《Mage Manual》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 I Was Arrested Chapter 1: Chapter 1 I Was Arrested Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Great Final Observer, Ash Heath! Good follows you, evil admires you! Light longs for you, darkness also hopes for you! You are a transcendent being, the color the gods have painted on all things!¡± ¡°Great Final Observer, Ash Heath¡­ ¡± Ash sat on the cold stone seat, looking at the crowd of bizarre people in black robes kneeling and praying to him. Beneath his stern face, his heart was in a panic. You can¡¯t blame him. After all, just a second ago, his memories were still in the damned mobile gaming company, staying up all night contributing his remaining value. The next second, he found himself in this strange underground hall being worshiped by all. Anyone would be at a loss in such a situation. Even more interesting was that Ash could understand their language as naturally as his mother tongue, needing no translation to grasp their meaning. As he gradually calmed down, he quickly concluded: He had crossed over, and it was a soul transfer into a person with the same name. Since childhood, many people told him that his name sounded fantastical, but Ash never expected to encounter such an overwhelmingly odd event one day. However, he did not possess the surname Heath, which allowed him to swiftly ascertain he wasn¡¯t dreaming. Not only did their names match, but even their appearances seemed similar, and by moving his fingers and toes, Ash found no discomfort in the body, as if it was his original form. Everything was so nimble and natural that he had to wonder if he had crossed into a parallel world¡¯s version of himself. For the sake of convenience, and since they shared the same name, in his mind, Ash dubbed the original owner of this body as ¡°Heath.¡± But these thoughts were meaningless to the current situation because Ash realized that Heath did not leave the most crucial thing for him: memory. Yes, memory! It seemed like Heath¡¯s memory was formatted when crossing over, leaving Ash clueless about what to do next, maintaining a feigned calm tinged with wicked charm, fearing someone might see through him. Do not be fooled by the extreme reverence of those beneath the stone seat. If Ash exposed any flaw, they would become as cruel as they were now respectful. Considering they viewed Ash as an ¡°Otherworldly Evil Soul¡± who erased Saint Heir Heath¡¯s soul and took over his body, he was truly a heinous sinner. Adding to their intense religious colors, Ash felt it impractical to gain understanding by claiming, ¡°I am also a victim.¡± But just sitting there wasn¡¯t a solution; Ash was finding it hard to maintain his subtle smile. Boom Boom Boom¡ª Suddenly, a rumbling vibration filled the underground hall. The people in black robes rejoiced, prostrating themselves with their foreheads touching the ground, chanting in unison: ¡°Pray for the divine Lord to descend!¡± Ash, thinking it was an earthquake, tried to stand but found his behind glued to the stone seat and couldn¡¯t stand up. Suddenly, dazzling rainbow light illuminated his eyes. Looking up, he saw four brilliant rainbow lights floating in the air, bringing color and endless warmth to the hall. ¡°Great Final Observer, Ash Heath!¡± They spoke in unison, as if a million voices were speaking at once: ¡°The only clean person in this foul world, the last Hero of the vast Earth, you bear the burden of saving the world and the mission of rescuing all beings!¡± ¡°We shall cross the Silver Wheel of Heaven to grant you power, we shall break the Golden Balance to bless you with glory! Your name is holy, your will is our will, your kingdom is a place of happiness for all beings!¡± ¡°Ash Heath!¡± Unconsciously, Ash found himself kneeling on one knee, respectfully lowering his head, awaiting the moment glory descended. The red light cluster on the far left said, ¡°I am the Lord of a Billion Splendors, ruling over battle, courage, and honor! I grant you the Power Angel to clear all enemies for you!¡± A female angel wielding a spear and bearing a pair of wings flew to Ash. She wore red armor, was only the size of a finger, yet her aura was overwhelming. Ash felt he could see mountains of corpses and seas of blood in her eyes. The second blue light cluster on the left said, ¡°I am the Lord of Wind, Rain, and Snow, presiding over wisdom, change, and fate. I grant you the Wisdom Angel to help you achieve all your goals!¡± A female angel wearing a blue hat and holding a notebook flew to Ash, also the size of a finger, her eyes deep, as if containing endless knowledge. The second green light cluster on the right said, ¡°I am the Everlasting Fiery Heart, ruling over life, equality, and sharing. I grant you the Life Angel to keep you healthy forever!¡± A glowing green female angel, resembling a little girl, flew to Ash. She was adorable, surrounded by a glowing green halo, giving an incredibly warm and relaxing feeling. The pink light cluster on the far right said, ¡°I am the Dreamlike Free Spirit, ruling over love, joy, and art. I grant you the Joyful Angel to enhance your irresistible charm!¡± A pink, beautiful female angel flew to Ash. Her figure was graceful, her eyes captivating; even at finger size, she seemed the most beautiful existence in this world. The four angels flew around Ash, adding a dazzling brilliance to him. In that moment, Ash felt power surging continuously, his body filled with energy, his mood extraordinarily joyful, his mind brimming with countless plans, everything seemed perfect! The Lord of a Billion Splendors, Lord of Wind, Rain, and Snow, Everlasting Fiery Heart, and Dreamlike Free Spirit simultaneously said, ¡°The Fate-favored Hero, Observer of Causality, go forth to create miracles, save the world!¡± As the sound akin to shattering bubbles echoed, the four descending Heavenly Gods gradually dissolved, but the underground hall remained bright. With the four angels, Ash appeared as a walking rainbow. Ash clenched his fist, the corners of his mouth curved upward, revealing a confident smile. To think, to think! He thought this sudden crossing was a large pitfall, but it turned out to be a blessing. He became the Hero of this world, blessed by four divine beings and adored by countless followers, what an extraordinary script! Next was to defeat monsters, save the world, marry the most beautiful princess, become the king of this world, and reach the pinnacle of life! Boom! A loud noise came from the ceiling, and the leading black-robed believers said, ¡°Hero, the Blood Frenzy Hunters have found us! Now we can only rely on you to drive them back!¡± Blood Frenzy Hunters? They sounded like villainous characters. Ash figured they were novice ones meant for reputation building and skill familiarization, so he boldly drew the saber from his waist and proudly declared, ¡°My sword is unmatched! Let these Blood Frenzy Hunters be the first souls claimed by my sword! Someone, lead the way!¡± ¡°No need, we¡¯ll come ourselves.¡± With a loud rumble, the underground hall¡¯s ceiling exploded! Ash looked up to see a group of enemies wielding blood-patterned long swords, dressed in silver coats, wearing hunter¡¯s hats, jumping down from above! ¡°Good timing!¡± Ash shouted, ¡°Power!¡± ¡°Wisdom!¡± ¡°Life!¡± ¡°Joy!¡± The four angels simultaneously bestowed blessings upon Ash, and at that moment, he felt he could cleave the enemy in two with a single strike! He had no fear, shouting loudly, jumping up, and slashing at the forefront Blood Frenzy Hunter, even creating a sword aura that cleaved through the air! With the gods¡¯ endowment, I became so powerful! Now with a protective barrier and endless stamina, I wondered who could defeat me! As he reveled in his thoughts, Ash heard a mocking laugh from the Blood Frenzy Hunter opposite. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± The Blood Frenzy Hunter grinned sinisterly, casually swinging the long sword, which instantly transformed into a several-meter chain sword, unleashing a several-meter-long blood-red sword aura! Ash¡¯s sword aura was instantly swallowed, and his protective barrier shattered instantly. The entire underground hall was cleaved apart by a single strike from the Blood Frenzy Hunter, with a massive crack spreading beneath Ash¡¯s feet! Seeing the opposing force overwhelm him, Ash was momentarily stunned, ¡°How is this possible¡­¡± ¡°Merely possessing four two-winged Chaos Technique Spirits, not even yours, where do you get the guts to fight against my Three-winged Holy Realm?¡± With a swift gust of wind, three wings emerged on the Blood Frenzy Hunter¡¯s back, namely Silver Wings, Golden Wings, and Seven-Colored Wings! He retracted the chain sword back into a long sword form, rushed into Ash¡¯s embrace like a dragon, and pierced Ash¡¯s chest with his sword, pinning him back to the stone seat! Once again, Ash had no choice but to sit down. He coughed up blood, blankly watching as the Blood Frenzy Hunter took down a small lantern at his waist. Not knowing how the Hunter activated it, the lantern suddenly emitted a blinding white light. The angels, still trying to bestow power upon Ash, each let out screams of despair and hatred under the illumination of the white light. They could no longer maintain their previous beauty, turning grotesquely ugly! The Power Angel became an ugly mantis, The Wisdom Angel transformed into a decaying fly, The Life Angel melted into a pale grub, The Joyful Angel became a cloud of pungent, malodorous gas! Courage, Wisdom, Joy, Life¡ªall forms of protection rapidly withdrew from Ash¡¯s body. Stimulated by the intense pain in his chest, he fully regained awareness, showing bewilderment on his face. What just happened? He was an ordinary person who had just crossed over, knowing nothing about the information, why did he suddenly become so arrogant and boastful, entering a battle unrelated to him? How was this the action of a normal working person beaten down by society for several years? As Ash was lost in thought, the battle in the underground hall concluded. The black-robed believers were no match for the Blood Frenzy Hunters. Standing before him, the Blood Frenzy Hunter drew a scroll from his chest and unfolded it before Ash, revealing the red-stamped document inside: ¡°I am Gerard Westminster, Blood Frenzy Hunter no. 307791 of the Crime Hunting Hall. The Crime Hunting Hall now suspects you of being involved in the case of the Gods of Four Pillars cult propagation, multiple kidnappings, murders, robberies, and other heinous crimes. This is the arrest warrant signed by the Kaimon City Crime Hunting Hall. Any objections to our law enforcement can be made at the 233 Citizen Avenue front desk of the Kaimon branch or directly to the mayor¡¯s mailbox.¡± ¡°And now.¡± The Blood Frenzy Hunter put away the arrest warrant, took out a pair of silver chains, personally placing the exquisite handcuffs on Ash, his mouth curving upward, revealing pale fangs: ¡°Cult Leader of the Gods of Four Pillars, Ash Heath, you¡¯re under arrest.¡± Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 I Really Am a Bad Person Chapter 2: Chapter 2 I Really Am a Bad Person Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Ash¡­ Ash Heath.¡± ¡°Age?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve lost my memory.¡± ¡°Gender?¡± ¡°Let me see¡­ male.¡± ¡°Race?¡± ¡°Probably not a dog?¡± ¡°Past experiences?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve lost my memory.¡± ¡­ Blood Frenzy Hunter Emi watched the interrogation room through a two-way mirror, hearing the cult leader respond to the questions so nonchalantly and brazenly that her eyes turned into vertical pupils and her fingernails grew longer in anger. ¡°Captain, does this scoundrel think everyone in the Crime Hunting Hall is an idiot? This interrogation isn¡¯t working, let me do it. I learned some interrogation techniques from a priest during my school days and even got certified as a Level 1 Torturer. I swear on the name of the priest that I¡¯ll make this bastard confess even to wetting his bed as a child!¡± ¡°Burn your Torturer certificate,¡± Gerard said calmly, ¡°The ¡®Regulations on Human Rights Act Amendments¡¯ abolished the torturer system twelve years ago, strictly prohibiting the Crime Hunting Hall from interrogating suspects. Violators face penalties ranging from revoking the hunter¡¯s license to imprisonment for over a hundred years. The council is watching us closely, even if Ash Heath just has a bad night¡¯s sleep, we¡¯ll be in trouble. If you want the council to bite us, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Emi pouted in anger and fear, changing the subject, ¡°What about the Memory Master? We¡¯ve had this scoundrel for so long, why isn¡¯t a Memory Master here extracting his memories?¡± ¡°The Memory Master will not come.¡± ¡°Why not? In cases like this, regardless, a Memory Master should extract memory evidence, right? I remember the ¡®Criminal Code¡¯ says all criminal cases must have memories as direct evidence, right?¡± ¡°But he¡¯s different.¡± ¡°How is he different?¡± Gerard gave her a look, ¡°He¡¯s seen the Gods of Four Pillars.¡± Emi was momentarily stunned, then understood. ¡°Not just him, but all cultists cannot have their memories extracted.¡± Gerard said, ¡°Memory pollution is the specialty of the Gods of Four Pillars. In the cult case I helped solve 134 years ago, it was a Memory Master extracting memories from cultists that subliminally turned them into believers of the Four Pillars, causing the cult to rise endlessly from the ashes.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Emi was dumbfounded, ¡°We can¡¯t get evidence from asking, can¡¯t interrogate, can¡¯t extract memories¡­ Are we just going to let him go free? Or make a special case?¡± ¡°No need for a special case,¡± Gerard replied, ¡°There¡¯s a form of execution perfect for such heinous criminals who stir public outrage¡­ This interrogation is just a formality. The real trial will happen at 8 PM on the 15th, completed by all citizens.