HDXD: Omni Harem System-Chapter 271: Another One Has Appeared

Adam leaned back against the elevator wall as the hum of machinery deepened, the lights above flickering red in rhythm with his heartbeat strangely enough.

The descent felt endless, like the Tower itself was swallowing them whole.

In the quiet between floor indicators, a familiar voice stirred in his head, it was none other than Freya herself as she began to inform her Master of the Good News.

[Master, I am detecting something with great power]

Freya made clear to Adam.

As his golden eyes flicked toward Priscilla, who stood composed beside him, none the wiser. Adam's thoughts sharpened.

'Freya is it pheraphs a...

He whispered inwardly, his mind syncing with hers.

She only come out of the blue like this when a DLC item was nearby.

And his suspected.

[Yes]

Freya replied, her tone precise, almost excited.

[The energy signature is unmistakable. Another one of your DLC items is nearby. Current distance: nine hundred and forty-eight meters, decreasing rapidly. It appears to be located at the very bottom of this establishment]

Adam's pulse quickened at Freya words, a imaginery smile appearing on his face

'Another one? Here?'

[Affirmative. And not just any, this one resonates with the frequency of the Ten Stones of Power. Specifically, the Stone of Ether]

Adam's breath caught for a moment when he heard these words, then a low chuckle escaped him under his mask.

'The Stone of Ether… Hahaha... I really lucked out again, marvelous absolutely marvelous.'

Adam said to himself as Memories of the item lore flash in his memories.

The Ether Stone wasn't just a tool of power, it was a key. A relic capable of bending spatial hierarchy itself. It could separate or merge dimensional layers, bridge upper and lower realms, and even promote or demote physical space into abstract nexus points.

Simply put, it was a spatial paradox item, logic-defying, and reality-warping, and absurdly dangerous in the wrong hands.

And he wanted it.

Ether and Mind, he mused, a grin tugging at his lips beneath the mask. Control over perception and space. That's two pieces of the puzzle… if het this only right more will remain.

He glanced sideways at Priscilla, her crimson eyes glimmering faintly behind her silver mask. She looked every bit the regal Arbiter she was, unaware of the storm brewing inside his own head.

Heh, he thought, amused, that this date's was turning out more profitable than he expected.

'I get to enjoy the company of one of the women I actually care about… and snag another stone in the process, this is an absolute win.'

Still, a problem lingered.

The Ether Stone was far below, and Priscilla's watchful eyes were sharp. He would need to separate from her somehow to go fetch it, and he already promised her he won't cause a scene here.

The thing is, how can he not break a Promise since it is one of weakness as result of Medea contract.

'Hmmm, I really have to think this through now.'

Adam thought to himself.

For now, he kept his cool, letting the elevator's descent stretch into silence.

Then he decided that the only way to get that stone he would need to be honest to a degree.

Adam's fingers tapped a slow rhythm against his arm as the elevator groaned more and more, he was thinking on a good lie to tell her.

And as they continued descending deeper into the Tower's guts.

Then, like a switch flicking in his head, an idea bloomed.

'No better time than now than to do it I guess.'

Adam said to himself.

He then began to turned slightly to Priscilla, catching her beautiful reflection in the mirrored panel. As always she was as calm as ever.

Regal even now, her silver mask gleaming faintly in the dim ligh of the elevator

But if he wanted to get this show started he needed to act now.

"AHHHH!!"

Adam said holding his head as if in serious pain.

This naturally grabs Priscilla attention, as she asked.

"Boy, are you good!?" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Adam using his top tier acting skills, began to laugh nervously as he said.

"...It... happen again!?"

"Ha!?"

Priscilla groaned a little surprised by his attitude, but when Adam began to explain in further detail as to what he means.

Her eyes open up in worry.

"...I just saw something."

He said, letting his voice drop, quiet but steady.

Priscilla's crimson eyes shifted toward him.

"Saw something?"

Adam leaned his head back against the elevator wall, like the words themselves were reluctant to come out.

"Another one of my visions you see."

Her expression tightened, when he said that, ever so slightly, but that was all he needed to know she was listening.

"What did you see this time Adam!?"

She said in a more serious tone. Causing Adam to laughed nervously again, but this time showing a more serious face himself as he said.

While letting out a slow breath, playing it like he was piecing the memory together.

"It those damn cultist again."

He said with hate in his voice.

"They're going to strike tonight, I swear they are starting to become a pain even in my social life now."

The change in her was instant, at the mere mentioned of those cultist scum.

"Damn demonic heretics."

She said with a very low growl. A flicker of unease passed through her eyes before she masked it again behind her calm demeanour, trying not to get too worked up.

Rather she began to asked this question instead.

"Adam!... How certain are you?"

He tilted his head, golden eyes half-lidded.

"As certain as I was about the Cathedral incident. Seven years ago, the same incident that would have cost Nyx family a Captain."

That got her work up, as that was all the reassurance she personally needed. A small pause came from her, as if hesitating to say her next word.

She remembered that incident, and how bad things could have turned out if Adam didn't warned them before hand.

Naturally Adam took that pause and leaned into it.

"This vision felt a lot more real, realer than most. When we where eating the attack came quick, too quick and literally out of nowhere. Those fuckers where hiding among the crows. And before anyone could act we where all surrounded by them."

Priscilla straightened slightly.

"So they manage to infiltrate the tower so easily, tsk... Annoying bastards don't know when to quick."

He nodded, pretending to think.

"Also I heard there leader saying they got the item they came for."

"Item!?"

Priscilla shot back.

"Yeah, they where after an item that was currently in the place we are going."

"How curious, what possibly be here, that those fucker want... Unless....

Priscilla stop for a minute, and the said to herself.

'Could they be after the veil... It would make sense, that thing can absolutely hide the existence of anyone who goes into its overall radius, but how the hell did they know we have that.... Fuck this is bad, this is really bad.'

She said her anger starting to become apparent.

'One night, is too much to ask for one single night with Adam, ahh that it I am going kill those bastards myself.'

She said mentally, as visually even Adam could tell her mood was starting to get sour.

But he then continue to say.

"If I had to guess, yes. Whatever they are after they deem it worth a lot of sacrifices."

Said Adam.

And then Freya stepped in by saying softly in his mind, teasing even.

[How convincing, Master. You might actually start believing yourself]

Adam ignored her.

He knew what he was doing.

Every word had to sound like it was dragged out of him, reluctant, like someone forced to relive something awful.

It made the lie believable, and solid. Despite him manipulating Priscilla, this had to be done.

If he wants to get his hands on the Ether stone some sacrifices had to made, even if it meant lying like the way he currently was to her.

If he had that stone in his disposal, he was confident he could close the gaps with a lot of power houses, he dare even say that Minerva would light work, but the thing is like the problem with mind or memory stone, was that for that thing to work at its full power, he would need to find the stone of Infinity to effect infinite spaces at and below the third.

At most, that being at its current state, it could probably only effect up to the third dimension, and other below it.

Or the current space he is capable of existing within as a physical being.

Such was the limitations of the ten great stones of power.

As infinity was meant to be the limit breaker stone. But where it currently was he had no idea. And finding it was without a doubt going to be a pain.

However as he think more and more about it Priscilla knocked him out of his thoughts as she said.

"Sigh, just our luck I guess, but Adam."

"Hmmm."

"If you see anything suspicious, just notify me, I will deal with the trouble immediately."