American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 158 Merlin: My eyes are too poor to see a true dragon.

Circular exhibition hall.

The lights here are dim yet warm, like the light at dusk.

The exhibition hall is not large, and the walls are made of rough, carved rock, as if they were directly embedded in the mountain.

Inside the exhibition hall, two rows of lifelike wax figures are neatly arranged.

One side is a white chess piece as clear as jade, and the other side is a black chess piece as dark as night.

Every single one of them is sculpted to life, with gorgeous clothing and exquisite details.

—Whether deep in thought, dignified, or smiling, their empty eyes stare at the center of the exhibition hall.

And at this moment they
It stands silently within a giant chessboard carved into the ground, forming a frozen chess game.

As he approached the chessboard, Shen Du examined it with great interest.

"Om..."

However, just as he approached, a surge of energy rippled out from the center of the chessboard.

Immediately after
It is located in the center of all the pieces.

A wax figure that had been hanging its head and wearing a heavy hooded robe suddenly raised its head!

The paraffin eyelids opened, revealing two quartz eyeballs that shimmered with a faint glow.

A deep voice came from under the hood, echoing hollowly in the rotunda:
"Welcome, newcomer, to the Hall of Kings."

"Go first with the white piece."

"Play chess with the exhibition hall. The winner passes. The loser stays."

"...to become the new display."

As soon as the words were spoken, the light in the stone statue's eyes quickly dimmed.

It seemed to have exhausted all its energy.

It slid heavily backward to the edge of the chessboard, becoming a completely lifeless object, handing the stage over to the game of chess.

Shen Du tilted his head slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

Playing chess in an exhibition hall?
This is somewhat interesting.

He could sense that the chessboard and the wax figure were imbued with an ancient magic, giving the chess pieces a minimum level of mobility.

"start."

The gods are concise and to the point.

He casually pointed into the air, and an invisible force propelled the "king" in his camp forward one step.

The game of chess began in this absurd atmosphere.

If you were any one of them, making a move like that would only increase the difficulty for yourself.

But for the capital city
His computational ability far surpasses that of ordinary people; this level of chess game requires almost no thought from him.

He played incredibly fast. Under his mental control, the white pieces made the optimal response almost the instant the black pieces finished their move.

Even the ancient magic exhibition hall was stunned by this sudden and fierce attack.

Each step seemed unusually cumbersome and required an extremely long period of thought, like an old man struggling to think, clearly being completely suppressed and caught off guard.

As a result, the game became one-sided.

"."

Too slow...

That's too easy.

Even the gods felt a sense of dissatisfaction.

Is this all the trickery this maze has to offer?
He even had the leisure to spare a wisp of his mind to dial into an invisible internal communication network.

To casually send a message into the distance:

"Brother, how are the little games you're playing?"

He said it casually, his attention still mostly on the chess game.

Almost immediately, Salafir responded, his voice filled with his usual excitement:
"Oh...you mean mini-games?"

"It's pretty simple, I'm almost done! I found a silver flute that can sing by itself, hummed along with it once, and the door opened! There seems to be something even more fun inside!"

"?"

The light and shadow surrounding Shen Du suddenly fluctuated.

Is it almost over?

His older brother is actually progressing faster than him?

This makes no sense at all!

unless
It was Father who secretly adjusted the difficulty! He gave his elder brother a vast ocean of challenges!
The thought flashed through Shen Du's mind like lightning.

A subtle sense of unease and competitiveness quickly welled up within me.

He looked around the somber exhibition hall again, his gaze settling on the still hooded stone statue.

The rules are what it announces.

What if...

How can we make the 'referee' who sets the rules less 'rigid'?

A sly smile crept across Shen Du's lips.

He felt that the game of chess had suddenly taken on a new form.

He no longer focused on winning or losing on the chessboard, but instead concentrated more of his perception on the hooded stone statue.

He could sense a peculiar energy contained within the stone statue.

It is this magic that maintains the connection between the exhibition hall and the chessboard, giving inanimate objects a temporary sense of life.
But it doesn't seem difficult to imitate?

After all, this is very similar to the energy in his brother's body.

They all fall under the category of shaping and the power of life.

As beings of the same origin, he has a natural advantage in understanding and transforming energy of this nature.

With a slight thought, the energy within his body, which originally tended towards 'deconstruction' and 'annihilation', began to transform, becoming filled with the characteristics of 'construction' and 'endowment'.

then
He only needs to try to imitate, inspire, and command—

Until
definition.

Extending his finger, Shen Du's fingertip gathered a point of brilliant yet gentle white light.