¡± Emi immediately understood, but looking back at the cult leader who was still in the interrogation room repeating his lost memory, she couldn¡¯t suppress her anger. She stuck out her tongue in disdain, turned, and walked away, dragging her gray tail. Gerard continued watching this pointless interrogation, which had to pause as it exceeded fifteen minutes to allow the suspect to rest. This was also mandated by the ¡®Human Rights Act¡¯ as basic rights. The cult leader was drinking water, occasionally touching his recently pierced chest, his eyes showing surprise but quickly turning to worry. For some reason, Gerard felt he wasn¡¯t lying. His reactions¡ªpanic, curiosity, fear, confusion¡ªwere very much like those of an ordinary person with amnesia. According to the ¡®Human Rights Act,¡¯ conditions like split personality, amnesia, and mental illness could be seen as lacking self-management capacity, exempting one from criminal liability. If memory extraction showed Ash truly had amnesia, he could be released without charge. But these matters didn¡¯t concern him, because due to the Gods of Four Pillars, no Memory Master would come to extract his memories, so¡­ ¡°Judging you is the people¡¯s business. Our task is to deliver you into their eyes,¡± Gerard said, turning to leave, continuing the pursuit of the next suspect. ¡­ ¡­ ¡°This really is an early death, early reincarnation¡­¡± Lying on a clean, soft springy bed, Ash put down the paper in his hands, looking around the bright, spacious cell with its own private facilities, feeling utterly desolate. Although seeing those four ¡®angels¡¯ reveal such an ugly form before dying vaguely confirmed Ash¡¯s suspicions, he hadn¡¯t expected reality to be worse than he imagined¡ªthe hunters¡¯ accusations were completely correct; he truly was a bona fide cult leader. The gods that bestowed Ash with power were the infamous Gods of Four Pillars, notorious for always appearing together and sowing endless chaos in this world. The Lord of Infinite Radiance, also known as the tyrant, pursued endless war and mountains of corpses and seas of blood, killing everything his followers saw, even themselves; The Lord of Wind, Rain, and Snow, also called the traitor, was known for manipulating mortals with intrigue, granting followers¡¯ wishes while driving them into extreme frenzy; The Eternal Flame, known as the Merciful Father, the source of all plagues and disease, was the final destination of decay. His followers became breeding grounds for disease, suffering horribly but never dying; The Dreamlike Spirit of Freedom, called the Prince of Lust, represented endless desire, most prominently ensnaring intelligent races. Once corrupted by desire, an intelligent being became an insatiable instinctive creature, intellect devoured by instinct. Ash had wondered if they weren¡¯t fabricating the data to deceive him, but given he¡¯d been captured, they didn¡¯t need to go to such lengths; besides, the detailed photographic evidence of Heath¡¯s crimes showed such brutality that Ash nearly regurgitated his mushroom soup chicken noodles. If Heath was truly a villain, then the Four Pillars were undoubtedly evil gods. Conversely, the Blood Frenzy Hunters chasing him were the rightful force¡ªor at least the ones maintaining societal stability. Within just half a day, Ash experienced extreme highs and lows¡ªinitially thinking he was a newly minted hero ready to leave the Newbie Village, only to discover he was a cult leader gearing up for the first angelic wave. Then he got farmed by the heroes like a wild elite monster. Not only did he cross over as a cult leader, but he did so right at the hunters¡¯ exposition to purge the cult¡­ was he just there to give hunters performance incentives? Ash tossed and turned in bed, lamenting fate¡¯s inequity, pondering if perhaps he really died from overwork, but all his thoughts coalesced into one: How would they execute me? Although the interrogation felt courteous, with free meals and a luxury single room, aside from the need to wear fine bracelets and anklets, Ash felt like he was on vacation. But a falling hair¡¯s worth of thinking told him they definitely wouldn¡¯t let him go free. However, Ash faintly sensed civilization in this world seemed advanced, possibly having abolished the death penalty, leaving a glimmer of hope¡­ Suddenly, a crisp notification bell rang in his mind. ¡°Ding dong!¡± Ash felt a warmth at the back of his neck, and a Light Screen unfolded before his eyes. His heart skipped, deciphering the unfamiliar text on the Light Screen with countless expectations¡ª ¡°Dear Mr. Ash Heath, Prisoner Number 4001623. The Kaimon City Hall formally invites you to be a special guest on Kaimon Channel One¡¯s ¡®Blood Moon Judgement¡¯ program at 8 PM on the 15th of this month. Please pay attention to your appearance. We¡¯ll arrange for transportation to the live broadcast. To opt-out of the program, please reply ¡®TC.''¡± Although he had no idea what ¡°Blood Moon Judgement¡± entailed, the name alone suggested nothing pleasant, and Ash quickly tried editing ¡®TC¡¯ in the dialogue box. However, upon doing so, another prompt appeared on the Light Screen: ¡°You are currently under arrest and on trial. The messaging function is prohibited.¡± Damn, so that last line in the notice was just a joke on me!? Ash figured this ¡°Blood Moon Judgement¡± likely signaled his execution, yet his focus remained on the Light Screen before him. He touched the back of his neck, feeling no discernible irregularity but clearly sensing a connection between his neck and the Light Screen, seemingly embedded there. Since something as significant as an ¡®execution announcement¡¯ got communicated this way, Ash presumed this might be the world¡¯s communication tool, not unique to him alone. Sure enough, when he mentally focused on the ¡°?¡± icon in the top-left of the Light Screen, a string of information appeared: ¡°Name: ¡®Heath¡¯s Consciousness Light Screen''¡± ¡°Version: 14.4.1¡± ¡°Chip Model: Miracle 13¡± ¡°Current Status: Messaging function prohibited, connectivity prohibited, channel access prohibited, image capture prohibited, kinetic output restricted, Void Realm access prohibited, magic power output prohibited¡­¡± ¡°Main ID: 459105198¡± ¡°Service Provider: Kaimon Communication¡± Ash promptly renamed it to ¡°¡®Ash¡¯s Consciousness Light Screen,''¡± marveling at this world¡¯s technological sophistication, boasting Extraordinary Ability that enhanced individual combat power alongside these universally available tech peripherals. The funny part was that Ash initially mistook it for his cheat in this new world, only to find it was nothing but common property¡ªa classic case of a time traveler mistaking a cell phone for a Divine Artifact. Reflecting on his earlier naive thoughts, Ash felt a bit embarrassed. Although Ash wanted to tinker with this new gadget more, most of its functions were locked down. Besides the calendar, messaging, notepad, and calculator, there was only¡­ ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual¡±? Ash was bewildered. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Mages Handbook Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Mage¡¯s Handbook Editor: Atlas Studios Ash¡¯s previous company was named Aurora. Aurora had launched several popular mobile games, including ¡°Aurora¡¯s Dungeon Fortress¡± and ¡°Aurora¡¯s Exotic Domain,¡± and ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual¡± was a new mobile game the company was testing. Ash wasn¡¯t part of the new game development team; he was in operations. However, he had heard the new game was promising and expected to be a big hit. The planning department head intended for him to lead a small team to handle the marketing strategy for the new game, so Ash downloaded the demo of the Mage¡¯s Handbook to research it, preparing to contribute to the company¡¯s remaining value more quickly, better, and stronger in the future. However, before Ash even opened the game, he suddenly found himself transmigrated while working overtime. How did this mobile game transmigrate with him? And it automatically installed itself into his consciousness¡¯s light screen? Ash was shocked and suspicious, but thinking that in a few days he¡¯d become fodder on the chopping block, he no longer had the leisure to explore the game¡¯s origins. He could only hope it would bring him a miracle! ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual is starting up¡­¡± ¡°Checking/updating game resources for you¡­ Unable to connect to the network, automatically switching to LAN mode.¡± ¡°Warning: Image system lost¡­ Repairing¡­¡± ¡°Warning: Instance system lost¡­ Repairing¡­¡± ¡°Warning: Data system lost¡­ Repairing¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± A series of red warning prompts flooded across the light screen until a green prompt appeared, finally stopping¡ª ¡°System search started normally.¡± ¡°Recharge system started normally.¡± ¡°Welcome to view the Mage¡¯s Handbook.¡± Damn! The whole game successfully started with only the card-drawing and in-app purchase systems working¡ªno surprise for my company! Ash entered the game with a face full of dark lines. Eighty percent of the light screen was blank, with only two rainbow-shimmering options in the upper-right corner available for interaction¡ª ¡°Material Procurement¡± ¡°Operator Search¡± Opening ¡°Material Procurement,¡± there were options to purchase Source Crystals¡ªone crystal cost 6 points, a set was 30 points, a pile was 98 points, a bag was 198 points, a box was 328 points, and a crate was 648 points, each with a first purchase double bonus¡­ Even Ash¡¯s toenail could guess these points were money, but without Alipay transmigrated with him, where could he get the money for a recharge? What was the company thinking? Testing Demo for internal staff, and you include a microtransaction system? Planning to reclaim our wages, perhaps¡­ This company really would do such a thing. Opening ¡°Operator Search,¡± due to various missing resources, the operator search interface was also blank, with only two dry options: ¡°Search Once¡± and ¡°Search Ten Times.¡± Ash wanted to play draw cards, but it actually took three Source Crystals for one draw! Where did he have the money for that? I mean, you need money even for the first draw in the test demo? What kind of shameless mobile game is this¡­ Oh, ours. Alright then. Just as Ash was crestfallen, the light screen suddenly popped up a notification: ¡°Sign-in system successfully repaired, connecting to main server¡­ Unable to connect to the server, switching to LAN mode.¡± The light screen displayed a third option: ¡°Log In and Sign In.¡± Clicking it opened a calendar, where Ash saw a check automatically placed in the box for April 11th. ¡°Regular Supply: 1 Source Crystal.¡± ¡°Newcomer First Sign-in Supply: Operator Ten-Time Search Voucher.¡± ¡°Operator Ten-Time Search Voucher: An Aurora Investigation Department-issued permit for batch searching of high-value targets, allowing a ten-time search. A guaranteed operator will be found.¡± Although he couldn¡¯t understand the jargon in the introduction, it was irrelevant¡ªall Ash knew was whether he could escape the upcoming Blood Moon Judgment depended on this unknown game that transmigrated with him! Opening the ¡°Operator Search¡± interface, Ash chose ¡°Search Ten Times¡±! There was no fancy, luxurious card-drawing animation. Instead, a simple, straightforward card list appeared! ¡°Energy Potion,¡± ¡°Energy Potion,¡± ¡°Experience Potion,¡± ¡°Experience Potion¡±¡­ ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden,¡± ¡°Basic Combat Experience Card,¡± ¡°Training Wooden Sword¡±¡­ A result! Then a message popped up: ¡°Operator system repair successful, you can now manage your owned operators.¡± Ash immediately checked the cards. The card featured a red-haired girl in a black camisole dress, with the girl-next-door purity smile on her face. Her hands were behind her, with long legs in black silk stockings and small leather shoes, tilting her head inquisitively, her pale red eyes full of curiosity. ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden.¡± ¡°Human Race ¡¤ Female ¡¤ 18 years old.¡± ¡°Bonds Level: 0 (30% Experience Sharing).¡± ¡°Profession: Mage Student.¡± ¡°Professional Characteristics: Learning Efficiency +5%.¡± ¡°Innate Talent ¡¤ Sword Maiden (Lower): Gains 100% extra swordsmanship experience, with a low chance to gain 10,000% swordsmanship experience (Talent level can be unlocked as strength increases).¡± ¡°Personal Skill ¡¤ Blackhearted Intuition: Stop potential dangers in their infancy. When an enemy intends to attack, there¡¯s a probability of automatically retaliating based on the strength disparity between both parties.¡± ¡°Held Items: None.¡± ¡°Controlled Spirit: None.¡± ¡°Water Technique Faction: Not initiated.¡± ¡°Training Strategy: Not set.¡± Ash stared at the character for a long time, not seeing anything indicating death or madness, becoming enraged¡ªaside from the cool, explosive name, wasn¡¯t this just a plain beautiful girl illustration? Don¡¯t think you can scam money by making a nice illustration, you bastards! The starting character given away can¡¯t be immediately useful and players have to gradually raise them? Modern life¡¯s rhythm is so fast, you won¡¯t let players enjoy from the start and still need them to spend time? What garbage game is this, truly disgraceful! I should be the one doing the planning. I could do just as well! Plus, it¡¯s one thing for the first card character to be trash, but if the operators can¡¯t be summoned into the real world to help me fight, what¡¯s the point of drawing cards? In a few days, I¡¯ll be heading to the execution stage to be an Executioner¡¯s KPI. If this mobile game can¡¯t help me escape, should I be signing in every day before I die just to boost the traffic for this dumpster game? Truly worthy of being my company. With his last hope extinguished, Ash felt even more disheartened. Exiting the operator¡¯s personal interface, he saw a red dot on the newly appeared ¡°Operator Management¡± in the upper-right corner of the main interface, which his slightly OCD nature compelled him to click. In the next moment, he abruptly sat up from the bed. Because in ¡°Operator Management,¡± there were two operators. Besides ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡± he just drew, there was a slender young man in a black trench coat¡ª ¡°Final Observer.¡± ¡°Human Race ¡¤ Male ¡¤ 25 years old.¡± ¡°Trust Value: ¡Þ.¡± ¡°Profession: Cult Leader/Ancient Historian.¡± ¡°Professional Characteristics: Being blessed by the Gods of Four Pillars, Luck Check +10; Easier identification of ancient artifacts, Ancient Artifact Identification Ability +5.¡± ¡°Innate Talent ¡¤ Mage¡¯s Handbook (Lower): Logs other operators in the handbook, sharing their experience proportionally according to Bonds Level with the role. Current handbook pages: 0/1 (Talent ceiling can be unlocked with strength increase).¡± ¡°Personal Skill ¡¤ Exotic Wandering Soul: Effect unknown.¡± ¡°Held Items: None.¡± ¡°Controlled Spirit: None.¡± ¡°Summoning Faction: Not initiated.¡± Ash turned his head towards the single mirror embedded in the cell wall and compared it with the illustration on the light screen for ages, finally confirming the ¡®Final Observer¡¯ was himself, Ash Heath! Both the innate talent ¡®Mage¡¯s Handbook¡¯ and personal skill ¡®Exotic Wandering Soul¡¯ were metaphorically pointing to his current situation! Moreover, Ash remembered the term Final Observer¡ªthat was precisely the reverent title the Gods of Four Pillars¡¯ believers had for him. Sounds impressive, but ended up being overrun by a group of Hunters, like a quintessential example of rebellion squashed by the police. Turned out to be his code name within the game, it was more insulting than harmful. But what¡¯s up with this black trench coat? Ash couldn¡¯t recall ever wearing it. He mused it might be Heath¡¯s taste in attire? If so, his taste wasn¡¯t exactly stellar. Ash reviewed the Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s screen again, scrutinizing the ¡®30% Experience Sharing¡¯ under Bonds Level for a long time, knowing in his heart this might be his only chance to escape! If his guess was right, as he nurtured the ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡± in-game, he himself could receive 30% of the experience points she¡¯d gain! The stronger the Sword Maiden became, the stronger he would be! Hope reignited, Ash grew determined and checked the other junk drawn from the card: two Energy Potions, four Experience Potions, one Training Wooden Sword, one Basic Combat Card, and one Trial Card. ¡°Energy Potion¡±: In cultivation actions, grants an operator one action point, lasting seven days. ¡°Experience Potion¡±: During cultivation actions, operators gain a 10% increase in skill experience, lasting seven days, with a maximum of 50% boost per operator. ¡°Training Wooden Sword¡±: When equipped by an operator, increases swordsmanship experience gained by 15% during training. ¡°Basic Combat Card¡±: Grants operators organized battle training, leading to substantial experience gain over seven days (Risk level: low). ¡°Basic Trial Card¡±: Grants one trial to an operator, yielding varying amounts of experience, limited to once per week per operator. All designed for cultivation, exactly what Ash needed. If items to increase combat power were pulled, they¡¯d be useless to Ash. Though, why does the combat experience card have a low-risk warning¡­ He opened the Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s training strategy, discovering a slew of intricacies: ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden.