Countless jumbled debris fell from the sky, and Amon stood there, his sword stuck in the ground. Gabriel knelt down on one knee in front of him, held his battle axe in both hands and held it high above his head, and said, "Amon, you have won!"

Amon took the battle axe and put it into the space magic weapon, stood there and asked, "George, do you want to arbitrate?"

George didn't see clearly how these two people were divided just now, but the scene in front of him had already explained the result, and he quickly stood up and said loudly: "There is no need to arbitrate, Lord Gabriel has already admitted defeat." ”

Amon drew his sword, gently slapped the blade of the sword on Gabriel's shoulder, and said with a smile: "Okay, the duel is over, you get up!"

Gabriel said, "You can kill me." ”

Amon replied quietly: "I can kill you or not, according to the agreement of the duel, this should be up to me." You are now my prisoner of war, and I will demand a ransom from the Eju Empire to redeem you, a noble samurai. If the Eju Empire refuses, you will be my slave, and I have the right to give you back your freedom. ”

Gabriel nodded, "That's the case, what are you going to do?"

Amon smiled: "It's the first time in my life that I've fought with someone like this, it's really happy! I'm tired after fighting for so long, so let's have a good drink and eat something." I will send a messenger to Pharaoh about the ransom, and you can only wait for the result. Your mission is accomplished, and I have to talk to George about it. ”

George had already greeted him and said, "Two top warriors on the continent, this duel just now was really exciting, but unfortunately I didn't see it clearly later." Lord Gabriel, when did you become an eighth-rank samurai? I don't even know. ”

Gabriel stood up and replied, "Just now." ”

George was taken aback, stunned for a moment, and then exclaimed, "I have never heard of such a situation as a promotion?"

Amon smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "I haven't heard of it, haven't you seen it with your own eyes now?" I didn't expect that this duel was only fought for one day, and we continued to drink the bar, and the matter was not over yet." ”

Everyone returned to the intact tent, and it was time for dinner, Link cleaned up the broken utensils on the table, and Amon took out all kinds of delicacies, beckoning everyone to sit down and talk. George and Link both sat down, but Gabriel stood beside him. Link asked, "Why don't you sit down, aren't you tired?"

Gabriel replied with a serious face: "My current status is Amon's prisoner of war, Amon sits at this table, and I should stand." Thank you Amon for relieving me and the food in front of you!"

The temper of this great warrior was stubborn enough, and he was very serious in everything he did, so Amon had to say: "Then you can eat standing and drink a few more glasses of wine, which I specially prepared for the two adults." ...... George, the great warrior of Gabriel has completed his mission, and you are the one who came to hunt me down, what do you want to do, do you want to ask me for a duel too?"

George shook his head and said: "I'm not a great magician like Celia, I don't have a summoning beast to drive, how can I duel with you, the great general? If I really want to make a move, it should be Gabriel Grand Warrior in front, and I will cooperate in the fight in the back, that is the best way to deal with you." The Eju Empire has sent the two of us to hunt you down, just because it wants us to do so. ”

Amon: "But you don't, how do you want to complete the mission?"

George sat on the chair and stretched his arms, looking very relaxed: "I accepted the order, but there are two kinds of tasks in this world, those that can be completed and those that cannot be completed. Before I set off, I said that if I can't complete the mission, I won't go back, I already know your ability, and the power of God is far better than when I led thousands of troops and horses, it seems that I have to cultivate hard, otherwise I will not be able to complete the task. Amon, for the sake of my old friend's face, can you let me stay here and cultivate?"

Amon and George looked at each other, and then they both laughed, and the laughter grew louder and louder, and they almost didn't burst into tears. Amon raised the flask and poured a glass of wine for George, saying, "You are not my opponent, and you will not be able to complete the task." ”

George: "I can continue to cultivate, I will become stronger, maybe one day I can surpass you now." ”

Amon blinked and said, "You may improve, but don't forget that I will continue to cultivate." I was far inferior to you back then, and now I have a level 9 achievement. ”

George: "Then I'm afraid I'll have to stay here, can you eat and drink?"