Then he simply touched the hooded stone statue lightly and softly recited a sacred saying he had made up on the spot:

"In the name of the Lord of all beasts, I grant you a fleeting moment of heart-stirring."

"wake up!"

"Om-!"

That pure white light pierced the darkness and precisely entered the seemingly hard chest of the stone statue.

"Crack...knock..."

Extremely subtle sounds emanated densely from inside the stone statue.

The next second.
He then opened his eyes.

The quartz eyeball actually became like a real pupil!

Full of vitality!
It. Or rather
he.

It has come back to life.

The hooded old man raised his head, and with a hint of awkwardness and hesitation, he raised his suddenly mobile hands, his fingers slightly curled.

His eyes were filled with confusion, which then quickly transformed into wisdom.

Ancient language flowed naturally from his mouth, no longer the stiff echoes of before:
"Hmm? How long have I been asleep? Now that I've been awakened, Lord of all beasts, what brings you here?"

Halfway through his words, he stopped abruptly.

The hooded old man paused for a moment, carefully examining the figure before him who radiated light but resembled a child.

Is this what it means to awaken one's own existence?

Claiming to be the ruler of all beasts? Is he the chosen representative of the 'Red of All Beings' in this era?

But this form.
Is it a particular preference? Or is it a popular trend of the times?

Ignoring what the old man was thinking, the god simply looked at his 'work' with satisfaction.

He pointed to the chessboard below, his tone relaxed:

"The game of chess is too boring. Old man, now that you're awake, shouldn't the rules be changed?"

"."

"Since you were able to awaken this old man from his eternal watch with your great power, there is no need to continue this rigid test. You have proven your qualifications."

The hooded old man chuckled.

"That's nice."

Seeing that the other party was so cooperative, Shen also naturally stretched out her little hand forward, palm facing up.

He even beckoned with his finger, the movement flowing smoothly, as if it were perfectly natural.

"?"

The old man stared at the small hand, his wrinkled face filled with even greater questions.

He didn't understand the meaning of the action at all.

It seems like...it costs money?

No. Impossible.
It's just that my long-dormant thought processes are completely unable to interpret the meaning of this action in the modern context.

It must be some kind of ritual.

"I will"

"Reward? Where's my reward?"

Having interrupted the old man, Shen Du, seeing how irresponsible he was, had no choice but to speak plainly.

His tone carried a hint of impatience, as if he were blaming the other person for being slow.

"..."

Speechless for a moment after being taken aback by this self-righteous attitude, the old man subconsciously scratched his head.

Is this... some kind of new-age ritual? A specific ceremony after winning?

He tried to explain this bizarre request using his understanding of ancient logic.

As is customary, the treasure is obtained by the tester, which is correct, but isn't it usually the guardian who actively grants it?

This is the way you ask for things.
It's quite novel. Haha.
However, upon further reflection, since the other party could directly interfere with and awaken this stone statue, which served as the core of the formation, from the outside, their methods were unheard of. Moreover, the energy injected was pure and full of vitality, coupled with their self-proclaimed title of "Lord of All Beasts," and their connection to "Crimson of All Beings," it was likely not unfounded.

Although his behavior is unconventional and eccentric, making him difficult to understand, his essential power leans towards life and nature, so he is certainly not an evil or depraved person.

So he lowered his guard slightly, based on ancient experience, and tried to understand it in a different way:
"...Uh, Your Excellency."

He carefully considered his words:

"You've gone to such lengths to come here and awaken this old man. Have you encountered some intractable problem and come seeking your help?"

He guessed that the other party must have something to ask for, given the lengths they went to.

The reward may just be a euphemism.

"...What kind of help do I need from you?"

Shen Du looked at him with a puzzled expression, wondering if the old man was confused from sleeping.

"Then what brings you in?" The old man was also confused.

"A reward."

God answered with absolute certainty.

"..."

A long silence.

The magical aura in the old mage's eyes flickered violently a few times.

Finally, a forced look of realization crossed his face.

I understand!
A look of realization dawned on his face, and the composure of a wise man returned.

This must be because they felt it would be beneath their dignity to ask for help directly, so they adopted this roundabout method of 'passing the test and receiving the reward,' thus preserving their face while achieving their goal.

"I see, I understand, I understand."

He understood perfectly and nodded.

Since that's the case, he can't be stingy; he must offer a "reward" commensurate with the other party's "efforts."

He reached his hand into the air with solemnity. “Since Your Excellency has arrived here and awakened this old man with extraordinary means, ordinary things must be beneath your notice.”

As he spoke, he slowly drew a long sword.

