Super Righteous Player-Chapter 1146 - 197: The Hand of Despair

Annan became serious, watching the content of this nightmarish scene with intense concentration.

This otherworldly nightmare had nothing to do with the Mist Realm. The nightmare itself wouldn’t show any leniency to her... so at the very least, it was fair to everyone.

It blinded rational thinkers, and made sensitive poets feel merciless.

Following this rule.

Annan should also be able to discern Ingrid’s deepest fears and aversions by observing her experiences, and thereby profile her entire person to deduce her true nature—

The current situation was not part of Ingrid’s original plan.

She was clearly also anxious about her limbless state.

More precisely, it was because she had lost her cursed object, and thereby her transcendent abilities, that she had fallen into her current predicament.

Whether it was being blindfolded or having her limbs severed. Not to mention being confined in a coffin... as long as she could retrieve her seal, she could turn the tables in an instant.

Thus, Ingrid did not choose to intimidate or deceive from the outset.

She skillfully concealed her true purpose.

As if she truly were a benevolent and charitable goddess, she responded gently to everyone’s inquiries.

The people of this world didn’t know what a curse was, what a seal was. They severed the limbs of Ingrid precisely because there were wise men among these foolish primitives—enchanted by the aura emanating from her before she awoke.

It was precisely the fear of "perfect beauty."

That they saw Ingrid as a divine being.

And to "make the god imperfect," and further, to "keep the god in their village," they removed the god’s limbs, blindfolded the god’s eyes. They used a thick stone coffin to prevent her voice from being heard, preventing the tribe’s youth from seeing the true form of the deity.

In this way, they isolated the deity from themselves.

They naturally assumed—since it was a god, just any god, surely wouldn’t die for a reason like this.

For that is the embodiment of absolute perfection.

Even the limbs they dismembered didn’t wither or decay after being severed. Instead, they were as white as jade, maintaining warmth and the elasticity of the skin.

Of course... they did guess correctly.

The body of a Gold-tier Transcendent would not easily perish for such reasons.

There are strange laws in this world... such that Ingrid’s life force did not drain away, even under these conditions.

The natives, who imprisoned her, reverently sought the wisdom of life from "their god."

How to treat wounds, how to deal with the sick, how to tame animals, what happens after death, how infants are born...

And Ingrid answered all their questions.

Not through spoken words.

But by sending the answers directly into their minds.

The people didn’t find this odd.

They naturally saw Ingrid as a deity. Thus, these were things she should be able to do.

She became a totem pole of sorts, the foundation of faith for these natives.

—Until someone began to seek miracles from her.

"Please heal my father, my god..."

This plea came from a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl.

Her father had been gravely wounded by an enemy called "Dream Beast," and his condition was dire. Ingrid responded like a caring mother, "Go home and see, his wounds should be nearly healed."

As a Gold-tier idol and Wizard, Ingrid’s very existence could be considered an extraordinary object.

When she was truly worshipped and "made" into a deity, she indeed could grant appropriate miracles, just like a real god.

In fact, not even the natives had anticipated that their "goddess" could achieve such feats. Or rather, they never considered that they could ask the deity for "something beyond answers."

And as Ingrid performed miracles, the greed and dissatisfaction in people’s hearts were gradually awakened.

"Please give me courage. I am about to go and fight those dream demons."

"I grant you courage, young man. You shall be invincible."

"I am going to the front lines, my goddess. Please bless me with a safe return... I still have my elderly father to take care of."

"You survived and came back."

Ingrid always spoke with a motherly, gentle voice.

But unlike previous healings — she actually did nothing at all.

A basic skill of an Idol Wizard is to discern "which wishes can be fulfilled without the use of Transcendent power". As long as one is affirmed by the deities, one has essentially gained courage and luck.

To bestow courage and luck is no complex spell. The latter can be used by Bronze-rank Idol Wizards, and the former can even be utilized before becoming a Transcendent.

But even such simple spells... were completely unnecessary to cast.

Striving to become like deities without using spells as much as possible — this was what Idol Wizards sought to achieve.

Because one of the meanings of "idol" is the sustenance of the spirit. When they believe they have been blessed, they naturally possess "courage" and "luck".

Did they truly receive courage and luck?

No, they didn’t.

— For they didn’t need courage and luck that much in the first place; they were just lacking in self-confidence.

Furthermore... if they died on the battlefield without receiving courage and luck, they would no longer be able to voice out by that time; even if they were blessed by Ingrid, they could still perish.

Therefore, Ingrid did not bestow any blessings upon them.

However —

The name of the "Goddess" as the Almighty became increasingly known to people. It was even proclaimed far and wide.

Ingrid originally intended to endure like this.

She planned to wait a few months for people to let down their guard before she seduced a young person to retrieve those seals for her.

But at this moment, another force arrived at the village. They plundered the entire village and intended to claim the "Goddess who could fulfill any wish" for themselves.

Although it deviated from Ingrid’s plan, this was clearly an opportunity.

In her sarcophagus, Ingrid claimed — it was because those people disrespected her and marred her perfection that misfortune befell them. If they returned the "defects" scattered across various places to her, for every piece returned, she would fulfill thrice their wishes. If all fragments were collected, she could grant the power of the king of all kings to them.

— However, what she did not expect was.

This group’s level of civilization seemed to be much higher than the previous one. They easily saw through the lies Ingrid used to bewitch the primitives and placed even stronger shackles on her.

And as they imposed the seal on Ingrid.

Because they saw Ingrid’s true form — they fell in love with her in an instant.

One of them acted immediately, killing the others. He decided to claim Ingrid for himself.

And Ingrid was secretly pleased — controlling a person with "love" was a technique she was all too familiar with.

But what she did not expect was.

This last remaining person was a "Demon King" with boundless greed.

He resisted Ingrid’s charms... or rather, he resisted, but not completely. By his own willpower, he could defy Ingrid’s commands to him.

His extreme greed, however, twisted this already Twisted [Love].

If described in the language of the Mist Realm, it was an "Elemental-level" force of greed. Ingrid’s desire could not overcome his desire.

This future overlord was immensely eager to turn Ingrid and this miraculous power into his own —

"If you truly possess the power of wishes, then my daughter and I should have it too."

Facing Ingrid’s pleas mixed with deception, he unhesitatingly refused: "They must have had some reason for severing your limbs. I will never release your seal... I’d rather trust my child than you."

Because all of her worshippers were slaughtered, Ingrid’s miracle power based on the "Idol School" also dissipated.

Thus, this Demon King took possession of the defenseless Ingrid in the sarcophagus — and tried to have a child with her.

Before that, he sealed the entire temple. He even sealed each part of Ingrid’s body separately... and in front of her eyes, placed the "key" to the seals inside the seals themselves.

In other words, it was a seal that could never be unlocked.

The intention was to drive her to complete despair.

In fact, Ingrid’s limbs held no significance. But Ingrid’s sealed items were also sealed inside. Her only usable Elemental Power — about "love", was completely immune to this man. Instead, it had the opposite effect.

Finally, even Ingrid could not help but tremble slightly.

— The power named [Despair], slowly but surely, seized her heart.