Super Righteous Player
Chapter 447 - 444 Restless Reflection_1

Chapter 447: Chapter 444 Restless Reflection_1

"There is only one Philosopher’s Stone, so I must be the one to go."

Annan said with utmost seriousness, "If you want to help, then hurry up and make some good potions for me. The Silver Baron can teleport me instantly, so our time isn’t that tight... I can wait until the ritual is complete, everything is ready, and then make my move before sunrise tomorrow.

"Before that, I’ll need to rely on you to stay up late and help prepare the logistics."

When Annan realized that what he could offer wasn’t enough to get the Silver Baron to act personally, he had already decided to give it a try.

He is now of the silver rank, no longer the bronze-level of his past, and he had received new truths.

If he were to inject the Philosopher’s Stone, he would surely unleash a battle strength far greater than when he fought the Rot Husband—perhaps he could defeat Bernadino.

Fortunately... there is one last vial of the Philosopher’s Stone left.

And that was also the excuse Annan had for refusing Salvatore.

Without using the Philosopher’s Stone, Salvatore simply had no chance of confronting Bernadino head-on.

If Annan didn’t know this, Salvatore would definitely set his sights on that vial of Philosopher’s Stone.

Although he felt somewhat sorry for his newly accepted student, for breaking the promise he made at the time of enrollment and failing to pass on the orthodox tradition of the Black Tower... however, Salvatore’s determination to head to the Heath Tower of Black to seek his destiny was unwavering.

If only Salvatore knew about this, to keep Annan out of these troubled waters that had nothing to do with him, Salvatore would definitely sneak off on his own.

But he learned of this together with Annan.

Then the situation was different.

During the battle with the Rot Husband, he realized very clearly that letting himself use the Philosopher’s Stone was undoubtedly a waste. Even if he gave his body entirely to the shadow, what she could do would likely be very limited.

Yet Annan, even when he was at bronze rank, could fight the Rot Husband to a standstill!

At least he could hold his ground for three minutes without losing!

...although the Rot Husband isn’t much stronger than a Transcendent of the Truth Rank anyway.

Moreover, Annan also has the protection of a True God.

Salvatore still doesn’t know what exactly the Silver Baron wants to use Annan for. But for the True Gods, if they had malicious intentions, they wouldn’t need to go around in circles... altering minds, memories, or even directly enslaving spirits in this world isn’t exactly a complex technique.

Therefore, with the Silver Baron’s protection, even if Annan failed, he would not die.

Salvatore is not a suicide enthusiast.

He wishes to rescue the Tower Master and reclaim his senior brother’s soul—ideally, taking vengeance on Bernadino. Not to just charge in and be killed by Bernadino.

Annan is much stronger than himself and even has a safety guarantee.

So he can only give up this opportunity to Annan.

Thinking of this, Salvatore felt great regret.

—Why did I only make three Philosopher’s Stones at that time?

If there were four, I could have fought alongside Annan!

"I... understand."

Salvatore nodded reluctantly.

When he first advanced to an alchemist, he thought that he could provide more help to Annan.

But he never imagined that there would come a time when he would encounter problems that required Annan to step in on his behalf...

His own family was in trouble, and he could only watch coldly from the sidelines while his friend risked his life for him—how could this be?

How could this be right?

At this moment, Salvatore began to regret his choice of profession.

If he had chosen the Tower’s Child’s exclusive profession "Holy Fire Envoy," he could have fought alongside the Tower Master, offering his own soul as fuel to support and heal the Tower Master. Even without the Philosopher’s Stone, he might have been able to fight Bernadino.

"Go back, Saul."

The shadow’s voice was cold and hoarse as it came through, "Don’t waste any more time, go straight to the Geraints’ and use their best transmutation chamber.

"Then give me your body—I will personally make potions for Annan."

"...Alright."

—For the first time, Salvatore agreed to the shadow’s request to use his body.

"If you have anything else you want to say to Annan, say it now."

After thinking this, Salvatore closed his eyes directly.

Seconds passed, and he immediately fell asleep right then and there.

As his body started to show dense, black runes, filled with an evil presence and emitting an unsettling, thick black smoke that enveloped him, his eyes turned into two blood-red crescents, faintly glowing in the smoke.

It seemed that he was even more fitting for the name "Shadow Fiend" than Kafney.

"What are the requirements, Annan?"

"Salvatore" asked directly.

"Potions that can increase willpower, enhance physical attributes or improve damage resistance. Avoid those that increase strength and agility; best to suppress those a bit too. Those are the top two requirements.

"Next would be potions that temporarily boost the perception attribute, followed by something that enhances my ability to harm spiritual bodies—I’ll give you my sword, so if possible, add this function to my sword. After that, the more healing potions, the better... To what extent can you make these happen?"

"Don’t underestimate me, a demand of this level... I’ll have it done in twelve hours, no, ten hours for you."

