BXBX NOVEL Chapter 120 Base Secret Area
"I\'ll go to sleep now, Miss Greed. You can use the guest bedroom," Daniel said before heading off to sleep, leaving Greed to ponder over what he had told her. What kind of thing will this guy show me tomorrow?
As Daniel made his way to the bedroom, he noticed his girlfriend, Koyuki, sleeping soundly beside their little princess in her embrace.
A smile crossed Daniel\'s face as he observed the scene. He quietly approached his sleeping girlfriend, gently kissed her cheek, and then moved to the other side of the bed to sleep beside his little princess, who lay in the middle.
A few minutes later, Koyuki opened her eyes and looked at her boyfriend, who was sleeping peacefully beside her and their little princess. Her eyes displayed a mix of frustration and sadness at her own perceived helplessness.
She reflected on the events of the evening when the Veneziale men had brought Murphy and his daughter over, and they had prepared the base area for the worst-case scenario. At that time, Koyuki had wanted to join her boyfriend in the fight, but Greed had stopped her, citing her inability to use magic and the formidable opponent Daniel was facing, a member of the Vatican Secret Exterminator Unit.
Greed had assured her that Daniel was stronger than she realized, and their priority was to maintain the base\'s security without worsening the situation or exposing its secrecy. Greed had helped Koyuki in planning the defense of the base, as Daniel had informed the Veneziale men to prepare for a red code, guarding against possible enemy reinforcements in case the enemy already knew about the base.
Koyuki clenched her teeth and followed Greed\'s suggestions, aware that her own intellect was not on par with Greed\'s.
In the end, the crisis had been averted, Daniel emerged victorious, and the red code was lifted. They had prepared a meal for Daniel upon his return for dinner. At that time, Koyuki had felt useless and frustrated with herself, lacking trust in her boyfriend\'s ability to return triumphantly and feeling powerless herself.
[Tomorrow, I need to intensify my training. At least, I must be able to protect my little girl when he\'s not around,] Wrath resolved, determined to train harder in martial arts alongside Daniel\'s soldiers.
—
— Morning - Secret Base —
After everyone woke up and finished their meals and preparations, Daniel took Greed to see the proof he had promised the previous day. Meanwhile, Koyuki brought little Sylvana to the barracks with her, accompanied by Michaela, who took on the role of a nanny along with the bodyguard to look after both Koyuki and little Sylvana.
Using a personal electric car, Daniel and Greed arrived behind the laboratory section. This was where Daniel had built his power plant and set up his mana refinery. There was also something new that he had added behind this secret section, apart from the power plant and mana refinery.
Standing in front of the side door leading to the secret section of the base, Daniel and Greed faced what appeared to be a normal wall of the secret base. Daniel walked toward the wall and waved his hand at it.
Beep.
A beeping sound resonated, indicating that something had received a signal from Daniel. Then, a small section of the wall, no larger than a bedroom door, slid open, revealing a dark tunnel with dimly lit neon lights above.
"Please come in, Miss Greed," Daniel gestured for Greed to follow him into the dark tunnel.
Greed took a deep breath, still having some reservations about Daniel despite being close to Wrath and little Sylvana. Nevertheless, she steeled herself and walked towards the dark tunnel.
As they entered the tunnel, only dimly lit lights revealed the path ahead. They walked for about 20 seconds before a door in front of them opened, unveiling a vast and lengthy hallway.
The expansive hallway stretched out before them, illuminated by a soft, futuristic glow emanating from sleek LED panels embedded in the walls. Its polished white surfaces reflected the light, giving the corridor a pristine and sophisticated appearance. Along the sides of the hallway, imposing double doors made of reinforced steel plates stood as guardians to the secrets beyond.
Each door bore distinctive signs, their bold typography gleaming with a futuristic luminescence. The first set of doors proudly displayed the labels \'Power Plant01 - Power Plant05\', evoking a sense of technological prowess. Adjacent to them, the doors marked \'Mana Refinery01 - Mana Refinery03\' hinted at the intricate processes involved in harnessing and refining the mystical forces of mana.
