How can a retired savior be considered retired if his price drops to 40,000?

Chapter 117 Extra: Gift, or curse, the eternal road of thorns
Time in subspace does not pass in the "normal way" in human understanding. Even if time can be measured here, the data obtained will be meaningless due to regular changes.

So let's put it another way: that's 362 rounds since they started playing each other.

At the 362nd round, Akul Dona was severely knocked to the ground with a trained sword.Judging from the past, it is almost unimaginable that Akuldona, who is extremely skilled in swordsmanship, was defeated in swordsmanship. However, if we look at the entire process of these 360 ​​rounds, similar things have happened three times.

Facing the hand stretched out to him by his opponent, Akuldona just smiled heartily after a short silence: "I lost."

He didn't mind his failure, but seemed to enjoy it.The Legion Champion of the Emperor's Children smiled and took the hand of friendship extended by his opponent, and stood up from the ground with the help of his strength.

But his opponent now said: "No, I lost."

Akuldona's opponent seemed to have only a mortal physique, but he still easily pulled up an Astartes warrior from his fallen state, including his body and armor, and his actual weight exceeded [-] kilograms.What they just had was not the kind of "friendly sparring" that is popular in duel cages - except that the decomposition field on the sword was not turned on, the other parts were the same as what would happen on the real battlefield. .

"According to what we agreed in advance, you knocked me down three times first." Akuldona still smiled contentedly, "Then you win."

"However, as we agreed in advance, this is a competition only about swordsmanship." His opponent, Sigurd, pushed up the glasses on his nose uncomfortably, with a little distress in his voice. , "But at the last moment, I instinctively used Rune. Without this spell, I would have been the first to be knocked down three times."

"What if I meet an enemy like you on a real battlefield? By then, the enemy will not be thinking about 'just swordsmanship.'" Akuldona had another view on this, "If this If it is a real battlefield, then I am undoubtedly dead. The winner is you, there is nothing worth hesitating about."

"But I did violate the rules agreed in advance... How about we each take a step back and call it a draw?"

"A draw? That's fine. Since there's no winner, let's fight another day."

"Of course, if we still have time, please do it. In the final analysis, I am still a warrior, but my sword skills alone can push me to a desperate situation where I will lose without using runes. Looking at all my experiences before and after my life, you It’s the first one.”

"I just took it as a compliment."

"You deserve all the praise for your swordsmanship, my friend."

In terms of space, it spans two universes that should be incommunicable; in terms of time, it spans 3 years of human history.Two warriors among warriors and heroes among heroes who should have no chance of intersecting gather here to discuss swords and talk to each other happily. This is undoubtedly a miraculous and warm scene - unfortunately, this scene is not... It didn't last long.

Because the conversation inevitably takes a heavy turn.

"I understand what you are thinking, but things are not as easy as you think." Sigurd said, "While knowing about this 'spiritual base fusion' reinforcement plan, you should also know that this matter also includes There’s something almost ‘lucky’ in it.”

"But you also said that we should 'get along' with each other." Akuldona asked, "There shouldn't be any problems with the integration on the spiritual base."

Sigurd shook his head: "The integration on the spiritual base is only the first step, and there will be a series of adaptability problems later. The Cursed Legion is essentially the 'dead man' himself, and we 'heroic spirits' It's just a 'projection' generated from a certain historical legend in the past. After the two are superimposed, your 'meaning of existence' will become different from before. This can become very dangerous at times and must be treated with caution. "

"Um……"

Akuldona thought for a few seconds, but still seemed a little confused: "Does this mean that I will become less like myself because of the fusion of your spiritual base? If that's the case, you're afraid There is no need to worry. During the transformation process, Astartes will undergo a variety of mental hypnosis and training, our will and self-awareness..."

He was only halfway through his words and couldn't continue.

Akuldona died young.At that time, his legion was still the benchmark for all Astartes in the Empire, and his Primarch was still shining brightly, like a divine bird clothed in purple silk.Although he had heard about the gradual evolution of the atmosphere within the Legion after his death, the gradual deviation of the Primarch's path that led to his fall, all the subsequent betrayals, deceptions, and the rebellion that destroyed the easy victory of the Great Crusade - -But he still couldn't empathize with it after all.

The original body is not invulnerable, and the will and self-perception of the Astartes will be subtly distorted.As the Warmaster himself experienced, it seemed as if everything in the world could succumb to the influence of Chaos.

Rationally, he knew this, and he also knew what his brother had become under the influence of alien organs and chaos; but emotionally, whenever he recalled his legion, in his first reaction, he thought of The one who always stands out is the eagle emblem fluttering on the fluttering purple flag, and the Emperor's Son is waiting for inspection in high spirits, wearing armor as exquisite as a work of art.

