Hughes slid down from Alaxia's back lightly and reached out to pat the golden dragon's huge front paw. He called this a handshake.
"Hey, thank you, old friend." He said happily, "It's been a long time since we went for a ride together, and I really miss the old times. How about we find some time to do something interesting?"
"I only follow Bayard's instructions." Jin Long replied seriously, "If you can convince him, I will not object."
"Oh, don't mention that." Hughes covered his forehead, "Even I can't understand what Bayard is thinking. It's better to say that I have never understood him! Damn it, if she is still here——
"
His voice suddenly paused because Jin Long turned his head and looked at him with stern eyes.
"No, no, no, that's not what I meant... Okay, I mean, I'm sorry." The Yit shrugged, "Let's change the topic... Well, for example, do you think that guy Cullen is trustworthy?"
Alaxia stood up and looked at Hughes condescendingly.
"He is an ally recognized by Bayard, so I accept his ideas." The golden dragon slapped a paw on the side of Yitren, "From what I can see, you are no more trustworthy than him."
Hughes sighed greatly. "This is really sad. Well, go find your ice beauty! Oh, by the way, if there is any news about 'that person', remember to bring it here! I promise Bea
Virtue will be very happy."
Alaxia flapped her wings, blowing the Yit people around. "You should know that if 'he' doesn't want to be found, no one can find him." He slowly rose into the air, and the huge sound of wind covered Hughes.
cried, "Not even Bayard."
The golden dragon flew away.
"In the end, he still didn't say anything." Hughes spread his hands, "But it doesn't matter. The Yit people have more than one source of information!"
He quickly climbed down the steep rock slope, lifted up a camouflaged 'rock wall', and got into the cave behind. This 'reef' with an area of only a few hundred square meters is located in the deep sea in the south of the continent.
It is rugged and rocky, with almost no grass growing. Because it is not near any major shipping route, it is impossible for those unlucky ones who were shipwrecked to drift to this 'isolated island'.
By the way, they could have arrived here five days ago - if Hughes hadn't forced Alaxia to capsize several pirate ships and loot a lot of treasures in the name of 'eliminating violence and bringing peace to society'.
At this time, the tide had just receded, and Cave 1 was filled with scattered puddles. Hughes jumped over the puddles in small steps and walked towards the end of the cave. A huge rock humanoid stood there, slowly lifting up.
It has arms as long as two Hughes's.
"We meet again, old man." The Yit man waved to the stone statue, a metal badge shining brightly in his hand, "Speaking of which, what is the password?" He rolled, avoiding the human figure and approaching
He waved his giant arms, "I remembered! 'Jill is a big idiot!'"
The right arm of the stone statue buzzed, and a dazzling bolt of lightning shot from the top of its arm and fell on the ground where Hughes was originally. The explosion was deafening and gravel flew everywhere.
"Ah, you idiot! You will tear this place apart!" Hughes appeared behind the rock colossus. The attack just now did not make him embarrassed at all. He stepped on the back of the colossus and climbed up in twos and twos.
He put his head on its shoulders, put his head close to the giant statue's ear, and spoke in a voice that only he could hear.
"'Hughes is a big fool.'"
The movement of the colossus stopped. A silver-white disk that was three Hughes high slowly emerged in the center of the cave in an upright posture. Viewed from the front, the inside of the disk seemed to be a mixture of clouds and stars, rotating clockwise.
, exuding a soft and mysterious light. Viewed from the side, it looks like an extremely thin layer of paper, with almost no thickness. Hughes jumped to the ground and stepped into the disc.
The original scene disappeared, and the endless wasteland unfolded before Hughes' eyes. There was no sun in the sky, and neither 'Tess' nor the stars could be seen - the earth, emitting a faint blue light, was the only light source here. A
A pitch-black tower stands in the distance. The tower is in the shape of a hexagonal prism, and its walls are as smooth as a mirror. There are no decorations, windows or doors visible. It is cut off by a black crack in the middle, with purple-black lightning dancing faintly in the crack.
, and there is nothing above.
It was not like this originally. Hughes remembered clearly that when 'Elpare' was still on the mainland, its walls were made of clear crystal, which looked like a rainbow penetrating the sky in the sunlight. Of course, at that time, it
It is also complete, unlike now, where the entire upper half has disappeared.
After the 'accident' twenty years ago, Bayard moved the entire tower here - a demiplane created by him, a space that exists between the main material plane and the outer plane.
The area is limited, and can only be entered or left through a few fixed anchor points. There are four anchor points leading here on the El Continent. Similar to the island he just visited, they are all set up in hidden places and protected by powerful guards.
protected.
——Those are just covers, the real protective measures are yet to come.
