Lerella's guess was not wrong, Jiang Zhe did like to be with Dia compared to the strict and arrogant Lavia, and he felt very relaxed when he was with this gentle girl from the south.

This kind of relaxation cannot be expressed in words, it can be the relaxation of body and mind, or it can be the warmth of endless aftertaste...... Yes, it's warmth, Jiang Zhe always feels that he can feel a very familiar warmth next to Dia, as if it is the feeling of being cared for, which is a little funny, but this is the case.

Looking back now, when he first met Dia, Jiang Zhe could feel that familiar tenderness...... It was as if he had experienced this feeling somewhere...... And there was no such feeling at all around Lavia, and the northern girl spurred and supervised, which made Jiang Zhe physically and mentally exhausted from time to time.

Yes, even if you pursue powerful magic, you have to have a rest period, who can hold a boring magic book 24 hours a day?

"Soth, look at this, it's so interesting......"

Looking at the smile on the face of the girl beside him, Jiang Zhe couldn't help but smile slightly.

Yes, it feels good...... Very good!

Unconsciously, Jiang Zhe stretched out his hand and wiped the fine sweat on Dia's forehead with his cuffs, this kind of intimate action couldn't help but make Dia's cheeks crimson with shame.

It is said that after that dance, although the two did not clarify their relationship, they were obviously a lot closer in the eyes of others.

Biting her lip and glancing at Jiang Zhe secretly, Dia whispered, "Soth-there are so many people here!"

"Yes Yes ......"

The two glanced at each other and smiled in unison.

And unfortunately, this warmth was broken in the next second, from a chuckle behind him.

"Hey, little ghost!"

Jiang Zhe turned his head inexplicably, glanced at the man wearing a long black coat behind him, and after being a little confused, his eyes suddenly revealed a strong vigilance, and subconsciously protected Dia behind him, staring at the man in front of him and frowning and said, "Argus?!"

"Yo yo," Argus laughed, shrugged his shoulders and said with a look of disappointment, "I thought we were on good terms, tsk, I was so disappointed, little ghost!"

"......" frowned and looked at Argus, Jiang Zhe's nerves were a little tense, he never dreamed that he would meet this man here, who was identified as the most dangerous man by Professor Hodd and Father Andrew and others!

"Yo, what are you?" Argus said with a chuckle, then glanced at Dia behind Jiang Zhe, bent slightly without losing manners, and said teasingly, "Ahhhh

Hearing that tryst, Dia's face couldn't help but flush a little, and she bowed her head shyly, and said politely, "This gentleman, I seem to have seen you somewhere—are you a friend of South?"

"I admire your memory," Argus said with a smile, "Argus Bart Cranfield, it's an honour to see you again!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's Mr. Cranfield," and with an apology, Dia whispered, "I didn't expect you to be here, I remember you said that you were ...... by some people" She hesitated a little whether to say those two words.

"Hunt down!" Argus added to Dia's words without healing, then shrugged his shoulders and said lightly, "I think I'm very lucky - maybe the ones who chased me have given up!"

"That's great," Dia said with a chuckle, then glancing at the boy in front of her, a look of surprise and confusion on her face.

Frowning at the man in front of him, Jiang Zhe whispered, "Argus, what do you want to do?"

"Soth?"

Glancing at the surprise in Dia's eyes, Argus waved his hand absently, and said with a smile, "Hey, I'm kind enough to come and say hello to you - we're friends anyway?

After taking a deep look at Argus, Jiang Zhe turned to Dia and said, "Dia, I'm sorry, I can't be with you anymore - can you go back to the hotel first?" I want to talk to him for a while......

Glancing at Argus, and then at Jiang Zhe, Dia seemed to sense something, nodded quietly, and said, "Okay, I'll go back to the inn first, I think Alan and they should also come back......" As she spoke, she turned around and walked in the direction of the inn, and it could be seen that her steps were a little hurried.

"Ah......h

Subconsciously blocking Argus's gaze at Dia's back, Jiang Zhe said in a deep voice, "I don't remember any conflicts we had before!"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt her," Argus laughed, lowering his head and whispering a joke, "but to my surprise, I thought it was another girl with you, well, the girl with her bright fiery red hair, huh?" he said, blinking.

Seeing that the other party seemed to have no malicious intent, Jiang Zhe's tense nerves gradually relaxed, and he turned his head to see Dia disappear into the crowd in the distance, and then said to Argus, "I don't know, what is your purpose!"

"No, I didn't!" said Argus, gesturing to the alley beside the street, pouting his head and saying, "Let's go!"

After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Zhe followed Argus to the alley, and there was no one in the alley.

Looking at Argus who was walking in front, Jiang Zhe swallowed his saliva, carefully condensing the fire element, after all, the uninhabited alley would remind him of many unpleasant things.

