Everyone has an innate friend who will give you sweetness when you need happiness, she will give you courage when you need pride, she does not always smile at you but is always there, and she has a beautiful name called "memory".

In the quiet study, the half-elf stood in front of the window, casting his gaze far away, hidden in the place where the undulating roof met the pale blue sky. His brows are sometimes furrowed and sometimes released, as if telling different stories, sometimes with a faint murderous aura, like the rolling wind and thunder in a rainstorm, and sometimes with a touch of tenderness, like fallen leaves floating in a stream...... Finally, the half-elf's eyes slowly closed, as if the "memory" had stopped whispering, and disappeared into the wrinkles that carved into the corners of the eyes.

Lying on the desk, Zal just watched quietly, not wanting to speak, let alone disturb Cadius's thoughts. Everyone who comes here has their own past, but these past events are not used to satisfy the curiosity of others, but to keep for themselves, slowly remember, or remember.

After a long time, the half-elf let out a long sigh, and when he opened his eyes again, he had returned to his original form. "I'm sorry, but you need to understand that an old guy likes to reminisce about the past. He laughed dryly and continued, "Where did we just go?" he patted his forehead, "Well, a very strong opponent. I guess it's an elf, right?"

"Yes, that's right. Zal then changed the subject.

"And then, what are you going to do?" the half-elf said, "Kill him, right?" he chuckled.

Zar nodded naturally, his tone unusually firm. "That's right, kill him. ”

"Hah, in the name of Gorintia, I'm not surprised!" said the half-elf, looking at Zal's right hand, "something has changed in your body, and your left hand is very badly injured. If it's not muscle fatigue, it's due to trauma. "I'm leaning towards the former." ”

Zal wasn't about to deny it. "Yes, I swore I wouldn't be able to divulge the details. But it's a completely new combat technique. He pondered and explained, "It's called 'Death's Wish', and the effect is to increase the explosiveness and reaction speed of the muscles, which is somewhat similar to the 'Storm Vine Solution'......"

The half-elf's eyes lit up, and he looked at Zal as if he were staring at a brand new toy. "There's such a trick as this, boy. Did you get it during the mission? If so, it's a better deal than a silver table or a point!" he said, "The most important thing you lack now is the time to further strengthen your body, especially against stronger opponents, physical strength is very important, and this is a problem that cannot be avoided." ”

"However, it will take at least years or even longer to achieve this through the regular route, whether you want to kill that guy or the 'Blood Arena' that is about to begin. We're running out of time. Cadius said and asked, "Say, the problem you need to solve now is ?......"

"The burden of activating the Iron Heart and the Death Wish at the same time is too great and too short-lived. Zar looked at the half-elf earnestly, "I hope you understand what I mean." ”

Cadius's furrowed brow suddenly let go, and of course he understood Zal's hint. Although it is impossible to know the details of the "Death Wish", as the mentor of Zhar, the half-elf knows very well where the key point of the "Iron Heart" is, and it is not difficult to guess what the two skills have in common with a little association.

"Mental intensity, is it? if that's what you need. Then I think I should be able to recreate a more targeted training regimen. The half-elf nodded and said, "Give me some time, let me think about it." ”

"No problem. Zar winked in understanding, "That's right." What about Mr. Ulez's body, which wasn't taken away by the Blackblade guards?"

"Is that the old moon demon?" the half-elf saw that Zal nodded, and continued: "No, it is parked in the basement for the time being, I will deal with it a little, and there will be no problems in the short term." He said, glancing at the wall behind him, and Zar understood what Cadius meant. He did this because he wanted to wait for Gavira to wake up and she would bury his father herself.

The half-elf paused, then said. "I suppose you're going to ask about another corpse?" he frowned, "according to the message you brought, I also left that guy's body, a human, judging by the wounds, you took his hands and feet, and the elf with the scimitar took his life." ”

"That's right, it's him. "And a knight of order." ”

Cadius chuckled, a little disdainful. "And then, for Gorintia's sake, please don't tell me this old fellow, this human has something to do with the elf with the scimitar. "That's not good news." ”

Zar was stunned, as if he didn't understand what the half-elf meant. "I'm afraid, it does matter...... They were like buddies or something, but it was the elves who killed him with a single sword. "The elf told me when he left that this corpse would give me some clues if I wanted revenge. ”

"Ha, well, this is the second time I've said it today, and in the name of Gorinthia, I'm not surprised!" the half-elf said with a teasing smile, "but that would explain why your opponent has such strength......"

