Black Sword stared at Thales' determined face for a very long time.
"Not bad." Finally, Black Sword nodded slowly and flashed a very ordinary smile. "You are indeed a Jadestar."
At that moment, Thales was shocked and his eyes widened!
He tightened his grip on the Blade of Purification in his hand.
"You …"
Black Sword shook his head with a faint smile. "Ah, if I still can't guess your identity at this moment, how can I talk about finding a Mystic?
"Prince Thales."
The next moment, Black Sword picked him up with his right arm!
"Hold your sword!"
Black Sword said coldly. He quickly jumped onto a half-collapsed roof in Kilika's direction and leaped away.
In his astonishment, Thales felt the wind whistling past his ears.
He knew his identity.
Thales could not help but recall King Nuven and Asda's words.
"The mercenary leader's skills are strange …
[Carrying a strange longsword …]
"The map of Renaissance Palace …
"You're the assassin who killed the crown prince, aren't you …"
Thales' heart pounded.
What would he do?
But there was no turning back.
An earth-shattering explosion came from afar.
It was as if Kilika was angry.
"What should we do?"
Thales only reacted after a long while. He forcefully suppressed the nervousness and shock in his heart and asked with a trembling voice.
"What should we do?" Black Sword held him in his arms with his uninjured right arm. His feet did not stop and he continued to advance with his weakened body.
"The Blood Mystic." The second prince frowned. "That person … I saw it with my own eyes. She can't be sealed by the legendary anti-mystic equipment …
"If we can't seal her … if we have to fight her face to face with those strange abilities …"
Thales could not suppress the worry in his heart.
"Of course there is a way," Black Sword said with certainty. "There has never been an enemy that cannot be defeated. That kind of creature only exists in knight novels. They are called 'protagonists'."
"Huh?" Thales was stunned. "What way?"
"First of all," Black Sword nimbly turned and avoided a tentacle that vaguely appeared in front of him, "you have to change your mind."
Thales was slightly stunned.
'Change … my mind?'
"You think you're weak, don't you?"
Black Sword lowered his head and allowed his voice to travel with the wind into Thales' ears. "Do you think that your chances of winning against that person are very small?"
Thales opened his mouth, sucked in a mouthful of cold air, and spoke with a trembling voice.
"Isn't that the case?" Thales hugged the Blade of Purification tightly in his arms and said in a rather dejected manner, "I'm very weak."
"Facing an enemy like that … other than you, not to mention me, even a Transcendent Magus would be insignificant."
When Black Sword heard that, he sneered without a doubt.
"Actually, I'm far from finished what I said to Asda just now." Black Sword's tone suddenly became a little solemn. "Now, listen to me."
Black Sword paused and stopped in front of a low wall. Next to them was a pair of lovers who were hugging each other, motionless.
"No, little fellow." Black Sword's tone was extremely cold.
The sound of a house collapsing came from afar.
The battle seemed to be very intense.
Under Black Sword's murderous gaze, Thales suddenly felt inexplicably nervous.
He said resolutely and decisively,
"You're not weak at all."
This time, when he heard Black Sword's unquestionable tone, Thales was truly stunned.
"Do you think that you're powerless and vulnerable, and that anyone with the slightest bit of ability can manipulate you?" Black Sword lowered his voice and hid behind the low wall with Thales, listening to the sizzling sound that came from nearby.
"Then why are you still standing here?"
"I …" Thales was a little speechless. "I'm lucky? I'm occasionally a little clever? I can bluff my way through every time … "
Black Sword's eyes narrowed into slits, but the light that shone from them was unprecedentedly threatening.
A few seconds later, the leader of the Brotherhood said in a casual but unquestionable tone, "Only a truly weak person would use pure strength as proof of their strength."
Thales' eyebrows twitched.
"For a truly powerful person, strength is but a decoration.
"True strength does not lie in how many heavy axes you can swing, how fast you can stab with your sword, how sturdy your bow is, or how accurate your blade is." When he saw Thales frown, Black Sword only paused for a moment before he continued expressionlessly, "In fact, it does not lie in how many tens of thousands of soldiers you can command, or how many sturdy cities you can break."
"I've seen famed supreme class elites die in humiliation in a beggar's sack. I've also seen powerful suzerains fall hopelessly under their servants' axes." Black Sword's pupils narrowed, and his words were cold and threatening. "I've also seen an insufferably arrogant Mystic being frightened by a frail and sickly girl, panicking and at a loss for what to do."
Thales took a deep breath and raised his head. His eyebrows were tightly furrowed as he whispered, "Supreme class, suzerains, and even Mystics … Those are just coincidences. Under very rare circumstances, coupled with some impossible luck, they only have the chance to die in the hands of the weak …"
However, as Thales spoke, his voice slowly became weaker.
