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墨書 Inktalez
On the way back, Deer remained silent.
"Want some water?" Garen offered the Water Bag. He didn't provide any comforting words to Deer, nor did Deer need them. If a few simple words of consolation could help someone overcome their shadows, there wouldn't be so much sorrow in the world.
Being betrayed by a once-close friend was a feeling that would never be easy to bear.
Deer took the Water Bag and drank a couple of sips, then said inexplicably, "It will get worse, right?"
This was something Garen had told the Newbies in the Nightmare Realm, and he hadn't expected Deer to remember it. But that's how reality works; just when you think you've hit rock bottom, you soon find that things can get even worse. It's a path everyone must walk—only by facing one hardship after another can you look back and realize just how strong you've become.
But all of this was beside the point. As a core member of the Empire, Deer certainly wouldn't allow himself to fall into despair.
Garen watched as Deer gradually regained his composure and thought for a moment before saying, "It will get worse."
...
Deer didn't hide what had just happened. Upon meeting Tifet, he recounted the entire incident along with his speculations.
When Tifet learned that Lion had been killed by Dog's own hand, he appeared remarkably calm. There was no anger or shock as one might expect; however, Garen noticed that Tifet's hand resting on the hilt of his sword was trembling.
Bald Man and Stalwart Man were clearly familiar with Tifet. Despite their shock, they wisely kept their mouths shut upon seeing Tifet in this state.
"What did Merlin see?" Tifet asked after a moment of silence, turning to look at Garen.
Not long after they had left, Merlin went mad, making it hard not to associate it with Garen and the others. Tifet also briefly focused his attention on Garen.
Garen shook his head.
He had indeed had a conversation with Merlin at that time, and it had been relatively harmonious. After all, who would have thought that Merlin would go to such lengths to spy on the future of a First Level warrior?
Tifet did not ask further. According to the Empire's conclusions, it was likely that Merlin had encountered some peculiar vision that led to her mental breakdown. However, the idea that something could cause a legendary figure to collapse was simply unbelievable. So after that, no one connected Garen to the incident anymore; Tifet was just asking casually at this moment.
“Let’s keep moving. We will meet again eventually,” Tifet said calmly as he stepped forward.
Just as the dog had said, they would see each other again soon.
Rather than indulging in unfounded suspicions, it was better to go directly to the Arcane Crystal and ask him.
Dead Man's Gorge had no distinction between day and night; dark clouds loomed overhead, yet lightning illuminated everything brightly.
This feeling was reminiscent of the desert in Immortal City, where the vast expanse of Ahn'Qiraj seemed endless. Garen could hardly remember how many mountains he had crossed or how many streams he had forded. All he knew was that along the way, desolate corpses were scattered everywhere—some freshly dead, others nearly weathered away.
What was unique this time was that Garen was not alone. It proved to be the right choice to join Tifet and the others; they could always catch details that were amiss, and Tifet made decisive and wise choices. Along with two Second-Stage Warriors acting as laborers, their journey went very smoothly.
Garen only needed to use the Heart of Agou to break through barriers and, when necessary, use force to drive away some "flies."
Soon enough, Garen found himself at the famous Sterling Line.
The rumbling lightning flickered, illuminating the battlefield of Ahn'Qiraj. Towering rugged cliffs rose on either side, while a narrow, elongated path in the middle was overgrown with weeds and various unknown vegetation. The air was thick with the smell of decay, and behind almost every clump of grass lay a mass of weathered bones and rusted armor.
"The end of the Sterling Line leads to the land of Arcane Crystal. From here on, we must remain vigilant," Tifet said solemnly. The dangers of Dead Man's Gorge were well known; the closer one got to the core area, the stronger the competitors became. No one knew whether the shadows concealed stubborn rocks or lethal threats.
Bald Man and the others perked up, preparing themselves for what lay ahead.
In contrast, Garen felt the most relaxed at that moment. Years of battle experience had kept every muscle in his body on high alert as he gazed into the deep expanse of Ahn'Qiraj, feeling an inexplicable sense of nostalgia.
