The protector's words made Link stop . He glanced at Gretel . She was "frozen" in the spatial seal . A b.l.o.o.d.y gaping hole practically went straight through her . Her entire body was covered in blood . Flesh lay on the ground around her . Her frozen eyes were opened listlessly . Her pupils had started expanding, but her head was raised slightly . Her gaze was directed at Link's current position .

Her expression was complicated . There was some happiness but also bitterness . No one could pinpoint her thoughts .

Something was clear though . If Link removed the spatial seal and didn't receive any help, she would die within a few minutes .

"She doesn't have any power to fight back . " Link didn't want to do it .

"She doesn't now, but you won't let her die . You have enough power to save her . As long as she's alive, she will try to destroy the Book of Creation piece . She will be your opponent… So, if you let her live, you won't be able to get the piece . "

The protector's words were heartless . He'd given Link a very cruel choice . He could either choose the Book of Creation or choose to save Gretel . He could only choose one .

Judging from the performance earlier, the protector was abnormally strong, reaching Level-19 . Link had no confidence to break through the obstacles set by something like that .

"People can change . She might not be that insistent," Link tried to persuade the protector .

The protector shook his head . "It seems that you don't know her well enough . Can you easily persuade a dragon queen who has lived for more than 2000 years and seen all the horrors of life? No, you can't . No one can change what she's already decided . You can't either . . . young man!"

He emphasized the last two words, pointing out Link's age .

He wasn't wrong . Link may possess great power now and experienced more than most humans, but he was still in his twenties . Even if he added his days from both worlds, he wouldn't be older than 50 . His experiences and knowledge couldn't help him understand someone that had existed for 2000 years .

It was like how an innocent child couldn't understand an adult . They could live under the same roof but weren't living at the same level at all .

This was a fact . Link couldn't refute it .

Seeing that Link admitted it, the protector continued, "The Book of Creation contains unlimited power . Once you have it, you'll stand at the peak of Firuman and become the ultimate sovereign . At the peak, there is freezing wind . Countless people will have their eyes on your power, trying to steal your glory . Your closest friends will stab a dagger into your heart . Your most trusted will give you poisoned wine . Your lover will become the one who ends you . If a sovereign wishes to remain for eternity, you must be lonely… So, end her life!"

The protector's words were magical . When he spoke, different images appeared in Link's mind uncontrollably .

In the images, Eliard stared at him from a dark corner with hatred . When he was sleeping, Celine's hands gripped around a poisoned dagger . The reports Lucy gave him were all faked…They were images of all his friends betraying him .

Other images appeared too . They weren't about him anymore . Instead, they were historical events from Firuman and Earth that he'd read before . In these images, the kings and emperors were all alone . To get the throne, fathers killed sons, brothers killed each other, and mothers killed sons . There were endless tragedies and unspeakable darkness .

Whoosh, whoosh . Cold wind sounded in Link's ears . He thought back to the protector's words .

If a sovereign wishes to remain for eternity, you must be lonely . At the peak, there is freezing wind!

Yes, the wind was too bone-chilling . They were only hallucinations, but even with his strong mind, Link still shuddered subconsciously .

The protector's shadow had a pair of glowing eyes . Those eyes seemed to see through everything . Looking at Link, he could see his soul . "Young man, what is your choice? Lonely glory or a mortal's happiness?"

Link looked at the bloodied and dying Gretel again . After a pause, he said, "I choose…"

To be honest, he didn't know what to choose . This was the first time he felt lost after coming to this world .

Before he could finish, his vision flashed quickly . He glanced and saw the mission from earlier—the Piece that Shouldn't Exist . The mission flashed with blinding red light . It wasn't just to show its existence but also to remind Link that the G.o.d of Light wanted him to destroy it .

At the same time, the sword spirit's voice rang in his mind again . Another voice appeared in my mind . It said one sentence: all existences in the world have hearts . If one's heart is blinded, the world will have no light .

