Super Righteous Player
Chapter 966 - 24: The Dying Man

Chapter 966: Chapter 24: The Dying Man

Hugo, the Tower Master, eventually succeeded in persuading Annan.

If he had not wanted to imprison Salvatore in the Black Tower, but rather to let him gather strength and ascend to divinity...

Annan would have no reason to refuse such a good thing for Salvatore.

Although Salvatore would stay in the Black Tower temporarily after receiving the sacred fire, this was not forever... nor would he become a prisoner of the Black Tower, not destined to be locked within a Wizard’s Tower for life like other Tower Masters.

With the blessing of the sacred fire, he would ultimately ascend to divinity.

And such a future was not far off... It would take at most three or four years, and Salvatore, free from the debuff of "chronic insomnia," would be able to assimilate what he had gained as a Gold Tier Transcendent.

With his cultivation, he would surely obtain the Book of Truth.

Once Salvatore ascended to divinity with the power of the sacred fire, he could also graduate from the identity of "Tower Master."

By then, Salvatore leaving a spark of the sacred fire for the Heath Tower of Black would ensure that its legacy would not be terminated.

As long as the sacred fire burned, even without the protection of a Tower Master, the Heath Tower of Black would operate normally. Just as Maria did not need to constantly watch over the Storm Tower, she only needed to periodically absorb the uncontrollable violent power of the Storm Tower, leaving her with plenty of free time.

Of course, the Storm Tower was quite exceptional among all Wizard’s Towers.

The Storm Tower had not taken in new apprentices for a long time.

After all, strictly speaking... it was no longer an institution for training wizard apprentices, but rather the "frontline" against massive disasters.

The overly-dangerous environment deterred parents from sending their children here. The wizards working in the Storm Tower had no desire to recruit clumsy and troublesome kids.

Every time there were new recruits here, a rigorous selection process was involved. In most cases, they were successors to some wizard or Tower Master... which is why they encountered many instructors teaching only one student, a treatment rarely seen in other Wizard’s Towers.

This was also why Maria grew so rapidly.

As a native Transcendent of this world, her attitude was to enter nightmares only when necessary. She ascended to Gold Tier at the age of sixteen or seventeen without killing for experience or frequently undertaking nightmare instances. Part of this was due to her talent, and part was due to the high-standard education she received.

And if the concept of the Storm Tower was "storm," the concept of the Frigid Wight Tower was two symmetrically connected white towers at high altitude forming a "gate," and the Azure Diamond Tower showcased "splendor" with its luminous bricks.

Then, the core concept of the Heath Tower of Black was the blazing fire.

And fire is such—the most intense fire, the brightest light, is neither the oldest nor the holiest.

Just like the fire worshipped at those ancient fire altars. Those flames, in both scale and power, were much stronger than the original fire seed guarded by the Heath Tower of Black.

The original fire preserved at the Heath Tower of Black merely had a conceptual sanctity.

The sacred fire placed on the fire altar could cover a radius of up to twenty kilometers; but the sacred fire preserved inside the Heath Tower of Black had only one-tenth of that radius.

Fire is impartial and does not care for authority. Only where the fuel is plentiful and the wind strong will the flames burn fiercely.

Fire is ever-burning and ever-renewing. Each time the fuel is changed, the fire could be said to be the same as before or a new fire.

—Just like Salvatore.

But Annan was also curious...

With his senior’s personality and talent, what type of Book of Truth would he obtain? Or would he be targeted by the unclaimed sacred remains beforehand?

"Did you specifically call me here just to have me keep a secret for Salvatore?"

"That’s just incidental. The main purpose is to hope that Your Highness Annan does not interfere and cause trouble."

Hugo, the Tower Master, who was controlling a tall, thin specter, shrugged his shoulders: "I read a phrase in a book once, called ’Fate is the track of the chariot of heaven.’ Probably every action of yours gets an ’enhancement from fate.’ I don’t believe I can fight against fate."

"So, what’s the truth?"

Annan was nonchalant about this answer and continued to probe.

He certainly did not believe such ghost stories—just as he did not believe those who claimed to be "newbies."This was probably just a gesture of unhumorous self-deprecation.

If the Tower Masters believed they could not withstand what they referred to as "fate," they probably would not have advanced to the Gold Tier.

And Hugo, the Tower Master, simply laughed softly.

Seeing Annan’s dismissive attitude towards "fate," he became friendlier: "Let’s not joke then, Your Highness.

"Simply put, I’ve just lost my edge."

These words were more mundane, yet also more genuine.

"If I were still young, even if I were a decade or two older than you, I probably wouldn’t bother explaining to others, much less so humbly seeking allies—even if it involves the Duke of Winter. I’m not a Winter person, nor do I need to earn Winter folk’s money, nor do I have friends or family in the Duchy of Winter.

"But now it’s different. I’m old, close to death... I can see the end of my days. Any unforeseen event would disrupt my plans and prevent me from accomplishing my tasks."

Hugo’s voice was calm to the point of humility: "If we were to fight, whether I win or lose, the time I have left in this world would be greatly reduced. Instead of connecting hearts after a meaningless battle ends, I’d rather eliminate a conflict through conversation before it starts.

"Just like our conversation now, it indeed has had an effect, hasn’t it?"

"Indeed."

Annan nodded in agreement.

He now understood Hugo’s thinking—this was perhaps also a form of "a dying man’s words are good."

Hugo, the Tower Master, had about two months left to live, but this was without engaging in any high-level battles or using any Elemental Power.

He was indeed a proud man.

Just like Hugo who had openly confronted a previous Tower Master of Jade Tower, "Isaac," subdued by the spirit monks. Even though Isaac was the pioneer of the modern Transformed Wizard profession, Hugo faced him without the slightest fear, standing tall.

But now, he was facing a young duke, barely fifteen, not yet ascended to the Gold Tier, and had used honorifics throughout.

But Annan did not truly think this was because Hugo’s days were numbered and his vigor was diminishing. Being able to put aside dignity and pride in the face of a mission could also be another form of greatness.

Equally deserving of respect.