Pivot of the Sky
chapter-178-30041322

The assassin leaped up from the ground and grabbed Amon’s arm, his claws slicing open his clothes and tearing several gaps in the serpent-scale armor within. Amon punched him in the shoulder. This beast, however, managed to take on his punch directly. Growling in pain, he lowered his head and tried to bite Amon’s hand.

Amon retrieved his hand and dodged his bite narrowly, and hit his chin in response with a flick of his fingers. The force of this flick was enough to shatter a tough boulder, and even if it were an ordinary beast, its head would have been smashed into pulp. Instead, a crack was heard, and Bright Moon Night’s jaw dislocated. Nevertheless, he was still able to spring backwards with his incredibly fast reaction and he fell into the water after a somersault in the air.

There was a great splash in the water, but after that, as if suddenly smoothed out by a giant hand, the water regained its calmness strangely, and Bright Moon Night’s presence disappeared within the mud under the water. Amon did not continue the chase. He stood at the water’s edge. Another series of crunching sounds appeared from his body, and the aura of rage that permeated his body slowly disappeared.

Amon could also temporarily enter a similar enraged state, which he learnt through Hardedef’s experience, but had never used it before. Although the enraged state could increase speed and explosive power, it also had the obvious flaw of making people manic and even lose their minds. Since Amon could control it, he naturally would not lose his mind. Still, it affected the senses of detection magic and limited the use of a wide range of magic, forcing one to pretty much have to fight in close quarters using the incredible burst in strength and speed. In chaotic fights, one could even end up injuring allies.

When Amon faced Enkidu on the battlefield back then, he wasn’t as powerful as he was today, and he hadn’t understood how to master and control this state yet, but today, he met such a difficult opponent that he simply went ahead and tried it. Bright Moon Night clearly understood the characteristics of this enraged state, knowing that once Amon entered this state, he would no longer be able to sense him with detection magic. That was why he decisively retreated into the water and concealed his tracks as he fled.

With Bright Moon Night’s speed, he could have escaped and hidden far away within a short while. Amon sighed in pity. It was hard to find the assassin in the Charcoal Marsh, but if El Mar had been around, it would have been impossible for Bright Moon Night to escape just now. While thinking this, Amon suddenly moved his eyebrows as if he had noticed something, and raised his head as he shouted: “Who’s there!”

A low voice was heard far out in the night sky, and in the middle of the air a man answered: “God Amon, it is me!”

Amon frowned slightly. “Hardedef, didn’t I tell you to wait with Lynk at the edge of the swamp? How did you get in?”

Hardedef landed on the hill and bowed in greeting after putting away his shuttle. “Lynk and I were establishing a checkpoint at the border of the Charcoal Forest as you had instructed. Calculating the days, you should have arrived some time ago, but you did not appear, so I came to look for you. I heard the sounds of a fierce battle in the distance, so I came here quickly with my shuttle. …Eh, what’s going on here, did a large battle between two armies occur in this place?”

The hillside was a mess, and the trees and rocks were all uprooted and destroyed. Amon shook his head. “I said within a month, there are still three days before a month passes. I spent three days resting on the way here, so I’m a little slower than expected. As for this place, well, of course no army could have been here, it was just an assassin.”

Hardedef was taken aback, and he drew his sword while looking around. “An assassin! Where is he? How dare he try to assassinate you!”

Amon waved his hand. “No need to look for him, he has already fled with his injuries. This man is indeed courageous, claiming to be the king of assassins in the continent. You’ve come at the right time, there are some matters related to this assassin that I wanted to talk to you about.”

Amon told Hardedef about the encounter just now, and Hardedef sucked in a breath of cold air after hearing it. “This person is so powerful, but unfortunately he ran into you, God Amon. He suffered a great loss this time, so he probably won’t be able to show his face for at least several months.”

Amon replied: “He failed in two sneak attacks, then decided to fight me with all he had. That enraged state which he entered felt very familiar, and it immediately reminded me of you back then.”

