Limitless The Strongest Revenant-Chapter 957: The Successor and the Sins [2/2]
Quest? Did this woman mean like those from RPGs? Normally, in such games, a hero would often mind his own business. Then an event would derail his life and send him on a quest or some goal.
Examples would be to kill the demon king, find a relic or weapon, assemble an army, or save the princess. These main objectives would force the hero to travel the world.
This trope built an entire narrative. The journey would allow him to meet allies and enemies. He would triumph against impossible odds and lose people. This would let him grow as a person and his mettle as a leader.
It would finally culminate in a final encounter with the boss and a grand reveal. Often having the fate of the world in the balance. The Reapers had no such grand quest; they were too preoccupied with not dying.
'But is Zanele saying that Successors did? Are RPGs as a whole also something that IRIS created to teach the journey of a hero?'
[I do not believe so, my lord. RPGs themselves are ideas taken from myth and history. Before video games, stories of heroes saving the world were common. In fact, most mythologies are based on them.]
[It is the one thing that unites the world, in every religion and every culture. If we continue your original line of thought. One could hypothesize that IRIS imparted the same myth but localized the elements.]
'I see. Keep an eye on anything that pops out, Exa. I feel like this is related to the secret of the universe or something.'
Oblivious to my musings, Zanele continued.
"First, let me preface this by saying that I do not know everything there is to know about them. What I know is not written in any document or taught by any teacher. I learned this completely on my own. So, just like your situation, I may be wrong."
Understanding her point, I nodded, "That is fine. Go on."
"Successors, for lack of a better word, are heroes. That is the best description of them. They are Reapers who wield unimaginable power, courage, and charisma. They all possess incredible combat prowess and intellect only seen once a generation.
"Every so often they would rise up and change the world. Their sheer presence had the power to move entire nations. Thousands would flock to their cause. Which translated to leadership that transcended race, time, and even death.
"The Successors I have seen were those who inspired Reapers to dream of a better future. All while fighting at the forefront of every battle. It was impossible to remain the same after meeting one. It was the same then as it was now."
'And yet, how come there are no records of said bastards existing?' I quipped internally.
"I find it unsettling that Zanele just described Beloved's life so well."
"Plus the fact that she met several of these heroes. Each of them sounds exactly like Dearest."
"Strewth! Then why are they all gone? If they were like Possum, where are they?"
"Hush! How can she finish if you keep interrupting? Besides, Darling is the best! Fuck all the ones from before."
"I think I can guess what already happened. Honey is definitely a Successor. But there are others within the same time frame. One is already here. That means that the ones in the past all faced the same situation."
"And much like Husband, once they get strong enough to move entire nations, they would not be the type to back down. Be it for their women, their country, or their duty, they would never risk it all by trusting another."
"Sigh. That would explain why there failed to change the situation. The Successors themselves are the ones preventing each other from achieving anything. But why are there no records of them? Shujin's influence is widespread in the graveyard. What of the other one?"
It was at this point that I remembered the words Blanche had told me in that letter.
[The other Successors are on the move. The Revenant Project has already entered its next phase. You must head for Kismayo before the week ends, or you will be too late. One of my friends who is part of Africa will assist you.]
'The Revenant project. All this time I thought it was bullshit. But could it be that what we were meant to "succeed" had something to do with this project?'
Rolland Winchester, Blanche Voir Millénia and now Zanele Soldat. The three of them led me to believe they belonged to IRIS. So, unlike regular reapers, they knew much, much more. It was they who tried to guide humanity.
'But to do what, exactly?'
It was the first time I began to question what IRIS stood for. Originally, I believed they just wanted the Reapers to win. But if that was the case, why did they do nothing to prevent the Successors from killing each other?
If a single one was as powerful as Zanele gushed about. Wouldn't them joining forces be the best way to win? Why did the Successors kill each other when Hellsgate was a bigger threat?
[My other concern is to tell you to avoid your brother at all costs. You are not ready. I will reiterate. Do not engage the other Successor in Africa. Let him do as he pleases. I would have preferred for you not to be on the same continent.]
Zanele made a sad face before she continued. The matriarch made a forlorn face as if she were trying to remember a painful but cherished memory.
"Yes. You have all guessed correctly. In the entire time I have been alive, I have come across five Successors. And all of them lost their lives in the battles of supremacy with the others of their kind. As if beholden to a curse, they all lost their lives early on."
Five? How old was Zanele again? I remembered that she was three hundred years old. That meant that a Successor arose every 60 years.
"Successor, may I ask how long it has been since you joined the Reapers?"
"I think it's less than three months."
"I see. And despite such a short life, you have already achieved much and gathered a powerful army. Unfortunately, like those before you, Blanche has foreseen your death. It was to die in battle with another Successor, right?"
[Again, I will reiterate. Run away. Doing anything else will lead to your death or losing those you love. Please heed my words. Whatever you do, do not fight him. Doing so will not bode well for anyone. This is of the utmost importance.]
[You need time to grow. If you meet him by accident, I don't care if you have to beg, just find a way to escape. Abandon everyone and everything if you must. For if you fight him you will lose!]
"Yes, she was quite certain," I replied.
Zanele nodded before taking a deep breath, "I have spoken about the Successors. Now I must speak about the Sins. I am sure you all have wondered about the same thing. If each Successor was a visionary, why did none of them decide to cooperate?"
The girls and I all waited. I didn't expect to be lifelong best buddies with my so-called "brother." But I wondered if we could have a sort of non-aggression pact.
"The answer to that is the Sins. Each Successor has a group of seven women who are all drawn to them like moths to an open flame. I do not say that analogy without careful consideration. All Sins of the five Successors I have met, uhm… they have all met horrible and tragic fates."
At her words, I had to suppress my emotions. Somehow, I felt like this conversation would be my hardest trial yet.
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