He stared at Black Sword, who was shaking his head slowly.
"You're right." The ordinary-looking man exhaled. "Coincidences, circumstances, luck, opportunities, and so on … When all of these are added together, they are the key to determining the difference between the strong and the weak, the superior and inferior, and the difference between victory and defeat."
Thales widened his eyes, slightly startled.
"You mean …"
The corners of Black Sword's lips curled up slightly, as though he was looking at a mischievous student. "A truly powerful person views all the factors that determine victory and defeat as their own strength."
The sizzling sound disappeared beside his ears.
In the next moment, Black Sword's figure rose from the ground again!
Thales shut his eyes tightly, feeling the frost and snow blowing against his face.
But Black Sword's words still reached his ears without missing a single word. They were clear and unmistakable.
"A truly powerful person turns disadvantages into advantages, disadvantages into advantages, death into opportunities, and absolutes into uncertainties. They turn their enemy's strength into their weakness, and infinitely magnify their own strength.
"They seek hope in a hopeless situation, fight for a turnaround in a loss, sublimate a favorable situation into a sure-win situation, and turn unforeseen circumstances and accidents into their own aid."
Black Sword stepped over a man who had fallen to the ground. The dead man's face still showed signs of suffocation.
They turned into an alley that was missing half of its entrance.
The sounds of intense battle ahead were getting closer.
As the cold wind blew against his face, Thales could not help but say, "But …"
But Black Sword did not allow him to interrupt. Instead, he continued.
"They unfold a chessboard in the vast world, using all living beings as chess pieces and everything in the world as chess pieces. They turn a seemingly simple duel into a supreme game of chess to determine the outcome of the battle." Black Sword took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. "These people turn what the enemy relies on into what they own, and regard factors including the enemy, themselves, the situation, and luck as bargaining chips …"
"These people who grasp everything in their hands, take the world into their hearts, and see the entire situation …
"Only they are qualified to be called …" Black Sword lowered his head. The profound meaning in his eyes made Thales subconsciously freeze, and he quietly listened to him finish.
"A true powerhouse."
Kilika's sizzling sound could be heard clearly, and it was even getting closer.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Only the snow that scraped against their faces reminded them of their situation.
Thales slowly opened his mouth. After gritting his teeth and hesitating for a while, he finally spoke.
"But …" Thales revealed a bitter smile, which made him look rather haggard. "For a Mystic who breaks the rules, no matter what kind of scheme or how many factors are considered …
"… their effects are limited."
"You're wrong again," Black Sword said with a cold expression.
Black Sword made a sharp turn and held Thales in his arms. With a slide shovel, he slid across a dry and frozen ditch.
The action was a little rushed, and Thales only felt dizzy.
"Even those who seem to have unparalleled power, who can destroy cities and countries with a wave of their hands, who are invincible in the world, and who are even immortal …"
At this point, Black Sword seemed to intentionally look around at the ruins around him. But Thales could only squint and try his best to reduce the impact of Black Sword's movement on his sense of balance.
Black Sword slammed his left palm on the ground and leaped up. He raised his head and snorted softly. "If you can't do this, then you're still a weakling — at best, a relatively strong weakling."
The hydra in the distance was already right in front of them. It was clearly visible.
"Didn't it notice us?" Thales was a little nervous.
"I have my ways." Black Sword glanced at him indifferently. "How do you think I survived the Blood Mystic's attack?"
They stopped again. Black Sword extended his hand and touched a spot on the ground. He closed his eyes slightly.
It was as if he was feeling something.
But his words rang out again.
"In short, in the eyes of the truly powerful, even those calamities, even their seemingly unstoppable power, are nothing more than a slightly larger chess piece on the chessboard."
"As long as this large chess piece is gently removed from their chessboard because of you," Black Sword retracted his hand from the ground and gently tapped the Blade of Purification in Thales' hand. His eyes were filled with wisdom and shrewdness. "These so-called 'invincibility' will be useless, and even laughable and despicable."
Thales lowered his head thoughtfully.
Black Sword took a deep breath. His gaze was unfocused and profound, as if he was immersed in his past memories.
He spoke in an ethereal tone.
"Have you ever seen a supreme class swordsman who lost both his arms break down in tears after waking up?"
Thales was slightly taken aback.
Black Sword continued.
"Have you ever seen an elite scout who can travel thousands of miles in a day get drunk and depressed after his leg bones are completely shattered?
"Have you ever seen a high-ranking official who lost his power and status spend his days in the countryside and go crazy every night?
