Super Righteous Player
Chapter 1003 - 61: Slumber is a Gift

Chapter 1003: Chapter 61: Slumber is a Gift

Hugo’s life was approaching its end for two main reasons.

One was that his lifespan had actually been exhausted already.

Like someone from an academy city, he lived day and night in the sustaining capsule of the Heath Tower of Black, with his vitality maintained solely by the sacred fire of the Heath Tower of Black. When he left, he still looked like a young man in his twenties... However, this did not mean that his time had stopped when he was in his twenties.

It was because Hugo, situated at the heart of the Hearth of the Heath Tower of Black and posing as a "cursed material," deceived the whole world.

When Hugo entered the Heath Tower of Black, although he retained his consciousness and control over the Heath Tower of Black, his identity was only that of the "Tower Master" and "the main power source of the Heath Tower of Black," and no longer a Wizard... for he had lost control over his own body.

If Hugo had stayed inside without coming out, he could have remained there for a very long time. Until his consciousness was completely burnt out by the sacred fire... In that case, the succession mechanism of the Heath Tower of Black would have automatically activated.

However, once Hugo reconnected with his body and voluntarily left the sealed state of the Heath Tower of Black, he would immediately lose the qualities of a cursed material and consequently fall out of this equilibrium state. His body, theoretically advanced in years, would begin a rapid "compensatory aging."

Moreover, Hugo’s soul had already been burnt to the brink, leaving only an empty shell. His consciousness had even slowed down, sluggish like a true old man, slow to react.

Such was Hugo, who could no longer extend his life with a Gold soul, and his weakening soul would, in turn, accelerate the decay of his body.

But after all, Hugo’s death was not due to his soul burning out... but due to aging—a slow, powerless death.

He chose now to burn out all his soul and pass all his power to Salvatore, because he could not bear the torture of being infinitely close to death... and yet clinging to life, waiting for a long time.

Actually, Annan knew that even if Hugo entered the Heath Tower of Black again, he could no longer extend his life.

Like an opened can... even if the lid is put back intact, the food would start to spoil rapidly.

He only stuffed himself back in because he was already too unstable to stand. Only by conserving the spiritual consciousness used to control the body could he manage some affairs at the end with the help of the sacred fire’s power.

Otherwise, he feared he might even lose control of his bodily functions...

Annan did not wish for a true good person, after burning out his life for the world, to end up in such a wretched state.

This world should not have anything like certain death. After all, even destiny itself could be changed by Annan.

When Hugo actively sacrificed himself, handing over the position of the Tower Master along with all his power to Salvatore during the Great Ritual... Annan could use the power of the "Curse: Light of All Lights" to resurrect Hugo!

Because this Curse Binding did not require a "complete soul"... In other words, the revival power of this curse even had a higher priority than players’ ability to resurrect.

Players could resurrect infinitely because their souls had already been stored in the Book of the Celestial Chariot when they signed a contract with Annan. Their bodies, whether on Earth or in the world of mist, were merely projections from the souls stored in the Book of the Celestial Chariot.

It was somewhat similar to the captain of clone ships model.

That is to say, the resurrection of the Book of the Celestial Chariot was not truly a resurrection, but rather creating a new body for a new projection—right from the beginning, players were truly "players" in the utmost sense.

The bodies they used were indeed their game characters.

It’s just that they themselves were unaware of this...

And the "Curse: Light of All Lights" allowed Annan to truly possess the power of resurrection.

... It was just like Hugo’s past expectations for Bernadino.

Born with the ability to insight into the nature of humanity, and coincidentally diverted from his original path by fate to participate in the Spiritual Body Resonance Cauldron experiment, he did not die and obtained the Soul Vision—only under such circumstances could he adapt to the "essence of the soul."

A blessing in disguise.

It was precisely because of his tumultuous fate that he awakened the extremely rare essence of the soul. Bernadino at that time was probably the only Transcendent in the world who could resurrect others at will.

More than sixty percent of the gods did not have any form of resurrection ability.

And those Ritualists who could use resurrection rituals also had to require a "100% complete Spiritual Body," and it had to be stored intact as a Soul Crystal immediately after death for the resurrection to occur.

The only Necromancer capable of resurrecting the dead regardless of the soul’s wholeness was Bernardino alone.

Though Bernardino did not choose this path.

But after Annan killed him, he inadvertently inherited Bernardino’s power of resurrection... Perhaps this could also be seen as a form of Bernardino’s atonement.

Although Annan was under no obligation to atone for him, and Bernardino’s sins were beyond redemption... at the very least, this might offer some consolation to Hugo.

Hugo could have entered this nightmare.

Despite being unable to dismantle it from the outside and high-level individuals being barred from entry... if Hugo truly wished to purge this nightmare, he could have easily found a few students or mentors to assist. It was only a matter of signing a contract, nothing too troublesome.

After all, Hugo wouldn’t have known before entering this nightmare that its unique trait was "reiteration." Experience could not be passed on to others.

The reason he hesitated over this nightmare,

in truth, was his highly ambivalent feelings towards Bernardino.

If Hugo had truly regarded Bernardino as an enemy, there would have been nothing to hesitate over.

So the situation was quite simple.

Even though Bernardino tried to kill him and truly disappointed Hugo, making it impossible for them to remain friends... they had once been friends. Hugo could not erase that fact, nor could he calm his heart or deal with Bernardino in the most rational way.

The thought alone of the moment when Salvatore tearfully bid Hugo farewell... and Hugo, composed yet resolute, entrusted his last wishes and life’s lessons to his student before parting with a decisive farewell.

And then, resurrected on the spot in confusion to Salvatore’s subconscious cries, Hugo’s face would surely betray his bewilderment.

...Such a scene would surely be amusing.

Annan chuckled softly as the nightmare finally began to settle.

[Nightmare Purified]

[Purification of the Nightmare with a specific identity, rating increased]

[Uncovered the entire truth, rating greatly increased]

[Failed to repent for the sin, rating decreased]

[Failed to apologize to Hugo, rating decreased]

[Performed a powerful purification, rating greatly increased]

[Comprehensive Evaluation—B]

[Received 100 spirit essence]

[Based on the region of the Nightmare’s origin, you have received the Holy Mark of the Silver Baron]

Annan did not "apologize to Hugo" or "atone for himself" in the nightmare, fully meeting Bernardino’s wishes, so the side quests of the nightmare were not all completed.

— But this is exactly what Annan had hoped for.

"Though I have fully understood you, we remain irreconcilable enemies."

Annan murmured, "I am in no position to apologize for you... nor will I think your sins could be so easily expiated.

"You were indeed pitiful once. But now, you’ve gotten what you deserved.

"Die bearing this unforgiven sin, you sinner—"

Annan’s icy voice echoed in the void: "To slumber is the greatest mercy bestowed upon you."

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