Deep in the fissure of the gust of wind, leaving the tuyere, thousands of atomic furnaces glowed red, Recht stood in front of the cliff, Opal stared at him silently for a moment, his eyes were red, and his eyes were full of tears.
Rector said, "You've grown up, Opal."
Opal and Rector hugged tightly, buried their face in his shoulder, sobbed and let out a long breath.
Rector sighed, Cullens was giving the civilians points, and Opal walked slowly behind Rector.
"How many years have we not seen each other?" Rector said.
"Four years." Opal said, "Teacher, I am twenty years old."
"You've matured a lot," Recht said.
The two masters and apprentices walked past the bright atomic furnace. With Recht present, Opal no longer worried about the safety of civilians. He sighed and said, "I followed your advice and went to the country of mercenaries."
Rickett nodded slowly, and Opal said, "But I have used the power of faith many times."
Rickett looked at the fire fascinatedly and said, "It doesn't matter, what the teacher said may not be completely correct. Tell me about you, what have you learned in four years?"
Opal sat down beside a rock and began to recall the many things he had experienced in the Ares system since he left Rector, but he did not tell him much about the clones and Raymond's life experience.
Raymond is dead, so let this be a secret between them forever.
When Opal finished speaking, Rector said, "I can sense that your faith has turned to ashes."
"I'm so tired," said Opal.
"But in the ashes, there is still a little bit of lingering flames," Recht said. "It was just following the guidance of faith that I found out that you were outside the canyon."
He smiled gently, Opal smiled wryly, tears rolled in his eyes, and shook his head.
"Teacher, what are you doing here?" Opal didn't mention the last time Rickett appeared on the Fierce Star and repelled Cororin. He did not dare to mention Cororin in front of him. The king is the blood feud of the mercenaries and the apprentice of Rector.
"A friend asked me to check the situation in the Sol galaxy." Recht said, "This galaxy wanted to declare independence and was suppressed by the Republic, but the people were innocent and the army could not intervene, so the friend could only invite me to come. Do your best to help.”
Opal said: "Actually, you can also use dragon rays to carry them all at once."
Rickett sat down beside the stone and said solemnly: "I often indulge my belief until the day I lose it, I feel very unaccustomed. Although the fire of belief is rekindled, I want to try to use an ordinary person's method. to solve the difficulties faced.”
Opal nodded, but neither of them spoke.
The migrating civilians fell asleep in the cold night, preparing to replenish their strength, and set off again tomorrow morning. Carlos came over with food and distributed it to Rector and Opal.
Rector glanced at Cullens and said, "Are you from the Republic Glorious Team?"
Cullens nodded and said, "Yes, hello."
With a thoughtful look, Rickett continued, "I've seen you, with Silaus."
With a slightly unnatural expression, Cullens said, "I don't seem to have seen you. May I ask who you are?"
What is Opal keenly aware of, Rector knows Cullens
Rickett said, "Just looking at it from a distance, why don't you continue to serve in the army?"
Cullens nodded, very uncomfortable in front of Recht, and said, "I'm retired and want to do my own thing."
Opal frowned slightly, and Lecter said: "The major of the glorious team will go to Liexing to be a mercenary. It can be seen that the universe is full of infinite possibilities. Did Li Wei not keep you?"
Cullens smiled and said, "No, my relationship with him is a bit bad, do you know Admiral Li Wei?"
"I know him, but he doesn't know me," Recht said.
The conversation between the two came to an end, and Cullens didn't seem to want to stay in front of Recht, so he got up and went to the other side of the canyon.
"Who is he?" Opal asked.
Rickett replied, "Republic soldier, is he the one who found you?"
Opal said: "No, I took the initiative to recruit him into the group."
Recht said: "Karens, the morning star, he would actually be a mercenary..."
Opal asked, "Is he famous?"
Recht said: "The Republic's military has always rated him well, but Li Wei doesn't like him very much and may not be able to get along in the army. It is obviously good for him to be a mercenary. He is loyal to him. Famous, all the recruits he brings respect him very much. I think he is a trustworthy comrade to you."
Opal was relieved when he heard Recht's words, and he also felt that Cullens was not an ordinary person.
Rickett stopped talking about the subject and asked, "What are your plans for the future, Opal. Are you going on an adventure with him?"
"I didn't think about it." Opal said, "Continue to hone yourself... Be an S-rank mercenary, fight for the fierce star, and look forward to one day..."
He didn't go any further, avoiding the subject of Coroline.