Cadius's words made Zal more and more confused. "I don't understand ......"

"Boy, you're in trouble, big trouble!" said the half-elf, "but the scimitar guy is not wrong, this clue is so easy to find that you can't even ignore it on purpose." ”

"You mean 'Brotherhood of Ironstone?'" Zal asked.

The half-elf made an exaggerated expression. "I hope so, but I'm sorry, but compared to your troubles, this damn brotherhood is as small as an ant under a tree. He turned and walked towards the wooden door of the study, "Wait for me, I'll go get something, well, that's what you call a 'clue'." ”

Before Zar could ask, the half-elf had already closed the door casually, leaving Zal lying on the desk with a frowning brow, a look of hesitation written on his face. What was the clue that Blazej had left behind that would make the half-elf sigh like this?What was the big trouble he was in, or what was the trouble that the old moon demon was in trouble with?Zar kept asking himself, but couldn't find the slightest answer.

It didn't take long. When the half-elf returned to the study, Zhal's gaze jumped visibly. To be precise, it was what Cadius was holding in his hand—a palm in his fist. "You, why did you get his hand? Right hand?" Zar asked strangely, "You cut off his right hand too?!"

The half-elf naturally admitted. "Of course, do you want me to bring the whole body here, unless I'm crazy!" he shrugged, "cut off the clue wherever it is, and if it's on the head, I don't mind carrying his head back at all." He walked up to Zal. He flipped his fist twice and finally handed the position of the back of his hand to Zhal. "Do you know this emblem?" he said, pointing to the "Lightning Peak" on his fist armor.

"Of course, the emblem of the 'Brotherhood of Ironstone'. Zar glanced at it, and redirected his gaze to the half-elf's face, something he had known for a long time, and it wasn't much of a clue.

"Yes, but what about this?" said Kadius, pulling the rider's palm out of his fist armor and placing the back of his hand in front of Zal again. This. Zal's gaze froze, for he saw an equilateral black cross carved into his pale skin, adorned with intricate patterns. The whole totem is as if carved directly into the skin, pitch black and hideous.

"That's the clue that the other party left for you. The half-elf frowned, looked at the scar and said, "It's also a sign, do you know what it means?"

Zal shook his head stunned as his eyes were still on the scars. Soon, Cadius told him the answer. "The 'Hand of Judgment' under the command of the Archon of the 'Conviction Yuntai'!"

Zal's eyes widened suddenly. Turning his head to look at the half-elf. "You mean ?......"

"That's right, the organization that stands behind the 'Brotherhood of Stone' is the 'Hand of Judgment,'" he said with a slight sarcasm, "or rather." The actual controller of the Brotherhood is our archon, Lord Barberto Frien. As he spoke, he threw his fist and palm into the trash can at the small table in disgust. "Only he can find a group of masters to play for him at the same time. ”

He said as he looked at Zal with a hint of banter on his face. "But there's good news, all you have to do is participate in the 'Blood Arena'. And if you succeed in defeating all the contestants, there's a good chance you'll end up running into that scimitar guy again!" he laughed, "That way, you don't even have to be distracted by two things, do you?"

Zal didn't seem to hear Cadius' words, just stared at the trash can and shook his head. "Strange ......," he whispered to himself.

"Strange, strange what? It is impossible for the 'Ruling Hand' to bypass the Archons and develop their own power on their own, which is not only unnecessary, but also very dangerous, and they themselves are the privileged class of the Yuntai. "As for the 'Brotherhood of Ironstone', such a small gang that used to operate only in Greystone Point, if it weren't for the big people standing behind them, they wouldn't have been able to grow to the size they are today, and even monopolize the 'sweet wax' trade......?"

The half-elf's tone was a little playful. "It's just that no one knows who is standing behind them, but I'm afraid no one would have thought that the archon's claws actually reached here. He paused and continued, "It's his identity, it's not something to do......

