The four heroes exchanged glances, then nodded firmly. Arya spoke first, "Whatever trials lie ahead, we are ready to accept the challenge."
The old man nodded, looking at them with satisfaction, and then the crystal at the tip of his cane emitted a dazzling light. "Very good. In that case, please take this greatsword." He pointed to the golden greatsword in Rex's hand.
Rex gripped the hilt without hesitation, instantly feeling a surge of power coursing through his body, as if connecting his mind with the soul of the sword. "What's next?" he asked, his tone a mixture of curiosity and determination.
"This sword is called 'Radiant Judgment,' one of the oldest treasures on this continent. Legend has it that only those it recognizes can unlock its true power," the old man said slowly. "You will need to go through a special ritual to unravel its secrets, and this ritual will be performed in a temple in the center of the continent."
At this moment, a young man watching couldn't help but exclaim, "A temple? I've heard that place is forbidden! Throughout history, very few people have ever come out alive..." Before he could finish speaking, an old man next to him sternly rebuked him, "Shut up! Don't talk too much in this kind of situation."
Robin smiled and looked at the crowd around him. "There's no need to worry too much. We've been through countless hardships, and we'll do our best to overcome all obstacles this time as well." His words were calm yet persuasive, which eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.
"Then let's not delay any longer, let's set off now!" Samir replied, clenching his fist in front of his chest as a signal. "Let's prove to the world once again what a true hero looks like!" Hearing these bold words, many people present were filled with a surge of passion, and even a few young people were excited: "I really want to join their team and go on an adventure!"
As the crowd gradually dispersed and everyone busied themselves preparing for the upcoming momentous event, the four heroes, guided by the elder, embarked on their journey to the temple. Along the way, they encountered numerous extraordinary adventures, each anecdote enriching and making their experiences even more legendary.
For example, while passing through a village, Rex encountered a merchant from out of town arguing with the villagers, who accused someone of theft because their goods had gone missing. Rex quickly resolved the misunderstanding using his sense of justice and powerful aura; it turned out to be just a false alarm. Afterwards, the merchant offered to donate supplies as a token of gratitude and hoped to join the heroes on their journey to the Sanctuary to witness a miraculous moment…
On another occasion, while exploring a dense forest in search of the shortest route to their target location, they encountered a rare monster attack. Arya cleverly noticed the enemy's unusual behavior and successfully guided her companions around the potentially dangerous area...
Whenever they solve a problem or help some ordinary people, they always receive heartfelt praise from passersby—"Are they the best knights of our time? How admirable!" "If only I had such courage..." and so on.
After some twists and turns, when they finally arrived at the temple entrance, the same dazzling starlight phenomenon reappeared in the sky. This brought a smile of satisfaction to the eyes of the old man who had been waiting for so long. "Very good, the time has come," he said to the four people behind him.
The moment Rex gently pushed open the door, the entire scene instantly became sacred and solemn—tall pillars surrounded and supported the interior space of this ancient building; and right in the center stood a huge altar with intricate carvings.
"Place the Radiant Judgment there as instructed," the old man whispered.
Arya, slightly nervous yet unable to hide her excitement, stepped forward and steadily placed the golden longsword in its designated position. Suddenly, a gentle yet powerful force emanated from it…
At that moment, a townsman observing all these changes from a distance murmured, "Look... it seems like something really big is about to happen..."
The four warriors standing inside the temple exchanged glances, seemingly asking the same question in their hearts—what awaited them next?
Arya slowly placed the Radiant Judgment on the altar, and for a moment, the air inside the entire temple seemed to freeze. As the sword fully touched the groove on the altar, a golden beam of light shot into the sky, piercing the night and illuminating all the secrets hidden beneath the darkness. At the same time, an ancient and distant voice echoed through the air, as if it had traveled through time.
Just as this power erupted, a young guard surrounding the temple was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. "That...that's...the legendary power? How could it possibly exist?!" He hurriedly called over his older colleague, who was yawning beside him. "Look, am I hallucinating?"
The latter rubbed his eyes and looked at the light. "This is impossible... but I've never seen such a spectacular sight in my life. It's incredible." The two looked at each other, and at the same time, they felt an unprecedented excitement welling up in their hearts. They even began to imagine that they could become heroes who would leave their mark on history.
Inside the temple, as the light gradually faded, a new scene appeared before the four heroes—a map composed of countless interconnected star charts, clearly marking the path to their final destination. More importantly, it seemed that even more untold secrets were hidden behind this mysterious scroll…
"Is this the path we must take?" Robin broke the silence first, his voice filled with a thirst for exploring the unknown. "Yes, but you must proceed with caution, for the journey is fraught with challenges and trials," the old man replied solemnly, turning his gaze to Rex. "Especially you, with the 'Radiant Judgment,' the responsibility is even greater; every step requires careful consideration."
Samir followed closely behind, nodding firmly in agreement. "Now that we know the direction we're heading, we won't back down. We'll protect ourselves and do our best to help those we meet along the way." She looked at her three companions, seeking their agreement; each of their eyes shone with the same burning dream and belief.
Just as they were preparing to leave this mysterious place, a town resident who had been silently observing the development of this strange event approached them: "My esteemed friends, perhaps I can offer you some additional assistance?" He introduced himself with a smile as Thomas, who had once been one of the most respected information gathering experts in the Adventurers' Guild.
Arya was the first to express her gratitude for this unexpected surprise. "Really? Any knowledge or resources that can help us accomplish our mission are invaluable. Please let us know what support you can provide."
“I have many rare books that record information about wonders and treasures from various places, as well as potentially dangerous areas, which I believe will be of great benefit to my journey ahead,” Thomas replied. “In addition, I have reliable informants scattered throughout the continent who are always ready to report on any changes in the situation.”
Hearing these words, the four felt grateful and their resolve to continue their journey strengthened. However, just as they were about to set off, a faint tremor and an unusually bright light resounded in the distance, seemingly indicating that some great change was brewing…
Robin turned to the wise and insightful guide and asked, "Teacher, what do you think that light signified? Does it have any impact on the task we're about to face?"
The old man's expression was even more complicated than before. After a long while, he finally spoke: "Child... this may be a sign that the wheel of fate is turning. What awaits you ahead is not only glory and victory, but may also be accompanied by unprecedented difficulties and choices... Remember, courage and wisdom go hand in hand, and that is the path of the true strong."
As he finished speaking, the four young people exchanged a knowing glance. They knew that no matter how arduous and long the future might be, they would bravely move forward with fearless hearts. As for the mysterious light source outside the town at this very moment, what kind of message it represented is left for the reader to ponder…
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