Chapter 123: Chapter 115: The Tedious Reincarnation (2/4)
"Yes."
With Heavy Sword Without Edge in hand, Hiliard sighed and said, "Indeed, do you all crave that thing?"
He shook his head somewhat wearily and asked, "If I tell you that the thing is not some treasure, and moreover, itâs no longer in my possession, what would you do?"
"Whether you have it or not, the outcome will be the same."
Weyges slowly replied, "If the legacy is with me, Iâll leave The Empire immediately and live incognito."
"If you donât have it, at the very least, your head, mentor, will be a great achievement, enabling me to continue moving forward."
"Thatâs also true."
The old knight did not grow angry at Weygesâs frank ambition, "I didnât imagine that after so many years, those people still canât sleep peacefully; do they really need me dead?"
He even smiled faintly, casually swinging the longsword in his hand, and asked with some curiosity, "Weyges, it is good to have desires... so, if you obtained that treasure, what would you want to do with it?"
"Of course, to become stronger, until no one can control my life, to know all the truths, and then to overthrow this empire, and let every conspiracy and deceit rot in the gutter."
"After that, whether establishing a new kingdom or continuing to cultivate until I reach my limit, those are matters for the future."
Origin Quality was flowing quietly, and Weygesâs brows were tightly furrowed at this moment.
He noticed that although Hiliard was old, his skills remained unbelievably exquisite.
Just now, when he competed with Hiliard for the dominion over the surrounding land, he wanted to establish an advantage by relying on his physical quality and the benefit of youth. Yet, he did not expect that Hiliard could achieve the same with less than a tenth of his power.
And that was without the other party using his true abilities, only the baseline power of Second Energy Level exerted casually.
If it were the time before the plague in his prime, Hiliard would likely be able to make a Solid City rise from the ground with just a thought, shaping into a formidable fortress.
Noâif it were two years ago, someone like himself would probably have been killed by the mentor with a single sword slash.
But now, he could try, at the very least he could fight with all his might.
In his dark green eyes, shimmering with faint white fluorescence, Weyges was employing all his power at this moment, listening to every sound around him, even Hiliardâs heartbeat.
Though he could only hear a silent void and faint heartbeats, not being able to hear was also a response in itself.
âThis time, if he could not succeed, he might as well die.
After all, he had had enough of these days where he could neither advance nor retreat, without a future or expectations!
And just as Weyges was gathering his strength, preparing to launch an attack fiercely.
He heard clapping.
Clap, clap, clap.
Sheathing his sword, Hiliard clapped genuinely from the heart.
"Overthrowing The Empire, establishing a new dynastyâthis is already a grand dream; many people, even if they really think this way, wouldnât dare say it out loud."
The old knight sighed meaningfully, "Weyges, just like in the past, you have great courage and are very persistent and resolute."
"In those days, seeing such a look in your eyes was the reason why I decided to terminate Zhenzhi Academyâs Spirit Energy User research projectâbecause people with dreams should not be toyed with like pigs and dogs."
"So, I ask you one last question."
Saying so, Hiliard inquired indifferently, "If I were to give you that so-called âtreasureâ."
"Will you pretend you never saw me and leave quietly?"
Weygesâs breathing became suddenly rapid, and then he hastily calmed it down.
After a long silence, the knight slowly nodded and said, "I would..."
"No."
Hiliard shook his head, interrupting him, "You wouldnâtâyou would kill me, and even kill Ian, Elan, and everyone related to me around here."
"Weyges, when you lie, it is really easy for others to see through... I donât need Spirit Energy to read your heart."
He sighed and said, "So, do you merely hate me?"
The ground was shaking, a sign that battle was about to unfold. Hiliard watched his former apprentice with a complex gaze.
The young manâs expression was obscured behind his pure white enamel armor, but his aura fluctuated violently.
In that moment, Hiliard couldnât help but recall how Weyges, still just a child, numbly sat in the blank laboratory, researched by Lingzhi Academy.
In a bout of anger, he had taken him and many other students of his age to train in his own Knight Order.
But later, because these children displayed no special talent on the Sublimatorâs Path, he hadnât paid them much mind, only occasionally offering guidance and teaching, then entrusting them wholly to a subordinate at the time.
It was precisely because he had never truly taught them in a strict sense, and was not their real teacher, that Weyges survived the chaos of Dark Moon.
But it was also because of this.
That the child found it hard to contain this rage and hatred.
"Youâre right. You, the Emperor, The Empire, along with the hidden black hand behind it all, I despise them, intent on their destruction."
Though his thoughts were seen through, there was not a hint of regret or hesitation.
The towering figure clad in enamel armament raised his greatsword, tearing apart all pretenses: "Mentor, Iâm sorry, itâs only because I lack the power..."
Boom! Before his words fell, he swung his sword.
Instantly, a massive storm rose in response, and arcs of white light shredded the earth, trees, and soggy lakeland soil, slashing towards Hiliard.
His voice followed soon after.
"Itâs just that among all my enemies..."
"You are the weakest."
But as the white sword light swept across the lakeland, Hiliardâs figure remained immovably in place.
The old knight swung his sword, and with a clang, the Blunt Greatsword crossed with the massive bone sword, stirring up gusts of frenzied wind.
On one side stood the massive enamel giant; on the other, an ordinary-looking old man, yet the force transmitted from the swords alone revealed that the old manâs blows were far weightier.
With a slight movement of Hiliardâs wrist, the black Blunt Greatsword deflected the already fractured, notched bone sword.
But in the next instant, the shattered bone sword reformed completely, followed by an even heavier force slicing in an arc.
Yet Hiliard parried with another sword strike, blocking it once more.
For a time, the clanging of their weapons was unceasing in oneâs ears; with every strike of Hiliardâs sword, he completely blocked Weygesâs slashes, even mounting fierce counterattacks, forcing the other to continuously retract and defend.
But Weyges was not at all frightened; he skillfully responded to each of Hiliardâs ripostes as if he had long studied and specifically targeted the old knightâs combat style.
"Youâre not capable."
The sounds of their sword blocking and clashing echoed like a relentless peal of bells, or more like the sharp, piercing boom of thunder, with explosive striking noises blending together.
At that moment, the clouds above churned endlessly, completely obscuring the sun, and a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky.
Real thunder and heavy rain descended in a torrent.
And within the rain, Hiliardâs voice, calm to the point of seeming merciless, coldly stirred: "Weyges, itâs not that you canât kill me. What Iâm saying is that your dream is flawed."
"Hmph."
With a cold snort, Weyges fell silent, only the bone and rock greatsword in his hand moving faster and with greater force, as if to pour his profound bewilderment, loss, and hatred into the blade.
The ground and rocks, the trees and lakes were all split and shattered by his frenzied assault, like the most advantageous sting of a scorpion.
In just a few seconds, the ground was riddled with huge trenches and covered with a dusting of grey-white bone powder.
"Iâve seen such dreams like yours once, twice, countless times..."
Yet even against such fierce attacks, Hiliardâs despairing sigh still carried amidst the crossing sword winds: "Weyges, donât you understand? Your dream is nothing but the most tedious form of reincarnation in this world."
"And such a dream..."
"Cannot change the world!"