¡± ¡°Current Mood: 5 (Experience Bonus 0).¡± ¡°Available Actions: Rest, Entertainment, Training, Trial.¡± ¡°Rest: Spends one action point, restoring a certain mood.¡± ¡°Entertainment: Spends two action points, greatly restoring mood.¡± ¡°Training: Consumes one action point, undergoing specific faction training.¡± ¡°Battle: Consumes one action point, requiring specific items.¡± ¡°Trial: Consumes no action points, requiring specific items.¡± ¡°Weekly Daily Action Points: 2 points (can use one Energy Potion to gain an additional action point).¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it, I have to consider the operators¡¯ mood factors¡ªthe better mood they are in, the better their training effects. You must balance tension and relaxation, the core of education¡­¡± Ash appreciated this humanistic cultivation system, then decided to equip the Death Mad Sword Maiden with the ¡°Training Wooden Sword,¡± spending 1 Energy Potion and 4 Experience Potions, maxing out 3 action points! ¡°Training Strategy: Training, Training, Combat!¡± ¡°This week¡¯s trial subject: Swordsmanship!¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to be executed, where would I have time to worry about the mood of a paper person?¡± When Ash clicked send in the ¡°Training Strategy¡± interface, the light screen popped a prompt: ¡°Would you like to activate Final Observer¡¯s innate talent, logging Death Mad Sword Maiden in the Mage¡¯s Handbook?¡± ¡°Ah right, almost forgot to bind the Sword Maiden. Thankfully the game reminded me, or wouldn¡¯t all the training be in vain?¡± exclaimed Ash, relieved by the reminder. Now with his life akin to a flickering candle in the wind, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time, needing to squeeze every last bit of return. ¡°Confirm to log Death Mad Sword Maiden in the Mage¡¯s Handbook? Note: This action is irreversible.¡± ¡°Confirm!¡± ¡°Operator bond successfully logged. Cultivation ongoing, scheduling in progress¡­¡± ¡°Building trial scene¡­ Scene materials missing, auto-completing¡­ Found available scene, occupying¡­¡± ¡°Trial subject missing, auto-completing¡­ Found available subject, extracting¡­¡± With such game messages appearing, Ash found himself momentarily unoccupied. Perhaps from the excitement and stress of the day, when relaxed, Ash felt bouts of drowsiness, as though his energy was completely drained, with his eyelids constantly battling. Before his head touched the pillow, Ash sank into a deep sleep. Meanwhile, In a distant place three hours from Ash¡¯s location by time difference, A girl who had gone to bed early for beauty sleep suddenly found herself awakening in a dream. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Observer Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Observer Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` This was a small island. But this was only because Sonia couldn¡¯t find a better noun in her limited vocabulary, after all, it was just a hand-sized little place suddenly jutting out of the sea, as if a bigger wave could drown it. Yet the sea level was very calm, extremely calm, without a breath of wind. Sonia¡¯s legs were submerged in seawater, stepping on the damp sand, and she looked around. All around was thick milky fog, filling every inch of space. The sky looked like a spread of dark ink, dreary and heavy. I¡¯m dreaming, Sonia thought. She remembered clearly that she was sleeping in the dormitory of the Sword and Rose Mage University, it was impossible to suddenly appear on a small island. Just thinking it was a dream, Sonia felt more at ease. She crouched down curiously to taste the seawater and found it was like the water she normally drank, even a bit sweet, not the salty bitterness described in the online education courses. Sonia became more convinced she was dreaming because she had never been to the seaside, had never tasted seawater, so she had no idea what it tasted like. ¡°But if I¡¯m dreaming¡­¡± Sonia looked toward the center of the island, ¡°why am I dreaming of a corpse I¡¯ve never seen before?¡± In the center of the island, an unfamiliar corpse knelt half-buried in the sand. He wore a pitch-black trench coat with a hood, his face indistinct, his clothing thick and heavy, giving no indication if he was male or female. A long sword pierced his chest, yet he did not fall; instead, he knelt on one knee. His left hand on the sword scabbard at his waist, his right hand gripped the sword hilt as if his heart had been pierced before he could draw the sword. Besides the corpse and the sand, there was nothing else on the island. Sonia couldn¡¯t swim, and believing she was dreaming, she felt no fear of the corpse, so she boldly went over to observe it. She noticed the long sword through the corpse was still dripping blood, the blood flowed along the beautiful engravings on the blade, streaming to the dark ruby embedded in the sword¡¯s guard, making the whole sword seem alive, it was amazingly beautiful¡­ When Sonia came back to her senses, she had already gripped this long sword tightly. The sword scabbard fit her palm perfectly, the enchanting sword engravings struck her aesthetic sense, and that feeling as if it extended from her limb, this sword seemed¡­ ¡­seemed crafted just for her. Without thinking, Sonia pulled the long sword from the corpse. She thought the corpse would fall immediately, so she stepped back as soon as she pulled it out, fearing it might crash onto her. However, the corpse did not fall. On the contrary, he stood up. The tap, tap of steel-toed boots on the sand echoed, and under Sonia¡¯s horrified gaze, the corpse slowly straightened his back and drew out a sharp, cold long sword. With a swish, the sword edge sliced through the air, and the tip pointed directly at Sonia. Although she couldn¡¯t see his eyes at all, Sonia felt a pair of emotionless icy gazes! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sword Maiden, this time, I am not your enemy.¡± The corpse¡¯s voice was neither male nor female, like the mechanical clinking of gears, ¡°I am just going to kill you.¡± You seem to have a very different definition of an enemy than normal people, hey¡­ Sonia gripped the magnificent long sword tightly, as if that could give her a sense of security. ¡°Who are you?¡± Her voice trembled a little. ¡°I am called the Final Observer, you can call me Observer,¡± the Observer said, ¡°Within the next seventy-two hours, you can leave only by defeating me; otherwise, you¡¯ll have to stay seventy-two hours to leave.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a dream?¡± Sonia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The difference between dream and reality is only that reality is a dream woven by everyone together, and a dream¡­¡± ¡°Is a cage you construct for yourself.¡± As the words fell, the Observer stepped on the sand and sliced forward, even though Sonia retreated as much as possible, she still couldn¡¯t avoid the flashing blade light¡ª ¡°You have ten seconds of rest time.¡± Sonia knelt on the ground, both hands covering her throat tightly, her face full of terror. The ripping pain was incredibly real, as if her neck had just been severed by this inexplicable monster. If this was a dream, she should have woken up in her comfortable warm bed at the moment she felt such pain. However¡ª ¡°The ten seconds are over, I advise you to hold your sword tightly. Only in that way can you¡­¡± Sonia lifted her head, seeing the Observer gripping the sword hilt at his waist, assuming a sword drawing stance, lunging toward her with force! Sonia hastily raised the long sword and retreated, but the Observer¡¯s step bizarrely spanned a dozen steps instantaneously, and when she saw the Sword Light he left behind, the Observer¡¯s voice sounded from behind her¡ª ¡°¡­ die with slightly more dignity.¡± ¡°You have ten seconds of rest time.¡± At the moment Sonia snapped back to her senses from the decapitation pain, without any hesitation, she turned and jumped into the sea, not caring if she couldn¡¯t swim! Perhaps fear of death unleashed potential, Sonia almost intuitively learned to swim, albeit in a very unattractive dog paddle filled with splashes, but as long as she could get away from that creepy island with the freak, it was fine! If not for the hunger in the dream, Sonia might have tried the fart propulsion mentioned in jokes. Amidst the splashes, Sonia clearly heard the Observer¡¯s voice, ¡°Running away is shameful.¡± ¡°And useless.¡± Suddenly, a chill spread across the back of her neck, Sonia lowered her head and saw a cold sword tip sticking out from her throat. Before the wave of pain submerged her, Sonia found herself back on the island. ¡°You have ten seconds of rest time.¡± This time she didn¡¯t flee but watched the Observer¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you expecting that once I throw the sword, I¡¯ll be unarmed?¡± the Observer leisurely sheathed his sword, ¡°Why are you still so naive after experiencing several deaths?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really unreasonable.¡± Sonia smiled wryly. ¡°Reason lies only at the tip of the sword. To reason, words are useless, use your sword to persuade me.¡± Before the Observer finished speaking, Sonia splashed into the sea with a plop. But this time she didn¡¯t swim, she chose to dive into the sea, trying to avoid the Observer¡¯s attack. ¡®You can¡¯t cut through the sea, can you?¡¯ she thought. Indeed, five seconds, ten seconds, thirty seconds¡­ a full minute passed, and Sonia wasn¡¯t attacked. However, unable to breathe, she felt faint. If this was a dream, how could a lack of oxygen cause a lack of blood flow to her brain?! The pain from holding her breath was no less than decapitation, Sonia couldn¡¯t take it anymore, choosing a spot at random to surface, trying to breathe before diving again, hoping, maybe: Can I breathe for just a second or two, no way he¡¯ll find me that fast!? A few seconds later, Sonia sat on the island, covering her recently penetrated mouth, incessantly licking her teeth with her tongue to ensure it hadn¡¯t been cut off by the Flying Sword. ¡°You have ten seconds of rest time.¡± ¡°Observer!¡± Sonia shouted angrily, face flaring with rage, teeth clenched, hands gripping the long sword, mustering courage as she walked toward the Observer. The Observer raised an eyebrow, right hand caressing the sword hilt, saying, ¡°If you wish to end the rest early, I have no objection.¡± Snap! Sonia knelt before the Observer with a plop. ¡°Great merciful and benevolent unknown ruler, Sonia is willing to pray to you day and night, listen to your holy words, follow your Wonders, sing your will¡­ Please don¡¯t torment me like this, just tell me what you want me to do, I am very obedient and well-behaved, I¡¯ll do whatever you command, sob sob¡­¡± ¡°Really anything?¡± the Observer asked. Sonia lifted her head, crying pitifully like a delicate flower, cheeks red with blush, she seemed to hesitate, biting her lip before nodding resolutely, ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°Alright then, I order you to¡ª¡± the Observer gripped the sword hilt, adopting a sword drawing stance, ¡°defeat me.¡± Clang! ¡°You have ten seconds of rest time.¡± Sonia lay on the sand, staring blankly at the dark, ink-black sky, then flipped up, puzzled, asking, ¡°No, but I¡¯ve never offended you before, why waste so much time on someone insignificant like me? There are so many evil people in this world; if you wish to punish wrongdoers, I can recommend a few people; if you¡¯re a big baddie, I can even recommend a few high-ranking hypocrites.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary female student; I¡¯m not worth you going through so much trouble. Your actions now are like using a Spiral Light Cannon to kill mosquitoes, or making a Sword Master chop firewood, a huge waste of resources. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Just say what you want me to do. I look like a fragile rose who could be easily carried away by the currents¡­¡± Just as Sonia attempted to persuade with emotion and reason, the Observer shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Sonia immediately said, ¡°Where did I go wrong, tell me, I¡¯ll definitely change.¡± ¡°You were wrong from the first sentence.¡± ¡°First sentence?¡± ¡°How can you be sure,¡± the Observer gripped the sword hilt, adopting a sword drawing stance, ¡°you haven¡¯t offended me before?¡± Clang! ¡°You have ten seconds of rest time.¡± Perhaps because she had died so many times, Sonia even felt that decapitation wasn¡¯t that bad, accustomed to the pain it was nothing. She raised her gaze to the Observer, ¡°As long as I stay here for seventy-two hours, I can leave this cursed dream?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Observer nodded, ¡°However, there are no clocks here. Compared to a person¡¯s lifetime, seventy-two hours isn¡¯t long, but in the face of death, seventy-two hours is not short either.¡± ¡°Can you truly endure seventy-two hours of continual death?¡± ¡°Moreover, why would you believe someone who keeps killing you in a dream? What if I¡¯m lying?¡± ¡°Take for instance that you manage to leave this dream tonight; what about tomorrow night? The night after that?¡± The Observer adopted a sword drawing stance, ¡°Having tasted death, you should not harbor expectations of Miracles.¡± Clang! The Observer stepped forward, sweeping his sword in a horizontal arc, his entire body spinning full circle, traversing more than ten steps in an instant, the long sword slicing through Sonia¡¯s neck once more like a hot knife through butter¡ª Clang! For the first time, Sonia¡¯s blade blocked the Observer¡¯s edge! In that moment, Sonia¡¯s face bore no expression, neither fear, nor anger, nor Killing Intent, nor plea, only the coldest silence. In her ruby-like pupils, she reflected the indistinct form of the Observer, as if imprinting him deeply in her heart! ¡°You leave me no choice.¡± Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Trial Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Trial Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°You have ten seconds to rest.