The sentence was mysterious . After hearing it, Link's heart twitched . Something flashed past his mind . It was fleeting, like a rabbit sprinting in the gra.s.s, but he could see the blurry figure .

Experience told Link that if he couldn't decide, then he shouldn't get affected by the outside world and decide brashly . He should think carefully to prevent making an irrevocable mistake .

Thus, he shut his mouth and fell silent again .

"What is your choice, young man?" the protector urged .

Link shook his head . "I haven't decided . You've already waited for so long . You can wait a bit longer, right?"

"Indeed…I will wait for your decision . "

Link thought back to the sword spirit's words . He composed himself and carefully sensed his surroundings . More than ten minutes later, a light flashed in Link's mind . He had a hypothesis .

Nothing is restricting my power recovery, and the s.p.a.ce isn't sealed . I can still use spatial magic . Does that mean that the restrictions on transmissions and flight aren't real?

Thinking of that, Link ignored the protector and took out the Ode of the Full Moon . He started practicing the Soul Furnace battle technique .

He went through each move slowly . His thoughts were sinking too . After a long while, Link's heart suddenly jumped . There was something abnormal . It was in his soul rather than the environment .

With the help of the Soul Furnace, Link was able to focus completely . His soul entered an indescribably calm state . It was as smooth and flat as the surface of a mirror .

Right now, Link's heart had no disturbances . He didn't have any emotions . He was completely calm .

There were many reasons why he could reach this state . Firstly, there was the Soul Furnace, a Legendary battle technique . Secondly, Link had the pure Realm Essence . It was abnormally perfect and basically gave Link zero disturbances . More importantly, Link had high control over his soul .

In this calm, Link could sense the tiniest shred of abnormalities . Now, he could feel several strange thoughts in his soul . After sensing carefully, he found three . Two were clear . The first was that he couldn't use transmission spells while getting to the piece . The second was that he couldn't fly in the valley .

These were the requirements given by the protector .

Another thought was blurry . Link sensed it carefully and discovered it was very fuzzy evil intent . It came from the protector . It was hard to explain, but it activated Link's stress mechanism .

After this was activated, the changes in his soul influenced his entire body which affected his power . After this avalanche-like chain effect, Link's body thought that everything in the environment was harmful and subconsciously rejected absorbing the power .

All existences in the world have hearts . If one's heart is blinded, the world will have no light .

The sword spirit's voice rang in Link's mind again . This time, it dawned on him . A ray of sunlight appeared in his clouded soul .

Once the light appeared, it sliced apart the clouds like a sharp sword . The world in Link's eyes brightened too . At the same time, he discovered that the looming ice walls had changed too . They looked cloudy, like a white mist .

It suddenly dawned on Link .

The protector's illusion wasn't actually that powerful . Most of his tricks were on the aspect of one's soul . Most of his surroundings weren't real . Other than the outermost walls of this icy valley, everything was fake .

Exhaling, Link looked back at the protector's figure . He realized it was an illusion too . Looking closely, he saw that the air around it was wavering . Its power was actually quite weak . It was practically just air .

"You're just the remnant of an ancient lord's consciousness . Now, you can no longer stop me . "

With that, Link walked towards the Book of Creation piece and picked it up . During this, the protector retreated automatically . He smiled faintly . When Link picked up the piece, he bowed slightly . "Young man, you pa.s.sed the final test . "

Link no longer had any doubts . Looking at the piece in his hands, he said, "It won't turn me into the ruler or even give me any power, right?"

"Of course . It's just a broken piece . If it really could turn someone into the sovereign, it wouldn't be abandoned here . "

"Then why was it pa.s.sed down through the millenniums?" Link asked .

"It is a key . " Light appeared in the protector's hands . When it dissipated, all illusions in the ice valley disappeared .

The freezing wind, icy snow, and extreme frigidity appeared one by one, showing the true appearance of the extreme north .

Whoosh, whoosh . Freezing wind blew endlessly, sc.r.a.ping Link's face like knives . He was forced to cast a Level-5 spell to fight against the cold .