Salvatore let out a cold laugh, speaking indifferently, "I’m not that failure. Bring me the sword... is it okay to include the requirements for suppressing strength and agility in the potion to enhance willpower? Any other needs?"

"That’s all," Annan nodded.

"Then you need two bottles of custom-made potions, one to increase willpower while slightly reducing strength and agility, and the other to significantly enhance survival. After that, I’ll make you a potion for resistance to spiritual bodies, a stone skin potion, a potion of mental fortitude, three potions of the Whisperer’s compound, a potion of mind purification, a mental declination ring, an enchantment against spiritual bodies, and a dozen potent healing potions... That’s your request, right?"

Salvatore emotionlessly repeated Annan’s order.

Hearing this, Annan actually became worried, "How come there’s so much stuff? Can you really complete it?"

"Heh, don’t look down on me. I am Salvatore’s shadow."

Salvatore sneered dismissively and answered coldly, "Hurry up and perform your ritual. I’ll definitely come with the goods before you leave."

After speaking, she bit her own thumb.

Annan had no clue how she did it.

Salvatore simply transformed into a gust of black wind and, like a demon from ’Journey to the West,’ whistled away into the sky.

At least Annan could be sure that Salvatore himself didn’t know this trick...

"They don’t seem very happy," commented the Silver Baron leisurely.

Annan nodded again, without saying anything.

Whatever became of Heath Tower of Black wasn’t his concern. Be it the Tower Master or the seniors’ seniors... Annan didn’t know them.

—But they were Salvatore’s friends and family.

If Annan did not stop Salvatore, he would certainly go to his death. Annan understood the senior, as well as the senior’s shadow—Salvatore was a rational yet weak man, aware that his resistance would be meaningless to the enemy and wouldn’t save anyone.

But the shadow was different.

What the shadow did was never "what should be done" but rather "what was desired to be done." She was the embodiment of Salvatore’s deepest desires, his pleasure, vengeance, and fury incarnate, the source of all his impulses.

In contrast, Salvatore’s own actions were constrained by morality, law, rules, and rationality; whatever he did had to be considered in terms of gains and the perceptions of others. The relationship between the shadow and Salvatore was akin to the conflict on the level of personality between the "id" and the "superego."

Salvatore acts by restraining the shadow with reason and will... Yet now, his reason and will were on the verge of collapse. At this time, he would inevitably follow the shadow’s line of thought.

That was his Curse Binding, the essence of "the Reflection that Never Sleeps."

A mirror that constantly exists and reflects oneself. It was also a self-defense mechanism born from Salvatore’s exceptionally divine approach to problems.

When Salvatore encountered events he couldn’t handle or difficulties he couldn’t resolve, the shadow would take over to deal with them because Salvatore was not one to give up easily; and when he faced a situation where he had to do something against the law and morality, defying rationality and logic... the shadow would take the blame, dominating the body to achieve the desired outcome.

—That’s what’s referred to as "being tempted by the devil."

It probably wasn’t just Annan.

With Pope Benjamin’s wisdom, he too must have understood the essence of Salvatore’s Curse Binding early on.

That’s why he taught Salvatore to strictly control himself, to constantly strengthen self-discipline, to resist the shadow’s takeover at all costs.

In actuality, this served to reinforce the shadow’s wild nature... to ensure that in crucial moments, the shadow could do what Salvatore dared not or was unwilling to do.

Because the shadow is his reflection in the water.

The stronger Salvatore’s rationality, the crazier the shadow; the more naive Salvatore, the darker the shadow; the more Salvatore considered others... the more selfish and greedy became the shadow.

The seal imposed by Pope Benjamin was meant to protect his student.

Not just to keep him safe in life.

But also to provide an inevitable excuse when faced with a heart-wrenching choice—and a brand-new cauldron specifically tailored for the shadow to carry.

And this was to maintain the integrity of Salvatore’s personality, so he wouldn’t be left with regrets.

"...Pope Benjamin really cherishes his student," Annan sighed.

The Silver Baron looked at Annan, smiling gently and silently shook his head.

He didn’t say much, just simply remarked, "It’s time to perform your ritual. Wait another two hours, and the ice might not melt."

"Could you... give me a lift?" asked Annan.

"Why not?"

The Silver Baron chuckled, lifted his hand, and a newly created silver coin appeared between his fingers.

He casually tossed the coin towards Annan, uttering nonchalantly, "Let the silver coin show the way—"

The moment the silver coin struck him, Annan’s vision blurred, and it seemed as if a bridge made purely of silver coins had formed, standing in the void.

Before he could take a step forward, the bridge began to flow on its own.

In the blink of an eye, he reached the other side.

When Annan opened his eyes again, he was already in the Tower of Frost.

—While Geraint father and son and Salvatore had not yet arrived home.