¡± Sonia took a deep breath and raced against time to recall all the details of the battle just now. Although she believed she hadn¡¯t lost any memory due to repeated deaths, if she had forgotten something, she wouldn¡¯t realize it. She could only try to avoid the worst-case scenario as much as possible. She had lost count of the specific number of deaths, and she didn¡¯t bother to keep track. Her mind was devoid of any extraneous thoughts¡ªher mother in reality, classmates, exams, and her dreams were all pushed to the furthest corners. She focused all her attention on the enemy before her, known as the ¡°Final Observer,¡± exhaustively analyzing every detail of his movements, memorizing each brutal moment with her body! She discovered that the Final Observer hadn¡¯t mastered any Extraordinary Ability, not even holding any physical advantage over her. Compared to her, the Observer was merely an enemy who wielded a sword¡ªat most, a very skilled enemy with a sword. Sonia had seen Sword Masters who had refined their swordsmanship to its peak. Even an ordinary swing could impose a spine-tingling pressure on bystanders; merely holding the hilt of their sword could strike fear and submission into the weak. Compared to those true towering figures, the Observer was but a mundane stepping stone. Yes, just a stepping stone. Although she had experienced another death, Sonia had managed to counterattack the Observer in her desperate strike. But just like a thrown sword would return to his hand, the Observer, who had just been struck in the chest, had already recovered as if healed instantly. If there were a recovery time, Sonia would surely trade her life to gradually wear him down, but unfortunately, the duel was fair, leaving no such loophole for her. A fair duel, Sonia found it somewhat ironic in her heart. Yet she admitted, everything was indeed fair. Various unreasonable restrictions made her realize she only had one choice: to defeat the Final Observer with absolute strength in the duel. Ten seconds passed, and at that moment, time seemed to become a tangible entity. When time was up, Sonia instantly tensed her entire body and charged at the Observer with her sword! At the start of the battle¡¯s first second, the Observer would always maintain his sheathed stance, then thrust forward with a Sword Drawing Slash. The further Sonia was from the Observer, the more intense the attack she received, potentially causing her weapon to be knocked out of her hand! This move was very similar to the rumored Iaido Sword Drawing Slash, and the way to counter it was quite simple, never dodge, but actively step forward to interrupt his swirl! Clang! Sonia¡¯s arm was almost numbed by the shock, but she ultimately stopped the Observer¡¯s swirl, successfully dragging him into the most deadly close-combat fight! Having died so many times, Sonia no longer cared about acquiring a few more holes in her body. As long as she could kill the Observer just before her own demise, it would be her victory! Clang! Clang! Clang! After several intense exchanges, Sonia silently counted; when she reached five, she sliced through empty air. The Observer mysteriously and abruptly evaded in the opposite direction and then stepped forward, slashing toward Sonia¡¯s head with his sword! There was no warning, extremely perilous! Sonia once thought this was some Extraordinary Ability. After numerous deaths providing experience, she found it was a form of combat footwork. But even seeing through it, Sonia had no solution¡ªshe couldn¡¯t predict where the Observer would evade! Because the Observer often evaded suddenly after seeing Sonia¡¯s attack, then immediately counter-slashing, so Sonia named this move ¡°Read.¡± Iaido was easy to block, but Read was hard to defend against. So Sonia simply didn¡¯t defend, directly raising her arm to block the Observer¡¯s blade and rushed in to attempt to decapitate the Observer with a sword! The biggest weakness of Read was insufficient power, not enough to sever her arm! However, when the Observer struck her arm, his legs abruptly slid on the sand, again dodging in another direction, narrowly evading Sonia¡¯s blade, then stepping forward to slash at her neck! Two consecutive Reads! ¡°You have ten seconds to rest.¡± Sonia patted her face, gripped her sword hilt, and looked at the Observer, ¡°Bring it on!¡± The Observer had no objection, adopting the sheathed stance to launch the Iaido Sword Drawing Slash¡ª There was no metallic clash of striking blades. The Observer still maintained his swirling slash posture, but he hadn¡¯t struck anything. Just as the Observer was about to hit Sonia, Sonia suddenly slid on the sand in an extremely uncanny manner, evading in another direction! At this time, the Observer was still in the rigidity of the swirl attack, while Sonia could attack him in turn! However, Sonia assumed the posture of sheathing the sword! ¡°After dying so many times, even if I were a pig, I should have learned your moves!¡± With Sonia¡¯s spirited shout, she stepped forward, whirled forward, and executed a Sword Drawing Slash! Read, Iaido, Sword Drawing Slash! Using Iaido as a follow-up move to Read to compensate for Read¡¯s lower attack power! In fact, Sonia had already mastered the Iaido Sword Drawing Slash, but she had been holding back until she was confident in mastering Read, then unleashed both moves together, determined to kill the Observer in one slash! Accompanied by the powerful rotational momentum, Sonia felt almost no resistance; her blade smoothly sliced into the Observer¡¯s chest like a hot knife through butter! It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to behead the Observer. It was just that she wasn¡¯t tall enough, and raising her arm even slightly during the swirl was a massive burden, so she could only settle for slashing his chest instead. Was it that easy? Sonia was somewhat incredulous, quickly adjusting her balance from the swirling slash¡¯s aftereffects, watching the Observer warily, ¡°Does this count as me defeating you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Observer said, ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°You successfully defeated me with just one sword.¡± One sword¡­ In the moment Sonia was slightly baffled, the Observer nudged the sand with his toes and gently hooked out a longsword from the sand. ¡°Halftime is over; the second half begins.¡± The Observer crossed the two swords into an X stance, ¡°By the way, there is no ten-second rest this time.¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡°Sonia, there¡¯s an early class today, aren¡¯t you going?¡± Sonia sat up holding her head, realizing only Ingrid was left in the dorm. Ingrid was already dressed and ready to head out. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Seven thirty,¡± Ingrid said, ¡°There¡¯s a public course this morning. I remember you usually get up an hour early to do skincare and makeup before public courses¡­ They have already left¡­ You don¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Sonia instinctively touched her neck and then regained her senses, shaking her head, ¡°Maybe I had a nightmare¡­¡± ¡°A nightmare? It will soon be forgotten,¡± Ingrid said indifferently, ¡°Remember to attend class, don¡¯t be absent, or they will deduct points from the dormitory.¡± Saying this, Ingrid left, closing the door behind her, leaving Sonia alone in the dormitory. On any other morning after oversleeping, Sonia would have hurriedly gotten out of bed to wash and put on makeup, but today she didn¡¯t feel like it, sitting on her bed in a daze. Oddly enough, it was clearly a dream, yet it felt so real; even more strangely, she showed no signs of forgetting. She remembered every detail vividly, from her first death to her ninety-ninth death, all clear in her mind. Even every pain was still fresh in her memory. Once the Final Observer switched to dual-wielding mode, the intensity of their battles instantly multiplied¡ªSonia almost had no chance to breathe, opening her eyes only to find the Observer pouncing on her again, her arms becoming almost numb, nearly relying solely on her body¡¯s instincts to withstand the Observer¡¯s assault. Read, Iaido, Read to Iaido, Iaido to Read, Triple Rea, Triple Iaido¡­ Sonia utilized all these moves against the Observer, exhausting all derivative variations. When she defeated the Observer, she felt almost nothing, continuously using Read and Iaido, dodging all the Observer¡¯s attacks, attacking all his flaws, and then the Observer fell. But after defeating the Observer, Sonia felt no joy. Because the Observer said one sentence. ¡°This trial is over, but your life has just begun.¡± Although she couldn¡¯t see his face or hear his tone, Sonia was utterly certain¡ªthis was definitely not a Blessing. ¡°The Final Observer¡­¡± Sonia mulled over the name, as if gnashing it in her teeth before swallowing it down into her stomach to digest. Meanwhile, in the luxurious suite at the bottom level of Kaimon City¡¯s Shattered Lake Prison. Ash yawned and sat up, not knowing why, but he felt extraordinarily tired from sleep as if he had been beaten up. Opening the Light Screen and Aurora¡¯s Mage¡¯s Handbook, Ash saw a brand-new message: ¡°After the trial, your Bonds with the Death Mad Sword Maiden have deepened.¡± Ash scratched his head, ¡°¡­Arranging trials can deepen Bonds? Is there really such luck?¡± Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Sonia Sevi Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Sonia Sevi Editor: Atlas Studios The capital of the Kingdom of Stars, Jiale City, outside Sword Flower Mage University. As summer approached, the Heavenly Curtain¡¯s Dazzling Stars increased from two to two and a half since spring. If you looked up carefully, you could see a small Dazzling Star, causing the temperature in Jiale City to rise: the light shone brightly, and just a few steps would make you break into a light sweat. Sonia, with small strides, came out and saw her mother Martha standing under the Dazzling Star, sweating profusely. She pulled her to the shade of a nearby tree with concern, ¡°Mom, why are you standing outside like this? You should come into the university streets and avoid the sun¡­¡± Martha chuckled foolishly, ¡°I was afraid Linda wouldn¡¯t see me¡­¡± ¡°How many times have I told you, call me Sonia, not Linda!¡± Suddenly, Sonia lost her temper, and Martha nodded repeatedly, stammering, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I forgot again. Oh, I also brought your favorite custard tart¡­¡± Seeing Martha¡¯s ingratiating look, Sonia felt guilty again and took her by the hand to leave, ¡°I¡¯m not eating it, I¡¯m on a diet lately and can¡¯t eat anything so sweet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already so thin, why diet any more? Do you want to be as thin as paper? Remember Uncle Elmer? His son has a serious illness that hasn¡¯t been cured, and he¡¯s as light as a scarecrow in the field, thinner than you¡­¡± From a distance, Martha could see Sonia¡¯s figure, not much thicker than a tree branch, and she felt a surge of heartache. Martha was a farmwoman from the agricultural town of the Kingdom of Stars, having never understood the slender aesthetics of a big city. In her heart, she hoped her daughter would be a little sturdier. Sonia didn¡¯t interrupt her mother¡¯s rambling. Only when her mother stopped did she say, ¡°Since you¡¯re here in Jiale City, let me show you around the capital¡­¡± ¡°No need, no need!¡± Martha waved her hand hurriedly, ¡°Don¡¯t waste money, I saw a park over there when I walked by¡­¡± ¡°Walked here!?¡± Sonia¡¯s voice rose eight octaves, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to take the tram after getting off the train? The train station is so far from the university¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, I came early, and there¡¯s so much time, walking was just a bit of exercise. I¡¯m not old yet; walking is no problem¡­¡± At this point, Sonia noticed that Martha¡¯s neck was sweaty. Today, the sun was out and the temperature was high. The students on campus were dressed in summer outfits, but her mother had taken the train last night to Jiale City, where it was already autumn with cool breezes, so she wore several layers. Just a short walk made her forehead sweat, and she looked like she had been fished out of the water. She wanted to tell her mother not to save on this small expense, but what came out was, ¡°Let me take you to buy some clothes.¡± Martha shook her head instinctively, ¡°There¡¯s plenty of clothes at home¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me today!¡± Sonia Sevi, came from a poverty-stricken village in the Kingdom of Stars that couldn¡¯t even be found on a map. To take a train to the capital, Jiale City, she had to walk a day along mountain roads to the nearest town where the train stopped. Among the village children, Sonia was the only one in nearly twenty years who, thanks to the Miracle Bracelet given for free by the kingdom, completed the basic education courses it provided. Before reaching the age limit, she took the kingdom-wide unified online admissions test for higher institutions and successfully entered the Sword Flower Mage University in Jiale City, abbreviated as Sword Flower University. Her father had drunk himself to death when she was very young. In her memory, he was just a drunken wastrel who would get angry for no reason. It was entirely up to her mother, Martha, to raise her. Precisely because of this, she could temporarily escape labor to focus on her studies, rather than like other children her age, working in factories by day and watching the only Meteor channel the village could receive at night, spending a muddled life in that small town. On her first day in Jiale City, when she saw the clean streets, towering buildings, flowing luxury cars, polite and civilized people, and the giant Light Screen broadcasting propaganda clips day and night, she knew that even if she died, it had to be in this city. That hometown she lived in for over a decade wasn¡¯t even qualified to be her grave. In a short time, she learned makeup and clothing coordination and corrected her accent within a month of entering university. She obtained multiple part-time jobs thanks to her superior appearance, without neglecting her studies. With scholarships and part-time wages, she expanded her social circle and participated in various activities¡­ Plus, after hosting several campus events last year with plenty of exposure, she had already been vaguely regarded by many as the Sword Flower of the 67th class. So many people in this world could find happiness, why couldn¡¯t I? The entire afternoon, Sonia took Martha touring Jiale City. Under Sonia¡¯s insistence, Martha reluctantly went with her to a stylishly expensive clothing store to try on clothes. Without her daughter, the contempt-hidden smiles of the shop assistant would have been enough to make Martha shrink away and leave. But as the price for buying clothes, Sonia didn¡¯t spend any more money for the rest of the afternoon, not even on water, as Martha had filled her water bottle beforehand. ¡°This is clean water from the train station, it¡¯s good for me,¡± Martha said. ¡°Don¡¯t buy those red or green drinks, I¡¯m not used to them.