Rector looked into Opal's eyes and said, "Don't fill your heart with hatred, Opal."
Opal didn't answer.
"I'm a sinner," Recter said. "I raised the King of Meteor with my own hands."
"No." Opal put his hand on Rector's shoulder and whispered, "No, everyone must be responsible for themselves, and only one can be responsible for themselves. You have done your best, teacher."
"Ledgerson has accused me more than once. If Nolan were still alive, I think he would have discovered Corroline's dark personality before I did," Recht said.
The topic has already begun, and Opal no longer cares about this, and asks: "Teacher, why did he do this?"
"I don't know," Recht said. "The truth is I can't understand what's on the inside of Coroline, and I don't understand his motives for doing all this."
Opal said, "Did he not ask you any questions before he wanted to be the king of meteors?"
Rickett said: "Maybe there is, but I can't remember exactly which sentence it was."
Opal said: "Well, I will find a way to defeat him."
Rector smiled.
"I've seen Nolan's relics." Opal said, "He's actually a phantom! You never mentioned it to me."
Rickett frowned slightly and said, "Nolan's relic? Where did you find it? How did you know about Igna Nolan's existence?"
Opal said: "A blood-red knife, probably this long, have you seen it?"
Rector was speechless for a long time.
Opal asked: "What is that? It was taken by Cororin, during the battle you came."
Rickett frowned into a knot and said, "That's the real fire phoenix, Nolan's mecha."
Opal: "!!!"
Opal didn't dare to speak, Rickett looked solemn, and the two fell into a long silence.
After a long time Opal used to sit by the cliff, his legs stretched out, and he fell asleep like a child.
When the sun was rising, Thor's light shone across the horizon, shining between his eyebrows, and Opal opened his eyes, with a coat of Cullens on his body.
The civilians began to set out one after another, and Recht sat all night, followed the migration team away from the gust of wind and headed north.
Opal took the lead, and Cullens was the queen. This time, there were 10,000 more people. The team of more than 20,000 people moved very slowly and very difficult. Lecter walked in the middle of the team and never said a word, but with him, Opal almost no longer has to worry about running into danger, he is his patron saint.
"Big brother." A boy came over and said, "My name is Akka. I want to ask you something."
"Aka." Opal said, "What's wrong?"
There was acid rain in the sky, Opal took off his space suit belt, tied it around Akka's waist, turned on the button, and formed a rain barrier to prevent him from getting too much acid rain. He touched his head and asked, "You how old are you?"
"Thirteen years old." Akka's eyes were unhealthy red, his lips were dry, the skin on his fingers and his body were cracked, and he handed out a small box and said, "This is for you, my mother said thank you for yesterday. Saved us at night."
Opal opened the box and took a look. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring.
He noticed that he was limping a bit, his heels were scratched by a light-bomb, and his tattered shoes were soaked in nitric acid puddles.
"I'll carry you." Opal said, "Come up."
"Give this back to your mother." Opal put the box over his shoulder and said, "Thank her, I don't want this."
Akka said: "You came back to save us last night. We were all left behind. If it weren't for you, we would be dead now."
With Akka on his back, Opal walked in the muddy water with a deep foot and a shallow foot, and said, "This is what I should do, what do you want to ask me?"
Akka said: "Are you a mercenary? I want to be a mercenary, I want to go to Lie Xing, right?"
Opal said: "No, you are too young, at least a few years."
The rain was rustling, and the migration team of civilians shuttled through the red rain while avoiding the scorching rays of the zenith.
"If you want to be a mercenary, when you grow up, you can go to Lie Xing." Opal whispered: "When you arrive, ask someone, and someone there will tell you what to do. Follow the instructions of the seniors and go down step by step. , not difficult."
Akka said, "How old do I have to be to go?"
Opal replied, "When you can afford a weapon."
Akka said, "How old were you when you became a mercenary?"
Opal said: "When I was sixteen and almost seventeen."
Akka asked, "How old are you now?"
Opal said: "Twenty, I have been a mercenary for four years."
Akka asked again, "Is there any danger?"
Opal nodded thoughtfully and said: "Yes, you will experience many dangers, wars, emergencies, and comrades in arms to accompany you... I almost lost my life several times. If you want to live longer, the most important thing is Well, don’t choose this profession. There are many ways to support your family. You have parents, family members, and the profession of mercenary is for the homeless. Many mercenaries have nothing and are not afraid of losing anything.”
Akka said, "I'll go."