Before Amon could reply, Link couldn't help but interject: "Lord George, if you are willing to stay in Salem City, we can't ask for it! I will arrange everything, you can live comfortably and comfortably, and if you have any requirements, please ask." ”

George suddenly let out a long sigh and said, "How easy is it to continue to break through, there are many people in the world who have awakened their powers, but almost half of the magicians are first-level magicians until they die, and they can't even break through the second-level achievements for life." There are still so many samurai in the world, how many can have high-level achievers? The current ninth-level samurai have never heard of anyone else since Enqidu, and now there is Amun. How difficult or lucky is it for a great magician to advance, I wonder if I can have that kind of luck?"

Amon smiled and said with relief: "Things are man-made, just like tasks, there are unfinished and accomplished. You weren't born to live to be a great magician, were you?...... Sir George, there is also a temple in the city of Salem, and now a chief priest is needed to appease the people, if you stay in the city, you will be the most suitable person, I wonder if you would like to?"

George glanced at Amon, "You're the most suitable, right?"

Amon shook his head and said, "I'm not suitable, I'm already standing on the altar." ”

George nodded: "Alright then, I can't eat and live for nothing, I have to do something, before I complete the task, I will be the chief high priest of Salem City." Anyway, it's familiar to me, and it's easy to do. ”

Gabriel was surprised, "Lord George, you are going to be the chief high priest of the city of Salem......?

George turned his head and interrupted her: "Great warrior Gabriel, you don't know where I come from, do you? I am a magician, and I have achieved high-level achievements as a magician, and the person who instructed me is called Nietzsche, he is a miner from Duk Town, and he is also a great magician. Now the town of Duk has become the city of Salem, and I have come here because of the luck that led me to a higher realm. ...... Amon, if you have asked me to be the chief priest of the city of Salem, you have two things to declare. ”

Amon took his glass and said, "Say it." ”

George said unhurriedly: "Since I am the chief priest of Salem City, then don't use the title of magician, just call me magician, what do you think? In the city-state of Salem, not only nobles, but everyone can be guided to learn magic, no, just call it magic." ”

Amon and Link glanced at each other, slapped the table and said, "Of course I didn't ask, in fact, we are all magicians! ”

George smiled: "Of course I know this, I am the chief priest, and these specific affairs are handled by the priests, and I will explain what to do." One more thing to remind you is that my mission is still to hunt you down, and I may do it one day. ”

Amon also smiled: "I'll wait." ”

George waved his hand: "You don't have to be too nervous, I will greet you before I do it." Anyway, the time is not stipulated in the order of the Eju Empire, maybe ten years, maybe twenty years, if I live long enough, maybe a hundred years. ”

Amon raised his glass and said, "Then I wish you a long and healthy life!"

The two clinked glasses and drank them all, and Gabriel already understood that George did not plan to return to the Temple of Isis to be the high priest again, and he chose to stay in the city of Salem as the chief priest, on the one hand, because he did not want to carry out the task of hunting down Amun, and on the other hand, he should have his own considerations. What a great magician like him is no longer pursuing wealth, status or even glory, but the achievements of this life, and he may have encountered a bottleneck that his cultivation cannot break through, and he is looking for new opportunities.

Gabriel was pondering there when Amon suddenly turned and handed over a leather envelope and said, "Do you want to know what Mary said to me? ”

Gabriel took the envelope and took out the straw paper inside, only to see that it was written—"Gabriel had to accept the orders of the Empire to hunt you down, and I understand her temper, and will only duel with you, so as not to violate her own beliefs." She's out of power now, just like you were back then, and it's a test. I hope you can help and guide her through her trials, but it's all up to her choice, and I bless her and I bless you. Amon, I have always known what you are doing, your love and your pursuits. ”

Gabriel took the straw paper and looked at it for a long time, reciting a few simple lines of words silently, his fingers trembling slightly, and only after a long time did he raise his head and say: "I didn't mention it to anyone, it turns out that the Holy Maiden saw it and knew that I had lost my strength, no wonder she would let me hand over this letter to you before I started." ”

Amon sighed, "You haven't even read this letter, even though it's always been with you. How incredible it is for a samurai to hand over a letter to his opponent before a duel, telling him that he has lost his power! Maria may be afraid that I have accidentally injured you, and I asked you if you want to change the time and place, but you still insist on the duel today. ”

Gabriel replied, "Even if I don't lose my strength, I know that I am no match for you, and I will know the outcome when I ask for a duel." I forgot what kind of power I had in the duel, but I did everything I could, no matter how strong you were, and you didn't know how much you advanced in battle. ”

Amon asked with interest, "I have a personal question, do a seventh-level great warriors like you usually lose their strength when they advance to the eighth-level achievement?"

