Opening the thick solid wood door, what caught Priest's eyes was a light golden crystal lamp in the ancient Edda religious style. He raised his head and looked around, and could see that the light sandwiched between white and gold filled the entire octagonal hall. , Priest noticed at a glance that there was a rotating rune dancing in the center of the crystal lamp, providing bright but not dazzling magical light.
This is the communication hall of the Champion Academy Castle. There are thirty-two powerful communication instruments capable of communicating across the continent, as well as eight private communication rooms. Because the students and teachers at Winterfort College may not all be locals, the college specially built this communication hall for people whose hometowns are on the other side of the continent to talk to their relatives. In addition to the public instruments in the hall, if you want to talk about something On the topic of conspiracy, you can also apply for a soundproof room for long-term communication.
Inside the hall, five people were communicating with relatives far away. They noticed Priest's arrival, but they didn't care and continued their conversation.
"There's nothing wrong with it except being a little strict... Well, the teachers are too strong, and I feel a little depressed. Only these shortcomings, I can't find anything else." A young woman in expensive clothes.
"Yes, dad, I have enough money here. No need to remit money. Prices in Moldavia are not high, even much cheaper than in our business alliance." A woman who looked like a young lady.
"Don't worry, Mom, the academy's courses are very detailed. The tutors at home are only high-level silver teachers, and any tutor in the academy is gold-level... By the way, can you believe it? The swordsmanship teacher asked for leave some time ago, and the substitute teacher was actually It's Mr. Brandon of the Kaos family! He is a very powerful man, but it's a pity that he was only invited to teach us a lesson." He looks like an ordinary man, but he seems to have the emblem of the imperial nobles on his chest.
"Father, we must speed up the popularization of magic energy in the territory. Don't be stingy with funds. Here at Earl Radcliffe, I feel the wave of the times - if we don't look forward, we will undoubtedly be eliminated." Another man with a noble crest.
"I'm fine, don't worry, the task is very simple. My team and I are confident of winning the top ten. When I get the ranking next time, I will go back to my hometown to marry you." A man with a straight posture and simple clothes.
Male and female voices of different sizes and different tones came from all around. Priest paused slightly, but the information terminal on his wrist flashed a blue light and was guiding the direction. Following the guidance of the information terminal, he chose the private contact room numbered 02.
Arriving at the door of the room, Priest raised his hand and pointed the information terminal at the magic circle at the door. A cyan light shot out from the terminal and shone on the magic circle. The door buzzed slightly. It opened, and Priest strode inside.
The decoration of the private communication room is very simple, with white paint, wooden chairs, and a simple dome without any reliefs or paintings. Inside the room, the only conspicuous thing is probably the huge mirror in the center of the room. This mirror is made of silver metal. Line-like rune veins occasionally flow in the smooth mirror. Priest felt the door behind him. It closed automatically, and the noise from the outside world was suddenly cleared. He could no longer hear any sound except his own breathing.
“Compared to my hometown, Moldavia is really a different world.”
The technology is so advanced that it is almost unimaginable.
With a slight sigh, Priest couldn't help but think of his hometown on the southern border of the empire. It was just an ordinary rural town. If it weren't for the crazy dragon attack, almost all the villagers would never leave that land in their lives. Everyone was just Planting crops, harvesting potatoes and corn, let alone magical equipment, even a magician may not be able to see it once a year.
But in Moldavia, magical devices can be seen everywhere, as if they are part of life.
But now was not the time for emotion. Priest took a deep breath and then sat on the chair in front of the mirror. And as if waiting for his arrival, the moment Priest sat down, accompanied by slight magic fluctuations and crackling sounds, magic light like snowflakes suddenly appeared on the silver mirror. , a moment later, the light turned into clear lines and colors, and finally condensed into a slightly shaking light curtain.
And right in the center of the light curtain, there was a figure in the shadow. The figure was leaning on the back of a chair, holding a book in his hand, sitting casually. When he sensed the activation of the light curtain, he raised his head slightly and looked at Pu. The direction of Rest.
"You're here."
He said this, the man's voice was low and clear: "I didn't notify you in advance, maybe it was a waste of your time, please forgive me."