Hughes stepped forward and walked forward. There seemed to be nothing between the entrance to the demiplane and the tower, but there were invisible traps everywhere. If he took a wrong step, he would be cut into pieces by the cracks in the space, or be killed.
Thrown into a void space that cannot be escaped, until he dies miserably.
I'm not afraid of this, Hughes thought happily. Traveling through this 'maze' is one of the rare pleasures he currently has. Even among the Yit people, Hughes's boldness and pursuit of exciting things are quite rare. He
He moved around on the flat wasteland, skillfully and dexterously avoiding every possible dangerous position. Half an hour later, he successfully stood under the tower, with a look of full satisfaction on his face.
"Open the door, Alpari." He put his hand on the smooth wall and said loudly.
The dark wall rippled like a lake, and then parted to both sides, forming a door just big enough for him to pass through upright. Hughes passed through the door, and his eyes turned into a familiar corridor. The ground was paved with dark marble, embedded in the
The crystal on the ceiling cast a dim fluorescent light. There were footsteps and the rustling of robes from the other end of the corridor. He looked over there and saw a man in black robe walking towards him.
The smile on Hughes' face disappeared.
"Cullen, you coward." He faced the man in black robe and whispered in a low voice. "I made a bet with Jill that you can last one minute under the little witch!"
The man in black robe stood still in front of him, his hood covering most of his face, but Hughes could feel his gaze.
"How much did she bet?" Cullen asked.
"Thirty seconds." Hughes replied gloomily, "But who would have thought you would run away without a fight!"
"I have achieved the purpose of this trip." Cullen said softly, "I don't like meaningless fighting, it can't bring happiness to anyone."
Hughes sneered. "So, if you kill Archbishop Martin, is it 'something'? I've never heard of him doing anything worthy of being killed!"
"The battle of faith may not be worth mentioning from the outside." Cullen shook his head, "But only one of him and me will survive."
"Faith...is such a strange thing." Hughes muttered, "You said you achieved your goal, but whose goal did you achieve?"
"Bayard's, yours, and mine." The man in black robe put his right hand on his chest, "Now we just need to wait with peace of mind until she truly matures."
"Then what are you going to do now?" Hughes asked.
"To complete my mission." Cullen replied sincerely, "to bring hope to this continent for my Lord."
Hughes turned his head and stopped talking to Cullen. He had long ago disliked talking to such chatty creatures - the little witch was an exception. She was not a believer at all most of the time, but she had a close relationship with Leonos.
The relationship is surprisingly good.
Okay, for now Cullen can still be regarded as an 'ally', but if he discovers any problems, he will not care about the friendship of an ally. Betting a hundred imperial gold coins, this person is not worthy of trust, he said to himself.
He walked to the end of the corridor and climbed up the spiral staircase. The closer he got to the upper part of the tower, the dimmer the light around him, and the dark space cracks opened and closed around him from time to time, as if they would swallow him whole next time.
.But the Iter moved forward without hesitation until the crack that cut off the entire tower was within reach above his head.
Hughes raised his head and wanted to touch the crack, but Bayard's serious face seemed to flash before his eyes. He sighed and withdrew his hand.
"Bayard, are you awake?" He focused his energy on the crack and asked in his mind.
No one answered.
"Don't sleep, you big slut!" Hughes stared at his head and rubbed his hands anxiously, "I know you can hear me!"
Electric lights flashed before his eyes, and Hughes felt they were laughing at him.
"If you keep ignoring me, I'm going to come in!" he shouted.
"That's enough!" A stern voice sounded in Hughes' head, making him tremble.
"I know what you want to ask." The voice continued, "Do your job well and don't meddle in unnecessary things." The voice slowed down and became more gloomy, "Everything is within my plan."
Hughes sighed heavily. "Bayard, you were not like this before."
"No one can stay the same forever, not even me." The voice responded coldly.
"Okay, I understand." Hughes sighed again, "I understand that I can't convince you, just like I can't convince the little witch." He patted his cheek hard to drive away the sudden sadness, "
That girl named Yuffie... do you still want to bring her here?"
"No need." The voice was cold and calm, "I don't need her for the time being, and neither does Cullen."
"Oh, you are finally willing to answer my question directly." Hughes stretched, which almost made his fingertips touch the crack. "Thanks, Bayard." He turned his back and said softly,
"Good night."
The voice in his head disappeared. Hughes walked slowly down the stairs.
Thinking on the bright side, Hughes thought, he has another excuse to meet the little witch. Of course, he must avoid Feist, he can't stand that person's terrible sense of responsibility. Staying with him is like committing a crime.
What a big mistake.
"One day I'll be proven right," Hughes muttered.
"At that time, I have to make him stand on his head in front of everyone in "Brigade" and apologize properly."