GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

"I have to say, I am jealous of you guys. You won't have any problems trying to reach the transcendent level while I might die if I attempt it."

"Don't feel bad aunty Kayla, we also have a chance of dying when we try to become titans." Litori tried to encourage her, "But that doesn't mean we will give up. Immortality is our aim and the threat of death cannot stop us." She gripped her tiny hand tightly and raised it to the sky.

Litori was resolved to achieve immortality. It may not be her true thoughts but it doesn't matter. The royal bloodline has that effect on its descendants. Rarely does it occur that the offsprings of an origin god are mediocre. They don't have a choice, as long as they awaken the royal bloodline they will also inherit the will and the motivation of their ancestor, the bloodline aims to create another origin god after all. All the subtle and obvious manipulation that the bloodline performs is something that cannot be subverted, it is eternal across the generations of descendants. The only way to break free is to become a titan of law, but then you will have to deal with your emotional problems. The path of power is filled with danger for everyone.

"Yeah sure." Kayla didn't feel much encouraged.

Ghaster also tried to help. "Plus if you successfully become immortal, your descendant won't have to worry about becoming transcendent and you can live forever. That's good right?"

Kayla shook her head again. What did she expect from these people? Here she was bemoaning her chance of becoming a transcendent while they are wondering if they will become titans of law. She realized that they belonged to totally different worlds. Soverick is on another level on his own. His case is a mythical one. Unheard of, unprecedented, probably impossible to replicate. They are just some of the words that she could use to describe how unbelievable his talent is.

'He was already proud before today. I'm sure his pride will have ballooned in size due to the recent revelation.' Kayla thought to herself. Then she turned to Soverick and asked.

"How are you so talented?"

"Don't disturb me, I'm very busy," Soverick replied.

"Busy with what? It is not even a challenge for you, you can casually perform the passive and active stages at the same time. All your future breakthroughs are in the bag until the titan level, even these other two too. So what are you worried about?"

"You're wrong. Ghaster and Litori will definitely become titans of law. My matter on the other hand is none of your business." Soverick said.

"What do you mean it is none of my business?"

"If I were to spare your feelings, I'll say 'you and I aren't that close,' if I were to disregard your feelings, I'll say 'you'll probably be dead by then so stop thinking about it.' You pick whichever one you're comfortable with. Just stop disturbing me." Soverick closed his eyes and ignored her.

The two options that he gave her were because he was being considerate. He was destined to become an origin god so he is a league on to his own. The things that worried them could not move him at all. Even his so-called parents cannot compare to him. He aims to become an origin god in as little time as possible. While Kayla is looking up to Ghaster and Litori, he is looking to beat the realm lord's record. He knows that he won't be able to beat the time record of the realm lord because of the number of requirements he would need to fulfill to become an origin god. It will be another legion's responsibility to become an origin god in two Origin cycles.

Kayla looked like she had swallowed something unpleasant. 'I'll probably be dead so I should stop thinking about it? Who says that to a person?' She was about to let loose when she heard Mihila's voice transmission.

"Leave him be, Kayla. What he is doing, for whatever reason, is incredibly dangerous."

"Yes, your majesty." She could only let go of her grievance.

"Don't lose hope. We are pioneering, you and I. We have to pave the road for ourselves just like the ancient ancestors that became immortals. A lot of them died along the way but you haven't reached that stage yet. You don't have to worry too much about your progress towards becoming a transcendent. Ghoto and I will give you our full support."

With the resources they had at their disposal, Kayla's chances of becoming transcendent were high. Mihila wasn't worried about Ghoto and Litori's chance of becoming titans either. The person she was concerned about is Soverick. He has a difficult path ahead of him, a path even she did not have the confidence of overcoming and the worst part is that he doesn't have anyone to pioneer the path. He is severely disadvantaged on many fronts.

In the past, during the period when royal bloodlines were absent, the chances of becoming a transcendent were as low as one in a thousand peak saints. But now things have changed to an acceptable level of risk. As long as one fully prepares, the chances of breaking through without a bloodline are 50%. Those with bloodlines will have that preparation and the actual breakthrough process done for them. They can sleep all day and still become Transcendents. They may be weak Transcendents but their ancestral memories will help them.

The return trip was uneventful, except for Kayla sulking the whole way. Soverick went straight to his room as soon as they got back.

"Don't worry too much about your future. Just continue to try your best each day." Mihila said to him on his way.

"I'm not worried." That was the response she got. She sighed and turned to the others that were waiting. They were not as willful as soverick that they would leave her presence without permission.

"Ghoto will be back soon. He will bring materials that will speed up your training. You should familiarise yourself with your training manuals. You have to become mana life forms as soon as possible. Ghoto and I have decided that you will attend the family academy for specialized physical and spiritual training. We will support you with whatever you need, we only ask that you show diligence. That will be all."

Soverick entered his room and closed the door behind him. He scanned the room with his divine sense to check for anything out of bounds. He had already checked the room this morning before they left, but anything could have happened to his room in his absence. He did not put it beneath Ghoto to do something fishy like creating a backdoor for secret access and surveillance. He was willing to pay the price for using his divine sense with a splitting headache to make sure he was truly alone. His current body is too weak to bear the power of his soul.

"Stop being so cautious." An ancient asexual voice reached out to him through a special communication method.

"There's no one here you paranoid boy." The ancient voice sounded like the rustling of leaves.

"It's not being paranoid but being cautious." Soverick smiled, something he rarely did.

"It's the same." The ancient voice maintained.

"Old thing, I thought you said this family has average wealth."

"Hmm, let me think." The ancient voice became silent for a while. Soverick is already used to this. He climbed onto his bed to meditate while he waited. The ancient voice belonged to the new friend he made in the city, the forest beneath the inner city. As a former high elf, he knew how to communicate with trees. The two of them had a good impression of each other and would usually talk through the window of his former room. That's why he always sat there. The tree's name is Ha'dout touqu hif tep and some twenty other additions but Soverick calls it Hadrick for short. Hadrick hadn't had people to talk to for a long time because not many people can communicate with a tree.

"Yes, I did. But there was a new development yesterday." The tree finally spoke. It took some time before he completed the sentence because the tree always drawled. The communication was going on with a variety of the divine sense known as plant speak, it could be faster but old trees speak slower the older they get. It is because their sense of time becomes skewed.

"Yesterday? Mihila returned yesterday too. It is either a coincidence or she had something to do with the newfound wealth." Soverick said.

Hadrick agreed. "Yes, she does. She was given a lot of money yesterday."

"How much money?"

"How do I know, but I think it is a lot. She smiles whenever she looks at the chest. Ghoto was very happy too, he said it was a huge amount of money."

Soverick shook his head. "Never mind Ghoto, he is just a king. What would he know about true wealth?"