Chapter 411 Compensation Or Extortion?

"Very well, name your price," Arhat Mujai Lama responded with patience.

Tossing the red crystal stone into the air and catching it deftly, Damien offered a playful grin. "I desire another of these, not a Karat less than 24!"

Both Arhat and Olivia frowned, but Olivia remained silent.

"Young friend from the Shadow Hunter Association, even I do not possess a stone of that Karat. Please, accept these in lieu," Arhat implored, tossing twenty Karat 2 Shadow Stones.

As Arhat Mujai Lama presented twenty Karat 2 Shadow Stones as compensation for Damien's lost boat, Damien opted to fold his arms, a resolute gesture instead of accepting them. "Woman, restrain your hand. This concerns my pride, and if you dare to catch even a single stone, our dealings are concluded." Olivia, poised to catch the stones, heard Damien's stern proclamation and swiftly withdrew her hand, letting the stones tumble to the ground.

"Brother Lama, you've offered more than enough, and he is merely a Purple Ranker. Pay him no heed," Monk Mahavira advised.

"Very well, let us depart this place," Arhat Mujai Lama replied in a composed manner. Together, they turned and took a flight back toward their prior destination.

Olivia observed Damien closely, sensing that he had something else in mind. "Oli, may I borrow your dagger?" Damien inquired.

"Yes, I don't think you can—" Her words froze in her mouth as a grayish hue enveloped her and the two flying monks, suspending them within a spherical dome. Damien had activated his third Vertical God Eye, unveiling the pitch-black eye adorned with three rings and five colorful commas. He had instantaneously activated the Divine Monochrome, employing the same technique the Heretic Eye God used in the memory capsule. To trigger the time freeze, he expended a thousand years of his vitality every second.

Without hesitation, Damien swiftly confiscated a black dagger from Olivia's right hand and darted toward the two monks. He swung the dagger at Monk Mahavira's left arm, but to his dismay, the strike left no scar. He cried out in frustration, "What the hell? It seems to be useless in my hands." Strangely, his emotional outburst caused his third Vertical God Eye to pulsate three times, and grayish energy flowed from his palm into the black dagger. In an instant, the blade was enshrouded in a grayish aura, and Damien felt an overwhelming surge of power as it established a synergistic connection with his body. Without further ado, he slashed at the arm once more, and this time, the blade effortlessly severed it, as if slicing through butter. Catching the severed arm, Damien swiftly returned to his original position and passed the dagger back into Olivia's hand, subsequently deactivating his third Vertical Eye. Everything resumed as it had been.

"—unlock its potential unless you can control it," Olivia concluded her statement. As she inspected the dagger in her right hand, now stained with droplets of blood, a heart-wrenching cry echoed from the sky. Turning her gaze upward, she witnessed Monk Mahavira, his arm amputated, with a torrent of blood gushing from the severed limb.

As Olivia turned her gaze back to the man standing beside her, she was met with an astonishing sight: Damien holding the bloody arm, staining the once-green grass with a vivid shade of red. Her mind raced with questions. How had he managed this feat? Who was this enigmatic man she had shared both physical and emotional intimacy with? Her perspective of him had undergone a profound transformation.

Arhat Mujai Lama, too, was dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, grappling with the mysterious occurrence. He couldn't deny that the Purple Ranker was behind this astonishing display of power. Silently, he recognized the dangers presented by this young man, who seemed even more formidable than the Lunar Goddess, their leader. He cast a meaningful glance at Damien, while the hoarse cries of the injured monk demanded his attention once more.

Arhat Mujai Lama administered first aid to the wounded monk, effectively staunching the bleeding and numbing the pain. Monk Mahavira, however, appeared dismayed as he channeled his energy in a futile attempt to regenerate his severed arm. His efforts were in vain, despite the considerable energy expended. After multiple failed attempts, he reluctantly abandoned his efforts.

"What's wrong, Mahavira?" Arhat Lama inquired.

"I don't know. For some reason, I can't heal my hand," Monk Mahavira replied in frustration.

Damien and Olivia observed the scene from the ground, Olivia understanding the conversation between the two monks. As she contemplated the situation, she couldn't help but wonder, "Am I seeing this correctly? A Platinum Ranker failed to regenerate his arm after an attack from a Purple Ranker? Damien possesses an anti-regenerative ability. Moreover, he's my man."

The two monks took flight and landed on the ground, creating a thirty-foot gap between them and Damien and Olivia.

"Have I garnered your attention?" Damien inquired in a cold, unyielding tone. A thick bolt of white lightning emanated from his hand, incinerating the severed arm to smithereens before their eyes.

Arhat Mujai Lama, recognizing the ruthlessness and fear-inducing nature of this youth, extended a friendly greeting. "I am Arhat Mujai Lama of the White Horse Shaolin Temple. May I inquire about your name, sir?"

"I am Damien Darhk, ranked twelfth in the Shadow Hunter Association," Damien replied, maintaining his composure. "Enough with the introductions. Where is my Twenty-Four Karat Shadow Stone? Consider the first instance a warning. If I do not receive the compensation I seek, I will aim for heads next time."

His arrogant demeanor unsettled their stomachs, but they swallowed their pride, understanding that provoking this uniquely powerful young man would yield no benefits. As Arhat Lama was about to engage in negotiations, Damien interjected, "Don't tell me you lack more of such stones. I am familiar with your kind, my dear Arhat."

Arhat Lama, on the verge of utilizing his honeyed words, clamped his mouth shut and retrieved a red crystal stone the size of an ostrich egg from his tunic. Tossing it to Damien, he offered no further words, instead disappearing along with Monk Mahavira into thin air. Arhat Lama had no desire to spend another moment in the presence of this obstinate youth. The two monks left without a parting word.