#347 - Game
“Saruman!”
Gandalf said with an agitated and stern tone, “Does ‘Saruman the Wise’ not understand—these Orcs are fundamentally not natural life forms; they are twisted products.”
“They have no souls, nor are they children of the Creator. Their very existence represents evil. Even if they obey you now, their essence cannot be changed.”
“Unless…”
“Unless?”
Saruman repeated curiously, his tone indifferent.
Gandalf narrowed his eyes:
“Unless you embrace evil.”
“Hmph, evil.”
Saruman seemed somewhat disdainful.
“Of course I know what you're talking about, but so what? I'm just using the enemy's methods to deal with the enemy. As for the rest, you just watch.”
“When the enemy is completely destroyed, these ‘weapons’ for dealing with great enemies will no longer be necessary. I will let them disappear along with Sauron's destruction.”
“No, Saruman, you still don't understand. They are not merely ‘weapons.’ In the name of Ilúvatar, you are now touching a taboo.”
“How dare you speak in His name without permission?”
Upon hearing this name, Saruman was genuinely angered.
Because this name, the name of the Creator God, represents the highest level of authority in this world, at least among the free peoples, no one dares to disobey.
People always swear in the name of something when making oaths.
Dwarves and humans will swear by their great ancestors and legendary leaders, while elves will use the Valar, swearing by the names of gods.
But no one dares to use the name of the Creator God without authorization.
In fact, most things in this world are not worthy of swearing by that name. Only in extremely high-level and authoritative occasions is this name mentioned.
Now Gandalf says this, which is equivalent to completely negating Saruman, so completely that it even negates his very being.
How could Saruman not be angry?
“I just want to tell you that regardless of the purpose or whom you intend to use them against, what you are doing is already pushing you in a dark direction.”
“The evil of Mordor has not diminished, but the evil of Isengard is increasing.”
Saying this, Gandalf shook his head and sighed.
However, on the opposite side, Saruman was also quite disappointed.
“Gandalf, I thought your wisdom was enough to make you understand what I am doing, but it seems I overestimated you.”
“But your decay and ignorance disappoint me.”
“You are the one who disappoints me, Saruman. Today, I only see a wise man walking in the opposite direction of his mission.”
Gandalf stared at Saruman.
Saruman also stared at Gandalf.
Amidst the deafening shouts of Uruk-hai and Dunlendings beneath the tower, Gandalf took a deep breath and turned to leave this noisy place.
“What are you going to do?” Saruman couldn't help but ask from behind.
“To expose your actions so that everyone can judge. Before that, you better not make any other moves.”
“That won't do.”
Saruman raised his black staff.
Clang.
One door after another closed.
Gandalf frowned and slowly turned around.
“What are you going to do, Saruman?”
“My friend, I can't let you ruin my plans.”
Saruman slowly sat down in his chair and said, “You just stay here and watch, watch how the enemy is destroyed. Then, you will know who is right and who is backward.”
Gandalf did not respond.
The scene fell silent again.
Both of them froze there without moving.
Until Saruman said that sentence.
“Tell me, Gandalf, where is the One Ring now, and what arrangements have you made?”
He gently touched the Ring of Power on his hand and said:
“As a wizard of ‘all colors,’ I am confident that I can undertake all the responsibilities of the ‘Istari (Wizards),’ including pushing Sauron to destruction, but this requires more power. What I have now is not enough…”
“You disappoint me, Saruman.”
The hanging heart finally died.
Gandalf raised his staff, suddenly turned his head, but the next moment he flew out, crashing into the door with a thud.
“Ha, I guessed you would make some futile struggles. It seems I have to give you some lessons before you can talk to me properly…”
“That's what I was going to say.”
Boom!
Flames ignited in mid-air, and Gandalf ignited his fire of hope.
He stood up against the terrifying demonic sound and the spreading darkness, shouted loudly, and raised his staff to push back Saruman's telekinesis.
“Do you think I'm still who I used to be?”
Saruman said with a cold face, increasing the output.
The Ring of Power shone brightly, and immense pressure swept over, extinguishing the flames on Gandalf's body.
“Puff—”
Gandalf fell to the ground, rolled several times, and finally crashed into the wall.
The staff rolled to the side, and the pipe hanging on it was smashed.
Gandalf felt a pang of heartache when he saw it.
“Give up the futile struggle and cooperate with me.”
Saruman walked over slowly, cautiously kicked away Gandalf's staff, and looked at the broken old pipe, saying, “I'll pay you for a new one.”
“It's been with me for more than a few centuries…”
Gandalf complained, and when Saruman approached, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Saruman's leg, pulling him so unexpectedly that Saruman fell straight to the ground, his head making intimate contact with the floor, making a crisp sound.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Gandalf rolled over and picked up the staff, aiming it at Saruman.
Saruman trembled and climbed up, quickly raising his staff to respond.
“Despicable fellow!”
“All's fair in war.”
Bang!
A new round of confrontation began, and red and bright white lights flickered inside the Orthanc tower, and the two old wizards fought fiercely.
Bang!
While the two were constantly releasing their mana to fight against each other, a line of sight was attracted by the evil gathered here.
That line of sight was too hidden, so that neither of the two who were fighting fiercely noticed it, even Gandalf, who was as careful as he was.
Clang.
“Heh, I won.”
After fighting for a long time, Saruman, whose head was faintly aching and whose face was still swollen, declared victory to Gandalf.
Gandalf lay on the ground, breathing out more than in, looking much more miserable than Saruman.
He didn't want to talk anymore.
Tired, let's destroy it.
I have tried my best.
And…
He secretly looked at Saruman's right hand.
That ring must be related to Li Wei.
“Get up, Gandalf, I know you have more than that potential.”
Saruman showed off to Gandalf triumphantly: “Now do you recognize my power?”
Gandalf took a difficult breath, raised his head and said, “You…”
Thump.
His heart suddenly jumped.
Gandalf felt a jolt all over his body, his eyes widened suddenly, and he didn't even care about the injuries on his body, and quickly staggered to his feet.
Something's wrong!
Saruman reacted in the same way as him, and the two looked out the window together.
Hiss——
A sharp and ear-piercing cry resounded through the sky, and the Dunlending and Uruk-hai army under the tower looked up together, and saw nine black figures riding fierce giant beasts with wing membranes circling and flying in the air.