Hardedef blinked as he said: “Are you trying to say that if I hadn’t been guided by you back then and learnt how to control the restless power, I would have become like him if I continued training?”

Amon gently shook his head. “No, if you can’t control it you’ll only end up losing your mind. It’s hard to say if you’ll survive or not, let alone continue to train to such a high level. I see that this person is similar to the original you, he also awakened that restless power within him, but he was guided into a different path.”

Hardedef frowned. “What kind of guidance?”

Amon said: “It’s about teaching him how to control and use this power to become more and more powerful, while usually remaining calm and sober. This man is on a different path than you, he is dedicated to pursuing this power, and at a certain level, he can even change his form.”

Hardedef’s eyebrows locked. “What kind of person could guide him to practice this way?”

Amon thought about it and suddenly smiled coldly. “I have learned from your experience that it is also possible to enter that enraged state, restricting some other abilities and greatly increasing speed and explosive strength for a short period of time. This is something I can only do after achieving the ninth level, but this person is specializing in such training. The person who could guide him to do so would definitely be no less accomplished than me at this point. The assassin claimed to be an emissary of the gods, and I guess ten out of ten it was Enlil who sent him, and the person who guided him should also be Enlil.”

Hardedef was puzzled and asked: “Why would Enlil guide him to specialize in this kind of power, when in the end he could actually turn into a monster?”

Amon asked in return: “What do you think?”

Hardedef thought of something and suddenly slapped his thigh. “I get it! Enlil guided Bright Moon Night, not for the sake of letting him become a god who truly transcends eternal life, but simply to make a fearsome killer out of him.”

Amon nodded. “Back then, when Goddess Tiamat of the Anunnaki divine clan guided nine powerful monsters, the purpose was probably the same. But I know both the Scorpion King and Lion King, and they both practised the true power of origin. Tiamat taught them all this, and just let them train on their own, not giving tips on how to truly transcend eternal life, but it is the right path after all.

But Enlil is even more cruel, he just guided Bright Moon Night on how to control and practise that kind of violent power, grooming a terrifying killer. I can actually do all of that nowadays, but since I’m guiding my disciples, regardless of their own talents, it is important to point out where the correct path leads, and not an unknown wrong path.”

Hardedef exclaimed: “Oh God Amon, I am so fortunate to have met you! It’s scary to think about it now, but with my personal experience, it’s possible that Bright Moon Night actually enjoys being guided onto this path.”

Amon also sighed. “Yeah, maybe he doesn’t consider it a lost cause himself, because it does have unexpected rewards. You just said that he won’t show his face again for at least a few months, why are you so sure about this?”

Hardedef smiled. “I’ve been there myself and know it well of course, though I’m not quite sure why he transformed, but overusing that kind of berserk power can be debilitating afterwards. After fighting you for so long and making a mess of this place, he still got defeated by you. With his shoulder and jaw dislocated, he will feel twice as painful and weak once he recovers from his berserk state. If it had been me, it would have taken at least half a year to fully recover, and he was lucky to have escaped with his life just now.”

Amon let out a small sigh of relief. “It seems that he can’t strike frequently without limit, otherwise it would be too scary. In fact, I think the most dangerous part of him isn’t so much the violent transformation, but his sudden assassination attempts when he’s calm.”

Hardedef laughed and looked up at the full moon in the sky: “God Amon, it’s only because this place is far away from the human population, that he would transform without any hesitation to exert his violent power, otherwise how could an assassin make such a huge din and openly turn into a monster in public. Moreover, today is when he is at his strongest, but he is still not a match for you. Instead, he only managed to reveal his secret methods in front of you. You also know how to use that power, but after all, you did not specialize in the usage of this power and master it. Regarding this power, I have more experience than you. It is an overwhelming agitation, like being enveloped by strong desires. It changes with the environment, and it is strongest when the moon is at its fullest.”

Amon narrowed his eyes and said: “It does seem like he will be hiding for a long time, since this Charcoal Marsh is not a good place to nurse his wounds.”

