Damien's eyes widened in curiosity. Although he was expecting a summons, he didn't expect it to be to the Armament Hall!
The Armament Hall was a facility located in the North Wing of Evotech Headquarters. In fact, most military facilities were located in this wing even though it was mainly used for research buildings.
Of these military facilities, the Armament Hall's purpose was the simplest. It was the storage for Evotech's weaponry and the place where soldiers went to get equipped
Still, even with its simple function, it wasn't a place just anyone could enter. Even for the exemplary soldiers of Evotech, the Armament Hall was a dreamland.
The weapons they usually used were stock weapons that were mass-produced, but the weapons in the Armament Hall were unique and leagues more powerful than anything they could hope to get.
But the only way to enter it was to stack up military achievements.
However, Damien and Long Chen were currently being summoned to this illustrious hall without doing anything to prove their worth.
And the only reason one went to the Armament Hall was for weapons.
'Strange. Even if they became aware of our "potential" during the interrogations, they shouldn't let us into the Armament Hall. We haven't built any trust yet.'
But even while thinking like this, Damien couldn't justify the reasoning behind the summons. Instead, he picked up Long Chen and put him in a nearby wheelchair, rolling him out to the living room to meet the man enacting the summons.
"Sir, as you can see, my assistant is severely injured. As for me, I am a mere researcher. How could I dare enter the Armament Hall?"
These were the first words Damien said. It had to be known, Damien Grey had quite the contrasting personality.
He was strong-headed yet weak-willed. If his research was involved, he'd fight to the last man, but otherwise, he was the greatest coward.
Showing hesitation like this was the best course of action. This way, they'd keep him in research and not abuse his regeneration on the battlefield.
After all, just as Damien's regeneration would make him a good test subject, it'd also make him a great meat shield.
Damien smiled wryly at his own thoughts. 'This plan is quite masochistic. How annoying.'
The big man finally spoke up, ignoring Damien's previous question entirely. "Hmph! You do not have the qualifications to question the General's summons. Follow me or accept punishment!"
"Y-yes!" Damien replied timidly, quickly rolling Long Chen and following the big man through the portal.
Just like that, they arrived in front of the Armament Hall.
It wasn't a large building by any means. It was a simple one-story building with an all-white aesthetic, a pair of sliding doors serving as its entrance.
But to enter, one needed a level of authority that very few within Evotech possessed.
Ding!
As if sensing their arrival, the doors opened without a hitch, letting Damien's group inside. At the same time, the big man turned around and left.
Damien hesitantly walked into the Armament Hall, but all he found was an empty room. The only thing present was a single man.
"Are you Professor Damien Grey?" He asked coldly.
His gait wasn't nearly as large as the big man from before, but his imposing momentum was far greater. Whether it be his face, arms, or any other exposed part of his skin, it was all covered in gruesome scars that highlighted the many battles he'd gone through.
"Y-yes, General! This one is called Damien Grey, and the one in front of me is my assistant Long Aotian."
The general nodded noncommittally. "Mm, follow me."
He turned around and began walking without another word, forcing Damien to follow him. Like this, the trio walked aimlessly for many minutes through a winding hallway that didn't seem to fit the size of the building at all.
Finally, after many minutes, they arrived in a small connected room. As the general began fiddling with a nearby keyboard, he finally spoke to Damien.
"Professor Grey, I will be honest with you. You don't possess even a hint of the qualifications necessary to come here. The only reason you've been allowed to do so is because of a certain individual's suggestion."
Damien's brow raised curiously. Someone recommended him? If he looked at it from the most obvious standpoint, there was an Asgardian spy among Evotech's executive board, but would things be so simple?
If this was Asgard's work, they were being far too blatant. Giving him access to the Armament Hall was practically proclaiming him a spy.
But if it wasn't Asgard, who else would want Damien to be equipped with weaponry? And what was their goal in armoring him?
Damien's brows furrowed. His goal was the rapid destruction of Niflheim, but the relationships between forces, and even the forces themselves, of this world were far too twisted.
Damien knew that if he did things normally, not just a mere 6 months or year, it'd take many years to unravel the situation.
'I don't have that kind of time…should I be reckless?'
Being reckless and direct was Damien's strong point. Even though he'd begun to plan his movements more carefully, he couldn't change the core of his personality.
But before he could decide, the general finished inputting what he needed and turned around.
"The reason for your entrance into the Armament Hall is simple. From now on, you will need methods of self-protection in case anything untoward happens. However, usage of your chosen weapon will be strictly monitored by Evotech, so don't even think about trying anything funny."
As the general spoke, the floor below them began to sink, taking them down with it. Its pace was slow, acting as a sort of elevator.
The trio descended for many minutes before finally, the floor stopped sinking. The four walls that surrounded them during the entire descent sunk into the floor, revealing the scenery that was once hidden.
'This…!'
Damien's eyes widened in shock. In front of him was an array of weapons more massive than anything he'd seen before. And not only that, the types of weapons were also completely new.
Even ordinary swords and spears were equipped with technology, having blades that shimmered with blue holographic light. But even with this enhancement, these weapons were far too commonplace to shock Damien.
What shocked him…were the guns.
Rifles, pistols, snipers, machine guns, whatever it may be, it was present. The weapon that was present in the greatest quantity was the gun.
'How does one use a gun when mana allows one to destroy cities and planets with a single thought? What is the benefit?'
Damien was itching with curiosity. Seeing this kind of familiar modern weapon after so long filled him with a strange sense of nostalgia.
"You may pick any single weapon from the storage. Once you have decided, return back to me to be assigned your tasks."
The man named Strohman was one of few words. After saying his piece, he moved off to the side and closed his eyes, no longer paying attention to the Damien and Long Chen duo.
As for the duo, naturally, they were excited. While Damien wanted to test out how the guns worked, Long Chen, this avid sword fanatic, wanted to dive into the sword racks and kiss every masterpiece he saw.
Unfortunately, he was currently wheelchair-bound. He could only restrain himself and wait for Damien to take him to the swords.
But since when was Damien such a kind person?
Without giving a single thought to Long Chen, he rushed over to the gun racks.
