Section 1: Castle in the Sky (Part I

High in the sky, the platform looms in the clouds.

Townsend leaned back against the railing of the platform, half-lying and half-sitting, gasping for breath. The middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, and the deep and deep question exploded like thunder, and his words carried the power of looking down on all things, and also carried the unquestionable decision: "How determined are you, and what price do you want to use in exchange for the realization of your dreams?"

While issuing this question, the expression on the middle-aged man's face can be described as "cold", as if Townsend sitting on the railing is his student, his junior, or even a scumbag.

Communicating with such a little guy, even if he is threatening, he doesn't need to add expressions - his eyes are not on Townsend, but from near and far, looking like watching the sea and listening to the waves.

Townsend was a little angry, in his original thoughts, sneaking into the hall of dreams and catching the Torch of Dawn or the Ring of Innocence was a victory, but there was no such nervous show - the master just came to eat night grass to make a windfall, don't you add to the blockage, okay?

If someone else performs this kind of sound attack, Townsend will not have any entanglement in his heart, he will definitely stand up as soon as possible and give the other party a realistic social lesson that touches the flesh and touches the soul.

But this was not the case in front of him, and Townsend was not a reckless fellow, on the contrary, he was very calm when he encountered trouble, because he had long understood a truth from under the belt of his own old man.

Violence cannot be abused, especially when victory is not guaranteed.

And the reason why Townsend can't win at the moment is, on the one hand, his physical condition is not good, and on the other hand, the middle-aged man does look strong.

Different people have different interpretations of the word strong, some people think that strong is an attitude, some people think that strong is an expression, and some people think that strong is an existence. But in short, none of these statements are complete. In Townsend's view, strength is composed of two parts, "inside and outside", and both are indispensable.

Unleashing the power from within or from the heart in the most compatible way is truly powerful.

The middle-aged man in front of him had not yet used any sensational means, but it did not prevent Townsend from judging him at all. Because strength cannot be hidden, it can escape through a person's speech, behavior, and temperament.

First, the middle-aged man appeared in the Dream Hall, although Townsend's understanding of the Dream Hall was still very vague, but he knew with his toes that this was by no means a place where you could buy a ticket and enter.

Ability teleportation, after hearing this term, Townsend's excitement has completely overwhelmed the pain on the **...... The person who wanders around here may be a soy sauce maker?

Secondly, it is the temperament and demeanor of the middle-aged people that make Townsend feel familiar, and it is the kind that Townsend does not like. Although Townsend is undoubtedly in a weak position in the communication with each other, this is showing the mentality of a middle-aged man, and his attitude towards Townsend is contemptuous but not calculating.

Or to put it another way, Townsend, who has worked so hard to get in, is not qualified enough for middle-aged people to calculate him......

Isn't the middle-aged man powerful when the ox breaks to this extent?

The opponent who can't win is your good pot friend, and if you want to be a good pot friend, you have to understand him. So Townsend thought about it for a while, and reached out to take off his méng face cloth cover, in front of this kind of person, ordinary concealment means are meaningless, he has long been seen through.

"I seem to ......" Townsend shook his head and smiled helplessly: "There is nothing you can see." ”

"You're not right. But you've proven yourself by stepping on this platform. The middle-aged man's gaze still stayed on the clouds outside the platform, and he said casually: "The greatness and vastness of the ability, the magnificence of the ability, it is worth exploring with the whole life, you should feel the supreme honor, and face this fate with a modest and cautious confidence." ”

"Uh...... Sorry, I didn't get it. As Townsend's strength gradually recovered, he blinked and asked, "You're talking about abilities?"

"It's not easy to devote yourself to an ability, you have to open your eyes and devote your whole life, including passion and wisdom, to appreciate its endless charm. The middle-aged man's gaze rolled and finally fell on Townsend's face, but he didn't express his dissatisfaction with Townsend's casual sitting posture: "Although the ability has no identity requirements for the person exploring it, you can't treat the ability with the mentality that you can exchange a copper coin for a loaf of bread. ”

"I probably understand, you want me to face up to this great cause, be ready to overcome all setbacks, make bold assumptions, carefully verify, be courageous, indomitable, and brave to climb the peak, right?" Townsend finally confirmed the familiarity that middle-aged people brought to him—when he was a child, he was taught by many elders, and his nerdy uncle who walked the technology line used this kind of mouth.

Yanai is not so easy to do, although the family background gives Townsend rich experience and a very strong and wide range of professional skills, but it also overwhelms Townshend.

