Chapter 550 Headquarters
550 Headquarters
After months of travel, Adam had dropped off his three students at the entrance of the secret tunnel that led to Saratoga. After bidding them farewell, he embarked on another journey.
Elrick had sent him a letter, telling him about the coordinates of the Twilight Brotherhood's headquarters in the Ulier Continent!
Although there were several twists and turns, the mission he had been given was successfully accomplished.
Not to mention, Adam had earned the glorious merit of slaying a Rank 3 Magus—an incident that took the Twilight Brotherhood by storm.
He was hailed as a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy!
Not only had he become a Mana Liquefaction Magus at the mere age of twenty, but now he had also defeated a Magus who was one entire rank above him.
Needless to say, every member of this clandestine organization knew the name of Constantine the Tyrant!
The dark clouds churned ominously above the Galestine Ocean as the storm raged in full force. Lightning crackled, illuminating the sky in bright flashes, while thunder rolled like the sound of ancient drums.
Adam sat on Valerian's back as the latter flew through the storm with grace and power. His right arm was covered in red-colored bandages, and so were his eyes. An indication that his injuries still hadn't healed.
He pressed his left hand gently against his familiar's back, sending him a mental transmission, 'Little Val, how are you holding up?'
Valerian proudly roared, his booming voice overpowering the very sound of thunder itself.
'Brother, I am a mighty dragon! This much is nothing for me!'
Adam couldn't help but smile fondly. 'Alright, we're almost there.'
Below, the ocean roared loudly, its waves crashing against one another, sending sprays of saltwater high into the air.
In the distance, their destination gradually came into view.
About a hundred miles off the coast of the Acadian Empire, stood a series of magical cliffs that sprung up from the ocean bed.
They were jagged and foreboding, rising sharply from the waters like the teeth of an ancient creature.
This entire area was considered to be a death zone for ships. The waters here were so dangerous to navigate that any vessel that happened to pass by would mysteriously sink to the bottom.
Thus, this entire area was secluded. Even powerful Magi tended to avoid this place.
A perfect place for a clandestine organization to set up their base!
Of course, there were still several other protective and concealment barriers that protected this place from unwanted and prying eyes.
After flying through these towering pillar-like cliffs for several hours, Adam finally spotted the place he needed to be.
At the crown of a certain cliff, hidden from the casual observer, lay the entrance to the headquarters, accessible to only those who knew its location.
'There!' Adam sent the young dragon a mental transmission while pointing toward the cliff in front of them.
Valerian flapped his wings and took a sharp turn, flying toward the top of the cliff. A few moments later, the pair felt as if they had passed through an invisible membrane.
After passing through that barrier, Adam could see several people patrolling the top of the cliff, carrying light torches that strangely enough weren't doused by the heavy rain.
The Acolytes stationed above the cliff noticed the presence of a majestic flying creature soaring toward them. However, none of them were alarmed. This was their territory, after all.
Furthermore, this place was nigh impossible to find unless one knew the way. So a person who could arrive here would more often than not be a member of the Brotherhood.
If they weren't, they were swiftly dealt with by the powerful hidden Magi that guarded this place.
As the pair descended, Adam could sense several powerful mana signatures in different locations.
From a cursory sweep, he could perceive over a hundred Mana Liquefaction Magi! Moreover, there were dozens of Mana Vortex Magi! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
After his battle with Stratford, Adam's usage of the white lotus had improved even further. This resulted in the Sphere of Resonance's perimeter significantly expanding.
Adam's expression turned extremely solemn. In the depths of the headquarters, he could sense an even more powerful existence!
He instantly knew…
Rank 4 - Mana Core Magus!
The only reason I can sense so many of these Magi here is because they haven't bothered hiding their mana signatures, Adam thought to himself.
As soon as the pair landed on the cliff, a large number of Acolytes dressed in hooded, black cloaks surrounded them.
One of them came forward and expressionlessly said, "In twilight, we find truth!"
Adam hopped off of Valerian and walked toward this man. Despite having the bandage covering his eyes, he was able to 'see' everything just fine thanks to his Sphere of Resonance.
He stopped before the man. Then, he touched his forehead with his right index and middle fingers, drawing an arc and placing them above his chest.
"In shadows, we seek wisdom."
The Acolyte's shoulders involuntarily loosened. He slightly bowed and asked, "My Lord, please state your name."
"Adam Constantine," said the youth evenly.
A jolt of electricity crawled down the spines of all the Acolytes present and they involuntarily shuddered.
Only one thought echoed inside their minds.
The Tyrant!
Immediately, all of them knelt down on one knee and loudly and respectfully greeted, "We welcome Agent Constantine!"
Adam nodded his head ever so slightly, walking past them, toward the cave entrance. "Val, follow me!"
ROAR!!
Valerian roared at the top of his lungs, causing all the Acolytes to shudder once again. Then, he transformed into a gray cat and agilely hopped on Adam's shoulder.
As he walked past the countless Acolytes, none of them dared to get on their feet or even look his way.
Such was the might of the Tyrant!
All the members of the Brotherhood were made aware of the Stratford Incident. So how could they not know just how powerful of a Magus Adam was?
Even though he was only a Rank 2 Magus, no one saw him as only a Rank 2 Magus!
As he walked toward the cave entrance, a hooded figure suddenly emerged from within. He glanced at Adam and then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Brother Adam, we finally meet!"
BONUS CHAPTER!!