The protector's illusion wavered in the wind and snow . He pointed at the tall mountain behind him . "Do you see the mountain path covered by thick snow?"

Link looked . Through the heavy snow, he saw a mountain behind the protector . A path snaked across it, but it was covered with snow . If not for the fact that the snow piles were very smooth, he wouldn't be able to see the path at all .

"Follow the path up . At the peak, there is a cave with a Level-19 eternal seal . The key is in your hands… Young man, I wish you a beautiful life . "

After that sentence, wind blew and the protector transformed into snow, melting into the tundra .

Link glanced at the corner again . The game system's mission was still there, but it didn't flash anymore . The blood-red color had turned gray too . Behind it, it said "discarded . "

This surprised Link slightly . The G.o.d of Light…can be wrong too?

He'd always thought that the G.o.d of Light was very powerful and knew practically everything about Firuman . Apparently, he was wrong .

Thinking back, this wasn't the G.o.d of Light's first mistake . Back at the Yabba city, he'd been fooled by the G.o.d of Destruction .

It seems that the G.o.d of Light isn't as powerful as I thought . He can't control Level-19 strength in the mortal world .

This detail helped Link see the G.o.d of Light's bottom line . He was powerful but not impossibly so . He had many flaws in his control of Firuman .

Of course, Link was still too weak . It was too soon to think of this . Shaking his head, he tossed the thoughts to the back of his head . Activating a levitation spell and Void Walk, he followed the mountain path to the peak .

Seconds later, Link was before a ten-foot-tall ice crystal . At a glance, it was just a normal block of ice . At closer inspection, Link saw that it was covered in runes . They were innumerable and complicated . He felt like his head would crack apart at just a glance, so he gave up .

When he walked up to it, the piece in his hand brightened and buzzed . It started shaking, almost leaving his hands .

Link let go, and it immediately floated to the crystal door . Then, like water fusing into a river, it disappeared . A few seconds later, the crystal door shone too . Five seconds later, there was a soft poof, and the door disappeared . A tiny hidden chamber appeared .

Pale blue light came from it, as well as a lovely and ethereal sound . Link walked in, and his eyes widened .

He saw two people inside the room . No, more correctly, it was two dried corpses .

