Chapter 405 Shadow Stones
As Damien departed from the conference hall, he stood in awe of the immense corridor stretching before him. The corridor, adorned with twelve walls of shimmering granite, extended at least five kilometers in both directions. This revelation showed that it precisely positioned the conference room at the center of this colossal superstructure. The level of intricacy in the interior design, revealed when he examined it with his X-ray vision, surpassed his comprehension. At that moment, one name resonated in his mind—Theodore.
While he contemplated the whereabouts of the lady he sought, a haughty, feminine voice disrupted his thoughts, "You're keeping me waiting."
Following the source of the voice, Damien looked up and beheld a stunning woman gracefully suspended upside down from the ceiling. "Approximately 45 seconds," he responded.
"Indeed, you made me wait for a whole 45 seconds," Olivia Quinelly retorted, her expression displaying a mild scowl.
With an affable smile, Damien quipped, "Adorable!"
The facade Olivia tried to maintain crumbled as she quickly turned away, her face flushing with bashfulness. "Even more adorable," he playfully teased.
"Enough with the banter, and follow me," Olivia ordered, leading the way toward a corner.
"Wait!" "What is it?"
"I'd like to explore the exterior of this structure. Can you guide me out?"
"Ah, so now you want me to be your tour guide," she remarked, her annoyance apparent. However, her demeanor softened as she received a telepathic message from the Lunar Goddess. She added, "Well, remember this; my services come at a steep price, a very steep one."
Damien simply shrugged, maintaining his usual carefree smile.
"What are you waiting for? Follow me." Olivia then moved towards a specific area, seemingly covering substantial ground with each step. Damien, meanwhile, utilized his Ninja Movement Technique, flickering behind her. After a ten-minute journey, they reached the far end of one wall.
Throughout their journey, Olivia didn't acknowledge Damien's presence, her focus unwavering. She raised her palm and tapped the red ring on her finger against five points on the wall. Instantly, more than a hundred cube-shaped concrete blocks shifted backward, creating an opening the size of a door. Olivia swiftly dashed through it, and Damien followed suit, leaping into the open air.
Expecting to be suspended upside down, Damien was instead met with a freefall in a vertical position. In response, he summoned a pair of white angelic wings adorned with multiple black spots from his back. After gliding for a moment, he flapped his wings and gracefully hovered in mid-air. Some hundred feet above him, Olivia stood, her gaze fixed on Damien's unique wings. As he gazed upward, she turned her face away hastily.
"Earlier, I thought she was thick-skinned, but this bashfulness is not an act," Damien mused. He then fluttered his wings, gliding toward her.
As he came to a stop beside her, Olivia let out a small yelp, exclaiming, "Aren't you here to enjoy the view? Stop staring."
Gently tapping his nose, Damien surveyed his surroundings, his gaze fixating on the monumental structure that loomed majestically over the flat valley. This awe-inspiring edifice boasted five towering peaks that pierced through the fleeting white clouds in the azure sky. However, his extraordinary perception, his devil's glare vision, allowed him to discern even more intricate details. It revealed a palm-shaped structure, stretching over a staggering ten kilometers in both length and breadth at its base.
"Sister Olivia, I presume this is another masterpiece by Master Theodore?" Damien inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Olivia responded with a disdainful snort, "You wouldn't comprehend the intricacies of it."
"So, there's more to the tale," Damien mused. "I'm all ears; please shed some light on the matter."
Reluctantly meeting his gaze, Olivia began, "Listen, Rookie. This structure is the culmination of generations of hard work within the association. They selected this valley as the site for our headquarters. The design and the entire blueprint were products of their ingenious ideas, and they successfully constructed it using the remains of Ancient Dragons as the foundation. After Theodore joined our ranks, with the assistance of other members, his brilliant mind devised a way to integrate Obsidian granite harmoniously with the enigmatic shadow stones."
"Shadow stones?" Damien inquired.
"Yes, I believe you possess one as well. It's the red crystal stone you obtained from the Juvenile Shadow Fiend," she confirmed.
"Ah, the very artifact they refer to as the God Stone here," Damien noted.
Olivia continued, her tone brimming with pride, "Indeed, Theodore elevated the headquarters to its current state. However, it's essential to acknowledge that this achievement is the result of collective efforts."
Not dwelling on her words, Damien turned his attention to the surroundings, unveiling a wild expanse of dense woods. Towering trees, overgrown foliage, and sprawling grasslands dominated the landscape. Disappointingly, there wasn't a single soul in sight. What drew his fascination was a river flowing alongside the colossal structure.
After ten minutes of contemplative silence, Olivia spoke up once more, "Since you've had your fill of the external view, follow me. I'll arrange a meeting with Theodore at my place." She ascended into the air, heading toward the massive structure.
"Wait!"
"What is it?"
"Given that we're already here, why don't we explore further? Starting with the river. In the meantime, you can help me understand the lay of the land. That is, if you don't mind," Damien suggested before taking flight towards the river.
Observing his departure, Olivia gave him a meaningful look and silently pondered, 'Is he making advances towards me? Or is he extending an invitation for a date? Whatever it may be, my mind is in turmoil, and my heart beats with uncertainty.'
Soon, Damien landed on the riverbank beside a tree that resembled mahogany. He infused a trace of his lightning-based chi into his Purple Spatial Beast's Eyeball, which he wore as a necklace. The device responded by emitting a potent surge of spatial energy. With a wave of his hand in the river's direction, a compact white boat materialized in the air, descending onto the water's surface with a splashing commotion.
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