His tone was approachable, and his words were extremely simple and sincere, without any condescending feeling. However, the moment Priest heard this voice, he felt trembling all over, as if there was some overwhelming and irresistible threat coming, as if a galloping force was coming. In the Hessian Tide, this former caravan guard who once fought a dragon as a mortal and even escaped unharmed subconsciously wanted to take off his flail from his waist - but after an instant, Priest When he woke up, he realized that he was not in the Black Forest, nor was he facing the surging tide of beasts. He was no longer a caravan guard, and he did not have his usual flail in his hand.
Everything was an illusion, he was just talking to the dean of the college, Joshua Van Radcliffe, in the private communications room of the Champions College of Winterfort.
That's all.
"... No, it's nothing. This... it's my honor to be able to talk to you!"
Priest calmed down quickly - this is also one of his personal traits. The man was a little nervous and stammered at the beginning, but later it seemed as if he had passed a hurdle and his words suddenly flowed smoothly. Standing up, Priest lowered his head deeply and said, "I heard from Teacher Ellie that you want to see me, sir. I'm really a little nervous..."
"No need to be nervous, Priest."
Joshua behind the light curtain seemed to be very satisfied with Priest's performance. He nodded in the shadow: "You are a student of the college. You don't need to call me sir. Just dean."
"As for why I want to see you, you must be full of doubts in your heart, so I will keep it short and get to the point."
At this point, Priest saw the warrior behind the light adjust his sitting posture and sit a little straighter. He put the book in his hand on the desk in front of him. Joshua supported his chin with the back of his hands and said calmly: "I hope You do not join the Academy of Champions of Winterhold."
At this moment, Priest did not react to what Joshua said, and when he reacted a few seconds later, he did not show any shock or disappointment. The young man with scars on his face was slightly agitated. He was flustered, but immediately smiled with relief: "If this is the dean's wish, I will agree to it."
"This calmness is a quality that is difficult to discover no matter how many tests you take. It's very good, Priest."
On the other side of the light curtain, Joshua's tone sounded more satisfied: "I don't like to go around and around. You should have noticed. I admire your qualities very much, so I don't intend to let you study in the academy." Instead of receiving an ordinary education, you will join a new and important department, the 'Imperial External Exploration Department'."
"I don't like forcing others, so before I formally invite you to join that important project, I need to have a private chat with you to confirm your plans."
Joshua did not speak quickly, but his enunciation was clear. Priest carefully remembered every word that Joshua said. After the soldier finished speaking, he asked in a somewhat puzzled tone: "Why? Me, the dean?”
He understood what Joshua meant by "not liking to beat around the bush", so he directly stated the question that confused him: "Being appreciated by you is definitely an honor that everyone in the world will envy... Being able to be admired by you is definitely an honor that everyone in the world will envy..." I'm naturally very happy to be invited to join, but before that, I want to know what kind of department the 'External Exploration Department' is and why I was chosen... hiccup."
Although his conversation was clear and clear at the beginning, Priest was obviously so nervous in the end that he accidentally burped... In an instant, he was at a loss, his face turned red, and he looked like he wanted to strangle himself.
"Hahaha, hiccups, I've seen you... Okay, don't blush, you're doing pretty well. The little guys I talked to before you all looked like they were about to faint. Hiccups are nothing to be ashamed of. Performance, some of them were almost incontinent."
Rather, being able to hiccup when facing him is enough to prove that Priest's psychological quality is indeed very strong.
Joshua was not impressed by Priest's performance. After laughing a few times, he answered all Priest's questions seriously: "First, why did I choose you... Priest Omi?" Ni, don’t underestimate yourself, you are the student who ranks fifth in the written test, first in the actual combat, and second in the comprehensive evaluation in this freshmen assessment, so it’s only natural that I choose you.”
"Secondly, although the affairs of the External Exploration Department are not something that should never be known to others, if you know about it and don't plan to join, your memory will be wiped away by the college instructor - do you agree with this?"
"I agree."
Without any time to think, Priest answered bluntly.
"very good."
Joshua nodded happily: "Next, I'll say it, and you listen."
Joshua's narration was not long. In less than three minutes of brief explanation, Priest clearly understood the true face of the 'Imperial External Exploration Department'.
