Chapter 58: F2A

Annan narrowed his eyes slightly.

Everything was connected.

If Annan didn’t guess wrong, Dr. Gerald enchanted Klaus’s curse vessel mirror.

The murderer who killed the real Don Juan Geraint was his guard captain, Klaus.

In fact, the guard captain was under the Third Prince.

Gerant family’s eldest son, Don Juan’s eldest brother, was also at the same side with the Third Prince. He must have revealed Klaus’ on old wizard Benjamin’s curse binding.

To ensure that he could defeat the Silver Rank Wizard Benjamin before docking, even after knowing Benjamin’s curse binding, Klaus still requested the curse vessel mirror. He used the ritual “The Tongue in the Mirror” on the ship.

This ritual needed a curse vessel mirror imbued with a lot of curses. It must be smaller than Klaus’s head too. Such a mirror must be challenging to find.

But if any curse vessel mirror would do without the strict requirement on curse bindings, the difficulty would be much lower.

According to Salvatore, one of the main missions of Transcended and the Church was to recover curse vessels in the world. After all, ordinary people could resolve the nightmare with its enormous population. There would be lucky people who resolved the simpler nightmare, or some unfortunates.

If one cleared the nightmare, they would have a chance to get a curse vessel.

Curse vessels were always magical. That won’t change.

However, the curse vessel was imbued with curses. To Transcended, these curses were nourishment, but they were no different than poison to ordinary people.

Coexisting with the curse vessel for a long time would make the owner’s body visibly weak. If the curse vessel was slightly more robust, it might infiltrate a considerable area. Worse still, it might even follow the owner’s obsessions and desires, resulting in simple nightmares, which would draw in the surrounding people and affect them.

Examples of weak curse vessels would be “brushes that make hair white,” “mirrors that don’t reflect people’s faces,” and “gloves full of blood after taking off.” Transcended had the duty to recover these curse vessels too. These items were useless, so they were all used as stimulants for high-level curse vessels or sacrifices and materials to hold rituals.

All in all, the person who helped Klaus complete the “The Tongue in the Mirror” ritual was Dr. Gerald.

The perpetrator was in Roseburg and had correspondence with the viscount’s housekeeper.

The viscount in Roseburg was planning to murder Annan a few days ago.

“All the events are connected.”

Annan murmured.

He was silent for a while and then asked, “What is his Rank?”

“Silver. In the year he defected, he was just silver.” Salvatore said affirmatively, “It’s only four or five years, he can’t have advanced to gold. The previous news can also prove it.

“The Gold Rank Soul Snatch Wizard gets the iconic spell [Full Control]. This is a more advanced version of [Mind Manipulation]. The controlled creature will be like a puppet. His will be snatched away silently. The spell can still be effective even if the victim is at a long distance away from him.

“But [Mind Manipulation] is different. It is a debuff effect. If certain conditions are met, it will take away the human’s will in his field of vision. It does not affect animals and ghosts.”

Salvatore replied affirmatively, “Your guards can wake up from the opponent’s Soul Snatch spell, which means that Dr. Gerald must not have advanced to gold. In this way, we have a chance of winning.”

“.From what you said, you seem determined to fight him to the death.”

Annan couldn’t help but laugh.

But Salvatore didn’t laugh in reply.

He came into silence. After a while, he said softly, “Sorry, Don Juan. I may not be able to help you guard the Freezing Water Port anymore.”

“Aren’t you planning to go back for advancement?”

Annan frowned.

You are ahead with a significant advantage, yet you head out to gank the enemy with so little hp. You don’t even return to base to get supplies? [2]

If you’re in our player group, you will be flamed.

Salvatore just shook his head:

He is a Soul Snatch Wizard. It’s rare to have a chance to seize him.

“So it’s not that I intend to go, but I must go. There are some things that I want to settle with him. I have curse bindings on me, so I can’t tell you too much. You need to know that there is only one who can survive between him and me. I have to admit that he has progressed much faster than me.”