¡± Even for dinner, Martha said the bread she brought wasn¡¯t finished and it would be a waste not to eat it. Sonia knew taking her mother to fancy restaurants would only make her uncomfortable, so they sat in the park and ate the bread. Before six o¡¯clock, Sonia took Martha to the train station. The return train ticket had been bought long ago, bound to Martha¡¯s bracelet: passing through the gate would just require scanning the bracelet. As they neared the gate, Sonia suddenly said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for a night, I don¡¯t have classes tomorrow and can keep you company for another day.¡± Martha stared at Sonia blankly, her lips moved but she eventually shook her head and narrowed her eyes, ¡°No, it¡¯s a waste to refund the ticket, and I can¡¯t get used to staying here. I don¡¯t even understand what people say, and I have to hurry home to feed the chickens¡­ Oh, look at me, I almost forgot¡­¡± She pulled out a tightly wrapped little pouch from her bosom and handed it to Sonia without opening it, ¡°There are three silver coins inside¡­¡± ¡°Mom, I¡ª¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t lack money, but I can¡¯t spend it at home.¡± Martha tightly held Sonia¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom is useless, can¡¯t help you with anything. But Linda, rest assured, Mom won¡¯t burden you. You live well in the capital, I¡¯m doing well at home, and neighbors will help me if anything happens. Just remember to write back, but don¡¯t send money, save it for yourself. And the post office might even embezzle your money¡­¡± This time Sonia didn¡¯t correct Martha about calling her by her nickname, ¡°Linda.¡± She quietly listened to her mother¡¯s chatter, suddenly understanding why Martha didn¡¯t wait for her inside the school. When Martha finished, she calmly said, ¡°I will bring you to live the good life in Jiale City someday.¡± Martha smiled and nodded, ¡°Mom believes you. But also remember, no matter what happens, Mom will be at home with a good meal waiting for you. Big cities are too complicated, after all. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to return home and live simply¡­¡± Sonia watched her mother¡¯s slightly hunched back get smaller and smaller until she disappeared into the crowd. Suddenly, she swerved to the right, avoiding a man who was about to bump into her. The man looked surprised, muttering something under his breath and hurriedly turned away. ¡°Indeed, big cities are too complicated,¡± Sonia murmured softly, ¡°but I am precisely this kind of complicated person.¡± She turned away from the train station, head held high, striding back to the bright lights and bustling din of the City of Eternal Night, Jiale City. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Glass House Friendship Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Glass House Friendship Editor: Atlas Studios On the way back, there was a traffic accident, and the tram had to stop for half an hour. By the time Sonia returned to the university, it was already past 7 pm. According to the rules, Sword Flower University does not allow entry or exit after 7 pm. If a student returns late, they must register their name, and accumulating more than three such offenses would earn them a ¡°thorn.¡± Collecting three ¡°thorns¡± would result in expulsion. However, with Sonia¡¯s quiet explanation, the young security guard simply opened the gate for her without registering her name. Noticing the guard¡¯s lecherous gaze that seemed as though it could penetrate her clothes, Sonia smiled and thanked him, while inwardly holding him in contempt. Did he really think that by guarding the gates of Sword Flower University he could get close to pretty female students? Lacking even self-awareness of this degree, no wonder he was just a guard. Benefiting from her beauty was something Sonia had understood since she was young, but it wasn¡¯t until she came to Jiale City that she realized the power of beauty was so significant. Compared to that impoverished little village, the civilized people in the city were willing to provide more conveniences for beauty. In moments like these, Sonia would sincerely thank the Magic Master of Dazzling Star. It was due to this Divine Lord that the Kingdom of Stars developed into such a civilized and prosperous place, giving her a chance to squeeze into high society. If she were in those barbaric countries not covered by the Heavenly Curtain, she reckoned she would have been snatched up as spoils by some barbarian the moment her beauty began to blossom. She also thanked her mother. If her mother hadn¡¯t had her study at home during childhood but worked in the fields instead, regardless of her natural beauty, the wind and sun would have roughened her into a coarse village girl. Upon returning to the girls¡¯ dormitory, just as Sonia was about to push the door open, she heard Lois¡¯s voice from inside: ¡°It¡¯s past 7 o¡¯clock. That country mutt probably won¡¯t come back tonight, right? Ha, finally can¡¯t hide her tail anymore. She¡¯s probably hooking up with some rich businessman now.¡± Oh my, she happened to stumble upon the classic dormitory friendship moment, ¡°trash-talking behind one¡¯s back.¡± Sonia immediately stopped and listened quietly to Lois¡¯s impotent rage. Adelle pretended to advise, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Lois, she might come back¡­¡± ¡°Let her come, I want to call her shameless right in her face!¡± Lois grew angrier as she spoke, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen her flirtatious look, making eyes at someone even during class. Just a country mutt, apart from a pretty face, what¡¯s so remarkable about her?¡± Ha, being prettier than you is remarkable enough. Sonia smirked coldly in her heart, knowing that Lois in the dorm hated her the most. Lois, the daughter of a local merchant in Jiale City, was full of pride about her superior looks, always subtly criticizing Sonia¡¯s humble origins in the dorm room. But Sonia was indeed prettier, and whenever the two appeared together, the number of boys favorably inclined toward Sonia increased significantly more. However, during their first year, everyone managed to maintain a semblance of peace, until Sonia successfully won the host position over Lois in a school event, fully triggering Lois¡¯s hostility. Lois wasn¡¯t easy to deal with either, organizing several entertainment activities within the Water Magic Department, and even treating classmates at fancy restaurants at her own expense, but never inviting Sonia to join. Such a display of financial capability also attracted more suitors for Lois. After all, those looking for shortcuts did not differentiate between genders. Although Sonia was beautiful, marrying this rich and beautiful Lois would save one ten years of hard work. When it came to money, Sonia obviously couldn¡¯t win, but she knew numerous ways to annoy. Every time there was a male admirer for Lois, one who perhaps made Lois¡¯s heart flutter a bit, Sonia would ¡°inadvertently¡± run into them, ¡°accidentally¡± have some physical contact, and give a few glances, enough to charm them off their feet, even abandon Lois and turn to pursue Sonia. Lois¡¯s explosive temper tonight was because Sonia ¡°persuaded¡± a senior who had been pursuing Lois just yesterday. Honestly, Sonia despised Lois¡¯s taste, for aside from being handsome, that senior was worthless and overly conceited. But to disgust Lois? She didn¡¯t mind throwing a few flirtatious glances. Even though Sonia was sure to reject others¡¯ pursuits, would Lois really deign to date ¡°trash that even the country mutt Sonia doesn¡¯t want¡±? So it was no wonder Lois was so furious. ¡°Speaking of which, I heard from Desley. She saw Sonia talking to a peasant woman outside the campus at noon,¡± Adelle suddenly recalled. ¡°Could that peasant woman be her mother?¡± ¡°Ha, having such a shameless daughter, I bet her mother is just as shameless¡ª¡± Bang! Before Sonia could push the door open and burst in, a loud noise came from inside ahead of her. Realizing what happened, she stepped back half a stride just as the dormitory door opened from the inside, revealing a single-ponytailed blonde girl with a sword bag on her back. ¡°Good evening, Sonia,¡± she said. ¡°Good evening, Ingrid,¡± Sonia replied. Ingrid left the dorm without looking back, presumably heading to the training ground for night practice. Inside, Adelle and Lois sat dumbstruck, their looks of terror still lingering. A new dent was on the training punching bag that Ingrid had bought, one that Sonia had never seen before. Sonia entered and closed the door, restoring calm to the dormitory. Since Ingrid had already helped her teach them a lesson, Sonia naturally wouldn¡¯t repeat it, but she silently noted this account, determined that Lois would eventually pay her back with interest. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 No, You Must Practice Swordsmanship Chapter 8: Chapter 8 No, You Must Practice Swordsmanship Editor: Atlas Studios Sonia removed her makeup while leisurely opening . Using makeup removal time to read was the perfect choice; after all, removing makeup was troublesome. First, she had to meticulously clean each eyelash with a cotton swab and then bathe her eyes with eye wash liquid. Today she had applied sunscreen lotion on her arms, which the body wash couldn¡¯t remove, so she bought a cheap and large bottle of makeup remover specifically for the sunscreen. After washing up, she¡¯d also need to do her basic skincare routine¡ªspraying and applying serums couldn¡¯t be skipped, even on her eyelashes, or they¡¯d easily fall off, and she couldn¡¯t afford to have eyelash surgery at ¡°Perfect Starlight.¡± All these miscellaneous tasks together took almost an hour, and if she didn¡¯t sneak in some study time, how could Sonia have possibly received a scholarship last semester? She also planned to summon her first Water Technique Spirit by next year and, ideally, fully unfold her Silver Wings to become a One-winged Mage before graduating. Though Sword Flower University wasn¡¯t a top-tier Mage University in Jiale City, its training of Sword Masters, Water Mages, and Wind Mages was unparalleled. These three disciplines promised limitless potential upon graduation. Among them, Water Mages often became Healing Mages due to their related healing spells, making it Sonia¡¯s primary focus. Having witnessed the bustling world of Jiale City, Sonia knew that relying solely on herself would likely take decades to secure her position in this world. Finding a good man to shortcut her way into high society naturally became her top choice. Otherwise, all the time, effort, and money she invested in maintaining her beauty¡ªwas it just to benefit some poor man? According to Sonia¡¯s research, over 50% of noble wives were Water Mages. If the nobles themselves were also Mages, this percentage could exceed 70%! There was no doubt that being a Water Mage was a major plus when nobles chose a wife! Compared to Water Mages, Wind Mages often became Meteorological Mages and had to work outdoors under harsh conditions; Sword Masters were even less desirable, with their physical prowess being a disadvantage for women¡­ Sonia¡¯s life plan was crystal clear¡ª Become a Water Mage, then find a way to participate in a campus activity at the Truth Mage University in Jiale City to attract a noble young master. Unlike Sword Flower University, Truth University was Jiale City¡¯s premier Mage University, even the top university in the Kingdom of Stars. There, the students were either wealthy or prestigious. That was where Sonia¡¯s future boyfriend would appear; she didn¡¯t fancy any of the boys at Sword Flower University. Become a Water Mage, acquaint with noble students at Truth University, then enter high society as a noble¡¯s wife. Using her husband¡¯s social resources, she would gather enough wealth to stand on her own in Jiale City, even bring her mother over to live a noble life¡­ ¡°No, you need to practice swordsmanship.¡± Hearing that familiar yet estranged voice of chaos, Sonia¡¯s right hand instinctively wanted to grip a weapon. Had it not been for her sitting position restricting her movement, she might have instantly executed a stepping maneuver to evade. But the next second, she came to her senses, looking in horror at the mysterious figure that appeared out of nowhere, dressed in a deep black trench coat, with a face shrouded in shadowy obscurity! ¡°If I were you, I would first observe the others¡¯ reactions.¡± The Observer leaned against the wardrobe, raised a finger, and gestured for silence, ¡°If you want to talk to me, just recite in your mind.¡± Sonia looked at Lois and Adelle. Adelle was tapping the air, clearly engrossed in the program on the Light Screen; meanwhile, Lois just happened to come out of the bathroom, passing by the Observer without a glance, as if the Observer didn¡¯t exist at all. Sonia lowered her head to look at the ground, and instantly understood everything¡ªthe Observer had no shadow. Suppressing the urge to speak, Sonia asked in her mind, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m called the Final Observer; you can call me Observer. If you are already this forgetful at such a young age, I can only recommend you to abstain¡­¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s all I can tell you.¡± The Observer said, ¡°And you know, I used to detest people who played mysterious tricks, especially those who withheld crucial secrets yet acted all ¡®it¡¯s not the right time for you to know,¡¯ making one want to beat the crap out of them.¡± Sonia said nothing, just looking at the Observer. The Observer nodded, ¡°Yes, just like you said, I¡¯ve now become such a mysterious person because¡ªI discovered it¡¯s indeed quite enjoyable. Especially seeing you hopping mad yet helpless, it truly made my visit worthwhile.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal though? People often become what they most detest, or rather, more detestable people usually live longer.¡± Sonia suddenly realized a question, sending chills down her spine. ¡°You can hear my inner voice!¡± ¡°If I couldn¡¯t hear your thoughts, how would I be different from a mime?¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t¡ªyou don¡¯t respect¡ªam I even stripped of my mental freedom?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sword Maiden, I am not your enemy,¡± the Observer said, ¡°I¡¯m not even a complete person now. If you strongly insist, I can choose not to appear before you.¡± ¡°Then what are you exactly?¡± ¡°I¡¯m merely a distant longing,¡± the Observer shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s not go off-topic; back to the real issue at hand. As I said, you will soon not care if I can hear your thoughts.¡± ¡°What real issue?¡± Sonia recalled the brutality in her dream. ¡°First.¡± A bottle of blue potion suddenly appeared in the Observer¡¯s hand, ¡°You need to drink this.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t drink it,¡± Sonia instantly replied. However, to Sonia¡¯s horror, she saw the potion in the glass bottle vanishing at a visible speed, simultaneously feeling the liquid sliding down her throat! ¡°Next.¡± The Observer handed over a wooden sword, ¡°You wish to train in swordsmanship.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to!