The sword is long and slender, gleaming with a cool, clear luster like the surface of an autumn lake.

The hilt is inlaid with a magnificent blue gemstone, and powerful magic ripples around the blade.

"This is the 'Sword of the River'!"

The old mage's tone was filled with undeniable pride, "Although it is not the primordial holy sword wielded by that knight king, its power, tempered by my own hands, is in no way inferior to the mythical 'Sword of the Lake.' The wielder of this sword can cut through the mist; its sharpness..."

What are you babbling about?

Shen Du didn't even finish listening before his little brows furrowed, and he waved his hand dismissively:
"No, no, it's too shiny and blinding. I'm not going to kill anyone."

The old monk's confident smile froze for a moment.

Don't want it? This is a divine weapon that countless heroes have dreamed of!
"Well, why don't you take a look at this?"

With a flick of his wrist, the sword in the river vanished, replaced by an ancient staff entwined with serpentine carvings.

"'The Source of Serpent Magic' can greatly amplify the caster's magical perception and output, and guide the power of the stars..."

"It's too long and it's in the way."

Shen glanced at it, showing little interest.

The old monk's eye twitched.

The staff disappeared.

The next moment, a ruby ​​crown, leaping like flames, appeared in his hand:

"What is the price?" The wearer can freely control flames and transform into a fire demon...

"The name sounds awful."

The evaluation of the capital city is simple and straightforward.

The old monk sighed.
However, they still took out a series of props in succession:

A silver mirror that can deflect most magic, a pair of boots that allow one to leap in the shadows, a bottle of water from the Eternal Spring that is said to heal all wounds...

There's also the armor used by King Arthur, the club borrowed from the Lady of the Lake, and the large gemstone he traded with the Fairy Queen.

Each item was taken out.

He briefly introduced its extraordinary features with an ancient pride.

These are all exquisite pieces he collected or created over the years.

However.
The treasures he possessed, any one of which could cause a bloodbath in the outside world, were nothing more than a pile of space-consuming junk in the eyes of this little tyrant, who didn't even bother to glance at them.

Ok
Perhaps he was blind; the treasures he had collected over the years were not appreciated by the powerful.

"What kind of help do you need?"

The old monk decided to abandon thinking and ask directly.

"Anything is fine..."

Shen Du waved his hand, giving the impression that "you can give it as you see fit, but you have to give it."

"This……"

The answer was completely beyond the scope of the curriculum, leaving the old man stumped.

Even Arthur didn't torture himself like this back in the day.

He subconsciously touched his white beard, thought for a moment, and decided to go through the procedures he hadn't yet followed:
"Since you have managed to find this place and awaken this old man with your great power, you must already know my name."

"I am Merlin Ambrose. Three hundred years ago, I perished in this city with my brother, the demon Itrigan, sealing his will within its walls. This place is where I store knowledge and a few meager treasures."

Merlin straightened his back slightly, trying to appear more authoritative.

He spoke to the unfathomable phantom of the little boy before him:

"As the guardian of this place and the keeper of knowledge, I will tell you everything I know and everything I possess, if Your Excellency has any need for it."

He felt that he had now both declared his identity and demonstrated generosity.

It should be able to get the other person to reveal their true feelings.

After all, I, Merlin, have already told you my real name.

Now, you should tell me how you want me to help you, right?

"."

However, upon hearing this long string of self-introductions and impassioned speeches, Shen Du's face was filled with utter speechlessness.

Why is it so hard to ask for a reward?

That old man talks a lot.

When Father took over control of this maze, didn't he take the opportunity to optimize the reward distribution process?

Really.
The efficiency is too low.

but
Shen Du suddenly caught a key word, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"Wait...you're saying this place was originally your museum?"

He interrupted Merlin, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Exactly."

Merlin nodded, his movements still a little hesitant:
"This is an extension of my wisdom, constructed from the echoes of my power..."

"Can you sense that this museum now has a controller?"

"."

"The controller?" Merlin smiled confidently. "Without my permission or the inheritance of my token, no one can truly possess the core authority over this museum. Outsiders can at most temporarily influence the museum's surface mechanisms through external magic, just like..."

But before he could finish speaking, he was stunned by the next question from the capital.

"Then do you have a way to transfer control of the museum to me?"

"..."

Merlin's smile froze instantly.

Even a lion's mouth isn't opened like that!

What is this guy doing here?

"Uh... Your Excellency, this approach... I'm afraid it won't work."

Merlin struggled to organize his thoughts, trying to make the refusal sound less harsh.

