment they sensed the group’s strength.

Damon couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

The Demon Continent was supposed to be terrifying.

So far it felt…

Boring.

Even the monsters were pathetic.

Eventually they reached a fork in the road where a wooden signpost stood crookedly beside the path.

They stopped to read it.

Several town names were carved into the wood with arrows pointing in different directions.

Damon had just started examining the sign when he suddenly raised his head.

A group of creatures was approaching from the left path.

Redcap goblins.

They were armed with crude weapons and armor stained with old blood.

The moment Damon’s group saw them, everyone instinctively tensed.

They expected screaming.

Aggression.

An attack.

Instead…

The goblins simply looked at them.

Then the leader gave a rough nod of respect.

He muttered a greeting in a coarse version of the common tongue and continued walking past them.

Damon blinked in surprise.

Then he remembered.

Creatures like redcap goblins and other intelligent monsters were considered enemies by the Goddess Races.

But on the Demon Continent…

They were accepted.

Damon glanced at his companions.

Then he raised a hand.

“Excuse me, my good man.”

Those were words Damon never thought he would say to a goblin.

Especially a redcap.

He had history with their kind.

The goblin group stopped.

The leader slowly turned to face him.