Super Righteous Player-Chapter 1254 - 286: Hand of Hope

"Indeed."

Annan answered without hesitation. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Facing the former savior who had sacrificed everything, Annan showed no sign of wavering: "If I were you, and at this moment another savior appeared, someone better qualified and more capable than me... then my reaction should be one of relief."

"Because I would no longer need to bear the survival of this world alone. I wouldn’t have to cause others to pay the price for my mistakes anymore... Isn’t that something worth celebrating?

"Aware of my own inadequacy, when the time comes to decide everyone’s destiny and someone more capable appears, I would naturally step aside. Even if I might feel some discontent in my heart, it would be directed at ’Why am I so weak’ or ’Why did all my efforts only achieve this much’... but not ’Why wasn’t I first in line.’"

"But I am different from you."

Gerenz Nuha replied without hesitation: "You can graciously accept all this, but I cannot. What did you sacrifice? You sacrificed nothing, while I sacrificed everything! I must receive what I am owed—"

"Sacrifice has never been the cost... it never could be. Sacrifice is merely the key, used to unlock that tightly sealed door of destiny in crucial moments."

"But to walk to that door, you need willpower; to identify and avoid the traps along the way, you need wisdom; to make the correct choice at the crossroads, you need luck; and to charge forward in dangerous moments instead of retreating, you need courage."

"Only when all other elements are in place can sacrifice hold value. For those lacking these other qualities, even sacrificing everything may not lead to ultimate victory."

Annan interrupted his words: "Because in this world, there has never been a rule that says ’the one who sacrifices the most is automatically right.’"

Moreover, I, too, have sacrifices of my own...

Annan fell silent for a moment.

He thought of Black Annan.

Though now he had retrieved him from the River of Oblivion.

But once, Black Annan had genuinely sacrificed everything for the idea that "someone else could do better than me." He had been ready to bid farewell to this world forever.

No one had compelled him.

In fact, most True Gods had discouraged him from taking such a risk, fearing potential disaster. Yet Black Annan had cautiously made the most rational choice—for the greater stars, he even sacrificed himself.

—Thus, this is certainly not "idle chatter from someone standing on the sidelines."

It is based on Annan’s "personal experience."

Though Gerenz Nuha didn’t understand Annan well.

At his level, he could easily discern the thoughts underlying simple words.

Thus, Gerenz Nuha did not ask, "How dare you say such a thing?"

He simply gave Annan a deep look.

That look seemed to pierce through his flesh, glimpsing the color of Annan’s soul.

"I see."

Gerenz Nuha sighed softly: "Your soul is pure light in its depths... that’s why you were chosen."

"—And that’s why I was abandoned."

"You were abandoned?"

Annan countered: "The transcendent power you now possess—is it not yours? Perhaps you’ve endured some suffering, but it allowed you to attain what you could never have otherwise: the golden-tier of a Transcendent, a lifespan three times that of ordinary Winter folk."

"Now the Bone Duke is dead. You can become anyone, go anywhere, and live a life of your own choosing. As a golden-tier Transcendent, where can’t you enjoy yourself?"

"But I just want to be the Grand Duke of Winter!"

Gerenz Nuha declared without hesitation: "That was my first dream, and it will be my last dream!"

As he spoke, he revealed his left hand, which had been hidden behind his back.

Unlike his right arm, Gerenz Nuha’s left hand gleamed like radiant gold, shimmering in the sunlight with iridescent brilliance.

A halo of iridescent light, like a projection, emanated from the wrist of his golden hand.

Gerenz Nuha’s lips twitched.

He seemed to want to smile, but found himself unable to.

"Even this..."

Gerenz Nuha murmured softly, "Even it yearns to go to you."

"This is—"

Annan’s eyes immediately locked onto it.

He felt an overpowering attraction from it...

His Heart of Justice, already transformed into a seed of fire, pulsed faintly at this moment...

As if silently communicating with "it."

"—The Hand of Hope."

Gerenz Nuha struggled to maintain his calm expression: "One of the sacred relics left in this world."

"By more distant naming conventions, you should call me Saint of Hope, and I should call you Justice Saint. But I find those titles too awkward."

He gave a self-deprecating bitter smile: "I can’t believe that [Hope] acknowledged me."

"And before I even did anything, [Hope] wants to leave me—just like all my other hopes, which you also stripped away."

Gerenz Nuha stared at Annan.

"I didn’t come to kill you, Annan. You don’t need to feel anxious... there won’t be any battle between us."

He sneered: "Because the Old Grandmother wouldn’t allow it."

As he spoke, he gestured toward his own form.

Gerenz Nuha’s lips twitched—seeming to want to curve upward but ultimately failing to smile: "Do you think I’ve survived in my current form? Do you understand why my eyes are dark gold?"

"If you still remember how Ivan transformed into a dragon... you’ll realize these are the eyes of a dragon. At this point, I’m not even human anymore—merely a dragon, a dragon without scales."

"That’s why I was among the first to know the Old Grandmother had awakened. Or rather, Melvin is unaware of this because they’re overconfident... that if such a thing happened, I would definitely be the first to tell them. Since I haven’t said anything, they assume all is well with the Old Grandmother."

"That’s why they exposed their flaws before you—isn’t it?"

"But you did attempt to orchestrate rebellion against me, as well as an assassination against Ivan."

Annan corrected.

"What does that matter?"

Gerenz Nuha responded shamelessly: "If you can’t counter such minor schemes or withstand such level of hostility, what right do you have to claim you can defeat The Worm?"

"We need a savior, not a baby sheltered in a greenhouse. Under the witness of countless True Gods—I deliberately left flaws in every scheme I employed against you. In fact, is there any conspiracy on this earth that could elude the Tragedy Writer? Since the True Gods didn’t prevent me, it means they tacitly approved me to sharpen you."

"If you couldn’t overcome this level of difficulty... then you might as well step aside and surrender your qualification as savior to me!"

The youth possessing the Golden Hand roared loudly.