¡± The Observer was right; by now, Sonia no longer cared if he could hear her thoughts. Because, compared to controlling her words and actions, mind-reading seemed like an insignificant matter! Despite her utmost effort, Sonia could only watch herself slowly take the wooden sword, and then¡ª Whoosh! With the ear-piercing sound of the wooden chair scraping the floor, Lois and Adelle turned their heads and saw Sonia leaving the dorm with a wooden sword in hand, the door loudly slamming shut behind her, bam! ¡°What¡¯s gotten into her?¡± Lois muttered under her breath, then realized how cowardly that sounded and loudly sneered, ¡°She hasn¡¯t practiced swordsmanship in a year, and suddenly decides to train tonight? Could she be trying to flirt with some senior from the Sword Skill Department?¡± Adelle blinked, somewhat puzzled, ¡°I don¡¯t remember her ever buying a wooden sword, and Ingrid doesn¡¯t have that type of wooden sword; where did she get it from¡­?¡± Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Disruption Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Disruption Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Ha!¡± With a shout, Ingrid raised her wooden sword high, stepped forward, channeling all her strength into the blade, and struck down with full force at the armored dummy in front of her! Crack! With the sound of the dummy shattering, the wooden sword stopped at the edge of the ninth ring. Ingrid withdrew her wooden sword and resumed a cautious stance, using the breathing techniques taught in school to exhale a long breath, quickly recovering her energy. ¡®At this rate, I should be able to summon the Slashing Sword Technique Spirit by the end of this month,¡¯ Ingrid thought. As a Mage University with a legacy of centuries, Sword Flower University already had various guiding techniques for training mages. The training dummy in front of Ingrid was a tool designed specifically for Sword Master apprentices to get started. The dummy looked like a wooden stake with a core marked by ten rings, made of extremely hard material. When an apprentice could slice into the core¡¯s tenth ring with a single strike, it indicated that their swordsmanship talent was sufficient to summon their first Sword Technique Spirit. Generally, there were three types of One-winged Technique Spirits that Sword Masters could summon, namely ¡°Slashing Sword,¡± ¡°Piercing Sword,¡± and ¡°Cutting Sword.¡± Ingrid, who was engaging in slashing practice, naturally aimed to summon the Slashing Sword Technique Spirit. Ingrid took a couple of seconds to adjust her breathing. By now, the dummy had returned to its original state, as if Ingrid hadn¡¯t split it at all. This was the strength of the training ground at Sword Flower University¡ªno matter the extent of the damage, all the dummies in the training ground would quickly recover. As long as you still had the energy, you could thrash the dummy all you wanted, after all, it wasn¡¯t the dummy that would end up crawling out of the training arena. Boom! As Ingrid continued her slashing practice, she suddenly heard the training ground doors being blasted open, and couldn¡¯t help but glance over in distraction. Though the apprentices were sweating and shouting incessantly, this was actually a very orderly place, and seldom did anyone dare to cause trouble here. Those who dared to stir up trouble here would soon find dozens of Sword Master apprentices, all pent up with Sword Qi, looking for a ¡°close physical exchange¡± with them. Last semester, Ingrid had a few persistent suitors, but they never dared to approach her in the training ground. After all, an action that disrupted training would only need a slight frown from Ingrid for the nearby hot-blooded apprentices to jump out and uphold justice. Hot-blooded, reserved, combative, filled with the scent of male hormones, these were the labels of the training ground. At Sword Flower University, there¡¯s a well-known joke, ¡°Some guys initially take up swordsmanship to pursue girls but end up practicing to compete with other guys. Perhaps it¡¯s not that love loses to strength, but that compared to complex love, it¡¯s easier to pursue pure strength?¡± But tonight, complex love had stepped into the territory of strength on its own accord. Appearing at the doorway was a figure with ruby-lustered hair, her skin dazzlingly white, features so exquisite they seemed to be meticulously sculpted by an artist, a slender waist that could be held easily, and long, shapely legs. A rose that should¡¯ve bloomed at banquets had abruptly blossomed amidst a forest of swords in the training ground. But what caught the Sword Master apprentices¡¯ attention the most was what she held in her right hand¡ªa training wooden sword. ¡°Sonia?¡± When Ingrid watched Sonia walk across half the training ground, find an unused dummy, and start lifting her wooden sword to train, she was filled with confusion. Although Ingrid didn¡¯t harbor any ill feelings towards Sonia, in her understanding, Sonia was someone who would never engage in swordsmanship. Unlike the graceful and elegant female sword masters depicted in ¡°Fantasy Epics¡± and ¡°Knight Dramas¡± in the Light Screens, real-life female Sword Masters, to summon Technique Spirits and master Spells, even had to train their physical attributes to surpass those of men. Calluses covering hands from wielding swords aside, arms, legs, and even waist muscles would become sturdier and well-developed due to training. Those actresses appearing in the Light Screens, employing exquisite swordsmanship with dainty, muscleless hands, simply didn¡¯t exist in reality. Even the Sword Technique Spirits wouldn¡¯t acknowledge a mage with a frail physique. Ingrid had grown tired of hearing the news about Technique Spirits that abandoned their masters as they aged. Although some said female Sword Masters had a kind of ¡°strength beauty,¡± Ingrid¡¯s own observation was that there were far more men pursuing female Water Mages than those pursuing female Sword Masters. She admitted that even the likes of Sonia and Lois, these delicate Water Mages, looked much more attractive and refined than someone like herself, who was like a rough man. She harbored no resentment over this, as while she trained, Sonia and the others were applying makeup and skincare products. Everyone got what they were pursuing. That¡¯s why Ingrid was so surprised; after all, if Sonia were to start training in swordsmanship now, wouldn¡¯t it all be for nothing? It would not only hinder her Water Technique Faction studies but also affect her carefully maintained appearance. However, upon noticing a handsome young man nearby who was wiping his sweat and still wearing a full training outfit despite the hot weather, Ingrid suddenly understood. Felix Vosloda, a first-year student in their class, a genius apprentice in the Sword Skill department. Although Felix, like Ingrid, was still training hard to summon his first Initial Technique Spirit, unlike Ingrid, who merely aimed to summon the basic Slashing Sword Technique Spirit, Felix aspired to summon the Vosloda Family¡¯s secret Technique Spirit, the ¡°Wave Motion Sword.¡± Each mage¡¯s Initial Technique Spirit was crucial, even determining the mage¡¯s future development path. Thus, families with the means would try to find suitable cultivation methods for their talented members to summon the strongest and most fitting Initial Technique Spirit. Even Ingrid, from a rural noble family, had a family-secret Technique Spirit cultivation method, just not one suitable for her. There was no doubt the Wave Motion Sword was superior to the Slashing Sword, and Felix¡¯s training intensity undoubtedly surpassed Ingrid¡¯s¡ªhe earned the title of Sword Skill genius because his swordsmanship skills and training intensity far exceeded those of his peers. Last semester, during the Sword Skill department¡¯s end-of-term sparring, Ingrid lost to Felix, but she accepted it wholeheartedly. After all, not only was he more talented than her, but he was also more diligent. His reputation as a swordsmanship genius was deserved. But compared to his swordsmanship talent, what interested the girls more was the other side of Felix. Even though Ingrid came from the countryside, she knew the Vosloda Family was a top elite in the Kingdom of Stars and one of the Starry Council¡¯s five pillars. Duke Vosloda, also known as the ¡°Starforger,¡± controlled the most advanced steel factories in the Kingdom of Stars, operating in fields spanning civilian and military sectors, bearing significant sway in military, political, and commercial spheres. He was arguably the most powerful person in the nation. As the duke¡¯s second son, Felix should rightfully attend Truth University; however, for some unknown reason, he came to Sword Flower University. Many quietly speculated whether he was out of favor with the duke. Nevertheless, even if Felix wasn¡¯t favored, he was still a direct descendant of the Vosloda Family, remaining a member of the top echelon despite any setbacks. Naturally, many sought to climb the social ladder by cozying up to him. And Felix¡¯s social skills matched his swordsmanship talent, nearly swapping a female companion every week, changing women faster than changing clothes. During the busiest times, Ingrid noticed a different female companion visiting the training ground for five consecutive days, making her both disdainful and impressed¡ªhow could someone have the energy for other pursuits after such intense training? She herself felt like melting into her bed after training. Skilled, attractive, and with many rumored relationships, Felix undoubtedly was the focal point of the training ground. If Sonia had a special purpose, her only possible target could be Felix. But back when their dorm room relationship was better, during one chat about the boys at school, Lois, Adelle, and Sonia all made it clear that they kept their distance from Felix. After all, for a flirtatious noble scion like Felix, the inevitable outcome would be a politically arranged marriage by Duke Vosloda. Holding any expectations and clinging to him would surely result in being an insignificant part of his ex-girlfriend group. Although Ingrid, with her romantic fantasies, didn¡¯t appreciate their naked materialism, she admitted their judgment was correct. Over the year, none of Felix¡¯s girlfriends lasted more than a week. Was Sonia not here for Felix? But besides Felix, no one else here could catch her eye¡­ As Ingrid pondered, Sonia, with a deliberate and measured manner, began her training. ¡°Ha!¡± Accompanied by the breathing technique, Sonia struck the dummy with her sword, but she didn¡¯t even pierce its surface. Ingrid watched for a while, shaking her head repeatedly: Sonia¡¯s dominant hand was unstable, her off-hand weak, footwork loose, and overall sluggishness, none of her movements were proper. Even her attire wasn¡¯t changed into a convenient training outfit, still wearing her fine, bright everyday clothes. Even the shout sounded more like a whine. Rather than saying she came to train, it looked like she was trying to grab attention. Whatever her purpose, it surely wasn¡¯t training. Ingrid stopped paying attention and returned to her own practice. Swordsmanship training emphasized the unity of heart, body, and technique, with focus being paramount. Every strike required full mental engagement, calculating the strength to exert, the strength to reserve, the rotation of the shoulders, the wrist movements, the footwork¡­ only when all these details were grasped could one call it a strike. Laziness bore no meaning, for every bit of effort by the mage apprentices was for themselves, not others. Only when an apprentice¡¯s ability resonated with the Void Realm could they summon a Technique Spirit out of thin air, thereby crossing reality and obtaining the pass to the Void Realm, becoming a true Void Wing Mage. For Ingrid at her current level, she needed to rest slightly every three strikes, stop to relax her muscles after thirty, managing to swing her sword nine hundred times in two hours constituted one complete session, bringing exhaustion significant enough for her to fall asleep right touching her pillow post-bath. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± After a few minutes, Ingrid couldn¡¯t contain her annoyance, looking at Sonia in dissatisfaction¡ªwithin just a few minutes, Ingrid heard Sonia swinging her sword dozens of times, with no breaks in between, which was sheer madness. Ingrid had every right to be angry, similar to a severe examination setting suddenly having a careless student not even reading the paper before writing answers, all the while commenting things like, ¡°So simple,¡± ¡°This is it?¡± ¡°Is it possible someone actually doesn¡¯t know how to do this?¡± Surely the others would view that student as mischievous. Presently, Sonia¡¯s actions were tantamount to mischief. Yet, just as Ingrid was about to warn Sonia, she realized she was mistaken¡ªeven though Sonia¡¯s movements were still rough and rookie, each action strictly adhered to Swordsmanship Manual standards, each swing exhausting all her energy, with sweat dripping down her nose, undeniably not just playing around. Moreover, compared to a few minutes prior, Sonia¡¯s swordsmanship had visibly improved, her wooden sword even managing to slice into the dummy¡¯s first ring edge! Although still lowering the overall swordsmanship level of the training ground, she looked like she already had a bit of a swordsmanship foundation, something only a few months of practice could give! ¡°She practiced swordsmanship before?¡± Ingrid pondered. Yet, she still believed Sonia wasn¡¯t here for training¡ªas exhibiting such exertion and wastage soon would make Sonia unable to stand, far from achieving training effectiveness, though perhaps effective for weight loss. I see now, she must be here for body sculpting! I¡¯ve heard of that! Ingrid suddenly felt she understood Sonia¡¯s purpose, though, she thought Sonia wouldn¡¯t last much longer. After all, even for Ingrid, a seasoned Sword Master apprentice, she could only manage two hundred fifty-six consecutive swings in eleven minutes. For a swordsmanship novice like Sonia to last a few uninterrupted minutes was already impressive. Just as Ingrid was feeling a bit tired and decided to pause for a break, she began counting Sonia¡¯s swing repetitions, intending to guide her a bit when her form started faltering¡ªthough she didn¡¯t believe Sonia would switch to the Sword Skill department, as long as it could foster a deeper interest in swordsmanship, that would be a positive outcome. ¡°` Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Sword Maiden, You Cant Rest Yet Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Sword Maiden, You Can¡¯t Rest Yet Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°How many minutes has it been?¡± ¡°Ninety-six minutes. Has anyone counted how many times?¡± ¡°I started counting first. I got to over seventeen hundred when I just happened to see her sword cut through the seventh ring, and I was stunned for a while. I can only say it¡¯s around twenty-four hundred now.