Chapter 52 Jealousy is like fire, hatred is like a tide
Julius was silent for a long time.
He took a deep breath and began to psychologically analyze himself.
"I'm not just jealous of Bernardino. To be honest, I even hate him - he has a mentor who can teach him and an adoptive father who loves him. Father Ludwig is even willing to sacrifice himself... just for the sake of perfection Unleashing Bernardino's talents.
"And Bernardino - he never had a burning desire from the very beginning... Ludwig knew that he could not reach the golden stage, just like me. But Ludwig specially designed it for him A path that allows one to ascend to godhood without embarking on a transcendent path.
"But Bernardino took the excellent education he received for granted. He thought it was because he was smart, not because the teacher taught him well; he thought that what Ludwig worked hard to teach him was just ' It's just a means of making a living.
"Compared with him, what's the difference between me and him? Is it possible that 'natural talent' is so important? Just the difference in talent can completely separate two completely different paths of destiny?
"——Why is this? Who assigned the talents? Why do they have better backgrounds and higher talents?"
Julius opened his eyes wide, without any regret or hesitation in his eyes.
He analyzes himself with great proficiency.
This is a basic skill that every soul-stealing wizard must master to avoid going crazy: "You say I'm jealous - maybe that's true. I'm not only jealous of Bernardino, I'm even jealous of Ludwig.
"He and I are from the same era and have known each other for many years. But why can he meet a child who can inherit his path, sacrifice his life without hesitation and think it's worth it? Why can he? Do you have the determination to give up everything and use your own life to create art?
"Silver level - for mortals, this is the pinnacle of the extraordinary road. Glory and wealth are just a wave of your hand. But only extraordinary people will know... Those who stay at the Silver level are the most painful.
"They may have strong enough desires at any time and be promoted to gold; but most of them can only stay here throughout their lives. Just like me.
"They just came to the door and saw a more wonderful and glorious world... but couldn't find it. That is more painful than being confused.
"——talent."
Julius squeezed out the word through his teeth one word at a time.
"All this is because of their natural talents... You are right, I am indeed jealous. I am so jealous that there is blood in my eyes and fire in my heart. This fire in my heart is so hot that it is difficult to extinguish...
"The position I have spent my whole life working hard to reach is just the starting point for these people. I will never be able to catch up with them in another lifetime, but I can clearly understand how great they are.
"...But there is indeed something I can do."
Speaking of this, Julius couldn't help but smile with satisfaction: "I can never catch up with his pace - but I have the ability to make it impossible for him to catch up with my pace.
"I can never reach the golden stage. But I can destroy a genius who is destined to become a god... In Ludwig's words, 'As long as he does not become a sculptor, he will cause harm to the world.' I shaped it with my own hands As a demon king, isn’t this something only I can do?
"If this is an evil and despicable thing; if you can easily accomplish things that others cannot do, you can be called a genius...then I am also an evil genius and a perfect rotten person."
At this point, Julius's voice gradually dropped.
He almost gritted his teeth and said word by word: "I would rather become a sinner than disappear into history. If people cannot remember me because of my achievements and greatness, they must at least remember me because of my crimes.
Stay with me."
He said, looking at Annan expectantly: "Quick, tell me... how did Bernardino die in the end? Did he follow the path of a soul-stealing wizard? Did he become a villain?"
"He was killed by me. Because of his great crime...he killed all the Black Towers in the Zeland."
Annan leaned back slightly on the chair and looked at Julius with pity.
He said lightly: "Bernardino did become a soul-stealing wizard. But unfortunately...even if you try so hard to destroy a genius to satisfy your own desires, he finally reached the golden level and almost became a god.
——At the last moment, I personally destroyed his noble avatar on the top of the Black Tower in the Zeland.
"And I... I have indeed never heard of your name. Whether it is a good name or a bad name."
The corners of Annan's mouth raised slightly.
Looking at Dr. Julius with trembling pupils.
Annan showed a bright smile full of malice with the face of Bernardino in his teenage years: "I think it was probably Bernardino who finally understood the truth and killed you with his own hands.
"It's a pity that your burning jealousy has not allowed you to take another step forward.
"In the end...you still haven't changed anything."
Following Annan's words, the world around him finally began to peel off and collapse.
The roof fell, the tabletop collapsed, and the floor cracked.
Half of the face of Dr. Julius, who was sitting opposite Annan, was also peeled off, fell down, and turned into nothingness. His whole body became fragmented, and he leaned forward and tried to say something, but only his tongue could be seen.
Trembling wildly, a whimper that wasn't just a scream but a roar came from deep in his throat.
Only those blood-red pupils reflected the burning jealousy so clearly.
Feeling sleepy, Annan closed his eyes.
When he opened his eyes again, he found that he was back in a state of being restrained again.
"...The blood pressure is still rising!"
"——Brother, he's awake!"
"——Incredible, he is still alive..."
There was a lot of discussion around.
And Annan clearly felt that there was something inside him, which was ebbing and flowing with his breathing.
That is the activated mana of order.
At the same time, it is also dark, moist and cold hatred...
——Bernardino, finally mastered the magic and became a wizard apprentice.
But those apprentices still didn't know what happened.
They just followed the experimental procedure and removed "Bernardino's" eyepatch.
Annan suddenly narrowed his eyes and felt dizzy.
The light of the ceremony lamp was still shining on Bernardino's face.
"Bernardino"'s eyes gradually shed two lines of bloody tears.
"...Hey, his eyes are bleeding."
"Is it high blood pressure? Such symptoms have not been seen in animal experiments."
"I think it's because sea beasts come from the deep sea and can't tolerate strong lights..."
The apprentices were discussing.
They didn't consider Bernardino's feelings. Rather... if they could make this "old man" feel pain, they would actually find it fun.
They had no idea what they would let Bernardino see after allowing him to enter the deepest part of the darkest soul.
In other words, they had already seen Bernardino's memories countless times and felt that there was nothing they needed to care about.
Of course, the real reason is that as apprentices, they will not be aware of the memory modified by the "professor" personally. So many people not only did not make Bernardino doubt this memory, but made him believe it more firmly.
As for completing the intermittent and unclear "false memories" in my mind.
"Move the light, idiot!"
Annan cursed without hesitation.
The students were stunned for a moment, but they still subconsciously obeyed the command and moved the bright light away from "Bernardino's" face.
But after the bright lights were removed, Annan realized...
I'm afraid that when Bernardino wakes up, he will have lost his sight forever.
In his field of vision, he couldn't see the walls, ceiling, or floor at all. Only the outlines of "spirit bodies" of different colors one after another were dancing with teeth and claws.
"I have been drifting with the tide for forty years, only to be awakened by a nightmare..."
Annan sighed softly.
Or are these forty years of futility and pain... just a nightmare from which I never woke up?