Chapter 599: Young Man, Wish You a Beautiful Life. Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The protectors words made Link stop . He glanced at Gretel . She was frozen in the spatial seal . A b.l.o.o.d.y gaping hole practically went straight through her . Her entire body was covered in blood . Flesh lay on the ground around her . Her frozen eyes were opened listlessly . Her pupils had started expanding, but her head was raised slightly . Her gaze was directed at Links current position . Her expression was complicated . There was some happiness but also bitterness . No one could pinpoint her thoughts . Something was clear though . If Link removed the spatial seal and didnt receive any help, she would die within a few minutes . She doesnt have any power to fight back . Link didnt want to do it . She doesnt now, but you wont let her die . You have enough power to save her . As long as shes alive, she will try to destroy the Book of Creation piece . She will be your opponent… So, if you let her live, you wont be able to get the piece . The protectors words were heartless . Hed given Link a very cruel choice . He could either choose the Book of Creation or choose to save Gretel . He could only choose one . Judging from the performance earlier, the protector was abnormally strong, reaching Level-19 . Link had no confidence to break through the obstacles set by something like that . People can change . She might not be that insistent, Link tried to persuade the protector . The protector shook his head . It seems that you dont know her well enough . Can you easily persuade a dragon queen who has lived for more than 2000 years and seen all the horrors of life? No, you cant . No one can change what shes already decided . You cant either . young man! He emphasized the last two words, pointing out Links age . He wasnt wrong . Link may possess great power now and experienced more than most humans, but he was still in his twenties . Even if he added his days from both worlds, he wouldnt be older than 50 . His experiences and knowledge couldnt help him understand someone that had existed for 2000 years . It was like how an innocent child couldnt understand an adult . They could live under the same roof but werent living at the same level at all . This was a fact . Link couldnt refute it . Seeing that Link admitted it, the protector continued, The Book of Creation contains unlimited power . Once you have it, youll stand at the peak of Firuman and become the ultimate sovereign . At the peak, there is freezing wind . Countless people will have their eyes on your power, trying to steal your glory . Your closest friends will stab a dagger into your heart . Your most trusted will give you poisoned wine . Your lover will become the one who ends you . If a sovereign wishes to remain for eternity, you must be lonely… So, end her life! The protectors words were magical . When he spoke, different images appeared in Links mind uncontrollably . In the images, Eliard stared at him from a dark corner with hatred . When he was sleeping, Celines hands gripped around a poisoned dagger . The reports Lucy gave him were all faked…They were images of all his friends betraying him . Other images appeared too . They werent about him anymore . Instead, they were historical events from Firuman and Earth that hed read before . In these images, the kings and emperors were all alone . To get the throne, fathers killed sons, brothers killed each other, and mothers killed sons . There were endless tragedies and unspeakable darkness . Whoosh, whoosh . Cold wind sounded in Links ears . He thought back to the protectors words . If a sovereign wishes to remain for eternity, you must be lonely . At the peak, there is freezing wind! Yes, the wind was too bone-chilling . They were only hallucinations, but even with his strong mind, Link still shuddered subconsciously . The protectors shadow had a pair of glowing eyes . Those eyes seemed to see through everything . Looking at Link, he could see his soul . Young man, what is your choice? Lonely glory or a mortals happiness? Link looked at the bloodied and dying Gretel again . After a pause, he said, I choose… To be honest, he didnt know what to choose . This was the first time he felt lost after coming to this world . Before he could finish, his vision flashed quickly . He glanced and saw the mission from earlier—the Piece that Shouldnt Exist . The mission flashed with blinding red light . It wasnt just to show its existence but also to remind Link that the G.o.d of Light wanted him to destroy it . At the same time, the sword spirits voice rang in his mind again . Another voice appeared in my mind . It said one sentence: all existences in the world have hearts . If ones heart is blinded, the world will have no light . The sentence was mysterious . After hearing it, Links heart twitched . Something flashed past his mind . It was fleeting, like a rabbit sprinting in the gra.s.s, but he could see the blurry figure . Experience told Link that if he couldnt decide, then he shouldnt get affected by the outside world and decide brashly . He should think carefully to prevent making an irrevocable mistake . Thus, he shut his mouth and fell silent again . What is your choice, young man? the protector urged . Link shook his head . I havent decided . Youve already waited for so long . You can wait a bit longer, right? Indeed…I will wait for your decision . Link thought back to the sword spirits words . He composed himself and carefully sensed his surroundings . More than ten minutes later, a light flashed in Links mind . He had a hypothesis . Nothing is restricting my power recovery, and the s.p.a.ce isnt sealed . I can still use spatial magic . Does that mean that the restrictions on transmissions and flight arent real? Thinking of that, Link ignored the protector and took out the Ode of the Full Moon . He started practicing the Soul Furnace battle technique . He went through each move slowly . His thoughts were sinking