Opal smiled, carried him back a little, and said, "I believe you will succeed."
Another day, 20,000 people stopped in front of the evacuation base.
The underground hangar opened, and a large spaceship that could accommodate 50,000 people slowly opened the hatch, and civilians boarded the ship one by one.
"Now," said Lecter, "let me assist you in extraditioning this spacecraft to the Alpha Carina variable star, which is the territory of the Holy See, where these civilians will be properly accommodated."
Opal nodded.
Cullens said: "What will happen next? Is this civil war at the behest of the Empire?"
Lecter didn't answer, he pondered for a moment and said, "Perhaps, this is out of my control. The Youth Promotion Association has already contacted there, ready to set off, everyone."
The three stopped in the hangar, and Opal sighed and said, "Teacher, we have to part again."
Rickett said, "Opal, would you like to follow the teacher?"
Opal's eyes immediately showed a look of surprise and anticipation.
"Old... teacher, you mean... you mean..." Opal stammered a little, as if he was very at a loss, and returned to the child on the B-11 back then.
Cullens avoided the two of them, walked to the side of the hangar, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.
The top of the hangar slowly opened, and light poured in.
"I need to find a way to deal with Coroline." Rickett looked up at the fuchsia sky outside the hangar and said, "In the four years you were apart, I've traveled many parts of the universe. I've even fallen into A cycle of reincarnation, repeating a day with Coroline many times, I found that I couldn't beat his beliefs because I didn't know where his beliefs came from."
"And from the day I formally duel with him and finally lost." Rickett looked into Opal's eyes and said slowly: "I lost all my faith until I crashed on the B-11 star. , Knowing you, the source of faith returned to my spiritual world bit by bit."
Opal said: "Because of me?"
Rickett said: "Yes, I got back the feeling I had just met Cororin, thousands of years ago, when I met him on the planet Shax, he was smaller than you, only so tall. "
Rector made a gesture, only to the waist of Opal.
"Finally when he fell into darkness," said Recht. "My faith was also shaken and shattered by his betrayal. But I met you, and gave you the fire of faith, trying to find Coroline in you. The reason for falling into the dark world... I believe we will one day destroy him completely."
Opal said, "I also believe, what do I need to do?"
Rickett said: "You can explain everything, and then come to the planet of the Muse, and I will teach you the same way I taught Cororin. We will fight him again. You are not just on the B-11 star. Know the Opal, my student. I believe you can do it."
Opal said: "Okay, I will definitely come."
Laker nodded and said, "Thank you for helping me, Opal, and thank you for not hating me for Coroline..."
Opal shook his head and said, "No, you will always be my teacher. There are many things we can't do... You taught me. We can't change the past, but we can decide our future."
Opal and Lecter saluted each other, Opal gave a mercenary salute, and Lecter gave a star knight salute. The two said goodbye in front of the hangar. The moment the dragon ray appeared, Karens couldn't help but squinted. His eyes seemed to be greatly shocked.
It spread its wings and flew out of the atmosphere, passed through the thunder released by Sol's star, slashed the entire crimson sky in half, and cast it into the vast universe.
The spaceship immediately took off and left behind the Dragon Ray. Cullens and Opal looked up at the zenith.
"You're leaving?" Cullens said.
Opal nodded, and Cullens said: "It's a pity that I have only been with you for such a short period of time. I think you will be a good comrade-in-arms."
"No." Opal said, "This is not a farewell. I will come back. After I have solved everything, I will come back and continue to be a mercenary."
"Let's go back to the spaceship first," Cullens said.
They found a small near-ground vehicle in the hangar, drove to the highest speed, and went back to the Root Gum Forest. The rebel camp had been burned down. The raging fire burned the entire forest, and the charred corpses were all over the ground. of nitrate.
"All dead?" Cullens said.
Opal didn't say anything, boarded the spaceship, put away the mercenary diary, and returned to Lie Xing.
After returning to Sunlight City a few days later, Opal took Cullens to the second floor of the union to go through the formalities for leaving the group. He transferred the entire team account to Cullens, promoted him to the head of the group, and changed himself to leave the group.
They stood at the entrance of the Sunlight City Mercenary Union, and Opal looked up. The sunlight here was so familiar, it was so bright that it made people want to cry.
"The spaceship my mother gave me is for you to use." Opal said.
Cullens said: "You keep it."
Opal said: "I don't need it, I'm serious, with it, it will be much more convenient for you to make a commission. And Times-VI is still mine, right? You are only using it temporarily."
