Damon decided to stand up—but after being dead for a month, his legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed with a thud onto the wooden floor. The sound startled the others, prompting a chorus of concerned gasps as they rushed to his side, trying to force him back into bed despite his protests. In the end, Damon was issued a firm command: rest and resuscitation for two days, no exceptions. Evangeline was not taking no for an answer. With his entire party being unreasonably pushy, he had little choice. For whatever reason, the place had been under constant siege by low-level monsters. They were stretched thin—defending the perimeter while also scavenging for resources. Well, their last academy-issued supply bag was in Damon's shadow storage, after all. As the thought crossed his mind, his gaze drifted to the familiar bracelet on his wrist. It had been silent for a month… With his vitals flatlining for that long, had the academy assumed he was dead? More pressingly—Lilith Astranova. Was she worried? No. He could already imagine it. His picturesque senior wouldn't panic, not outwardly. She'd smile, composed and cold as ever… but he could guess at the thoughts behind those green eyes. He forced himself upright again, grimacing from the soreness that clung to every muscle. Reaching into the swirling shadows beside him, he pulled out his collapsible bow—the one he had gotten from Anvil. He couldn't help but think of the old smith. And that wretch Carls. 'I hope they're doing well.' Damon spread his shadow perception. Like a wave, it flowed across the room, a quiet pulse of his awareness—making sure neither Leona nor Sylvia heard him move. Both of them were fast asleep, curled up at his side. They must have stayed up for days, hoping he'd wake up… Damon didn't stray far—if he did, he had a feeling Evangeline would explode. Instead, he crept toward the window. A quiet breath. Then he leapt out, climbing up the wall and onto the roof. His body felt like it had been trampled by an army. He stood atop a small, bloodstained section of the rooftop, the cool breeze ruffling his hair as he looked into the distance. He couldn't see the creature with his eyes—it was too far—but his shadow perception could. Hidden in a shattered building far from the mansion, a grotesque presence lingered. Damon sat down, his legs throbbing with numbness, but what he was doing was too important to wait. He clutched four arrows in his hand, pricked his fingertip, and used his blood to etch a simple rune onto each one. The moment he poured mana into the markings, they pulsed faintly. His breath hitched. His mana… it had changed. It wasn't just restored—it had grown. Overflowing. Something was different now. He stood again, rolling his shoulders, stretching his aching limbs. With his bow in hand, he took a stance, locking onto the target. Damon's eyes snapped open. He loosed the arrow. It soared across the twilight sky, his skill Dead Eye activating—creating a glowing beam guiding the projectile with perfect precision. His mastery Sniper had taken over, calculating arc, wind, and gravity. The arrow struck true—embedding deep into the creature's hideous eye, right between the sockets. A familiar chime echoed in his ears. [You have slain Home Crawler] His gaze shifted down to his bracelet. The academy points ticked up, just a little. 'That should be enough… she'll know I'm still alive.' "Now, one more just to be sure—" But the quiet was broken. A sharp movement inside the house—then Sylvia's head popped up from the open window, her hair a tangled mess and her expression thunderous. "What do you think you're doing? Get back inside now." Damon blinked. Then groaned. Her voice brooked no argument. With a long sigh, he inhaled the evening air… then leapt down. His Parkour skill cushioned the impact, letting him tumble back into the room with practiced ease. The moment he landed, Leona and Sylvia pounced—verbally. He got thoroughly chewed out. They left nothing out. He could only slump, offering sheepish nods as he was shoved back into bed. Apparently, to make extra sure he didn't sneak off again… they decided to sleep with him. Each girl clung to one of his hands like prison shackles. He tried to argue it was inappropriate, but Sylvia had a full essay prepared—and unfortunately, it was very persuasive. Ermm… he lost. Not long after, he found himself nestled between two beautiful women. If their parents knew… he would be dead. No doubt about it. Still, he had bigger issues gnawing at the back of his mind. "I hope Lilith got my message…" He could feel his shadow stretching quietly along the room's corners… 'good, it had survived too.' But it was weak. Almost lethargic. Damon exhaled, then mentally opened his system panel. [HP: 695/695] [Mana: 16,499/16,499] [Strength: 1034] [Agility: 957] [Speed: 1485] [Endurance: 910] [Class: Death Dealer] [Shadow: 1000] [Shadow Hunger Levels: 0%] [Shadow Level: 10] [Condition: Shadow Is Full] [Attributes: Umbra] [Skills:] [ 5x] [Remorseless] [Shadow Perception] [Water Celebration] [Sacrifice] [Shadow Control] [Parkour] [Shadow Armor] [Beholder's Gaze] [Dead Eye] [Spirit Affinity] [Ashborn] [Omen Of Dread] [Dealer's Hand] [Bloodletting] [Shadow Movement] [Shadow] [Faceless] [Danger Sense] [Shadow Storage] [Wave Walk] [Mastery:] [Etiquette Lv3] [Swordsmanship Lv3] [Survival Lv5] [Persuasion Lv2] [Deception Lv3] [Bartering Lv2] [Theft Lv3] [Archery Lv2] [Trap Lv3] [Alchemy Lv1] [Dagger Arts Lv2] [Cooking Lv2] [Basic Magic Lv2] [Mana Control Lv2] [Magic Gatling Lv1] [Pain Resistance Lv3] [Mental Contamination Resistance Lv3] [Disintegration Resistance Lv1] [Sniper Lv1] [Rune Magic Lv1] [Insanity Lv2] [Fate Manipulation Resistance Lv1] [Items:] [Pale Crown Armor] [Broken Bonds] [Deep Quiver] [Silver Blades] [Miscellaneous Items] [Locked:] --- Damon stared at the panel in stunned silence. His mana hadn't just increased—it had exploded. He had barely anything left when he died… but now? He'd heard rumors—whispers—that a near-death experience could spark growth in mana. But this wasn't a spark. This was a detonation. The rest of his stats were unchanged. But his shadow energy was full again—a small mercy. A fresh start. He'd need it when the hunger returned. No new skills—but several masteries had grown. Survival was now Level 5. Fair. He'd survived getting killed by gods. His Mental Contamination Resistance had also risen—somehow. More troubling… was his Insanity mastery. It had grown. That was not a good sign. Then there was the new one. Fate Manipulation Resistance. A reward, perhaps. A gift… or a curse. This was the mastery that had kept him alive. 'I have resistance to fate-altering powers, huh…' He had no idea how it would affect his life. Finally, he looked to the completely new system mechanic. The one unlocked by the unknown god. Just so he could send Damon a message. Now, he was about to find out what it really did.