¡± When Celia opened the door to the training ground, she saw an unbelievable sight¡ªthe swordsmanship apprentices, who usually squandered sweat and wasted youth, had all thrown down their practice swords and gathered around in a circle, discussing something. She thought they were watching her boyfriend Felix, wondering if he had successfully summoned his ¡®Wave Motion Sword¡¯ Technique Spirit. With this thought, she quickly walked a few steps faster, contemplating where to celebrate later. To the Amber Original Club? Or perhaps the Golden Port Bar? However, Felix must be very tired now. Why not go directly to his place and spend a ¡®good rest¡¯ with him? Felix has known her for so long, and it¡¯s surprising that he has restrained himself from taking the next step. Celia felt she should be more proactive. Yet when Celia walked into the crowd, she realized she was mistaken¡ªbecause she found that her proud and handsome boyfriend Felix was just like an ordinary onlooker, showing a shocked expression as if he were a common fish, dumbly staring forward. Following their gaze, Celia discovered that there was a girl in the training ground even more beautiful than herself: a casually tied ponytail, a fair and tender neck, a face as flawless as if without makeup, and even the sweat dripping on it shimmered like pearls. An enemy and yet a fellow traveler, Celia sensed this immediately, even though the other party hadn¡¯t said a word. Seemingly barefaced yet employing many makeup techniques to disguise a ¡®first love¡¯ look, seemingly casual clothing that perfectly exposed her neck and wrists, seemingly simple yet perfectly accessorizing her beauty¡­ If she hadn¡¯t studied and prepared specifically, how could she disguise such an almost perfect ¡®dream goddess¡¯ image that hit all male pleasure points? With a glance, she confirmed, she was also a Hunter! With this thought, Celia squinted her eyes, disregarded the sweat on Felix, and took the initiative to hold his arm. In her eyes, there wasn¡¯t a better prey than Felix in the entire training ground, or even the entire Sword Flower University. Even considering Truth University, Felix was a first-class prize. As long as she could obtain the surname Vosloda, it would bring endless benefits to Celia. She had been planning for Felix for a long time, and even knowing Felix¡¯s playboy nature, she had enough confidence to rein in this wild horse. If used well, even the trait of being flirtatious might not be a bad thing. As long as she could obtain the title of wife, Celia wouldn¡¯t mind him sneaking around. It was hard to reach the harvest season, and Felix was planning to introduce her to Duke Vosloda at his birthday banquet. Now, suddenly, someone wanted to snatch her prey? Not a chance! ¡°Felix, what are you all watching?¡± Celia asked nonchalantly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Sword Skill Department had such a pretty junior.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here, senior.¡± Felix only then noticed Celia¡¯s arrival but his eyes didn¡¯t even shift for a second to Celia, as if only the girl practicing was in his gaze. ¡°She¡­ she isn¡¯t from the Sword Skill Department. She¡¯s a first-year from the Water Magic Department, named Sonia Sevi.¡± He even knew her name and year¡­ Celia¡¯s sense of crisis grew stronger, wanting to drag Felix away immediately, but she also knew the strategy of feigning disinterest, so she pretended to be curious and asked, ¡°Why are you all watching her train? Because she¡¯s pretty?¡± ¡°No¡­ not just that¡­¡± Felix shook his head. ¡°Because you aren¡¯t a swordsmanship apprentice, I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you.¡± ¡°In my first year, I dual majored in swordsmanship for a few months. It¡¯s just that I had more talent in the Water Magic Department, so I gave it up.¡± Celia snorted. ¡°Plus, aren¡¯t you a swordsmanship genius? With your explanation, how could I not understand?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep it simple.¡± Felix said, ¡°An hour and a half ago, she was a novice who couldn¡¯t even hold the sword correctly. Now, she can slice through the ninth ring of the armor statue with one strike.¡± ¡°She must be pretending, right?¡± Celia didn¡¯t say this out of malicious intent; she had seriously practiced swordsmanship for a few months. She understood what this meant¡ªeven she could only slice into the second ring, and her level was considered above average among first-year students. ¡°Though I thought so earlier, or rather, I wanted to think so, which is why I kept watching her train. I hoped to see her hit a bottleneck, I anticipated seeing her make no further progress¡­ But now, after an hour and a half, my humble jealousy has turned into full admiration.¡± It was hard for Celia to imagine Felix speaking such humble and sincere words. Even when talking about his father, the Star-forging Duke, and his brother Demi, he always had a disdainful, indifferent tone. Yet towards an almost unknown girl, he expressed admiration and curiosity. This was a very dangerous signal¡ªcuriosity often leads as the vanguard to downfall. Furthermore, he had watched a girl for an hour and a half¡­ an hour and a half? He watched for an hour and a half, so that Hunter girl named Sonia trained for a full hour and a half!? Celia then deliberately observed Sonia¡¯s training moves: sliding forward, striking the face, steady as a rock, moving like thunder¡­ Her every move completely followed the Swordsmanship Manual, without any shortcuts or borrowed strength, each sword strike exerted with utmost effort! Normally, people would need to rest after a few minutes of cultivation; Felix couldn¡¯t train for more than three hours, with one hour being for rest and relaxation. Yet, according to them, this girl trained continuously for over an hour without stopping!? No wonder they were all watching¡ªcompared to a beautiful girl, these sword-obsessed young men were probably more curious about how to possess such terrifying endurance. But after watching for a while, Celia also merged into the crowd, her gaze uncontrollably drawn to Sonia¡¯s training posture. Her movements were full of the beauty of swordsmanship, the beauty of strength, the beauty of a young woman. What¡¯s more terrifying was that she seemed to improve at every moment, with each sword swing stronger, more precise, and more skillful than the last. This was a display of art, an art of swordsmanship. At this moment, Celia was utterly convinced. If this girl named Sonia was truly targeting Felix, Celia had almost no chance of winning. She knew Felix¡¯s obsession with swordsmanship well. If her ¡®intellectual beauty senior¡¯ image was worth eighty points in Felix¡¯s heart, then Sonia¡¯s ¡®swordsmanship genius beauty girl¡¯ was at a hundred and fifty points. Clang! When Sonia¡¯s wooden sword sliced into the tenth ring of the armor statue, everyone collectively inhaled sharply, and the temperature in the training ground seemed to drop¡ªthey witnessed a Miracle! An entrant-level swordsmanship apprentice, after nonstop two-hour training, successfully slashed into the tenth ring of the armor statue! Even if she did nothing else now, she only needed the timing to be right, and she would trigger the Resonance of the Void Realm¡¯s knowledge, summon a swordsmanship Technique Spirit, and step into the Void Realm to become a Void Wings mage! Quickly, it could be a second; slowly, it could be months! You should know that not everyone can become a mage at Sword Flower University, with the graduation rate hovering at 50%. Every graduate Void Wings mage has a bright future! So starting from this moment, Sonia could already determine her carefree life for the rest of her days! Meanwhile, Sonia also put away her wooden sword, letting the boulder in everyone¡¯s heart settle¡ªthe Monster covered in the appearance of a beautiful girl was finally tired. If Sonia continued her training, they would seriously suspect if wearing women¡¯s clothes added to physical stamina. Although even now, it was already outrageous; a full two hours, averaging a strike every two seconds, thirty strikes per minute, totaling three thousand six hundred strikes in two hours¡­ Just calculating this number was enough to make the swordsmanship apprentices¡¯ scalps tingle. At this moment, Ingrid hurriedly went over, offering a towel and a cup of water, prepared to assist Sonia back to the dorm. When Sonia swung her sword a thousand times, Ingrid had already been won over by her, for the first time feeling the urge to get closer to her¡ªcould someone cultivating swordsmanship have any bad intentions? ¡°Sonia, you¡¯re tired, right? Shall we head back together?¡± Ingrid only knew one method to get closer: go back together, go to the restroom together, eat together¡­ The nearly collapsed Sonia took the towel, wiped herself, took a shallow sip of water, showed Ingrid a relieved smile, and just as she was about to agree, suddenly felt a surge of energy coursing through her limbs, revitalizing her strength. Her expression suddenly froze, her gaze fixed tightly on Felix in the crowd. It was the look of a Hunter locking onto prey. Other swordsmanship apprentices sighed quietly, Celia bit her lower lip in frustration, and Felix lifted his chin slightly, showing Sonia a confident smile. The reason behind these changes was heartwarming. Because in Sonia¡¯s line of sight, the Observer stood right behind Felix. That damned little noisemaker, waving his finger, said, ¡°Sword Maiden, you can¡¯t rest yet.¡± ¡°Next,¡± he pointed to Felix, ¡°you need to defeat this person.¡± ¡°` Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 If I Made a Mistake, Please Let the Law Punish Me Chapter 11: Chapter 11 If I Made a Mistake, Please Let the Law Punish Me Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°If I made a mistake, let the law punish me.¡± Even in such a situation, Sonia did not lose her composure and scream; instead, she calmly complained in her heart to the Observer, ¡°Forcing me to practice swordsmanship, then making me fight Felix, what exactly do you want from me? To infiltrate the Dazzling Star noble society and become your spy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as complicated as you think,¡± the Observer said. ¡°It¡¯s just about arranging a battle for you, and the strongest person here happens to be him. Nothing more. Whether he¡¯s a noble or not is irrelevant, though I¡¯d love to see a noble get beaten up. If possible, after you win, could you step on his face¡­ never mind, I heard some of the Dazzling Star nobles are quite perverted. Maybe you should spank him instead¡­ forget it, I never said that.¡± ¡°Can we change the opponent? I don¡¯t want to get involved with Felix!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve researched him a bit,¡± Sonia said. ¡°He¡¯s odd and dangerous.¡± As the most approachable noble gentleman at Sword Flower University, Sonia naturally considered Felix as a potential target. But after gathering some intelligence, she abandoned this tempting option. It had nothing to do with his playboy nature; Sonia didn¡¯t see ¡®womanizer¡¯ as an obstacle. What truly stopped her was Felix¡¯s family situation and his ex-girlfriends. Though rumors outside were that Felix was a walking breeding machine for ten women, Sonia discovered a secret after simple observation¡ªFelix had never taken a girlfriend to stay out overnight. Felix lived in a villa off-campus, driving home each night after training. His car, the ¡®Pentium Silver Tiger,¡¯ was unique on campus, and Sonia would occasionally see him at night. He never drove a girlfriend out at night, always returning home alone. Of course, it might be he preferred daytime, but with the frequency of changing a girlfriend every three days, including noble ladies, Sonia doubted he could ¡°consume¡± them that quickly. Rather than being lustful, it seemed more like he was collecting them. Additionally, as the son of Duke Vosloda, ending up at Sword Flower University inevitably made people wonder if he was involved in some political strife. Sonia had no interest in fighting or growing with him; she preferred to catch a young noble from the newly risen wealthy class, enjoying the benefits effortlessly with numerous opportunities. With the right skills, even splitting a family fortune wasn¡¯t impossible. All these factors combined made Sonia distinctly uninterested in Felix. She had an entire forest; there was no need to cling to this single tree, even staying away¡ªpartly because Sonia had never dealt with nobility, her understanding of them entirely from novels. And in novels, traditional nobles, except for the protagonist, were invariably villainous, oppressive, tyrannical characters; ones not evil enough would even be stripped of their noble title to become commoners. Cautious or rather pessimistic by nature, Sonia did not believe she would meet a good noble. With Felix¡¯s clearly villainous traditional noble image, Sonia naturally kept her distance. ¡°So, if you battle him, you might get into trouble?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Sonia quickly responded. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me, but I¡¯m too weak now; I need to develop first, to stay low-key if possible; it shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°This is perfect,¡± the Observer said. ¡°I wish for you to cause trouble, to stand bold and bash every enemy in your path to nothingness¡­ and isn¡¯t that your ¡®Heart¡¯s Desire¡¯?¡± ¡°Where do I have such childish, arrogant desires!¡± Sonia shouted angrily. ¡°Then,¡± the Observer bowed, ¡°may your first battle be victorious, thrashing the sword genius, kicking the Dazzling Star noble.¡± ¡°No, I absolutely won¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Felix Vosloda, the genius of the Sword Skill faction.¡± Sonia lifted her wooden sword, pointing at Felix, and spoke in an arrogant tone she¡¯d never used, ¡°All of Sword Flower, only you are qualified to be the stepping stone for me to summon a Technique Spirit.¡± ¡°Do you dare to fight me?¡± The training ground was abuzz, sword apprentices showing expectant expressions, Celia nearly biting through her lip¡ªas expected, her target was also Felix, and using such a clich¨¦ yet effective way, she directly connected with Felix! Ingrid was taken aback, ¡°Sonia, you¡¯ve just trained for two hours, even if you must duel, shouldn¡¯t it be tomorrow¡­¡± ¡°No, it should be now.¡± Felix stepped forward from the crowd, firmly fixing his gaze on Sonia, ¡°Two hours, three thousand six hundred strikes, from a swordsmanship beginner to mastery. You are the most talented person I¡¯ve ever seen, and the second to make me feel fear. If I don¡¯t accept your challenge now, by tomorrow, I won¡¯t even have the courage to unsheath my sword before you.¡± ¡°Now might be my only chance to defeat you. Even if others think I took advantage, bullied you while you¡¯re exhausted, I can¡¯t care¡ªat least after defeating you tonight, I¡¯ll still have the right and courage to chase your silhouette!¡± ¡°Moreover, you¡¯re right, all of Sword Flower, only I am worthy of your challenge. Those older Void Realm Sword Masters can only understand the knowledge of the Void Realm by persistent effort, completely incomparable to you or I. So¡­ come!