Chapter 172: The Two Ends of the World
Chapter 172: The Two Ends of the World
Amidst the glaciers, light and darkness intertwine.
In this frigid world, a solitary majestic peak stands tall.
It resembles a giant connecting the heavens and the earth, and everything around it seems minuscule in comparison. The grandeur of Solitary Peak Range is a declaration of nature, proclaiming the ancient and majestic nature of the world's edge.
At this very moment, the sun rises in the east.
The mountain's snow glistens with a silvery sheen in the morning light, as if the river of stars flows through the mortal realm.
But this mountain is too high and too vast.
The frequent and ever-changing terrain makes it seem like a colossal kingdom of mountains.
Between the steep slopes, there are many areas not covered by snow, naturally revealing the color of this majestic peak—black.
Whoosh—
The wind howls through the mountains.
Mixed within is a chaotic airflow of varying temperatures, which may cause the mountain's snow to melt and occasionally freeze the wild beasts within.
A pitch-black figure crawls within a cave at the mountain's peak.
With just one breath, the power of the Dragon Beast would roam throughout the Black Mountain, and no living being could survive here without its permission.
Rumble—
The Dragon Beast's body slightly trembles, and rocks slide down along with its lair.
The World Sovereign hides in the darkness, its enormous yellow snake eyes turned away from the morning sun, gazing into the distance.
Everything happening at the other end of the world has long since vanished with the vast distance, scattered along the lengthy path of scattered light.
But the Dragon Beast stares at the pale blue sky.
Yet its gaze is filled with fear and worry that should not belong to a World Sovereign.
"Master, what's wrong?"
At this moment, a tiny human figure floats up from the foot of the mountain.
He shows utmost respect to the Dragon Beast and expresses concern for its early awakening.
"Your advancement is going smoothly, so why did you wake up early today, breaking the world's breathing rhythm?"
The Dragon Beast's inner eyelid closes vertically, and then the outer eyelid, covered in black scales, closes horizontally.
It no longer gazes into the distance.
Instead, it responds in a low voice, but its words sound like a mountain's roar:
"In the west, humans have entered my world again."
The figure at the entrance of the lair speaks with certainty:
"You need not worry about this. Weak humans dare to set foot here, and they will only find death. Whether it's a hundred years in the past or ten years in the future, this is an unchangeable iron rule."
"Your immediate concern should be to gather Essence for advancement."
"Strength is the foundation, and the eighth stage can handle any unforeseen circumstances."
"..."
The Dragon Beast does not respond but instead remains motionless within its lair.
Its breathing becomes long and drawn out again, and the harsh and chaotic winds in the mountains subside.
Witnessing this,
The figure at the entrance of the lair nods slightly and turns to descend the mountain.
But as his figure disappears at the mountain's peak, the seemingly slumbering Dragon Beast suddenly opens its eyes, and its yellow snake eyes reflect a look of resentment.
Powerful Essence flows within this vicious beast, but it chooses to lie dormant.
...
On the other side.
After leaving the mixed zone of the wilderness and the swamp, Lindsey and the girl he rescued embark on a new journey.
The two travel through a basin, the recorded Rift Basin area.
On a journey that was once solitary, the addition of a beautiful face, is undoubtedly a pleasing sight.
But where there are people, conflicts are inevitable.
They argue, following the world's common-sense rules.
Lindsey: "You asked me to give you a name, and now that I've chosen one, you're not satisfied?"
The girl: "What does 'Link' mean?
Selda, what does that even mean? I don't like these names at all!"
Lindsey: "Then what kind of name do you like?"
Elena: "I like what I like!"
"..."
"So, what do you like?" Lindsey clenched his fists, feeling the urge to punch that beautiful face. "Elizabeth is out, Cassandra is out, Laura is out, Tifa is out, Bayonetta is out, and Samus is out!"
Lindsey took two quick steps forward.
His position was now ahead of the black-haired girl riding on the snow wolf's back, out of sight and out of mind.
However, Elena clearly had no intention of letting Lindsey off the hook.
She jumped off the snow wolf's back, ran in front of Lindsey, and as she backed away, she locked eyes with the boy in front of her:
"Don't give up so easily. Say a few more names."
"Maybe I'll find one I like soon."
Lindsey's anger rose.
He thought of how he had rescued Elena from the Blackscale Lizard's treasure vault, and a story about a dragon flashed in his mind.
"How about Smaug?"
"It sounds pretty good." Elena's eyes lit up, but some instinct seemed to make her realize something, "But I feel like this isn't a human name?"
"Ah!"
At this moment, Elena, who was retreating in front of Lindsey, stepped on a stone as expected.
She slipped and immediately fell backward.
Lindsey's reaction was faster than Elena's fall. He grabbed her flailing arm and prevented a tragic fall.
Lindsey reminded her seriously:
"Remember to watch your step when walking."
Elena's ruby-like eyes fixed on Lindsey, and her emotions were pure and sincere:
"I was looking at you, wasn't I?"
Lindsey: "..."
Lindsey was speechless.
This amnesiac girl might not know the power of those words.
But for a teenager going through puberty, this answer was like finding takeout at the gym's entrance after a workout.
The impact was still a bit too much.
Elena, however, didn't care about such minor details.
With Lindsey's help, she stood firm, kicked the approaching snow wolf away, and placed her hand on Lindsey's shoulder.
The two of them walked side by side, like good brothers, continuing their journey.
Elena shared her thoughts during the naming process:
"Lindsey, didn't you say that the language I speak is Beast Language, not the Universal Language that humans use?"
Lindsey nodded:
"Yes, I think this might be because of the environment you were in before..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Elena interrupted Lindsey's explanation, "We're discussing how to name me right now!"
Lindsey shrugged, and he, who had originally wanted to find a companion to chat with on the road, fell silent.
Elena smiled and continued confidently:
"My intuition tells me that names and languages should be an extended system."
"Since I'm naming myself now, I should look for patterns in words and languages. Therefore, the first thing I should learn is the Universal Language."
Elena became more and more enthusiastic as she spoke.
Finally, she let go of Lindsey's shoulder and even asked Lindsey to stop in place. The two of them stood on the wasteland, their gazes intersecting.
Elena's jet-black hair danced in the air, and her pure and joyful red irises reflected the golden morning light, staring at her companion:
"Lindsey, use the Universal Language."
"What word came to mind when you first saw me?"
(End of Chapter)
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