The Righteous Player(s)

Chapter 577: Anchor

There was a lot of information.

The information was different from the education Nefertari had received, and the information was even contradictory at times.

It was understandable that Nefertari might become lost because she could not accept it. Perhaps, she felt helpless for being deceived up until now, or she simply did not believe their words.

Annan and Benjamin were prepared.

Unexpectedly, Nefertari accepted it calmly.

“…Is that really the case?” She murmured.

There was a bright fire in her eyes.

“Have you expected this?” Annan asked with interest.

That’s not what you said before.

Nefertari just shook her head.

“No.” She looked at Annan and replied seriously, “To be precise, I felt a sense of disharmony after we exited the nightmare.

“Although I didn’t become a transcender because of getting power from the nightmare, I seem to gain something from it. It greatly strengthens my intuition.”

Nefertari reached out her slender right index finger, and she pointed at her temple. With a calm expression, she bit her lips slightly, “Although the teacher lied to me a lot, the talents I have developed are not in vain. My brain doesn’t go stupid because of that.

“After I woke up, I took the potion that strengthened my thinking ability immediately. Although I have forgotten most parts of the nightmare, I instinctively had some doubts about my teacher, so I believe in my intuition.

“I must have seen something.”

Nefertari said in a deep voice, “The information makes me doubt the teacher, which means that it must strongly contradict something I know. Even if I forget that, since this feeling remains in me In my heart… that is the ‘trace’ left by me in the past. It is also the ‘clue’ for my doubts.”

Annan replied, “That’s the power of [understanding].”

Annan said slowly, “This nightmare does not provide curse power, but it triggers the [Understanding] element in people. That is to say, it let a person, who does not have the transcendence ability, to advance into Gold Rank.”

“I see.” Nefertari nodded, “Not everyone can extract elements from their soul. Strong and pure desire itself is also a talent.

“This represents the ‘alignment’ of people… This is also the result of the teacher’s research. Damn, I should have thought of it…”

Human thoughts were scattered and desires were fickle. Being swayed by emotions and desires was a common human trait… strong desires themselves could spiral out of control.

The ability to solidify desires in a certain direction and to move in a fixed direction by virtue of desires was the adaptability of an element.

For example, people characterized as demons, people who went crazy for power, or people who would do anything for justice, the “desire” of such people was the qualification to advance to the Gold Rank.

Such things could be developed after birth instead of having the quality solely innate.

However, most people could not develop it.

No matter how weak mortals were, as long as someone gave them a perfect strategy, and then a ritualist or priest stabilized their minds, they could pass the nightmare and become a transcender. Afterward, as long as they were fed with “nightmares alongside the strategies to challenge them”, level promotion could be attained easily.

It applied at least up to the level of Silver Rank. The achievement could be gained through investing resources.

Those wizards, who studied in the wizard tower, typically sought to become Great Wizards and change their lives.

However, some people did not need their lives to be changed by the power gained by Transcender.

Not all power holders would not become transcenders.

It was just that they were exposed to knowledge beyond ordinary people.

They knew from the very beginning that Gold Rank required talent.

Whether one possesses such talent or not, could determine whether they have the ability of a transcender.

For example, Annan’s brother, Dmitri.

He knew early on that he was unlikely to have the talent to master an element. No matter how strong the desire was, it would only turn him into a lunatic.

Since it was impossible to advance to Gold Rank, there was no possibility for the ascendancy process to become a deity.

Then, there became no need to become a transcender.

“Alignment?” Thinking of this, Annan was silent for a moment.

He exchanged a look with Nefertari, his eyes grew heavier.

Annan finally figured out what were those “bright dreams” that “Dream Eater” Trisino devoured.

That was “the ability to awaken the element”.

Those children had their original bright dreams changed. They also became mediocre because of this… Here, the biggest difference might be that their original “element adaptability” was plundered by Trisino.

That was indeed a precious “sacrifice”.

Children with this kind of talent might not have a high chance of embarking on the path of transcendence. There might be only one in ten of them who would choose this path. Those who could survive to the Silver Rank were even rarer. At that time, those, who had not changed their original intentions, would have to be screened out again. After all, even if Trisino didn’t do anything, things like “original intentions” themselves might change.

If they could go through all these ups and downs, they would be able to reach the Dyeing Rank and become a true transcender.

“Since this is the case, we have found the reason why Justice has suddenly been promoted from a mortal to a Gold Rank within five years.”

Nefertari said seriously, “A normal person can’t advance so quickly—”

Hearing this, Longjing Tea, who was silent at the side, raised his head and looked at the cat sitting on Annan’s lap silently.

Annan’s face remained unchanged, and there was nothing unusual about it.

“He went from Silver Rank to Gold Rank with almost no hindrance. At first, I thought it was because of Justice’s ability to excel. Now it seems that he may be like my older brother…”

Having said that, Nefertari paused.

Annan understood what she meant.

Supposed “the Thief Saint” Alfonso was an “artificial saint”.

Then, Justice might be the “artificial Gold Rank”.

Annan had already captured this from the nightmare.

The Occult Bond Envoy was not Justice’s family profession at all, let alone the job transfer mastered by “Gray Professor”. It was the profession mastered by Justice’s childhood sweetheart “Alison”, the young lady who married him.

Justice also had the talent to become a transcender, at least he wouldn’t be looked down upon by his father-in-law. In fact, his father-in-law had even started to find a mortal son-in-law. How could such a person pick on Justice? Not to mention that they were childhood sweethearts, and even Alison pursued Justice.

Alison’s family even had a strong curse that had been passed down from generation to generation. In other words, they did not need a “powerful son-in-law”, but an “heir”.

This showed that they must have the corresponding training knowledge of becoming a transcender.

Then, here comes the problem.

Since Justice didn’t go to Gray Professor for the perfunctory reason of “not worthy of childhood sweetheart’s family”.

Why did he go to the Gray Tower to study?

What could he learn?

Gray Professor was not a Lurker at all, nor was he an Occult Bond Envoy. It was even more impossible for him to have the Gold Rank profession’s inheritance of the Occult Bond Envoy. Alison’s family only needed an heir, and the Silver Rank was the best situation.

Those, who had advanced to gold, might be short-lived and unable to leave more children.

Therefore, Alison wouldn’t want Justice to advance to Gold Rank.

Then, the answer was self-evident.

What Gray Professor gave him was some kind of “elemental power” that had already hatched.

It was like the [understanding] that Annan and Nefertari had gotten.

That would be creating talent out of thin air.

Just like how [Understanding] sharpened the intuition of Annan and Nefertari.

The element obtained by Justice would change his behavior and thoughts.

“Everything makes sense now.” Annan looked at Nefertari.

Only Nefertari was special.

There were two possibilities here.

“…First possibility, it’s because you refuse to become a transcender. You may not have the talent of the ‘element’. After all, your reaction after getting the [understanding] is much greater than mine. This possibility is not too low.”

Annan narrowed his eyes, “But if this is the case, it means… your uniqueness is decided ‘before enrolling’.

“Then, there is a second possibility—”

“—My value is because I don’t have this talent, and I don’t want to be a transcender.”

Nefertari continued.

She made a low and slightly magnetic voice, “I am an ‘anchor’.

“—It’s the real proof of existence for ‘Bone Healer’ Seti.”