“It is not that I am stingy, but that I am now so weak that I am no longer able to carry out such a massive transfer of power.”

But when he saw that Shen Du's face fell and the light spots around him seemed restless and dissatisfied, he realized that Shen Du was clearly unhappy.

I quickly added:

"But I can tell you how to take control of this place!"

"The core and control center of the museum are both connected to a 'cat's eye stone'."

"Your Excellency only needs to find that stone."

"Refining it into one's body is equivalent to gaining access to this place and being able to exercise some of the abilities of the Pavilion Master!"

"Cat's eye stone? Where is it?"

Shen Du immediately pressed for details, finding the reward to be quite acceptable.

If we can find a way to gain some control over our father, then passing the game will be a piece of cake, right?

Merlin was stunned once again upon hearing this:
"You...you don't have a cat's eye stone, so how did you activate the museum and enter this core exhibition hall?"

This completely violates the basic rules he set! Without a key, how did he get in?
God looked at him like he was a fool: "That's how I walked in."

"..."

Merlin was utterly speechless.

He can no longer understand this operation.

"So, is there any way you can give me a reward?"

Shen Du lost his patience and concluded irritably, "What a useless old man. He's awake for nothing!"

"..."

Merlin felt that if he had a heart, it would have stopped right now.

He traversed a vast and complex life, guiding kings and mocking demons.

This is the first time I've ever been so disliked.

The immense sense of defeat plunged the ancient wizard into deep silence and self-doubt.

The other party doesn't want the treasures he cherishes, and he can't grant them the authority to protect them. What else can he do?
Did this person get into some trouble outside? Is this why they're seeking refuge here?
Forget it
This may also be part of what 'fate' has written.

A sense of helplessness, like "what's the use of trying?" welled up inside me.

"This should have been the reward for the most difficult trial, the trial of the mind, but now..."

"Let me show you my most precious collection of books."

His tone was deep and composed, tinged with self-importance:

"That book records all the mysteries I have witnessed and studied throughout my long career. Its knowledge is vast and boundless, reaching from the radiance of heaven to the flames of hell. It contains almost everything in the world."

He muttered to himself as he reached out his hand into the empty space beside him.

Strangely, ripples appeared in the place that was originally empty.

And then
A dazzling light gathered in his loosely clenched palm and gradually solidified.

"Even with your immense power, you will surely gain something from it that you lack."

"However, the amount of information contained within is enormous; those lacking in spiritual strength may not be able to glimpse the supreme method."

Merlin's words carried a guiding tone and a hint of pride.

With a flick of his wrists, the light gradually faded, revealing an ancient, thick book in his hands.

But it is obvious that
The phrase "from heaven to hell" struck a chord with the capital city like the sweetest honey.

This is a valuable collectible!
The boy's eyes gleamed with golden light.

Before the book could be fully materialized, and before Merlin could even finish speaking, he raised his hand almost as if by divine inspiration!

- Om!

Merlin's power of creation gradually faded.

The old wizard's face had a gentle yet slightly smug expression.

The action of handing over the book
Even the dust particles floating in the air around him were completely frozen.

Shen Du's small hands were as fast as lightning.

He snatched the thick, newly formed book, still radiating the afterglow of magic, from Merlin's frozen hand.

He casually weighed the large book in his hand, which exuded an irresistible allure of knowledge.

As the paper is turned, countless lights, shadows, words, and whispers flow endlessly within it.

Then he raised his head and looked at the white-bearded old man in front of him, whose expression was one of astonishment at having his power drained.

He showed no remorse whatsoever; instead, he raised his chin, snorted coldly, and announced in a tone that was so self-righteous it bordered on tyranny:

"What, yours or his eternal book?"

He waved the reward he had snatched in his hand.

This is enough loot to drive any mage in the outside world crazy.

"Look closely, old man."

"From this moment on, this book belongs to me!"

"This is my book!"

"."

The Red of All Beings in This Era
What kind of proxy did they find?
The essence of power is so pure and luminous, almost like the source of creation.
But this style of doing things
Why does it look like a greedy, evil dragon?
And
"."

"That's all."

Petrification gradually spread across his face, but Merlin smiled helplessly, as if resigned to his fate.

"Since you already have this book in your hands."

"Then please be very careful of Morgan le Fay, and my brother Itlage."

The words came in fits and starts, and eventually disappeared completely.

The light in the stone statue's eyes went out, and it returned to complete silence.

Let all the noise and conversation just now become a dream.

Only the thick and warm "Book of Eternity" in Shen Du's hands proved that everything that had just happened was real.

(End of this chapter)