Speaking of this, the young wizard, who was always fatigued, slowly opened his eyes that were always squinted.

This was the first time Annan saw Salvatore’s pupils.

Those were gorgeous but strange eyes.

His eyes had noticeable circular marks. The outermost circle was silver-gray; the more central it was, the darker the color tone. The center was pure black.

It looked like a downward vortex, or possibly an upward tower.

Salvatore’s eyes were firm.

“Once he enters the Gold Rank, I will no longer have the possibility of taking revenge.

“Soul Snatch Wizard can read minds freely in a wide range, basically impossible to capture them. He seems to have reached some agreement with Roseburg’s viscount. Once he is protected by the nobles or under the control of a viscount, there is no possibility for revenge.

“Even if I’m in the same rank as gold, I will not be able to defeat Soul Snatch Wizard in a one-on-one battle as an Alteration Wizard. You can rest assured, Annan. I have made a lot of effort in this matter. Those efforts will not be in vain. For example, I know his curse binding. I also know what spells he masters. I know him well in the grasp of my fingers.

“As long as I kill him, I can return to the Freezing Water Port with peace of mind. There is no need for me to return to Black Tower to advance. After all, this is my hometown.”

Salvatore kept talking.

But Annan interrupted him suddenly, “Okay, senior. It’s all right.”

He had to interrupt him.

Salvatore’s lines sound too scary.

The death flags [2] stood up one after another. After this series of lines, Annan suspected that Salvatore was going to die on the spot.

“I believe your efforts so far will not be wasted.”

Annan said solemnly, “But you said something wrong.”

“What?”

“You have to help me to guard the Freezing Water Port.”

Annan’s facial expression was plain. He spoke with a child’s voice, “You will never die here.

“Because I will accompany you.”

“You don’t have to, Don Juan.”

Salvatore was touched.

But he still refused Annan, “You are still young. This is not your battle. The hatred lies within is not even related to you.”

“No, this hatred is indeed related to me.”

Annan said plainly.

By now, he finally had an idea about the enemies that Don Juan was facing.

The powerful kingdom’s heir, the Third Prince.

The Third Prince had somehow taken control of the Roseburg’s viscount, who was heavily armed on the border;

A Silver Rank Wizard that manipulated people’s mind who was armed with a high-level curse vessel named after a false deity;

The backstab – Don Juan Geraint’s eldest brother who betrayed the Gerant family;

Some traitors too.

Dr. Gerald was not only Salvatore’s enemy but also Annan’s enemy. In other words, the enemy this time did not plan to kill Salvatore but intended to murder Annan.

Annan wasn’t helping the senior to fight his enemy. Annan was using Salvatore to defeat a terrifying enemy in advance.

Of course, these need not be mentioned.

After all, he was just an innocent, pure-hearted, and righteous young man.

“Besides, I don’t intend to go with only two of us.”

Annan slowly said, “As you know, my guards are powerful.”

Salvatore was startled, “You mean…”

Annan replied affirmatively,

“Fighting against a powerful enemy naturally requires us to use all our power.”

I shall let the player go with me. I will give them a short-term infinite resurrection power.

The authority of the so-called CG cutscene and killing the opponent through plot power.

Yes.

Annan planned to send out all his forces [4].

[1] F2A. It’s a game acronym that stands for clicking all enemies (by pressing F2) and selecting attack (by pressing A). Usually referred to as F2A bot in winning war strategy games.

[2] Multiplayer Online Battle Arena reference. Describing Salvatore going for a reckless move.

[3] The point where a person’s death becomes highly probable or unavoidable due to something that he or she has just said or done. It may also refer to the phrase or action itself.

[4] Reference to “Sky Rush” in Warcraft 3 esports. Utilizing the limited opportunity when the opponent was unprepared to overwhelm the opponent with all current forces.