Chapter 180: A Small Agreement

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: A Small Agreement

Damon walked in without a word.

He didn’t bow, greet anyone or even pause to examine the people seated around the table. He simply followed the elder who had guided him inside and stopped at an open space near the center.

Caelia stood beside him, while Freya, Sylphie and Shiro remained close.

The silence grew uncomfortable.

One of the family heads frowned.

"Young man, you should at least—"

"Damon!"

A familiar voice interrupted him.

The representatives from Frostveil Expanse had risen from their seats and were now approaching. Their expressions carried a mixture of surprise and relief.

They had heard that Damon had arrived at the frontline, but they hadn’t expected him to come here so soon, especially after everything that had happened between them.

"Young Master Damon, we didn’t think you would come to help us again," one of them said. "After what happened in Frostveil, we owe you a great deal."

Damon glanced at them.

"I’m here because I chose to be."

The representative paused.

Damon continued in an even tone.

"I didn’t come here for the Calloways, the Winterbournes or any of the other families. I came because I wanted to."

His words caused several people around the table to exchange glances.

One of the Frostveil representatives lowered his head slightly.

"Even so, we are grateful for what you’ve done."

Damon gave a small nod, then looked around the room.

"Besides, I can’t just stand by and watch people die when I can do something about it."

His gaze settled briefly on the elders.

"And if I had left the situation alone, the consequences would have been much worse. I believe everyone here understands that."

No one answered immediately.

They knew he was right.

The beast tide had nearly broken through the frontline. If Damon and his group hadn’t arrived when they did, the defenders would have suffered even greater losses, and the beasts might have advanced beyond the existing boundaries.

Damon had helped them because he couldn’t ignore the situation, not because he had forgiven them.

And judging by his attitude, he had little interest in rebuilding any relationship with the families present.

One of the elders finally spoke.

"Then may we ask what brought you here? We understand that you have considerable knowledge of the distorted zones, particularly after what you accomplished in Frostveil."

Damon looked toward him.

"The Zone Heart."

The room grew quiet.

Damon continued.

"Tempest Hollow is becoming increasingly unstable. The beast tide was only one part of the problem. The zone is expanding, and the Aether within it is growing more distorted. If we leave it alone, another tide will eventually form."

He paused, allowing them to consider his words.

"And the next one might be worse."

Several elders exchanged uneasy looks.

They had already witnessed how dangerous the current invasion had become. The thought of facing another tide, potentially larger and more destructive, was hardly reassuring.

"Are you saying you can stabilize Tempest Hollow as well?" one of the family heads asked.

"That’s my intention."

Damon spoke without hesitation.

The representatives watched him carefully.

They had heard what he had done in Frostveil Expanse. He had found the Zone Heart, purified the corruption within it and restored the flow of pure Ice Aether. His actions had stabilized the region and prevented the situation from deteriorating further.

If he could do the same in Tempest Hollow, it would be a tremendous achievement.

"Do you already have a plan?" another elder asked.

"I have a general idea. I’ll need to examine the Zone Heart and understand the current condition of the surrounding Aether before deciding on the exact approach."

Damon looked around the room.

"But the sooner we deal with it, the better. We shouldn’t wait until another beast tide reaches the frontline."

The family heads nodded slowly.

They understood the urgency, but there was still one matter they needed to clarify.

"What would you require from us?"

Damon smiled faintly.

"That’s the part I wanted to discuss."

The moment Damon mentioned his requirements, the elders became more attentive.

They knew better than to expect him to offer his help without asking for anything in return. Considering how they had treated him in the past, it would have been unreasonable to assume otherwise.

Still, they had to hear his conditions.

Damon folded his arms.

"I have one condition."

The room fell silent.

The family heads glanced at one another, each considering what he might ask for. Some suspected he would demand a large amount of Aether crystals, while others thought he might request access to rare resources or a position within one of the major families.

The Calloway family head remained quiet, his eyes fixed on Damon.

One of the elders finally spoke.

"Please, go ahead. If it’s within our ability, we will do our best to accommodate you."

Damon nodded.

"I need treasures."

A few people blinked.

"Treasures?" the elder repeated.

"Special treasures. Resources that can help my Spirit Elementals grow and evolve."

Damon gestured toward Freya and Sylphie.

"They still have room to improve, and I don’t intend to let their growth stall simply because I can’t find suitable resources."

Freya raised her head proudly, her nine tails swaying behind her. Sylphie gave a soft cry from above, while Shiro remained quietly beside Damon.

Damon wasn’t making an unreasonable demand just to take advantage of their current situation.

He had been thinking about his spirits’ development for some time. Freya and Sylphie had both grown considerably, but he could feel that they had yet to reach their limits. Their abilities were becoming more refined, and their connection with him continued to deepen.

However, growth required more than simply absorbing ordinary Aether or fighting stronger beasts. They needed resources that matched their elements and could support their next stages of evolution.

Freya’s silver lightning was rare, and finding suitable treasures for her wasn’t easy. Sylphie’s wind element was equally demanding, especially as she continued developing her abilities as a Wind Sovereign Roc.

Damon wanted to prepare for their future rather than wait until they reached a bottleneck.

And the people gathered here had access to resources that would be difficult for him to obtain alone.