Without understanding the other party's true strength, Jiang Zhe tried his best to be cautious: once the other party showed any malicious intent, he immediately counterattacked with a flame flash.

Suddenly, Argus, who was walking in front, stopped, turned his head to look at Jiang Zhe, and said jokingly, "Wow, are you going to come behind your old friend's back?"

Seeing through being seen through by the other party, Jiang Zhe's expression changed slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Old friend, we have only met once, and we ...... Do you have the word 'little ghost' to call an old friend?"

Jiang Zhe's retort couldn't help but make Argus stunned, only to see him laugh, spread his hands and said, "Okay, okay, Soth—that's always okay, right?"

Glancing deeply at the other party, Jiang Zhe licked his lips and whispered, "Argus, what do you want to do?"

Argus obviously heard Jiang Zhe's words and was wary, shook his head and said jokingly, "It seems that you have heard some negative news - is someone slandering me?

Ignoring the other party's jokes, Jiang Zhe looked straight at Argus and repeated, "What do you want to say to me? What do you want to do? If you can't answer my question, I don't think there's any need for me to stay here!"

"Ahh

"Some people say that you are a very dangerous guy, and you are planning something......"

"Which bastard is slandering me like that? hey...... And then what?"

Glancing deeply at Argus, Jiang Zhe subconsciously took two steps back, frowned, and said, "I'm leaving—I hope you won't stop you!"

"Wow," looking around Jiang Zhe's body, Argus said in surprise, "What an amazing fire element, you are more than twice as strong as a year ago, Soth, but ......" As he spoke, he paused, put on a playful expression, and said, "But you don't seem to know enough about me!" As soon as the words fell, I saw him raise his hand, and in an instant, all the fire elements condensed by Jiang Zhe were dispersed, and there was nothing left.

"You ......" Jiang Zhe was taken aback, he felt that the fire element that was so strong just now was now so dispersed that he couldn't even use a fire bomb, and what made him care more was the powerful oppressive force from Argus, he suddenly had an illusion: in front of the other party, he didn't have any power to resist.

What a powerful oppressive force this is! Jiang Zhe couldn't help but feel that his breathing was a little short, and beads of sweat gradually oozed from his forehead, but even so, he was still standing!

"What is this?"

"Domain!" Looking at Jiang Zhe's shocked eyes, Argus smiled and said, "Do you need to be so surprised?"

"Domain?"

"Hmm, don't you know?" Argus explained with a smile as if he were the best professor, "You should know that magicians use magic to perform magic, and when the magic power in the body accumulates to a certain stage, there will be [magic power fluctuations]! For magicians, the strength of magic fluctuations is a portrayal of their own strength. And when the mana in the body accumulates in the next stage, it will form an [aura], even if the magician does not deliberately condense the elements, because of the affinity, the elements in the atmosphere will instinctively attach to the magician's body, thus reducing the time for the magician to condense the elements, just like you now. And the [aura] is the prototype of the [domain], powerful magicians have their own [domain], as long as he is willing, no matter when and where, he can exclude other irrelevant elements, leaving only the power he needs......" As he spoke, he raised his hand slightly, Jiang Zhe suddenly felt that the light around him became much darker when it was good, and when he looked closely, he found that a large amount of dark power had gathered around Argus's body, especially behind him, where could he still see the alley, only endless and deep darkness!

"Huh!" The endless darkness faded away in Argus's smile, and at the same time, Jiang Zhe felt that his spiritual power had once again established a spiritual connection with the nearby fire element, but he did not condense the fire element again, because he understood that this guy in front of him was too powerful, and no matter what he did, it would be in vain in front of him.

"Domain ......," muttered, Jiang Zhe raised his head and asked with some expectation, "When will you be able to master this technique?"

"It's very simple," Archers leaned against the wall of the alley, looked at Jiang Zhe and said jokingly, "As long as you can reach the level of a great magician, you can master this technique!"

"Great Magician?" Jiang Zhe was obviously taken aback, so to speak, the man in front of him turned out to be a great magician? Isn't that even more powerful than Professor Hodder? You must know that Professor Hod, who has made himself helpless, is only close to the Great Magician...... "Surprised?" Argus crossed his arms and said with a playful expression, "Do you think the Great Magician must be a guy who looks like an old man?" Hahaha! It's so interesting, South!" he said, waving his hand and saying lightly, " Okay, don't look at me like that, I didn't do anything, did I? I didn't hurt your beautiful girlfriend, I didn't hurt you, did I? On the contrary, I also told you some basic things about being a magician, and you should thank me - if I plan to do you badly, you don't have any chance - but I was a little surprised just now, the coercion attached to the realm didn't make you succumb to you who were far below me, tsk, how amazing! It seems that I am not mistaken, you are born to be a strong man! You have this potential!"