At this time, a piece of cloud drifted across the sky and obscured the moonlight, causing darkness to envelope the swamp. The wind was blowing around, and rustling noises came from all directions as if countless unseen dangers were lurking, causing the area to look very eerie.

Hardedef said: “Where’s El Mar? If the assassin hasn’t fled far, El Mar might be able to locate him, since right now is when he’s at his weakest.”

Amon: “I’m a little worried when you mention El Mar, but I don’t know how badly the assassin was injured. Looking at how fast he was able to move in stealth, he might still be able to hold on. This man’s sneak attacks are highly unpredictable, and when he is at his strongest, you are no match for him. El Mar is resting and recovering after exhausting its strength, with only Raphael for protection. Since you’re here, do this one thing. Take the shuttle and get to El Mar immediately to warn Raphael to be more careful. Once El Mar has recovered, the three of you will come out this way together, taking care that no one is left alone. If El Mar can discover Bright Moon Night on the way, the three of you can work together to take this man down.”

……

The young supreme mage Raphael stayed in the swamp to rest on a hill in the forest to protect the exhausted Ironback King, El Mar. El Mar always bent its tail while lying down when it meditated, and they were the only two beings in the endless swamp, so they chatted together when nothing happened.

El Mar had never been outside the Euphrates Valley and the Plains of Duc, and just like Lynk back then, it was very curious about all the things in the prosperous outside world. Raphael was from a great noble lineage, had the best education in the continent, and had experienced many things under Golier’s tutelage. El Mar was very interested in anything he said, and always pestered Raphael to tell it stories whenever they were free.

When it was with Amon, El Mar did not dare to be like this because it was in awe of Amon, who was like a god, so naturally it couldn’t nose around, but in front of Raphael, it could talk more casually and freely. Raphael was very well cultured and patient, and no matter what childish and ridiculous questions El Mar asked him, he was very meticulous in answering them, sometimes it was like coaxing a child. The two of them did not speak with their mouths, but communicated directly through their souls using something similar to message magic.

After Amon left, it rained in the swamp for two days, and finally cleared up on the third night. The soft moonlight sprinkled on the hillside, and there were still water droplets hanging between the blades of grass. As El Mar lay on the edge of the tent, it sighed. “What a beautiful moonlight, dimly illuminating the scenery. It’s strange, I’ve seen the moon so many times before in the mountains, but I’ve never felt this way, and never discovered its beauty.”

Rafael sat in the tent and laughed. “I never thought that an Ironback would also appreciate the moon, is it because you have activated your spiritual wisdom? I’m curious about your situation, can you tell me what it’s like for your spiritual wisdom to be activated? How is it different from that Ironback in the past?”

El Mar was embarrassed and replied: “Don’t laugh at me if I say it.”

Raphael squinted his eyes and made a serious expression. “Okay, I won’t laugh.”

El Mar gazed at the moon and replied: “At the very beginning, I was just an Ironback, but then I became different from other Ironbacks. I’m not sure how it happened, but in short, I was stronger and more powerful, as well as possessed magical instincts. Now that I recall it, what people call activating spiritual wisdom, for me it may have been fantasy.”

Rafael asked, puzzled, “Fantasy?”

El Mar replied somewhat bashfully: “Yes, I learned to fantasize. An Ironback can fantasize for no reason at all, pretty ridiculous, right? Somewhere along the line, I realized what I was aware of and what I possessed, and how I was different from the other Ironbacks.”

Raphael said: “Possessing self-awareness in your soul? Is that the activating of spiritual wisdom?”

El Mar gently shook her head. “You can’t say that, other beings in the world including Ironbacks all have self-awareness, but the case of activating spiritual wisdom is even more special. From then on, I would imagine things that I can’t get, things that I can’t have as an Ironback. For example, if I see a bird flying by in a pond, I will think to myself, “Will I be able to fly someday? What would it be like if you could fly like a bird?”