too . After a long while, Links heart suddenly jumped . There was something abnormal . It was in his soul rather than the environment . With the help of the Soul Furnace, Link was able to focus completely . His soul entered an indescribably calm state . It was as smooth and flat as the surface of a mirror . Right now, Links heart had no disturbances . He didnt have any emotions . He was completely calm . There were many reasons why he could reach this state . Firstly, there was the Soul Furnace, a Legendary battle technique . Secondly, Link had the pure Realm Essence . It was abnormally perfect and basically gave Link zero disturbances . More importantly, Link had high control over his soul . In this calm, Link could sense the tiniest shred of abnormalities . Now, he could feel several strange thoughts in his soul . After sensing carefully, he found three . Two were clear . The first was that he couldnt use transmission spells while getting to the piece . The second was that he couldnt fly in the valley . These were the requirements given by the protector . Another thought was blurry . Link sensed it carefully and discovered it was very fuzzy evil intent . It came from the protector . It was hard to explain, but it activated Links stress mechanism . After this was activated, the changes in his soul influenced his entire body which affected his power . After this avalanche-like chain effect, Links body thought that everything in the environment was harmful and subconsciously rejected absorbing the power . All existences in the world have hearts . If ones heart is blinded, the world will have no light . The sword spirits voice rang in Links mind again . This time, it dawned on him . A ray of sunlight appeared in his clouded soul . Once the light appeared, it sliced apart the clouds like a sharp sword . The world in Links eyes brightened too . At the same time, he discovered that the looming ice walls had changed too . They looked cloudy, like a white mist . It suddenly dawned on Link . The protectors illusion wasnt actually that powerful . Most of his tricks were on the aspect of ones soul . Most of his surroundings werent real . Other than the outermost walls of this icy valley, everything was fake . Exhaling, Link looked back at the protectors figure . He realized it was an illusion too . Looking closely, he saw that the air around it was wavering . Its power was actually quite weak . It was practically just air . Youre just the remnant of an ancient lords consciousness . Now, you can no longer stop me . With that, Link walked towards the Book of Creation piece and picked it up . During this, the protector retreated automatically . He smiled faintly . When Link picked up the piece, he bowed slightly . Young man, you pa.s.sed the final test . Link no longer had any doubts . Looking at the piece in his hands, he said, It wont turn me into the ruler or even give me any power, right? Of course . Its just a broken piece . If it really could turn someone into the sovereign, it wouldnt be abandoned here . Then why was it pa.s.sed down through the millenniums? Link asked . It is a key . Light appeared in the protectors hands . When it dissipated, all illusions in the ice valley disappeared . The freezing wind, icy snow, and extreme frigidity appeared one by one, showing the true appearance of the extreme north . Whoosh, whoosh . Freezing wind blew endlessly, sc.r.a.ping Links face like knives . He was forced to cast a Level-5 spell to fight against the cold . The protectors illusion wavered in the wind and snow . He pointed at the tall mountain behind him . Do you see the mountain path covered by thick snow? Link looked . Through the heavy snow, he saw a mountain behind the protector . A path snaked across it, but it was covered with snow . If not for the fact that the snow piles were very smooth, he wouldnt be able to see the path at all . Follow the path up . At the peak, there is a cave with a Level-19 eternal seal . The key is in your hands… Young man, I wish you a beautiful life . After that sentence, wind blew and the protector transformed into snow, melting into the tundra . Link glanced at the corner again . The game systems mission was still there, but it didnt flash anymore . The blood-red color had turned gray too . Behind it, it said discarded . This surprised Link slightly . The G.o.d of Light…can be wrong too? Hed always thought that the G.o.d of Light was very powerful and knew practically everything about Firuman . Apparently, he was wrong . Thinking back, this wasnt the G.o.d of Lights first mistake . Back at the Yabba city, hed been fooled by the G.o.d of Destruction . It seems that the G.o.d of Light isnt as powerful as I thought . He cant control Level-19 strength in the mortal world . This detail helped Link see the G.o.d of Lights bottom line . He was powerful but not impossibly so . He had many flaws in his control of Firuman . Of course, Link was still too weak . It was too soon to think of this . Shaking his head, he tossed the thoughts to the back of his head . Activating a levitation spell and Void Walk, he followed the mountain path to the peak . Seconds later, Link was before a ten-foot-tall ice crystal . At a glance, it was just a normal block of ice . At closer inspection, Link saw that it was covered in runes . They were innumerable and complicated . He felt like his head would crack apart at just a glance, so he gave up . When he walked up to it, the piece in his hand brightened and buzzed . It started shaking, almost leaving his hands . Link let go, and it immediately floated to the crystal door . Then, like water fusing into a river, it disappeared . A few seconds later, the crystal door shone too . Five seconds later, there was a soft poof, and the door disappeared . A tiny hidden chamber appeared . Pale blue light came from it, as well as a lovely and ethereal sound . Link walked in, and his eyes widened . He saw two people inside the room . No, more correctly, it was two dried corpses .