"Have you ever seen a famous general who was convicted after commanding a thousand troops, lose hope in prison, and die of depression?
"Have you ever seen a thousand-year-old noble who was stripped of his family name and gave up on himself like the most desperate beggar?
"Have you ever seen a terrifying calamity who is unparalleled and has boundless power tremble in front of a small legendary anti-mystic equipment and flee?
"I have," the man said faintly.
Thales' breathing became heavier and heavier.
"Ah." Thales exhaled softly and flashed a tired smile. "Cheat Factor Dependence.
"But I've seen more than just them." Black Sword did not understand what he said. He only took a deep breath as if he was concentrating.
"I've seen a prince who fell into the enemy's hands overnight. His legs were broken, his reputation was tarnished, and he was reduced to a lowly slave. In two years, he overthrew his slave master and led a new army to travel thousands of miles back to the capital.
"I've seen a weak woman who has been deprived of all her strength, but she is able to maneuver among the malicious enemies like a gust of wind. She is able to kill people without leaving a trace and destroy an army in an instant with her sweet laughter and graceful gestures, as well as her eloquence and eloquence.
Thales did not speak.
Black Sword frowned slightly and pressed his palm on the ground in another direction.
Black Sword's keen senses gave him invaluable information about the battlefield.
Someone was confronting and dealing with the Blood Mystic.
'Two of them.
'Based on this situation, it's highly likely that they have a legendary anti-mystic equipment.
'Good chance.
'But it's not the best chance.
'I have to wait patiently.'
"That's a true powerhouse." Black Sword, who was distracted, came back to his senses and nodded slowly, as if he had confirmed that the path ahead was safe.
"The existence of this kind of person is free from the shackles of all power, authority, and status. No matter where they are, they can shine. Even the smallest ant can shake the supreme gods."
Thales frowned slowly. "Are you also this kind of person?"
Black Sword fell silent.
"No." The man's tone was low. "I can only be considered as one of the people who strives to catch up to them.
"But you, young man.
"You have this kind of potential." Black Sword turned his gaze. His gaze was like a blade that cut through Thales' face. "Your performance on the cliff surprised me."
Thales widened his eyes.
"You have fewer chess pieces than everyone else, but you try your best to seize all useful and useless factors. You hold on to every possible bargaining chip and place the most crucial piece, thus changing the entire battle.
"Young man, just based on those few points just now, you are stronger than most people in this world." Black Sword observed the scene in the distance. Kilika's figure was already right in front of him.
"You're a powerful person. You were able to find a way to escape from that adversity just now and stand firm. This is something that many so-called supreme class powerhouses can't do," Black Sword said in a low voice. "Then, you have to believe in this even more. You have to uphold the attitude of a 'true powerhouse'."
Thales revealed a doubtful expression.
"That was your plan on the cliff," the second prince defended himself. "From the initial probing attack to holding me hostage to find an opportunity, I even suspect that you accepted my suggestion in the end. Throwing me off the cliff was also part of your plan. Don't forget that you prepared the climbing rope beforehand …"
"Don't comfort me when you talk about the 'crucial piece' and whatnot." Thales pursed his lips.
Black Sword's expression froze.
"I'm doing this to encourage you …" Black Sword's expression was unpleasant as he coughed softly. "And … don't interrupt."
Thales flashed a sheepish smile.
Black Sword heaved a sigh.
A man's furious roar traveled into his ears from Kilika's direction.
Thales was a little hesitant. He wanted to stretch his head out to look at the scene outside, but Black Sword unceremoniously pulled him back down.
"In comparison … those who regard pure power and authority as a single factor that determines victory and defeat as the supreme scripture to distinguish between the strong and the weak … are long outdated.
"The era of knights dueling one on one has long passed. Sadly, in this era where crossbows can pierce through armor, horses' hooves can crush flesh, catapults can break city walls, and Mystic Guns can roar, most people still think of the ridiculous era of knights. They see battles as comical shows where two people arm-wrestle on a table." Black Sword revealed half of his head and observed the outside world. His eyes shone with a brilliant light. "Most people still think of the ridiculous era of knights. They see battles as comical plays where two people arm wrestle on a table.
"Their pitiful vision is locked on their wrists and muscles, on their bodies, on the table, and on their arm-wrestling wrists." Black Sword smiled disdainfully.
"Just like you right now, your vision is locked on the Mystics' inextinguishable myth and unparalleled power.
"What else can I do?" Thales retorted, a little unconvinced. "It's not as simple as a 'big chess piece' — it's a 'big chess piece' that can smash through the chessboard."