Rafael: “You learned to think?”

El Mar: “It was just simple thoughts in my mind, and I couldn’t organize them with the meaning of words as I do now, that is, beyond the fantasy of my actual existence. How can I describe it? As they say – daydreaming.”

Rafael: “How does it feel to learn to fantasize?”

El Mar: “It felt so good, it was a joy that I’ve never experienced before! For example, I fantasize about flying like a bird, not because I can actually fly, but because I feel happy when I imagine myself doing so.”

Rafael asked with interest: “Did you notice a change in yourself at that time?”

El Mar: “I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back now, I was indeed changing. Ironbacks inhabit caves by the water, and as long as they can survive comfortably and forage for enough food to eat every day, they won’t do much else. But I was different, I made my cave more and more spacious, much more than necessary for dwelling, and I also liked to collect things to decorate my cave, something that other Ironbacks wouldn’t do at all.

There were also some habits that had changed, and I found pleasure in acting out of instinct. For example, when an Ironback has had its fill, it will no longer forage for food, and an Ironback of my size will sometimes hunt some of the animals in the mountains and forests. With my skills, I don’t have to worry about not having enough to eat in the mountains and forests, but sometimes I find that chasing prey is more fun than catching it. So when I’m bored, I also chase prey beyond the necessity of purely eating, and just find it fun. I’ve heard you say that the nobles on earth also hunt, but they don’t do it for lack of food, it’s similar to my situation, isn’t it?”

Raphael sighed. “You mean the nobles’ hunting games? They are indeed not hunters for a living, it’s just a form of entertainment for them. If activating spiritual wisdom is like this, then it is actually a double-edged sword, whether it is a blessing or a curse is unknown. You did not know the meaning of hunting at the time, you just experienced the pleasure of chasing it. If you indulged in that pleasure without any limitations and ran to the places where humans lived, you would have been regarded as a horrible monster or demon. I have been ordered to destroy monsters like that, where they had raided the villages of Hittite Kingdom.”

El Mar shuddered in fear. “It’s fortunate that I’ve only met you now!”

Rafael apologized slightly: “I won’t interrupt you, please continue.”

But El Mar lowered its head and said, “I have nothing more to say, I want to hear you speak.”

Raphael tilted his head and said: “What do you want me to talk about?”

El Mar whispered: “It’s the kind of situation I was talking about. People are much better at fantasizing than Ironbacks, and are born to do so. They are also capable of exhibiting the same behavior as monsters or demons, so what do you think about that? Of all the people I know, apart from God Amon you are the most knowledgeable, so please tell me, okay?”

Raphael also looked up at the moon and said: “Scholars on earth have often discussed this issue, and some believe that fantasy is one of the origins of human nature, as it always transcends the reality of one’s situation. For example, an Ironback would wish that it could fly like a bird. The meaning and pleasure is not in the flight itself, but in the wish to fly. And so people’s hearts and minds need the gods, and it is the very origin of humanity that contains this existence of gods that makes it possible for the light of the gods to shine into people’s hearts.”

El Mar blinked as it listened. “Where did you learn all these?”

Raphael smiled slightly. “Of course it’s the Hittite Academy of Magic. I’ve received all kinds of training there since I was a child, and my teacher, Golier, is now the Chief Honorary Elder of the Academy.”

El Mar said in a tone of incomparable admiration: “I won’t interrupt you now, please continue.”

Raphael continued: “It was once said that fantasy always surpasses reality, not because you can get it, but because you know you can’t get it so you harbor expectations, just like how you know you can’t fly but wish you could. An Ironback doesn’t fantasize about being able to crawl through a swamp, because you already could.

Some people indulge in daydreams to experience the joy of dreaming, while others keep getting closer to their dreams, and this is how the world has changed since the beginning of time. A lot of people think that getting whatever you want is the greatest joy on earth, but if they can really get what they want, they aren’t really happy.”

El Mar tilted its head and said: “I don’t quite understand.”