LBF Chapter 29 The Butwa Clan Meeting

"Where are we going?" Damien asked while following behind Nino. They were making their way through a tunnel that was heading downwards. His question was more of an attempt to make conversation as he appeared to be very relaxed, simply enjoying looking at the murals within the tunnel, his hands in his pockets.

There was another person with them, the demigod level butler. A few day had passed since that banquet and Damien could say with absolute honesty that he had gotten a bit bored. This was a chance to at least head somewhere.

"All the things I set out to accomplish here have been...well, accomplished. Now its time to head to the center where true power lies. This is the fringe, the center is even more exciting than this place. The true reason is actually because I have been called back." Nino revealed.

"Why?" This time Damien actually got curious.

"It must be because of what has been revealed at the banquet. Plus also the God fruit...it is very rare for all of us to meet, so I am very excited about it."

"Its just a meeting, nothing really exciting." Damien shot him down.

"We don't always meet, it even takes thousands of years for all of us to be in one place. Most of the meetings have always been initiated by the clan leader...the God himself. This one is a bit different since he won't be there." Nino said.

"I still don't understand what would excite you though. I hope you do enlighten me. I thought that scions like you would always be in contention to upstage one another." Damien turned Hus gaze away from the murals and stared at the man's back. Nino was walking at the front with the butler bringing up the rear.

"What you just said about scions is true, but what excites me most is that we always act in the shadows when upstaging one another. Here we will get to meet face to face. What excites me is the word battle that's going to happen. It requires skill, which I have."

"You do hold yourself in high regard...I wonder whether you are simply being delusional about that." Damien returned his gaze back to the murals after saying his piece.

"I enjoy scheming...its one of my hobbies. Meeting those at the same level as me is an exciting thing. Its just like you...do you have something that excites you?" Nino glanced back.

"...I doubt I do. Even hunting down those criminals was dull...except for a few interesting battles, but now, nothing is really exciting."

'Could it be that Nina's 'something exciting' is becoming a legendary being?' Damien wondered about that before searching within his core to see if he could discover something that would truly excite him.

"Well...it looks like you haven't found that something. I hope you do, as you will ultimately lose to the people who really have a passion." Nino said sagely.

"Something exciting...a goal..." Damien mumbled while staring at the murals. They appeared to be a depiction of powerhouses, all demigods. Since they could be curved here, each must have been a powerhouse capable of surpressing an era.

"What are these murals?...specifically, who are the characters within them? I can sense many unique auras of nascent divinities." Damien asked.

"These are demigods. They are etched here for creating legendary feats like their powerful battle prowess, inventing something, and many other feats they performed throughout history...these are just murals, but at the centre of the domains, there are streets with carvings of them. This is a tradition in Pantheon city, since long ago."

"Are you also part of these carvings?" Damien asked curiously. This was a novel experience to him.

"Hahahahahaha...don't joke around with me. I haven't yet reached such a level. O would love to do that, but its hard. Though, that synthesizer, or the one who really developed those artificial god fruits will most definitely have their names etched on the streets." Nino laughed before enviously explaining.

While they were talking, the tunnel finally ended, giving way into a massive cavern with soft light coming from some sort of glowing stones falling onto a formation inlaid within its floor.

The lines looked like they had been exquisitely dug out and then something had been added, something white. It was circular and glowing, plus not to mention very massive. It was around 500m in diameter according to Damien's observation.

"That's a teleportation formation. It can get you anywhere in Pantheon city where another similar formation is located." The Butler's voice came from behind upon seeing that Damien's senses were lingering upon the formation.

"We demigods can't tear space within Pantheon city, so could it be that the gods were the ones who constructed this?" Damien asked.

"No, this formation relies on the materials found within this land to tear apart space. It was a result of research. There are others out there for those who can afford them, but this is specifically for us. Gods don't have enough time to do something like this. Though, using one of them is very expensive." Nino explained.

They moved to stand within the white formation at its center. Particles of white light started to rise from the etchings in the floor until the space within it started to turn into something like soup. Damien, who had tore through space with his tunnels was sensitive enough to detect the changes.

'Interesting.'

That was all he was able to think about before their figures became hazy and vanished in a burst of white light. When the formation settled down, they were know here to be seen.

A burst of light appeared within another cavern as three people appeared. None appeared to be disoriented.

This cavern appeared to be exquisitely more oppulent than the other one. Damien could see murals on the wall in a burst of color due to them glowing with light.

"This is very well designed." Damien praised. He was being very sincere.