As soon as the half-elf finished speaking, he found that Zal was still a little stunned and shook his head. "What's wrong? What do you think, boy?"

"I don't doubt that the Archon is the boss behind the Brotherhood......" he said, frowning, "I wonder if I've seen this black insignia somewhere......"

"Seen?" the half-elf's voice was a little surprised, "This 'Sanction Cross' is not common, are you sure you read it right?"

"No, no, no...... I must have seen it, because it's so special......" Zal shook his head affirmatively, he was very sure that he must have seen the cross, the problem was, no matter how he recalled, the vague impression seemed to float around the edge of his mind, as if he was impressed, but he couldn't remember anything.

Zar lay on the desk and kept searching in his mind, and gradually, he felt his head hurt more and more, and the corners of his forehead gradually covered with a thin layer of sweat. "Damn, I just can't remember where I've seen it!" he cursed in frustration as his bandaged right hand slammed down on the table.

With a thud, the sharp pain in his hand made his face twitch twice unnaturally. Just as the half-elf tried to persuade Zal to give up and continue to think and wait until he was ready, Zal's eyes suddenly widened, and he struggled to look at his right hand.

"Here, this is it!" he shouted to Cadius, "I was recuperating in this study the last time I was injured!" I had stumbled upon this emblem in a large book that Ulez had placed on the table in those days!" he slapped his desk vigorously, "It's on it!

The half-elf was also stunned. "Have you seen it here?!" he said, glancing around the messy study, "Are you saying there should be a big book in this study with the 'Sanction Cross' painted on it?" he whispered, "This is a little unusual......

"Yes, I've seen the book, it's thick, it's full of words and illustrations," Zar said, turning his head around, "but I'm not sure if it's in the study." ”

"No, if it's a prayer scroll to be recited, it's probably in the bedroom or some......where," Cadius had already looked down and rummaged through the books scattered on the floor. But if it was the old doctor's surgical notes, or other reference books that he needed to use frequently, he would not be able to take them out of the study, because that would be a great inconvenience to the writing of the records. ”

Gradually, the half-elf slowly expanded the search from the books scattered on the ground to every corner of the study, and he did not let go of any possible place to hide. Whether there is a mezzanine in the drawer of the desk, whether there is a hidden grid behind the hanging pictures on the wall, and even whether the wooden edging of the window sill is equipped with a mechanism, etc......

In addition to lifting Zal to the ground, he almost turned the entire study upside down. Frustratingly, though, when the half-elf pounded his waist and stood up in front of Zar again, he didn't get anything but sweating profusely and being covered in dust.

"Perhaps, really not in the study. Zal looked at the half-elf and said apologetically, and all the while, he couldn't do anything, so he could only lie on the table and watch anxiously.

The half-elf grinned, slamming his shoulder again and again. "No, it must be here, it's just that we didn't find it......" he said softly, frowning, "The Moon Demon Clan attaches great importance to logic and organization, and it is impossible for them to take books that belong to the scope of work out of the study, which is their advantage and annoying disadvantage......"

"And we, Mr. Ulez, am afraid to be even more stubborn...... The most typical Moon Demon Clan...... "The half-elf looked at the books on the ground, "astrology, anatomy, alchemy, medicine, geography, classical continental history, this stubborn old Moon Demon is still a scholar, En...... Scholar ......"

Cadius seemed to think of something, and suddenly froze. "Wait, he's a scholar, right? Do you know where he learned this?" he asked, turning his back to Zal, without looking back, "I mean, such an erudite old scholar can't be entirely self-taught!"

"He had studied at St. Slan's for a long time. Zal immediately replied that it was not something to hide.

"Hah!Saint-Slan!Elemental City!I should have thought of that!" The half-elf laughed, looking up at a corner of the study. "Hidden in the sacred, not blasphemed, not weary...... To the old moon demon, his work is like his faith......" Cadius said, raising his foot and walking in the direction he was staring. "I should have thought of it, I should have ...... it"

At the same time, Zar twisted his head vigorously and followed the half-elf's gaze. In the corner near the window, where the orange sun shone down, stood a sympathetic and infinitely majestic statue of the goddess of wisdom! )

PS: Thank you Uchiha Yan for the monthly pass, thank you, compass thank you