No matter the aspect, war was an unchanging theme of Eternity.
One could imagine that in ancient times, the people of Sterl rose amidst the flames of war, charging into battle without fear of death, using their flesh and blood to intercept enemies in Ahn'Qiraj, vowing to defend their homeland at all costs.
"Is this the Magic Pattern Armor?" Garen asked as he examined a severely damaged breastplate, faint lines still visible on its surface, giving off a complex aura.
"Yes. This is a power-type construct that can enhance physical strength," Tifet nodded. "However, it’s heavily damaged; the internal Magic Pattern has been destroyed and cannot be repaired."
Garen nodded. These constructs scattered so obviously couldn't have gone unnoticed by anyone; however, it was clear why they remained unclaimed: they held no value.
But just then, Garen suddenly sensed something and crouched down to examine it closely.
"This is the power of Agu Anan the Great," Tifet remarked after frowning at the sight before him. Then he seemed to recall something and said thoughtfully, "The Heart of Agou lost by Your Highness contains this kind of power—yes, you’ve seen it."
"Agu An?" Garen was taken aback. Through information provided by Su Ye, he had gained a deep understanding of Ahn'Qiraj but had found no mention of Agu An's existence within it.
"This is a secret within the Empire, but if you want to know, I can tell you," Tifet smiled.
The Bald Man and the Stalwart Man's expressions changed slightly, but they quickly relaxed. While these secrets belonged to the core of the Empire, any legendary figure of the human race would know at least a little about them. Moreover, judging by Tifet's attitude, it was clear that he trusted Garen. So even if he didn't say anything, it was only a matter of time before Garen found out.
"Agu Anan the Great is not an individual life form," Tifet gestured a bit. "To put it accurately, this is a legacy of will. When the great emperor of the past passed away, as long as someone inherited this will, they could gain this power and become the new Agu Anan the Great."
"Then he is equivalent to the existence of Eternity?" Garen pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Theoretically, yes," Tifet sighed. "However, the last Agu Anan the Great, who was also the founding monarch of the Holy Empire, disappeared long before the new era arrived. Since then, no new emperor has emerged."
"Is he still alive?" Garen noticed Tifet's strange expression and immediately understood something. Indeed, thousands of years had passed since the new era began; how could someone from the old era like Agu Anan the Great possibly be alive today?
Tifet did not linger on this question. He pointed to the Magic Pattern Armor. "And these things, including the Fighting Spirit within us, were actually created by the original Agu Anan the Great."
"To put it bluntly, he is the progenitor of power."
Garen felt a surge of astonishment within him. In any dimension, power was an extremely complex and infinite existence. Even Rune Power from Valoran Continent was said to be a special energy that fell into the land of runes after a massive collision of time and space. But that was merely a rumor; the true Source remained unknown.
It was unimaginable how astonishing it must be to create power with one's own hands.
But with this thought, Garen gradually felt relieved. No wonder the Heart of Agou could break through the barrier in this place; it turned out that the power within Ahn'Qiraj originated from the same source as the Heart of Agou.
Before Garen could think further, he suddenly looked up!
In front of Ahn'Qiraj, two dark figures were slowly approaching. One of them was suddenly revealed to be Rebia, the Seventh Generation Ancestor of the Blood Clan. Beside him stood a remarkably burly middle-aged man.
Tifet and the others finally realized something and turned their gaze in another direction...
There, two more figures were also walking toward them.
"I told you we would meet again soon," one of them said, drawing a Silver Longsword as he walked.
The other person, however, did not glance at Tifet and the others even once; his eyes were fixed solely on Garen.
"Once again."
His voice was hoarse.
His left arm and left leg shimmered with glowing Magic Patterns.
Only one flesh wing remained on his right side.
With a thunderous crash, a bolt of lightning illuminated the entire Ahn'Qiraj.
There, Tastandin coldly stared at Garen.
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