He still maintained a sense of pride in the Legion itself.Not that others would deny the glory and achievements of the Emperor's Children, but the rightful pride Akul Dona had was incompatible with the shame and hatred of those brothers who had experienced everything that happened later.He would not complain because of this difference, but whenever he thought about his brothers who had been changed by tragedies he had not experienced and were almost like their former self, he would have doubts about his own arguments about will and self-knowledge. Suspect.Perhaps he was right, the will of the Astartes was indeed far beyond that of ordinary humans.But he was also wrong, because even the wills that are far beyond ordinary people have been proven by facts that they are by no means indestructible.

But Sigurd did not understand his slightly complicated mood at this moment in time: "Well, how to maintain self-awareness is indeed a problem for mentally weak people, but I believe it will not trouble you too much. In fact, the matter of 'spiritual base fusion' is completely different from the transformation surgery you have experienced. Whether it is positive effects or side effects, they will only be reflected in the physical body - the impact this matter will have on you, It’s more complicated than you think.”

"Much more complicated?"

"To sum it up simply and generally, you will inherit my destiny after merging with my spirit base." Sigurd paused here and took a few seconds to think about the words, "Like my master. Regardless of being a 'fateful person' like that, if your 'destiny power' is not strong enough, the life you were supposed to have will be distorted by my existence."

This should have been a serious topic, but Akuldona laughed instead: "I thought what would happen - don't forget, I am also dead?"

"But your destiny obviously has not stopped because of this - aren't you living your 'second life' now? In a form unique to your world."

Sigurd replied.Then, he stretched out his hand and attracted the surrounding spiritual energy, causing them to converge into the form of the magic sword Grammo under his will:
"Sometimes, a stronger power does not represent a gift, but may also be a curse." He said, and then asked, "How do you recognize this sword?"

Akuldona did not pause at all when answering this question: "For me, it is a powerful psychic field sword. Not only can it be used as an ordinary long sword, the move that decomposes into a small sword will It catches all those who are accustomed to the corresponding battle rhythm off guard, and is very capable of winning by surprise."

"But it didn't have such a function from the beginning." Sigurd explained, "The magic sword Grammer, the Dawn of Destruction. It was originally my father's sword-my ancestor, the great god Odin, inserted it into it. In the tree, my father Siegmund was recognized by the sword and became the only man among the crowd present to successfully pull it out. He gained a moment of glory, but it also led to disaster and destruction. In the end , the sword itself was shattered as a result.”

"But it looks intact now."

"Because I collected the fragments and recast it. I have never seen the original appearance of this sword, but I think it must be very different in appearance from now. And it is also because it has been broken before. During the recasting, the function of being able to be divided into small swords according to the number of fragments was added."

Sigurd stood up the long sword in his hand and looked straight at the green light emitting from it. There was a hint of emotion in his steady tone:

"I sometimes think that if my father had not drawn this sword at his sister's wedding banquet, maybe he could have lived an ordinary but stable life - but if that were the case, I would not have been born. I After recasting Grammer, his life experience can almost be said to be that he lost everything due to various mistakes. As a magic sword, it brings not only the symbol of dominance and glory to the holder. , as well as the fate of jealousy and destruction. This is a clear example of a person's destiny being distorted by the curse of an external object. If you merge with my spiritual base, then you will also inherit it as the master of this sword. Destiny for you.”

Akuldona shifted his weight on the spot with a bit of embarrassment.

"...You know, I don't really believe this." He hesitated for a while, but chose to say it bluntly, "In my opinion, my life is made up of my own choices. It's precious or special enough. Foreign objects may have an impact on a person's so-called 'destiny', but that is more due to objective laws such as 'having a jade is a crime'."

"I dare to say that your current existence itself is already very unobjective." Sigurd smiled. "There is a saying that 'inspiration will increase after death.' Even now you can't vaguely feel it. The thread of fate?”

"That's too complicated. I don't understand the things that only think tanks care about." Akuldona shrugged, "Then, just treat this matter as real - I ask you, as an important person Having forged this sword and brought it to the end of your life due to the fate it brought, have you ever regretted your decision to recast it?"

"No." Sigurd replied firmly.

"So, do you regret your life?" Akuldona asked.

"Absolutely impossible." Sigurd said without thinking, "There are indeed many regrets, but I will never regret my experiences in life. I don't think there is a more gorgeous life than that."

"Isn't this the end?" Akuldona said with a smile, "So what if it leads to disaster and destruction? Life is a thorny road that can only lead to destruction in the end. As long as the process is exciting enough, even if the ending is unsatisfactory What’s the harm?”

"...You still don't understand what's going on." Sigurd couldn't laugh or cry.But after he put down the sword in his hand and was silent for a while, he spoke again:
"But it's okay. I get it."

The Nordic hero admitted thus:
"You are indeed the best choice."

　Miwu (baji)

　　In fact, I suddenly regretted it when I was writing it. I should have scheduled this chapter for tomorrow, and then created an illusion of turbulence... (Shut up)
　　
　
(End of this chapter)