"Okay." Cullens took a deep breath and said, "I'll use it well."
Opal said: "There is still a part of the funds in the team account, which is reserved for you to use. You are now an E+ mercenary, and you can get promoted to D with a few more commissions..."
Cullens said: "I promise you with the honor of a soldier, I will defend this mercenary group and will not recruit new recruits..."
"No no." Opal said: "You can recruit members, I'm serious, my teacher speaks highly of you, he believes in you, so I also believe in you, the mercenary group will not accept anyone for more than three cosmic years. The entrustment will be automatically cancelled by the union, and I don’t know when I will come back, so as long as it is someone you trust, you can completely absorb it into the group.”
Cullens said: "I understand."
Opal smiled self-deprecatingly and said: "The Smoke and Sword Mercenary Group, every time they meet their comrades who love to smoke, it is also a kind of guidance."
Cullens leaned on Opal's shoulders and walked slowly along the long street, just as Raymond walked with him back then.
As the sun went down in Sunlight City, Cullens said, "I'll give you a ride, when will you leave? Are you looking for a friend to say goodbye?"
"No." Opal said, "I won't say goodbye, I will definitely come back. Please help me keep it a secret, including everything I have."
Cullens nodded, the two got into the maglev car, and the evening wind blew their coats, Cullens smiled: "You are just like Silaus. When he made a decision, I sent him to the city of silver and gray. The tarmac…”
"Oh, comrade-in-arms, I will come back alive." Opal reminded.
Cullens laughed: "Sorry, I didn't notice it was unlucky, but anyway, you found your goal, which is obviously very good."
The corners of Opal's mouth pursed slightly, the sun shines on his handsome face, and the once immature and longing eyes have turned into mature, refined persistence and expectations.
When they returned to the tarmac, Opal started to pack his things, set the route, and put on the star map he got from the pirates, saying, "This map will be used by you later. I have to bring back the map the teacher gave me. There are still many things I don't understand that I want to ask him."
Cullens hummed, and Opal showed him the warehouse, bedroom, bathroom, and finally plugged the charger into the E7, saying, "This is a little friend my mother gave me, I have to take it away."
"I've always wondered, this little thing seems rare, it's not like all robots, is your mother a scientist?" Cullens said.
"She... may be a navigator." Opal has been trying to figure out his own background, but has never had a chance.
"Without a factory lot number, it's like hand-assembled, and only a few institutions in the universe have such advanced technology," says Cullens.
Opal said: "Where will it be? Do you know?"
Cullens thought for a while and said, "Perhaps Pope Drummon in the Holy See has this ability. If you have a chance in the future, you might as well ask him."
"Forget it." Opal couldn't help laughing and crying: "I wouldn't have the honor to meet that big man."
Cullens said: "Opal, from the first time I saw you, I thought you would be a big man too."
"Thanks for the compliment...hope I can do something meaningful," Opal said.
Era-VI galloped towards the variable star Pisces South and stopped in the middle of the road in front of the temple.
The hatch opened, and Opal stood quietly in the spaceship without going out.
He could vaguely see that a long time ago, he was here dragging the minecart, carrying the scarred Raymond, and entering the temple.
The golden wheat fields are the same as always, and the moonlight flowers behind the morning and evening line release thousands of lingering light spots flying into the sky.
Cullens said, "Opal?"
"It's nothing," Opal said. "I remembered something from the past."
He got out of the spaceship and said, "Cullens, you can come here to see me in the future, but please don't bring anyone, and please keep it a secret for me."
"I will," Cullens said. "I swear by my life."
Cullens stretched out his fingerless gloved left hand from the hatch. Opal stood in the middle of the wheat field and reached out to him. The two of them shook hands. Opal took a few steps backwards, and the hatch of Era-VI was closed. , ejected a propulsive flame, lifted off, turned around, and flew out of the atmosphere.
Opal carries a burlap bag commonly used by miners on his left shoulder, followed by E7, standing alone on the endless masonry avenue, as if he had regained his self when he first came out of B-11 - he is still nothing, no longer afraid lose.
As he walked up the steps, a golden light shone through the door, followed by a dull rumbling sound, and the sound of the piano was sonorous and powerful, as if welcoming the young star knight.
The Sanctuary of the Stars opened its main gate to Opal again many years ago after the last star knight, Cororin, entered.
"Welcome to the sanctuary of the stars, Opal." Ledgerson's voice came, and the piano stopped.