"This is the teleportation formation located in the Purple clan's headquarters, so obviously it has to be grand. If it was any less, it would embarrassing." Nino said smugly. He appeared to be proud.

They started walking out of the tunnel and Damien noticed that Nino now had a spring in his step which previously wasn't there.

'The Purple Mansion. The headquarters of the Butwa clan, the hegemons of the Purple domain. I got some information about it from Nina, now I wonder how it will be from up close. There is speculation that their god is in seclusion year round inside it, but Nina told me that the man was out of Pantheon like all the other gods. Pantheon was a prime location but apparently the gods don't want to be here. I wonder why that is.' Damien sank into his thoughts as they traversed the corridor.

Light appeared in his eyes signifying that they were about to step out from the tunnel. Damien caught a hint of green on the other side the closer they got to the exit.

"If you are going to be occupied for the rest of the day, what will I be doing in the meantime?" Damien asked.

"You can roam around on your own and explore. This place is huge. Take this as if you are a tourist, don't be shy. After this meeting, we will have to gather resources in order to take part in the auction." Nino said.

-----

In a large hall with window at its sides, there was a long table. The table was purple and light spots, like fireflies rise from it giving it an ethereal and beautiful appearance. The table was long and there were 24 chairs surrounding it. 23 of them were occupied except for the one at the head of table. This wasn't just an ordinary chair...no that these others were ordinary...it was a throne. It was as if it had been formed from purple glass and towered over the others like a behemoth. This was a seat reserved for someone of clearly high status.

All the other 23 seats had a figure occupying them in various postures. Some were leaning back, others had hands crossed in front of the table and a variety of other postures. They all had two thongs in common, purple hair which was in a variety of styles and the purple gem like pupils within their eyes.

The atmosphere within the room though was filled with tension as if something was on the verge of happening. Not one of these people talked, simply observing the others through calculating gazes.

Nino was among them, occupying the right side of the table from the throne. He was in the second position after the throne and another seat. He was leaning back, observing the others through narrowed eyes. The tension in the room was palpable but it brought him only endless excitement. He was wondering who was going to be the first to break the silence.

'Elisa looks like she will be the first one to talk.' Nino smiled at that as he gazed towards a woman who appeared to be in her twenties. The right side of her purple hair was cut short, while the left had long hair which was braided along its length as it fell down her shoulders.

'She has always been the straight forward one.' Actually, she was the only one who didn't scheme and was loved by everyone here. This palpable tension was created in an effort to tease her.

"So, does anyone here believe what those synthesizer people revealed...about the two artificial god fruits?" Someone else asked, causing all to shift their gazes towards him.

'It looks like he has been taken over by greed.' Nino thought. The man had a very conniving look on his face.

"Sorry, even though you wanted to tease Elisa, I couldn't hold myself back because this is important." The man once again spoke. Nino almost laughed upon catching the pout on Elisa's face. She was really adorable. Everyone tried to pacify her upon seeing her enraged expression. Nino was also included.

"Ligo, how can those people play around with such an important piece of information? That would mean that they no longer want their lives. Nino, you were there...you should at least give us an impression. All of us here sent juniors to the fringe except you...its surprising that you went yourself."

"The man was being tight lipped, since I had nothing to do at that moment, I decided to follow him. Who knew that he would announce such a joyous piece of news?" Nino said still leaning back into his chair. They had managed to pacify Elisa and were now moving on to important things.

"If we don't handle the situation well, we might become laughing stocks. Our Butwa clan must at least get one of the fruits since the auction is being held in our domain." Another person spoke up.

"Hmpf! That is a matter of course. But we can't steal it, so we must compete with the others. The tiny clans aren't much of a threat but the other leaders of their respective domains...especially the Diamante clan, are going to be troublesome." Someone next to Nino spoke.

"Of course they will, but we must ultimately become the winners."

"I want to go too! We might have to fight our way out after getting the fruit." Elisa offered.

"Would anyone dare?"

"Of course they would. At least two domain ruling clans will get the fruits. That will be the easy part, the hard part will be getting out of there. Even if the winner devours the fruit at that point, they will have to contend with assassins who will try to prevent him or her from reaching godhood, unless...by some lucky chance they breakthrough instantly." Nino explained while still leaning against the back of his seat. It was just too comfortable.

"I wonder who will try to attack? I hope its someone strong. It has been a long time since I last fought. It will be interesting!" A deep voice entered each of their ears. The owner of this voice seemed to be even more important than many here as even Nino straightened up. The man was their oldest sibling, the person hailed as being one of the top five combat demigods in all of Pantheon city!