The Righteous Player(s)

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The purpose of “profession” was to have an “adobe” with a rough idea.

Transcended had to translate the right desire into it, temper it, and refine it.

In the process of advancement, the burning fuel was one’s obsession.

This was the literal process of “forging”.

It was impossible to smelt iron in an ordinary oven.
To burn the soul and extract the element, it was necessary to forge a more advanced forge.

As the Cup-holding Lady said, “Human desire is the foundation that never changes.” From ancient times to the present, from the fall of the deities to the fights in the streets, there must be the shadow of “desire” in any event.

Only the furnace of desire could purify one’s soul through burning.

If the obsession were exhausted before the advancement was completed, the challenger would become an empty shell that loses its sentience.

Such an empty shell was a precious and rare Transcended material.

It was often termed as the “Pupa of Death”, or the “Pupa of Human Face” — like a butterfly that didn’t break out of its cocoon in the end.

The insect that lost its body and identity could not be called a butterfly.
It was in an intermediate state between a pupa and a complete metamorphosis.

The death pupa could replace any living being as a sacrifice in any ritual because of its chaotic nature.
It was a good substitute even for the ritual that needed the sacrifice of a Gold Rank Transcended; even a ritual that required a specific name or a specific person could utilize the pupa as a substitute.

Each “pupa” could replace a person.

Therefore, it was also the best material for offsetting the curse.

It looked like a vegetative person, but neither the soul nor the flesh was damaged.
It even had some power belonging to the Gold Rank, which allowed it to survive without food and water.

But that was merely basic survival.

Those who failed to advance into the Gold Rank would not have any desire as if they were alienated from this world.

They would take no further action, including listening, speaking, sitting, walking, eating and drinking, sleeping and entertainment, and even the instinctive drive of self-protection was gone.
Even when someone poked the person’s pupil with a needle, the victim would not give any reaction.

Although the body and soul still existed objectively in a healthy state, it was no different from being dead.

Nolan knew from the very beginning that Nicholas definitely had a strong “desire”.

The Gold Rank Transcended would not simply act at will.
Instead, their every move was related to their obsession.

Nicholas was the only “Great Sage” in the world.
He who had inherited all the pursuits of ancient alchemists would only aim for the Sage’s Stone.

He had even completed the Sage’s Stone.

So what more could he desire?

“I should have thought of it earlier.” Nolan sighed.

What would an alchemist who mastered the Sage’s Stone want?

There was only one answer.

He wanted to be the Omniscience Creator.

For a creator, the “old world” was no longer needed.

He had enough power to create a world from scratch… a world that only belonged to him.

All he needed was time and resources.

It turned out that was why Nicholas’ information was utterly wiped out.

“That’s the so-called ‘more perfect form of human beings.” A sharp, hoarse voice sounded in the basement.

Nolan’s shadow suddenly turned into substantial black mud, surging up beside him.

A hand that formed via the black mud maliciously lifted Old Nolan’s wine glass and poured it into the shadows.

Then, the head of a young man with a similar appearance to Nolan, but only in his twenties, emerged from Old Nolan’s ear.

The wild and malicious smile on His face was unabashed, “What do you think, Nolan?”

“Faceless Poet.” Nolan didn’t get up.
He still sat on the sofa, lowered his head, and greeted respectfully, “I knew you didn’t leave.”

Of course, he just lied.

Or rather, it was his act of keeping secrets.

After all, he was not the cardinal of Faceless Poet, but the pope of Faceless Poet.

“I think he’s pitiful.” Old Nolan sighed, looked at the wine, and said calmly.

“What kind of experience made him decide to create a so-called ‘advanced species’ that ‘will not betray or be betrayed’ and ‘there is no misunderstanding’? What kind of tangled and complicated thoughts will make them ‘engage in reproductive isolation [1]‘?

“The demi-deity who can realize the creation of life.
How can everything be decided by throwing dice?”