Gabriel replied, "Some will, some won't, the situation is different, and it is said that it is a test of the gods for the people, and it gives some people more difficulties." ”

Amon: "What is the difference between meeting and not being?"

Gabriel: "In terms of the power at hand, it doesn't seem to be much different, but there should be a difference, which I don't know too well. ”

Amon turned his head and asked George, "Did you lose your strength when you were promoted to an eighth-level sorcerer?"

George shook his head: "No, it's just that there was a period of time when I used magic and always felt that my mana was insufficient, so I practiced in seclusion in the temple until my mana was enough to instantly use high-level magic skills." As far as I know, the experiences and achievements of the eighth-level great magicians are not the same, and for example, the great magician Julian who has died in battle, he has not lost his strength at all when he was promoted. There must be some kind of clear guidance missing, which I don't yet understand. ”

Amon thought for a moment and asked, "Did the ninth-level great magicians like Li Quid, Wald, Gilgamesh, and Golie also lose their strength when they were promoted from the seventh level to the eighth level?"

George shook his head and said, "How can I know this? No one will say it." ...... Listen to what you mean, and you seem to understand the mystery?"

Amon smiled and flicked his fingers, and the wine in the jug gushed out strangely, condensing on the table in the shape of a mountain, and several paths appeared from one starting point, each leading to a different height. "It's like climbing a mountain, there are many roads that can reach the same height, some can go further, and some can bypass certain obstacles and not reach the top," he explains. It may be only one or several paths that can finally reach the top. ”

George's eyes lit up, and he pointed to the small mountain made of fine wine on the table: "The same road, different people can climb different heights, some people can only stop at the foot of the mountain forever, and some people may reach the mountainside." ...... God Amun, if I have the chance, I would like to have a good conversation with you privately. ”

Link laughed and said, "Lord George, you have finally called Amun by his name, this time it doesn't seem like a joke. You want to stay in the city of Salem and be the chief priest, and of course there is a chance. ”

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Gabriel again, and when he saw that she was still standing there with Mary's letter in a daze, he asked Amun again: "God Amon, Lord Gabriel is now your prisoner of war, how much ransom do you plan to make the Eju Empire pay?"

Amon also glanced at Gabriel, and then replied lightly: "I don't want a ransom, I just want to ask for something from the Eju Empire." ”

George asked, "What is it, the general must be very special, it can't be someone, right?" It is impossible for the Eju Empire to agree to this condition, and it is impossible for Amon to make such a request.

Amon flicked his fingers again, put the wine on the table into the pot, and said expressionlessly: "If you want to redeem the great warrior of Gabriel, the condition I set is that Allah is the status of the main god of the empire!"

George's hand shook, almost dropped the cup, and said in a trembling voice: "Oh my God, what kind of condition is this!"

Amon replied coldly: "The reform of the god system of Pharaoh Ellaht, with Li'an-la as the only god and Seth as the chief of the angels representing the gods, has nothing to do with me. But he sent Gabriel and you to hunt me down in the name of the oracle, and my request was to deprive him of his name! As for whether to agree or not, that is also the matter of the Eju Empire itself, and it has nothing to do with me. ”

The implicit meaning of these words may only be understood by the gods, and in the name of believing in An-la as the only god, Seth occupies the position of the main god of the Nine Gods, and directs the Elahet Pharaoh to carry out the religious reform, but sends an oracle to the Eju Empire to send people to hunt down Amun and prevent his people from returning to the plains of Duk. Now Amun's condition is that if he wants to redeem Gabriel, he will exchange it for the status of the main god that the Eju Empire believes in.

This is beyond the imagination of the world, and I am afraid that even the craziest madman cannot say such a thing. But calmly analyzing the causes and consequences, although the conditions proposed by Amon are incredible, they are not unreasonable. It is impossible for the Eju Empire to agree to such a condition in order to redeem a great warrior, and it would be blasphemous to even say it, and Amon did not ask them to agree, but put it forward!

George and Link recovered from their shock, and quietly looked at Gabriel again, secretly saying in their hearts that this great warrior would probably never return. Gabriel's shock was indescribable, as if he had heard the most impossible language in the world, night had fallen, there was no light in the valley, Gabriel stood in the darkness and finally spoke: "Amon, you put forward such a condition just to make it impossible for the Eju Empire to redeem me. And what are you going to do with me, as your slave or as my free?"