"Then work harder!" Black Sword cut him off coldly. "Let it smash through the chessboard and into the ground!"
Thales was a little stunned. 'Is he quibbling?'
"Remember, from what I see, you are not a weakling." Black Sword lowered his head. His tone was very serious and frightening. "Never have the doubt that 'I'm not strong enough'. That's for the weak."
"How did the humans defeat the ancient orcs when they were at an absolute disadvantage? How did they win the Battle of Eradication? "Black Sword's eyes shone with unprecedented determination." Isn't it clear enough? "
Thales stared blankly into Black Sword's eyes — those determined, cold, but extremely clear eyes.
"Northland Military Sword Style."
Thales said subconsciously.
Black Sword's expression changed. "What?"
"I remember now. Earlier on the Cliff of the Sky, when you charged towards Asda … it was the Northland Military Sword Style." Thales narrowed his eyes. "The sword style used to defend against the ancient orcs."
He quickly raised his head and looked at Black Sword.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Black Sword stared at him. The corners of his mouth slowly curled into an ugly smile.
"First of all, I won't bring along a burden," Black Sword said flatly. "Especially a burden who has the potential to be powerful, but is full of the awareness of a weakling, and only knows how to try his luck at a critical moment. This kind of person is the most troublesome."
Thales raised his eyebrows in resignation, but he was a little anxious.
'What are they waiting for?
Kilika and Giza are right in front of us. '
But Black Sword stubbornly finished his sentence.
"Secondly.
"Only when you change your mind and understand this principle can you make the best use of all your chess pieces."
Thales thought of something. He looked at Black Sword, puzzled. "Chess pieces?"
"You mean this sword?" Thales scratched his head and raised the Blade of Purification in his hand.
"Yes.
"But it's not just this."
Black Sword slowly adjusted his breathing. His gaze became colder. "You have a strange power, don't you?"
In that instant, Thales felt as if he was struck by lightning.
'No way?
'Strange power?
'Don't tell me he's talking about my mystic …'
However, Black Sword's next words stirred up waves in his already-shocked heart.
"It's that power that allowed you to see Asda's air wall, see through its essence, and even warn me …"
Black Sword's words were like a heavy hammer, pounding on Thales' heart.
"It even allows you to see further, run faster, have more strength, and have more acute reflexes."
'Power?'
Thales stared at Black Sword in a daze.
'Not mystic energy?
'Wait a minute …
'It's that fluctuation?
'H-how did he know?'
"It's because of that power that you were able to dodge that tentacle just now," Black Sword said coldly.
Thales opened his mouth wide and could not close it for a long time.
The silence lasted for a few seconds.
"You mean …" Thales could hear his heart beating faster and his blood surging. He could not help but frown. "That power …"
"That's the Power of Eradication." Black Sword answered his doubts straightforwardly. "It's an extremely rare Power of Eradication.
"The Sin of Hell's River."
Thales widened his eyes. His pupils kept shifting between focusing and unfocused.
'Power of Eradication?
'Hell's River …
'Hell's River …'
"Although I don't know how you obtained it at such a young age," Black Sword took a deep breath and furrowed his brows, as if he was a little disappointed, "But there's no doubt that it's one of your most powerful chess pieces. It can even decide the outcome of the battle."
"Sin of … Hell's River?" After a long while, Thales came to his senses and said absentmindedly, "What the hell is this name?"
"I didn't say that its name is nice." Black Sword stared at his expression, as if he wanted to see flowers blossoming on his face. "It just needs to be useful. That's enough."
"Useful?"
Thales raised his head and tried hard to adjust his chaotic thoughts.
He remembered the first time the fluctuation surged in the birch tree forest.
He also remembered the moment when he first saw those strange fluctuations on Ramon's body in Broken Dragon Fortress.
"I don't even know what that is." Thales frowned. "Do you?"
Sparse rumbling sounds came from behind the low wall.
A few seconds passed. Under the moonlight, Black Sword's ordinary face actually looked a little frightening at that moment.
In that moment, Thales vaguely felt that Black Sword's expression was a little lonely … and sorrowful.
"I don't just know."
Thales blinked.
As the hydra's hissing became increasingly noisy, Black Sword spoke softly.
"We're more of the same kind.
"The kind of … slaves who are cursed."
Thales sucked in a breath in shock.
'Same kind?
Slaves?
'Wait, that power …'
But Black Sword did not give him any chance to ask.
"Listen carefully." The legendary leader of the Brotherhood raised his head and looked at Kilika's terrifying body that was growing stronger by the second. Using the most ordinary and even somewhat dull tone, he said in a low voice, "Before we make our final move …"
"About how to use the Sin of Hell's River …"
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