Under the persecution of his elders, Townsend has been a marionette since he was a child, forced to learn this and that, and to do his best, never knowing why he wants to learn, and the slightest hesitation to loosen up, the belt will split his head and cover his face.

They are always right, always with contempt and arrogance, always occupying the commanding heights of power and morality.

Townsend doesn't shed tears, he doesn't feel sorry, it's just because no one can find out, maybe only his dog understands Townsend's inner pain. In fact, in Townsend's memory, he never lived for himself...... He can only follow the path of life that has been arranged step by step, and he doesn't even know where his interests are and what he wants to do.

"I wouldn't rush into words like 'noble' and 'extreme,' but abilities do. The middle-aged man smiled faintly, looked at the silent Townsend, and softened his face: "It seems that you are ready, you can come with me." ”

"Where?" Townsend stood up with his hands on the railing and asked suspiciously, "You haven't introduced yourself yet......"

"Does my identity matter? Or do you have to know a name to overcome the fear of the unknown? The middle-aged man waved his hand disappreciably, and the clouds behind the platform rolled and retreated to both sides.

"It's just a courtesy...... Townsend didn't continue, because after the clouds in front of him receded, a circular platform dozens of times larger than the platform under his feet came out. Its railings, floors, and steps are all made of almost transparent materials, which look crystal clear and beautiful in the sun.

There wasn't anything over there before, not even a trace of clouds, and Townsend didn't find any signs of awakening the supernatural powers

"You can think of me as the one who guides you, and it doesn't matter if you have a name or something. The middle-aged man waved his hand again, and the platform under his feet slowly moved over, and the edges of the two platforms were connected, and the passage with strange huā patterns stretched out from the big platform, and the middle-aged man walked up the steps: "This is the first place you want to challenge, come on, prove that you can move forward, and prove that you are worthy of this trip." ”

Seeing that people were in a position, Townsend had to put away the idea of smearing oil on the soles of his feet, and he followed the footsteps of the middle-aged man onto the big platform - although he didn't know what he was going to face next, although he didn't like the feeling of being persecuted, but as the saying goes, the situation is stronger than people.

Through the crystal floor beneath his feet, Townsend could see the ethereal clouds, and he could even see the ground in the gaps in the clouds, with mountains and rivers like jade belts, and he had not had this opportunity to climb high and look into the distance for a long time.

In the wind, the gray robe was fluttering, and the silk clouds were passing by, and a kind of heroism quietly rose from the bottom of Townshend's heart.

What is there to be afraid of when the time comes? At most, the challenge will be thrown back if you fail. So, the battle

"You don't seem to know what is going on here, let me explain it to you. The middle-aged man saw Townsend's transformation, but his expression did not change: "The place where you are now is the real dream hall, and what you passed before was just the foyer." The significance of the gate lies in identification, and everyone who passes through the gate will come to different places and face different challenges and problems because of their own knocking performance and different choices. ”

"Will different challenges and problems lead me to encounter different encounters?" said Townsend, listening intently.

"The order is different, but the things to pursue are the same, and they are the essence of the ability. The middle-aged man said, "Generally speaking, people who choose the Torch of Dawn will not come here, and those who choose the Ring of Innocence will not come here. ”

"Then why am I here?" said Townsend, a little depressed.

"Because you chose both the Torch of Dawn and the Ring of Innocence, and you kicked the doll in the foyer, you fit perfectly. The middle-aged man pointed out the apprehension in Townsend's heart, but did not dwell on the question: "This platform is called Sky City, the first priority." ”

"Well, what's different about Castle in the Sky from the rest?" asked Townsend.

"The challenge is on the same level, but there are twice as many as other locations, so if you want to juggle both, you will have to work harder. The middle-aged man smiled slightly: "The meaning of the Torch of Dawn is to explore, and the meaning of the Ring of Innocence is to preserve, these two expectations are originally contradictory, I hope you will not regret this choice." ”

"I rarely + passionately regret it," Townsend generously put the torch and ring into his right pocket: "What happens if the challenge fails?"

"If you fail, you won't be able to do anything other than defeat itself. ”

"If you succeed, you can light the Torch of Dawn and make the Ring of Innocence shine. The middle-aged man swiped his finger in front of him, and a huge glass hourglass appeared in the middle of the platform, at least twenty meters high.

"You have ten days to try, and if you don't succeed, you'll be sent back after ten days. ”

―――――― the following does not count as words:

In addition, I don't know what's going on with the disappearance of forum comment posts for each chapter...... I'll work it out as soon as I can.

Correction: The sub-moderator is not a meat genus xing, but a black iron mythril titanium metal xing

Everyone, the commuter pass is recommended

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