This is a department whose mission is to explore the world beyond the Mycroft Continent. Its purpose of existence is to carry out large-scale surveys and observation missions to the outside world with teams or individuals as a unit. Within the department, all members are of no small importance, and they are all elites who can stand alone and solve most problems - even if you are not an elite at the beginning, then it will train you to become the elite among the elite.
It is independent of the Imperial Military Department and has nothing to do with the Imperial Royal Mage Association. It belongs directly to the Imperial Royal Family and is a brand new department. It is precisely because of this that it will screen talents throughout the Empire, even Puri We will not let go of young fry like Priest who have not yet grown up. If you choose to join, Priest will become the seed of this department and be fully cultivated. Even if you achieve your ultimate goal in the future, it will not be impossible.
—This is an opportunity.
The man knew this in his heart, and there was no doubt that this was an opportunity to change his destiny and his future life. Priest felt that his heart was beating faster, and the surging blood began to make his whole body feel hot - a department with the empire as its prefix, so that the legendary strongman also attaches great importance to it, and the projects it will do will undoubtedly invest in the entire empire. The power of… Is there a better chance? If you want to become a strong player, is there any better opportunity than this? Never again.
But exploring other worlds? That is farther away than escorting a caravan to the other side of the continent, and is almost as dangerous as going to the abyss to survey...
Thinking of this, the shadow of his sister Britney appeared in Priest's heart for a moment. He hesitated for a while, and the vow that he had promised his sister that they would never be separated again lingered in his ears... But soon, he hardened his heart. , made a choice.
I'm sorry, little Lanny, although this period of living in Moldavia is very pleasant and relaxing, I have never been so happy... But this is not enough. Indulging in this superficial happiness is only harmful to my soul. of corrosion.
What I want is not just these simple 'happiness', what I want is absolute 'peace of mind'.
Closing his eyes, Priest had already realized: There is no doubt that only with stronger power can he better protect his sister.
After the wild dragon disaster that killed almost all his relatives, Priest has understood this truth, that is, if he is just an ordinary person, then in a critical moment, he can't protect anything - when the disaster strikes At that time, my father could not protect my mother, my mother could not protect my younger brother, and I could not protect my relatives. I could only try my best to rescue my sister from the dragon's claws and escape from the village... But such a miracle of desperate success can happen several times in a lifetime.
There is nothing more ridiculous than surrendering one's life to the mercy of fate.
Yes, Priest came to Moldavia from the far south of the empire simply because it was sheltered by the legendary strong man. It was safer than other places. Behind this wall called the 'strong man's sanctuary' You can live a comfortable and peaceful life. There is no need to explore distant places, no need to choose wrong paths, no need to worry about the unknown in the distance, and no need to be wary of possible dangers. Everyone can live happily with the gradually popularizing magic technology. And a relaxed life, just spend your life like this.
However, people cannot stay inside the wall forever and be the one being protected forever.
—Priest wants to be a wall that can protect his sister.
This is his choice, and the man will never regret it.
"why me?"
Asking the original question again, Priest became even more confused after learning the information from the Empire's External Exploration Department: "My grades may indeed be outstanding, but there is still so much gold in the Empire. A strong man... and a legend like you, Dean, who can enter and exit the abyss at will. If it were them, or you, exploring the world, wouldn't the efficiency be countless times faster than ours?"
In this regard, Joshua behind the light curtain shook his head, his expression was quite impatient: "You didn't understand what I said... In this case, I will explain it to you in the simplest terms.
"Priest O'Mini, I choose you for many reasons."
In the shadows, the warrior narrowed his eyes slightly, and two red dots like sparks swayed in the darkness. He said calmly: "You are extremely talented. When you were underage, you had the power to temporarily wrestle with the green dragon. Fight. His talent is top-notch, and even if he hasn't broken through to Silver, he can defeat an intermediate Silver-level monster in the illusion test."
"You have no parents, which means there are no elders to restrict your behavior. You have a sister, which means you are still bound in the world. You have friends, trust your partners, a positive personality, firm beliefs, good mental endurance, and excellent overall spiritual quality. Good moral character.”
"Priest, what you need to explore other worlds are the elites of mankind. The reason why Israel and I did not choose those older generations of gold and Jiyi is just because they are not elites-these survey equipment , how can a guy who doesn’t understand basic mathematics and geography take on the task of surveying the future of mankind? Instead of training these people who only know how to fight... well, to put it another way, who don’t use their brains to fight to become members of the exploration team, it is better to train them from scratch. A newcomer like you.”