After adjusting his breathing, Jiang Zhe glanced deeply at Argus and said in a low voice, "A year ago, we met you near Asher Village, and you said that you were hunted down...... Hunted down by the Holy Inquisition of the Holy See, right?"

"There's an old guy named Andrew!" Argus said with a slight chuckle, "You know a lot...... Then you should know that a cardinal archbishop, plus six Holy Inquisitioners, can't stop me—come on, little ghost, I just want to talk to you!"

"Talk to me? Why?"

"Hmm......" Walking in front of Jiang Zhe, looking at the vigilance in the other party's eyes, Argus stretched out his hand, gently touched the boy's dark blonde hair, and said in a puzzled tone, "I also feel very strange about this, maybe it's more compatible with you, anyway, I don't have any intention of hurting you......"

"Well, I accept your explanation...... I believe you," Jiang Zhe glanced at Argus, licked his lips and asked hesitantly, "What do you want to do, Argus? Why did the Holy See send people to hunt you down? What is your purpose?"

"Hehe," Argus smiled slightly, looked at Jiang Zhe and said jokingly, "Do you think that if you ask like this, I will tell you?

Jiang Zhe was silent, and after a full minute, he raised his head and said in a deep voice, "You didn't hurt us - a year ago, you, with your great power, could have killed us and taken away our food, but you didn't, I think...... At least you're not a thug!"

"Hey!" Argus pouted and smiled, shook his head, the smile on his face gradually retracted, and said lightly in a cold and hateful tone, "I want to destroy this country!"

"Destroy the Empire?" Jiang Zhe was shocked, staring at Argus in disbelief with wide eyes, and then he slowly calmed down.

However, this obviously surprised Argus Games, and he looked at Jiang Zhe and said curiously, "Don't you feel angry? Why do I only see shock in your eyes? Hey, don't you want to say something? Angry? Accusation?"

"Angry, accusatory?" Jiang Zhe raised his head in confusion.

"Hey, I understand," looking at Jiang Zhe for a long time, Argus shook his head and said with a chuckle, "It seems that you don't have much affection for the empire either, I'm glad to know this, at least we won't be enemies in the future, hahaha!"

"Destroy the ...... of the Empire" Hearing this, Jiang Zhe couldn't help but think of those Thrand people.

Argus is right, he really has no feelings for the imperial Jiang Zhe, whether it is King Sassen or some imperial noble, what does this have to do with him?

He's just a civilian now, those who are too far away from him, all he cares about is Reox, just his friends.

"Why are you doing this, destroying the empire and hurting countless people at the same time......"

"Why?" Argus smiled faintly, then looked at Jiang Zhe and said jokingly, "Do you care about those who are 'about to be hurt by me'? Why can't I see any similar sympathy and pity in your eyes?"

Jiang Zhe's expression changed, and after being reminded by Argus, he suddenly realized how calm and unemotional he was when he said that sentence just now, as if he was narrating a very ordinary thing.

"I like your eyes very much, calm and full of indifference," looking at Jiang Zhe with a smile, Argus shook his head, and recounted with a bit of mockery and coldness, "This is a world where the weak eat the strong, and the strong don't need to care about the weak, the weak are at best just a stepping stone for the strong...... Do you need to care about those weak guys? The strong only need to climb up, climb to the highest point, climb to the top of this world, of course, when you reach the highest point, you can look down on the ants under your feet, you can sympathize with them, you can pity them, you can help them, just like the legendary gods......" As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Zhe and said jokingly, "Are you angry because of my words? But why didn't I see anger in my eyes? You agree with my words, right?"

"No!" Jiang Zhe shook his head and frowned, "Your opinion is wrong......

"Then why don't you say anything?"

"You're strong......"

"That's not a reason, you can get angry at best because of my words, but you don't ......"

"I just...... I'm just not familiar with them......"

"Yes, that's the point, you don't know the people who were sacrificed, it doesn't matter to you whether they are dead or alive...... Hehe, you're also a naturally indifferent guy, but we're a human ......"

"It's not!"

"Yo, are you angry?" said Argus with a smile as he looked at the anger in the boy's eyes, "So do you want to be a hero?

"I ...... Never wanted to be a hero!"

Glancing deeply at Jiang Zhe, Argus put away the smile on his face, sat on a wooden barrel, and said calmly, "I didn't think about it, heh, I mean when I was young...... I understand your thoughts, you can't just want to live this life in peace, without having to interact with too many people, and without having an endless supply of coins...... Find a quiet and remote country town, form a family with the woman you love, you can open a small shop, earn a few silver coins with passing mercenaries or travelers, and when your son grows up, arrange for him to be an apprentice in other shops in the town, and then let him take over his own family business, and then he will be old, and maybe there will be a grandson who can sit on the threshold with him in his arms and tell him the story of a long time ago, a warrior who slays dragons, or a powerful magician......"