Greed\'s eyes widened in astonishment as she took in the sight of the mana refinery doors. A mix of awe and disbelief crossed her features, her usually composed demeanor giving way to genuine surprise. She had never fathomed the existence of a mana refinery within this secret base. The realization that Daniel had ventured into the realm of magical technology on such a grand scale left her speechless, a subtle smile of admiration playing on her lips.
But it was the final door that piqued Greed\'s curiosity the most. Its sign read \'Prismatic Flower Test Plot\', capturing her attention with its enigmatic allure. What wonders awaited within this mysterious chamber, she wondered, envisioning a convergence of cutting-edge technology and arcane enchantments.
As they ventured deeper into the hallway, the subtle hum of concealed machinery reverberated through the air, further emphasizing the advanced nature of the base. Every detail, from the seamless integration of magical technology to the pristine design aesthetics, contributed to an atmosphere of futuristic innovation and limitless possibilities. Greed\'s eyes sparkled with a newfound appreciation for the ingenuity displayed in this hidden sanctuary, a testament to Daniel\'s visionary endeavors.
"Miss Greed, welcome to the most secretive area of my base. This is where all the power and mana used in the base are generated," Daniel proclaimed with a grand gesture, followed by a gentlemanly bow to introduce the area to Greed.
Greed stood in stunned silence, overwhelmed by the vastness of the hidden space and the palpable sense of abundant and pure mana coursing through her magical senses. Despite being the weakest among the Witches of The Seven Deadly Sins, she was still a competent mage capable of discerning the exceptional purity of the mana in this area, surpassing that of any other section of the base or the surface above.
"Why is the mana in this place so pure?" Greed asked, her voice filled with bewilderment.
"That is the answer to yesterday\'s question, Miss Greed," Daniel replied, leading Greed towards the door labeled \'Mana Refinery 01-03\'. The double doors slid open automatically, revealing a vast chamber.
Inside the room, three van-sized machines stood, each housing a peculiar prismatic orb that gathered and refined mana. They were labeled with numbers from 01 to 03. Groups of metallic scarabs and various construction golems tirelessly worked around the clock to operate the mana refinery. They diligently moved containers brimming with elemental and non-elemental mana, their mechanical precision a testament to their purpose.
In one corner of the room, containers of various sizes were neatly stacked, categorized by elemental types. Symbols denoting Light-Element, Dark-Element, Fire-Element, Water-Element, and Wood-Element adorned the containers. These vessels held the distributed mana, converted from the refined mana within the refinery. Three different container sizes were present, with the largest measuring 1 cubic meter and the smallest at 0.1 cubic meter.
The sight of the containers surprised Daniel as well. He had not anticipated that each time he utilized mana to actualize something, a minimum of 0.5 cubic meters of mana was required. He reflected on the multitude of powers, creatures, and abilities he had manifested thus far, realizing the substantial amount of mana he had employed was justified.
"That...that was elemental mana!? Daniel! You can convert natural mana into elemental mana!?" Greed exclaimed, a mix of surprise and disbelief evident in her voice.
"Yeah, I can. Why not? What\'s the big deal?" Daniel responded, a hint of confusion in his tone. It was true that as he reached the maximum level in the Artificer profession, he had gained the knowledge and ability to create these refineries and utilize them to generate power from mana.
"Why the big deal!? Are you an idiot!?" Greed roared in frustration, comically shaking Daniel\'s shoulder repeatedly as she vented her exasperation. "This is elemental mana we\'re talking about! ELEMENTAL MANA! It\'s the mana that can only be found on sacred grounds! SACRED GROUNDS!" Greed\'s voice echoed with emphasis, releasing all her pent-up frustration.
"Hey, stop shaking me already! Isn\'t this a good thing? We don\'t need to go to those...uh...sacred grounds you mentioned," Daniel replied matter-of-factly, not fully understanding the gravity of Greed\'s words. Having recently entered the Curtained World, he lacked the deep connections and knowledge that Greed possessed.
Though Maria had attempted to assist him by searching for more information on the internet, her hacking abilities were limited to level 5 clearance. Greed\'s revelations pertained to a higher level, kept within a separate network that Daniel didn\'t even know existed.