freenovelworld Chapter 264: Lens Of A God
Chapter 264: Lens Of A God
In response to Elisa’s question, Delaney did not answer immediately. Instead, his eyes shifted toward Damian and lingered there for a second longer than necessary. There was hesitation in that look, but beneath it was something close to pleading.
He had already learned his lesson.
Originally, he had thought introducing the mysterious man would be simple. His colleagues had been obsessed with the impossible recovery he displayed and naturally wanted answers.
Delaney himself had expected some resistance from Damian, but not what happened afterward. Just making that request had earned him humiliation severe enough that he still unconsciously straightened his posture whenever he remembered it.
That encounter had made one thing painfully clear. The masked man was not someone Delaney could summon. If anyone here wanted access, it had to go through Damian.
Damian caught the old man’s expression and understood instantly.
He stepped forward calmly and lifted his wine glass slightly. The movement was simple but carried enough weight that conversations slowly died down until every eye turned toward him.
His expression remained neutral.
"Following the councilman’s request, I communicated with my master and he has decided to grant you all an audience tonight."
Silence followed as several people exchanged glances. Others hid their reactions behind polite smiles but Damian saw through them.
Excitement.
Expectation.
Greed.
Curiosity.
Everyone had different expressions but their emotions were frighteningly similar.
Man was a creature with endless desires and ambition. This fact was the engine behind humanity’s rapid rise to dominate this planet. They desired more wealth, more influence, more comfort, more answers. It was the reason they advanced faster than every other creature.
But endless desire also came with endless openings.
The moment people wanted something badly enough, they became easier to guide. One after another, agreement followed.
To his surprise, no one asked why such a person would suddenly meet them or if this was dangerous. Everyone was driven by their greed and desire.
By the time the final glasses were set down, the celebration dinner had already been forgotten.
What was meant to be a long evening of celebration ended abruptly as engines roared outside the estate.
Minutes later, fleets of black cars moved through the city roads and thirty minutes later, they rolled to a stop in front of a place of worship.
It was a parish but different. Its symbol rested above the entrance and it was heart enclosed within a glowing halo.
At first glance, nothing seemed unusual. Yet the moment everyone stepped out and looked at the building, something changed.
Their bodies felt heavier like an invisible pressure had descended around them.
It was not enough to stop their movement or hurt.m,but enough for people to notice.
The group stood there for a few seconds but nobody said what they were thinking despite the glaring fact they all thought the same thing.
Someone extraordinary is inside that building!
Unknown to them, that extraordinary individual stood directly behind them, arms folded and watching with a faint mocking smile hidden. Damian stood there in silence and watched them approach the building
Bam!
The parish doors snapped open with no warning or visible force. The sound echoed across the night as several people flinched and some even took half a step back.
Others sucked in cold breaths while exchanging glances that carried equal parts fear and excitement.
Nobody turned around. They were too immersed in the scenery ahead of them to noticed Damian has not moved any inch form his car.
After several moments of hesitation, they entered the building and the doors snapped shut gently behind them.
Inside, the parish was quietbto the point where their footsteps echoed audibly. The air smelled faintly of incense and standing upon the altar was a lone figure dressed entirely in white.
His back faced them as his long hair flowed downward and stretched across the altar floor.
For a brief moment everyone’s attention remained fixed on him. Then their eyes shifted to something more shocking because beside the altar rested something impossible to ignore.
It was a golden carving of a massive a luxurious pillow shaped like a heart. Resting atop it was a fox.
The fox has his eyes closed and wore a peaceful smile. If not for the dazzling figure standing at the altar, they would have noticed it first.
"Approach." Damian’s voice sounded.
But not through the air. His voice rang directly inside their minds.
Several people instinctively turned toward one another and their expressions mirrored each other.
Did you hear that?
No one asked because everyone already knew. Slowly without discussion, they began walking forward. No one noticed Damian never entered with them.
Outside, he simply watched qnd the moment the last person crossed inside the doors slammed shut.
Bam!
Everyone jumped. By the time they recovered they had somehow walked close enough to stand only a few meters below the altar as if they had been pulled in within just a moment of distraction
Nobody remembered crossing that distance.
Their eyes lifted and the figure remained motionless with his back still turned on them. His long white hair dragged across the ground while his white and golden robes fluttered endlessly despite the complete absence of wind.
Slowly, turned only halfway. One side of his face became visible to them, revealing a white and golden fox mask.
Inside the eye opening was a burning white eye and Its gaze swept across them.
In an instant, every person present felt exposed. Like this strange man has seen deeply enough that their secrets buried for years suddenly felt visible.
Buzz!
Then dark miasma exploded behind the figure and several people staggered backward instinctively.
The darkness twisted and folded into itself. When it disappeared, q throne stood behind him.
Damian calmly sat and hisis robes settled around him. From the elevated altar and throne, it felt as if he had always belonged above them.
His gaze moved a bit before settling on Delaney.
"You look healthy." His voice was plain and flat.
Delaney immediately stepped forward.
"Of course! It’s all thanks to your holiness!" His voice carried obvious submission as he bowed lightly.
The room became silent. Several people looked at Delaney in disbelief. A councilman bowing to a stranger in costume.
Even if someone possessed divine power, shouldn’t men like Delaney control people like this?
Wasn’t power supposed to answer to authority?
Damian watched quietly beneath his mask and he smiled in approval. It seemed that small trashing had taught the old man proper behavior.
Oddly enough, watching Delaney lower himself before him produced satisfaction Damian had not felt in a long time.
However, one flaw did not get escape his gaze. The system had not registered Delaney as a devotee which meant one thing.
Submission existed but belief had not fully formed in them. A part of this man still doubted him but it didn’t bother Damian. I’m fact, seeing all these people standing beneath him made Damian suddenly felt hungry.
But it wasn’t just any ordinary hunger. It was the hungry to make every single person here a devotee.