"The most important thing is." At this point, Joshua sighed: "Different worlds have different reactions to extraordinary power. Some are lenient and some are exclusive. These guys who have become gold in Mycroft's world have been With the imprint of Mycroft, it would be okay if the worlds are basically similar, but if the difference is too big, then even if the transcendent who has not reached the level of legend does not self-destruct, his suppressed strength will be greatly reduced."
Joshua spoke out the information that only legendary powerhouses can understand without any concealment. Joshua, who has traveled through many worlds and experienced the repulsion of many different powers of steel, revealed the biggest problem in exploring the multiverse in the past: "They don't even know that Unable to become a member of the Discovery Team.”
Hearing this, Priest, who was listening attentively, was suddenly stunned: "Hey, if that's the case, then if we become gold, wouldn't we also be rejected?"
Joshua shook his head gently and said with a smile: "This is the reason why we choose young people like you who have talents but have not actually embarked on the path to transcendence."
When he said this, Joshua raised his head slightly. Behind the light curtain, he could only be seen looking up at the roof, his gaze seemed to penetrate the sky. He said with a hint of smile: "You will be sent Enter the void outside the world and be sent to the Ten Thousand Realms Sacrifice, one of the most special places in the multiverse—where you will live, train, accept various teachings and assessments, and then possess extraordinary abilities that are common in the multiverse. Power."
"You will become extraordinary beings completely different from those before."
After speaking, Joshua lowered his eyes and looked directly at Priest. He said: "Now, Priest O'Mini, tell me your decision."
Is there a second option
Priest stood up, faced the light curtain, lowered his head, knelt down on one knee, and said loudly in a tone that could not be more sincere.
"I'd like to join!"
…
"You actually waste so much time on this young man... Joshua, are you too busy? The server of the information terminal is not that stable yet. You can check it out more if you have time."
In the study room of the Lord's Mansion, Nostradamus was sitting on the sofa nearby. The old mage watched Joshua turn off the light curtain in front of him. He complained quite dissatisfiedly: "For twelve minutes, it was just a talented person. We’re just young people, there’s no need to be so serious.”
"You are wrong. Taking everyone seriously cannot be said to be a waste of time."
On the side, Joshua, who picked up the book to read again, shook his head. He picked up the tea and took a sip: "What's more, Priest is not an ordinary person. I checked his past. Do you think ordinary people can do it?" At the age of eighteen, he fought off a young green dragon, and then ran twenty kilometers with his sister to take refuge in the fortress?"
"Huh? So, does this mean that this little guy..."
Hearing this, Nostradamus also felt that something was wrong. He frowned and said, "What kind of divine blood descendant is he? Or is he the bloodline of a certain legendary strongman?"
"Don't always talk about blood. Nostradamus, don't you dislike nobles? Rather, it is precisely because he has no blood that I pay so much attention to him... The most important thing is that I like him very much. A character who is unwilling to accept ordinary happiness and wants to hold destiny in his own hands is the seed of a strong person in my heart. Lisa meets this standard, while Ivan and Alva are still a little bit behind."
"Besides, it is indeed a bit emotional."
His eyes were focused on the words in the book. While reading the contents of the book, Joshua said softly in an inaudible voice: "Although I often said this before, I became numb after repeating it, but I still endure it. I can't help but want to say it again... This is the era when the great demonic tide comes, the saints descend, the heroes rise together, the abyss lurks, and the evil gods peek."
The most glorious and beautiful times, but also the worst and most abominable times.
"Nostradamus."
"Huh? What's the matter?"
"A new generation of strong men is about to emerge."
"I know."
The old man chewed on his words. He frowned slightly at first and sighed, but then he smiled and shook his head: "I'm not old yet."
"I know."
Joshua replied like this. He recalled the blessings of Ger, the Lord of the Sky, for this era before he passed away. He blessed future generations to be able to surpass them, to go further than them, and to reach places they had not reached. .
So, the soldier smiled lightly and said: "So, let us lead them forward."
I have always felt that supporting future generations is the responsibility of the pioneers.
I hope I can express it a little bit.
(End of chapter)