Argus ......

"Whew," exhaled slightly, Argus turned his head to look at Jiang Zhe, and said in a low voice, "Some people naturally like to be heroes and like to be noticed, but some people like to be unknown, they don't want to be heroes, right?"

“......”

"Very good conversation, I will consider it one of my fond memories," said Argus, rising to his feet, and as he walked towards the alley, "forget all the things we just talked about, Soth, and even if you told others my purpose, it would not disrupt my plans, but on the contrary, it would destroy the friendship we had built between us—wouldn't you be more close to the people around you than in distant empires? like that beautiful and gentle girlfriend As a friend's advice, get out of here as soon as possible with the girl you like and go south!"

"Wait!" Jiang Zhe turned around and called out to Argus, looked at the other party's back, frowned, and said, "Why do you want to tell me this?"

"Tell? I didn't say anything -- do you know what I'm going to do? How to destroy this filthy, sinful, class-ridden country? No, you don't know anything!"

"But you told me anyway...... Aren't you afraid that I'll tell people to ruin your plans?"

"Sabotage my plan?" Argus laughed, turned his head to look at Jiang Zhe and shook his head and said, "Soth, it seems that you haven't learned about me yet, you can tell those people that I think those papal guys haven't given up looking for me, but I want you to think about it, is it worth it to destroy the friendship we just established for the sake of an empire that has nothing to do with you directly? Or is it worth it that you are studying magic to maintain world peace?"

"I only studied magic because I protected the people I cared about!"

"Yes, that's right!" Pointing at Jiang Zhe, Argus smiled and said, "So, you don't know anything, you will forget this conversation, right? Your power should protect the people you care about, such as your girlfriend, right?"

"How?"

"It's strange," Argus said in surprise as he looked at the confusion in Jiang Zhe's eyes, "I thought I had a crush on you just because of your surname, but this reason is too far-fetched," he said, holding out his finger on Jiang Zhe's forehead and closing his eyes to feel it.

After more than a dozen seconds of silence, Argus burst out laughing.

"I see, I said why I have a crush on you, it turns out ...... Soth, there is also a dark power in you, it is very pure darkness, but it is very faint, strange......" As he spoke, Argus looked at Jiang Zhe and wondered, "Have you mastered dark magic? Or is there a dark mage who once taught you magic?"

"No," shaking his head, Jiang Zhe said affirmatively, "I can only use fire magic!"

But after saying that, he suddenly froze, he remembered his dream, and some fragments of broken memories.

It was near Asher's village a year ago, and it seemed that something was not quite right with me, although Lavia denied it all the time, but ...... Argus obviously didn't notice Jiang Zhe's thoughts, because he was feeling the dark power in Jiang Zhe's body, "Hmm...... It's a very pure and faint dark aura, and if you don't pay attention to it, you probably won't notice it...... It looks like it's restricted, so you can't use this power......" As he spoke, Argus suddenly smiled and stretched out his hand to point at Jiang Zhe's forehead again.

Suddenly, Jiang Zhe only felt a tingling pain in his head, and at the same time, there was a sharp pain in the back of his left hand that was inserted in his pocket, as if it had been burned by fire.

"What do you want to do?"

"Whoa, whoa," Argus said with an innocent look of surrender as he took two steps back, smiling at the hands he raised in surrender, "Don't dance, I'm just kindly helping you activate this dark force......

"You ......" Looking at Argus in astonishment, Jiang Zhe frowned and said, "I said that I would only be able to use fire magic!

"Oh, that's a shame - be careful on the road!

"Tsk!" pursed his lips, Jiang Zhe left the alley.

"Hey, I've kindly stimulated that dark power, and you're going to get even more power because of it—don't you even say thank you?"

Suddenly, a purple pentagram magician appeared on the ground beside him, and immediately, the figure of the necromancer Poole gradually appeared from the ground, only to see him look at Argus angrily, and said speechlessly, "I thought you had something to do, it turned out to be a little ghost to talk to......"

"Much like ......," Argus chuckled at his companion, "don't you think that imp resembles me?"

"I didn't see it!"

"Hehe, of course I don't mean looks...... Not everyone likes to be a hero......"

"Hero?" Poole said amusedly, looking at Argus, "Do you want to be a hero?"

"No," said Argus, glancing at Poole, and said jokingly, "I'm already destined to be the opposite of the world, my dear companion!"

Glancing deeply at Argus, Poole retracted his smile and whispered, "Lelagin has arrived, what shall we do now? shall we go to the werewolf, or shall we start planning?"

"Give that werewolf a few more days to think about it - we don't have time to play hide games with him, and as long as he doesn't mess with him, we'll be there," Argus said, glancing up at the sky, wrapping himself in his long black coat, and muttering, "It's still a little bit close...... The game begins!"

(To be continued)