Having comforted Kafney and Maria, Annan actually let out a sigh of relief.
He still knew sothing about Salvatore.
——Not just about senior Saul and "senior sister Vatore".
For the true, pre-personality-split nature of Salvatore, Annan had a good grasp... He was first and foremost a person of pure goodness.
His temper might not be as soft as during his senior period, but he definitely couldn’t stay angry for long.
Or rather...
Thankfully, the plants in that world were there for him to vent his anger on. After blowing off steam, although Salvatore still had a stern face, he wasn’t really angry anymore.
But Annan couldn’t go up to him imdiately and start joking around—out of respect for the senior in front of others.
"Should I address you as senior brother or senior sister now?"
Annan leaned in and asked softly.
Salvatore crossed his arms and tilted his head.
He glanced at himself and counter-asked, "What do you think?"
Annan thought for a mont: "Only senior sister Vatore would counter-ask like this. But you definitely have the body of senior brother..."
"Alright alright, I know what you’re worried about."
Seeing Annan’s cautious words and how he looked like a cat ready to jump away at any mont, Salvatore couldn’t help but laugh.
He couldn’t keep up his serious face any longer.
Salvatore continued.
The living-like black mud started oozing continuously from behind his shoulders, forming the upper body of "senior sister Vatore".
She said, "If needed, I can also separate myself like this... Saul is the sa."
Having said that, she collapsed back.
Salvatore then continued, "But there’s no need. The current is the perfect ... Besides the ’senior brother Saul’ and ’senior sister Vatore’ that you ntioned, I can split off a new self at any ti. And it’s fine even if I leave the main body."
"...Can a Fire Transmitter even do that?"
Annan was sowhat surprised.
Salvatore couldn’t help but laugh out loud: "How could that be possible.
"Fire Transmitters don’t have this ability. I achieved this form... because I have conducted a forbidden alchemy."
He said, turning serious, "I used ’I’ and ’I’ as materials for the alchemy."
This is the highest level of Alchemy—self-transformation.
Originally, Alchemy was associated with the way of sublimation and the tempering of oneself.
Before the arrival of the era divided into classes based on bronze, silver, and gold.
The grade of Transcendent was actually about corruption, calcination, condensation, purification, dissolution, stigmatization, sublimation... those ancient Transcendents described the path of the soul in the way of sublimation using alchemical terminology.
They used the "alchemy process" of "turning base tal into gold" as a taphor for the way of sublimation.
It was later that Alchemy declined... It was a taphor, but the taphor beca less known than the subject itself. Only then did this notion co to an end.
But Alchemy always had a fundantal issue.
That is "to make oneself as perfect as tal".
The Philosopher’s Stone is based on this issue... It’s also a product of "self-transformation". It’s the invention to gradually make oneself perfect.
"...But isn’t that too dangerous!"
Annan suddenly felt a bit frightened.
Self-transformation, clearly, carried huge risks.
Just like when an alchemist failed in their alchemy, the raw materials would be destroyed; if one uses oneself as the material for alchemy, then upon failure, it would be oneself that gets destroyed.
Annan realized that during his absence, Salvatore covertly conducted so dangerous experints.
Thus, the belatedly aware Annan actually began to reproach Salvatore: "For you, Vatore actually isn’t a destabilizing factor anymore... Is there really a need to risk your life to rge two souls back into one?"
"Then you are accusing wrongly, Annan."
Salvatore shrugged: "Or perhaps, you still don’t understand ’’ enough.
"The one who proposed to rge them was the ’Vatore’ you ntioned."
...What?
Annan was stunned for a mont.
He soon ca to his senses.
It was indeed the case—with his senior’s ability, he certainly couldn’t perform this taboo alchemy. And his biggest advantage is that he is self-aware.
Senior Saul, he absolutely wouldn’t undertake what he couldn’t achieve!
This ans... it must indeed be Senior Sister Vatore who suggested the absurd proposal.
The outrageous part is that Saul actually agreed to it.
This fool never even considered whether this might be a conspiracy fabricated by Vatore to harm him and seize his body.
—It is because in their relationship, Saul is at a disadvantage both in terms of capability and intelligence. Annan subconsciously didn’t think it was Vatore who proposed it.
After all, given Saul’s self-awareness, he should reject matters he can’t handle.
Annan asked in confusion: "Why..."
"Because the two fragnted souls, both yearn to beco whole again."
Salvatore sighed: "I know, if I told you this, you definitely wouldn’t agree. Because it indeed involves risk...
"...but from another perspective, ’I’ actually thought like this at the ti. Compared to the useless ’Saul,’ ’Vatore’ is much smarter. Although she’s a demon, she’s a good demon; if she had Saul’s consciousness, she could also make so contributions to this world.
"The ’Saul’ at that ti was this confident— even if Vatore wished to devour Saul’s personality. ’After she devours , she will surely be touched by the goodness and passion within .’ Saul thought this way.
Vatore originally shared mories with Saul, not severing any social relationships.
Salvatore’s expression beca complicated: "This ritual was entirely led by Vatore. Saul was worried that any movent might disrupt the ritual, so I didn’t dare move.
"Even if the personality of ’Saul’ dissipates, it does not matter... She will carry what belongs to and continue to live well."
"But in the end, when we completed the fusion, it was Saul who was the main entity— in other words, it was Vatore who voluntarily gave up control of the ritual.
"As for the reason—it’s because of that pride."
Contrary to Saul’s nearly self-deprecating humility.
Vatore’s pride, which would not allow herself to be patronized.
If Saul fought with her for control over the body, she would definitely take control instead and mock Saul; but Saul didn’t even resist and chose to give up, making her feel utterly uninterested.
"Thus, in the end, ’I’ was born—symbolizing light and darkness, the perfect fusion of two souls wholeheartedly. Probably a condition even the forebear who invented this self-alchemy ritual hadn’t considered."
Salvatore’s face revealed a confident smile: "Although my personality might have changed a lot... only one thing remains unchanged.
"My goal and will haven’t changed.
"I am still a Fire Transmitter. Just as my teacher once said... I will also bear the ’pain’ finally entrusted to by my teacher.
"—Since it will be painful either way, I’d rather choose to endure and guard it."
In Salvatore’s dark golden right eye, the vertical pupil shone bright.
His face showed a proud and confident smile, luminous and blazing like flas, a splendid smile that Annan had never seen before: "Watch, Annan. My dear friend—
"I will bear the curse that my teacher once bestowed upon . I will beco a good person, I will continue on the path of a Fire Transmitter.
"At the sa ti, I will also live happily.
"Being a good person and still being happy... this is exceptionally difficult. It’s a wish that even my teacher, Hugo, couldn’t fulfill.
"But if a genius like , surely I can perfectly accomplish it."
—Because I am Salvatore.
He stood with his arms akimbo, laughing heartily.
Reviews
All reviews (0)