Amon asked rhetorically, "You don't have to ask these questions first, and I will make a decision when the Eju Empire officially rejects my request." Now I just want to ask you one question, I must be crazy to ask others to make such a condition, but you know the process of this matter, does it make sense?"

Gabriel pondered for a long time, and finally nodded, "It makes sense, but it's just your own idea." ”

Amon smiled: "It's really just my own thoughts, Elahet can't stop me from thinking anything, if he's not happy, then be unhappy, even if it's thunderous in the palace." ...... Gabriel, Maria has given me a letter, and has she not given you an account?"

Gabriel: "The Holy Maiden also gave me a letter, and specially explained that it could only be opened after I started it, and I didn't have time to read it, so I don't know what it said." ”

Amon waved his hand: "Then you see, if you don't want to say it, I won't ask." ”

Gabriel took out another leather envelope from his bosom, opened it, pulled out a piece of straw paper, and saw it in the light of the night—"You have lost your strength, I know, and I told Amun. I know your character very well, and only a formal duel with Amun according to the etiquette of the nobility can free you from your mission. Even if you lose your strength, you will still make this request, otherwise you will not pass the test, and you will only be truly guided when you make a choice.

Now that you have seen this letter, you may have passed the test and are about to face another choice. Amon will make a ransom demand that the Eju Empire simply cannot accept, and you will become his prisoner of war, and after the Eju Empire officially refuses, he will release you and set you free. What kind of guidance will you receive in your faith at that time?

I know your belief so well that I don't have to change it, and I know your belief in the gods, which is the radiance of your heart. I want you to find the true source of God's surname and accept that glorious guidance. Finally, I would like to ask you for a favor, and if Amon is sad and heartbroken one day, please protect him as you once protected me. ”

Gabriel looked at the letter, stood there thoughtfully, and then quietly put it away. Amon and the others didn't bother her, and Link said, "The matter here is done for the time being, shall we go back to Salem City?" I plan to hold a ceremony for the temple to summon the gods to come, and now that there is a chief priest, I can ask Lord George to preside." ”

Amun: "Inspire the gods to come? I'm on that altar, and I'll go to the city of Salem, and it doesn't matter if I come or not." But Goddess Mu Yun has been waiting for this day, and after I walked out of Eju, she hasn't shown up to see me, so she should be just looking to see when I will fulfill my promise?"

Link squeezed his eyes and said, "The goddess hasn't seen you all this time?

Amon shook his head: "Don't be in a hurry, this is also a celebration of the city-state. Let's wait here for a few more days, and when Yunmeng and John arrive and then set off together, you might be surprised. ”

They waited in the fortress under construction for half a month, Link didn't quite understand why Amon said that he would be surprised, and when John and Raphael walked out of the Black Fire Swamp half a month later, Link didn't recognize Yunmeng at first, but saw a bewitching girl next to Raphael wearing an obviously ill-fitting robe, which was the dress of the priests of the Hatie Kingdom, which should be Raphael's clothes.

Link looked left and right, and couldn't help but ask John, "Where's Yunmeng? Where is that big guy? Who is this beautiful girl?"

John smiled a little strangely, but he didn't answer. The girl twisted her waist and said, "I am the messenger of the god Amun, known as the patron goddess of the Black Fire Swamp. Link, you can call me the Swamp Goddess, or the Cloud Dream Angel!"

This girl actually called herself Yunmeng, and Link was stupid and petrified there. Amon's voice came from nowhere: "Yunmeng, congratulations! Raphael, thank you too! Have you found the whereabouts of the bright moon night?"

Yun Meng bowed down and replied: "We were searching for traces along the way, but unfortunately we didn't find him, and we were afraid of delaying your affairs, so we came out as soon as possible." ”

Amun's voice said again: "It's good to come out safely, he may have left the Black Fire Swamp, since he was ordered to assassinate me, let me deal with it." The Patron Saint of the Black Fire Swamp, who gave you this nickname?"

Yun Meng smiled: "It's Raphael! He also praised me for getting out of the mud and not getting dirty!"

Raphael hurriedly explained: "Amon, I was just joking with Yunmeng. ”

Amon's voice laughed and said, "This joke is very good, Yunmeng, since you claim to be so self-proclaimed today, then you must protect the safety of the Black Fire Swamp Trade Road." ...... Let's go back to Salem together, there's a celebration going on. ”

(To be continued)