Super Righteous Player
Chapter 860 - 397 The Abandoned Mirror

Chapter 860: Chapter 397 The Abandoned Mirror

Annan, as the new generation of the Celestial Chariot, could not be detected by spells related to destiny. That is to say, when people from the past looked into Annan’s future, they could only see nothingness.

The one most closely related to Annan was the "page" born from Tan Juan.

And this page from the Fragments of Truth was the most crucial... confirming that the people from the Otherworld were "players" and not "heroes," the Chapter of the Undead.

If Annan hadn’t existed, this page of truth might have been lost forever—

According to the original trajectory of fate, if Philip hadn’t sent someone to assassinate Tan Juan, Tan Juan Geraint and Benjamin would have correctly proceeded to Frostwater Harbor.

Benjamin’s primary purpose was to facilitate the birth of the "Mirror Ritual" — this was to obtain the power of time and mirrors, to enter that perpetually cycling nightmare and rescue his girlfriend.

In this process, he would go alone to Roth Fort. With him, a well-known silver-tier wizard guarding Tan Juan, Viscount Barber would not lay hands on Tan Juan.

But given Tan Juan’s personality, he was unlikely to receive Salvatore’s approval. So eventually, Salvatore would return to Heath Tower of Black after his ordeal, and Tan Juan would continue to stay in Frostwater Harbor, unable to influence Viscount Barber’s authority.

Viscount Barber would complete the Reincarnation Ritual and reincarnate into his descendant.

This way, these two Fragments would be as good as lost.

Due to Tan Juan’s insufficient talents, "not enough light," he would forever be unable to awaken the Fragments of Truth born within him; Viscount Barber himself was not chosen by fate, but merely bore the Fragment of Truth that Dream Stealer stripped from himself and cast onto him.

—Nobody would think that these two were the "Mirror of the Celestial Chariot."

To commoners, they were noblemen, Noah’s "guarantors," people above others.

But to those who held the Chariot Remnant Page... both of them were simply insignificant figures not worth attention.

Without these two mirrors, the Chariot Ritual could not be completed.

Rather say... without Annan, the fate of these mirrors wouldn’t even intertwine. Unless one awakens the Fragment of Truth within oneself, even meeting wouldn’t help them realize that the other person was their "mirror."

Only someone qualified to touch the bodies could obtain the remnant pages.

And their paths of destiny were fundamentally non-intersecting.

That is to say... without Annan, the Celestial Chariot could not come into being.

And they seemed to believe that the "Celestial Chariot" must exist at some future moment, or else a great calamity might ensue.

Therefore, the original Philip chose to project himself into the future as "one of the seven mirrors," ensuring the Ascension Ritual of the Book of the Celestial Chariot could be successfully completed. He struck a deal with the tragedy playwright and even gained approval from Silver Baron for this reason.

"You adhere to the Reincarnation because of a deep-seated self-suggestion in your soul. Because Denton is also one of the mirrors... and you plotted to take the throne because your father in this life, Henry VIII, is also one of the mirrors."

If Annan had never been born from the start.

Then Philip could have obtained three of the pages—thereby becoming a strong contender for the Celestial Chariot.

The likelihood of the Celestial Chariot forming correctly would have greatly increased.

Certainly much greater than the possibility of neither Philip nor Annan existing.

After the birth of Annan... or rather, after adding the variable of Annan, everything changed.

All these mirrors were merely "reflections" of one facet of Annan’s personality. Once Annan obtained the first Fragment, all the other mirrors lost the ability to "self-awaken."

—They all became mirrors of Annan.

From a fair battle among seven... it turned into a pursuit of one against seven. All mirrors became nourishment for Annan’s self-growth.

From this point of view, Annan should originally be the rightful bearer of the Book of the Celestial Chariot.

Therefore, even without holding any Chapter of the Fragments, the True Gods still referred to him as "Celestial Chariot."

Having realized this.

Annan suddenly understood the significance of "Ingrid," the seventh mirror.

She and Philip likely held similar roles.

The Chariot Ritual required shattering six mirrors—thus, "the extra one" could serve as an alternate, much like a car carries a spare tire in addition to its four wheels.

If Annan failed to arrive in the end,

either she or Philip—one from either the first or seventh mirrors—would become the "insurance", beginning to transform into the Celestial Chariot to devour others and thus, become closer to the current "Annan".

This is similar to animals that undergo sex reversal to prevent their species from dying out after one gender is eliminated... like the red anthias and clownfish.

The reason Philip didn’t use the sixth aspect’s Book of the Dead but chose the fourth narrative instead likely wasn’t due to any superiority of the fourth narrative itself... but to prevent others from using the fourth narrative later and disrupting this hard-won future.

Hundreds of years of heavy usage of the fourth narrative, even sacrificing his old personality, was a price Philip was willing to pay to keep the ritual of the Celestial Chariot alive.

Annan probably knew what they were thinking.

Because Annan came from another world into this one... before his birth, this world’s "fate" probably couldn’t foresee him.

Even though Annan had arrived in this world, if the first-cycle Annan didn’t choose the "Heart of Justice", he wouldn’t need to abandon his memories. Thus, Leviathan wouldn’t send Annan to Frostwater Harbor, nor would he encounter the page from the Book of the Celestial Chariot on Tan Juan.

As long as Annan didn’t arrive at Frostwater Harbor at the right time,

this Fragment of the Book of Truth would eventually still end up with Philip.

But after Annan lost his memories, Leviathan sent him near Frostwater Harbor.

At this point, Claus, sent by Philip, mysteriously failed—he didn’t remove Tan Juan’s corpse or his clothes, which unintentionally benefited Annan who came to investigate upon waking.

This was probably not a coincidence.

It was Leviathan... or perhaps Benjamin influencing his thoughts.

—Fate is the rut of the Celestial Chariot.

The moment Annan decided to "initiate the second cycle", everything was already set in stone.

Annan sighed, "You have become what you are now, following such a path... It’s all due to the mental suggestions you set for yourself."

No one understood Philip better than Philip Flamel himself.

His current personality was entirely sculpted by his first-cycle self. His desires were also formed then... even the possibility he chose "not to flee, but to charge in the opposite direction" had already been decided by that cycle’s "Rhetorician".

Just as the present Annan was defined by the first-cycle Annan—eliminating all possible difficulties that might prevent Annan from being pure enough to ensure he could reach the Heart of Justice.

"But I have come."

Annan said softly, "Then, your mission is already over."

From the beginning, he was a backup, a "savior that might not be needed".

"—This is probably the real reason you would wish to rest.

"The only good news... is that you haven’t forgotten your mission. Because you have been walking on that path until you witnessed its end."

Annan spoke calmly.

He no longer needed to continue fighting—it was this realization in his subconscious that brought a "sense of weariness" into Philip’s heart and led him to give up on reincarnation.

From the start, it was a life entirely manipulated by someone.

Yet the one manipulating his fate... was himself.

Looking at Philip, who had become completely petrified in place, as if turned to stone,

Annan silently sighed and left with the silent Victor.

—Philip was no longer a threat.

Annan narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at the night sky.

He actually had another question... but it wasn’t necessary to discuss it with Philip.

Since Philip was specifically sent by the past "Rhetorician"... Ingrid, then who made her into the "insurance" of the Celestial Chariot?

What exactly requires such layered insurance and also ensures the existence of the Celestial Chariot?