¡± Meanwhile, the training ground had cleared a large space, the two standing across the expanse with training swords in hand, ready to face off. Sonia adopted the most common mid-level stance, while Felix held his sword in one hand, the blade raised sidelong, appearing full of openings. ¡°Wave Motion Stance¡­¡± Even though Ingrid worried a little for Sonia, she couldn¡¯t help but anticipate their duel. The Vosloda Family was renowned for swordsmanship, with four secret stances capable of summoning Technique Spirits, the Wave Motion Stance being one. In the Sword Technique Faction, a stance was both a method of cultivation, summoning, and combat. Or rather, a Sword Master could summon a Technique Spirit due to his profound understanding of a sword stance, resonating with the Void Realm, transforming the void¡¯s knowledge into a Technique Spirit. Each basic Technique Spirit a Sword Master independently summoned indicated he had perfectly mastered the corresponding sword stance. Felix had previously duelled others, but due to Ingrid being focused on studies (and not well-liked), she hadn¡¯t gotten word of it. This was her first time witnessing the legendary Wave Motion Stance, making her eager to find a chance to duel Felix someday. Then she noticed Sonia¡¯s flushed cheeks and her constant winks. Ingrid felt puzzled, but upon slight consideration, she realized: Sonia was boasting about witnessing the Wave Motion Stance first! Though you may be geniuses, I¡¯ll surely catch up to you! Ingrid clenched her fists, making a gesture of encouragement to Sonia. Sonia was utterly helpless¡ªwasn¡¯t her signal for rescue obvious enough? Why wasn¡¯t Ingrid hurrying to drag her away! ¡°What¡¯s the point in you controlling my body to fight? Even if I win, it¡¯s your victory; I¡¯d just be an onlooker,¡± Sonia thought. ¡°If you only want to manipulate my body, do as you please; I can¡¯t resist anyway.¡± ¡°But you put me through challenges in dreams last night and made me undergo swordsmanship training; surely, you intended some growth for me, right? How about this, you let me control my body again, I promise to fight in battles, even two if needed, alright?¡± ¡°You think this is arithmetic, one plus one equals two?¡± the Observer, standing beside Ingrid, said. ¡°Besides, who told you it¡¯s I controlling your body to battle?¡± ¡°If not you, then who else? Me?¡± ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s you.¡± The Observer walked beside her, raising her sword tip slightly. ¡°You think I chose just anybody for you to fight? Do you think I genuinely disregard your will and forcibly control your body?¡± ¡°Why practice swordsmanship? Because you defeated me in a dream last night, realizing your potential in swordsmanship, knowing you have the opportunity for power, understanding you¡¯ve wasted too much time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, pushing to the edge, just to be seen. To let your roommate, Ingrid, see, that besides your looks, you have gifts worth bragging about!¡± ¡°Why challenge Felix? Since the first sight of him driving the Pentium Silver Tiger across campus, seen his popularity, and being the school¡¯s spotlight, you¡¯ve envied, admired, and hated him. You can¡¯t blame your mother for the hardships, so you could only resent people born with better circumstances than you.¡± ¡°Why do they get everything by birth? Why do they surpass you in every aspect?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to your heart, Sword Maiden,¡± the Observer said. ¡°It¡¯s you who wants to defeat him, to prove that you, Sonia Sevi, are no less than anyone else!¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who came to the training ground, you who grasped the wooden sword, you who want to shine brightly! Every move comes from your true intentions!¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m quite curious why you believed I was controlling you. After all, no one else can see me; aren¡¯t you curious, don¡¯t you suspect¡­ am I a real existing Observer, or merely a phantom on which you place your heart¡¯s desires?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done talking, now, you can put all the blame on me and then¡­¡± the Observer, standing beside Sonia, pointed at Felix, ¡°¡­enjoy the rightful pleasure of crushing a genius!¡± Thud! With a loud bang, both simultaneously raised their swords forward, clashing in battle! ¡°` Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Do You Guess? Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Do You Guess? Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Clang! Clang! Clang! The clash of swords sounded like a symphony of steel, and Felix was somewhat surprised. The training sword he used was specially made from ebony and black steel, an excellent choice even as a weapon. The opponent was merely using a plain wooden sword, yet it managed to withstand so many strikes against the ebony sword without breaking. Either the wooden sword was exceptionally tough, or the opponent¡¯s sword skills were superb. He believed it was both. In the instant the opponent retreated to defend, Felix¡¯s eyes sharpened. He raised his sword high and then struck down fiercely, twisting his body to harness its power. To onlookers, it seemed as if he was ¡°sliding at high speed,¡± and the ebony sword crashed down like a shock wave! However, he hit empty air! Just like in previous attempts, when he was about to strike the opponent¡¯s opening, Sonia would use an incredibly bizarre footwork. It interrupted all current movements, abruptly sliding across the ground, narrowly dodging his lethal strike each time, and then¡ª He turned his head to see Sonia¡¯s calm and cold eyes, along with the afterimage of her wooden sword in a counterattack! Clang! He managed to parry the blow, but Felix was growing anxious. Although Sonia had not yet been able to injure him, he felt that she was gradually becoming more accustomed to the Wave Motion Stance, and the pressure she exerted on him increased steadily. Even though Felix had previously acknowledged that Sonia¡¯s talent surpassed his own, he didn¡¯t believe he would lose. Setting aside Sonia¡¯s physical exertion, the advantage from the Wave Motion Stance alone put him in an invincible position. Sonia was clearly employing the Starry Stance from the Swordsmanship Manual. Despite the grandiose name, it was essentially a basic stance. Its strength lay in its solid foundation, allowing easy transition to other stances and the ability to summon three Technique Spirits: ¡°Slashing Sword,¡± ¡°Cutting Sword,¡± and ¡°Piercing Sword.¡± Its weakness was its mediocrity. The Wave Motion Stance, however, was a Vosloda family secret, famed for its explosiveness. The summoned ¡°Wave Sword¡± Technique Spirit was also of the instantaneous burst type. Felix initially thought that a series of relentless attacks would defeat this sudden upstart swordsmanship genius. Unexpectedly, apart from the Starry Stance, she also mastered a bizarre footwork that allowed her to evade several seemingly inevitable attacks. Although Felix had almost figured out her rhythm by now, Sonia had simultaneously discerned the intricacies of the Wave Motion Stance, closing the gap between them! Additionally, she had mastered a Sword Drawing Technique. Yet, compared to the explosive power of the Wave Motion Stance, the Sword Drawing Technique fell slightly short. Felix actually hoped she would clash with him using the Sword Drawing Technique, as the sheer rebounding force of the weapons could shatter her wrist. Having suffered that fate once, Sonia had since abandoned the Sword Drawing Technique, focusing solely on maneuvering around Felix. Felix had no desire or ability to prolong this. Even if he wore Sonia out, it would only be a hollow victory. Furthermore, Sonia¡¯s alluring and impressive physique seemed to harbor boundless energy. He sensed that it would be him who was exhausted by then! It was time to end this! He didn¡¯t specifically target any openings, but instead suddenly took a step back, adopting the Wave Motion Stance once more. He exhaled a deep breath of turbid air, his eyes like swords, locking onto Sonia. ¡°One more move, win or lose!¡± he declared resolutely. ¡°Alright.¡± The next second, the bystanders showed expressions of astonishment, while Felix was filled with rage! Because Sonia raised her wooden sword with her right hand, holding it high, and stood sideways facing him, exactly mirroring Felix¡¯s stance. She had actually adopted the Wave Motion Stance! No one believed Sonia had learned the Wave Motion Stance. She had just seen it for the first time. Even if she had observed Felix training, it was unlikely she could learn it. Felix trained openly at the training ground, visible to everyone, but who had ever secretly learned the Vosloda family¡¯s secret technique? A stance not only consisted of forms, but also breathing techniques, footwork, and precise exertion details, impossible to master through mere observation. Even with guidance, not everyone possessed the talent to comprehend it. Every magical faction capable of reaching the Void Realm had incredibly high thresholds. Thus, everyone concluded that the only reason Sonia adopted the Wave Motion Stance was to taunt Felix! Nothing was more humiliating than defeating someone with their own moves. The provocation clearly succeeded. Felix¡¯s face darkened considerably, remaining silent. Only Celia couldn¡¯t help but cheer inwardly. Provoking Felix in such a manner, Felix wouldn¡¯t be able to forget her even if he wanted to. Who would¡¯ve thought that among the freshmen, there would be a female Hunter with such skillful methods, who even taught her a lesson? But next, she should lose to Felix, offer him a step, and naturally arrange future duels, increasing her opportunities for interaction, right? ¡°You humiliate yourself!¡± Felix shouted angrily, stepping forward, twisting his body, and dropping the single-handed sword like a whip, like a ball smashing down, like water flow pouring down! No fancy move names, the core of this attack was simply a ¡°break¡±: exhaust all efforts to breach the enemy¡¯s defense! Felix zeroed in on Sonia¡¯s knees. He had already noticed the only telltale sign whenever Sonia employed her bizarre footwork: the movements of her knees. He could predict Sonia¡¯s evasive direction through the knees and adjust his sword to shatter Sonia¡¯s resistance with a single strike! However, to his surprise, Sonia did not evade, but executed the exact same move as he did: stepping sideways, swinging her sword down! Might met might! Clang! Accompanied by a nerve-jarring roar, their figures crossed paths. The onlookers held their breath, waiting for the outcome to emerge. Snap. Sonia¡¯s wooden sword snapped in half, falling to the ground. No one was surprised because they saw the One-winged Swordsman appearing on Felix¡¯s shoulder, its sword made of black light¡ªthe Wave Sword Technique Spirit! ¡°A breakthrough mid-battle! There truly is such a thing!¡± ¡°Summoning the Lifebound Technique Spirit during battle!¡± ¡°Indeed a feat of the Vosloda!¡± Ingrid went over to support Sonia, comforting her, ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged, you¡¯ll soon be able to summon the Technique Spirit, then¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lose,¡± Sonia said calmly. Everyone paused, thinking Sonia was just trying to save face. However, in the next second, Felix¡¯s ebony sword also broke and clattered to the ground. On Sonia¡¯s shoulder appeared a One-winged Swordsman, but unlike Felix¡¯s, hers was female, and its sword was made of white light. ¡°The Wave Sword Technique Spirit?!¡± ¡°How did she also summon the Vosloda¡¯s Wave Sword Technique Spirit? Could it be¡­¡± ¡°Did she learn Felix¡¯s Wave Motion Stance during the fight and then summon it directly?¡± ¡°Is that even possible¡­¡± ¡°Wait, does this mean she went from apprentice to Sword Master in just a few hours?¡± These words left everyone nearly in shock¡ªmany had spent years without becoming Sword Masters, and Sonia achieved in one night what they couldn¡¯t in years? The admiration of the onlookers, Ingrid¡¯s surprise, Celia¡¯s jealousy, Felix¡¯s complex gaze¡­ Yet Sonia was in no mood to care about these things. She stared directly at the Observer watching from the side, with an expression of ¡°I already know the truth.¡± She asked in her heart, ¡°You mean you¡¯re just a phantom manifested by my mind, not real? You merely represent my inner thoughts? You¡¯re just my hallucination?¡± The Observer didn¡¯t speak, simply crouched down to pick up the broken sword from the ground, then touching the break with his hand, the wooden sword was restored to its original state, without a trace of a crack. Even after completing such a miraculous act, no one noticed him, nor did they notice the wooden sword had been restored. He dusted off his hands, turned, and walked outside, leaving behind words that infuriated Sonia: ¡°You guess?¡± Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Sword Maiden Descends Beside Me Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Sword Maiden Descends Beside Me Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden completed a swordsmanship training, and the Sword Technique Faction experience increased significantly.¡± ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden completed a swordsmanship training, and the Sword Technique Faction experience increased significantly.¡± ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden completed a battle, the Sword Technique Faction experience increased significantly, triggered a talent for an additional 10000% experience, resonated with the Void Realm during the battle, and summoned the Technique Spirit ¡®Wave Motion Sword.''¡± ¡°Wave Motion Sword¡± ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡± ¡°Restriction, must use a sword.¡± ¡°Basic Effect, emit a wave of Sword Qi.¡± ¡°Passive Effect, ordinary sword attacks are more likely to unbalance the target.¡± ¡°¡®The sword is not trembling, it¡¯s just thirsty.''¡± Perhaps, for the first time since college, Ash was living a healthy schedule¡ªhe got up early at six o¡¯clock to check the development of the Death Mad Sword Maiden in the ¡°Mage¡¯s Handbook,¡± waiting with hope. The game didn¡¯t disappoint him, as just in one day, the Death Mad Sword Maiden had made significant progress! ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡± ¡°Human Race, female, 18 years old.¡± ¡°Bonds Level, 0 (30% experience shared)¡± ¡°Profession, One-winged Sword Master¡± ¡°Professional characteristics, reduce energy consumption by 10% when using swordsmanship Technique Spirit.¡± ¡°Held Items, none¡± ¡°Controlled Spirit, Wave Motion Sword¡± ¡°Sword Technique Faction, Silver Level¡± ¡°Void Realm Exploration, 0.000%¡± ¡°Water Technique Faction, not started.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know what a One-winged Sword Master was, Ash recalled that blood-crazed Hunter who hacked him with one sword seemed to have Three Wings, which meant having wings meant becoming a Transcendent. Since the Sword Maiden had become a Transcendent, as the hard-working, diligent player who nurtured her, should he not receive the 30% experience-sharing reward? Yet Ash waited left and right, constantly refreshing the game info bar, but still didn¡¯t experience the enlightenment moment he imagined. The experience implant, the knowledge infusion¡ªnothing changed in the {Final Observer}¡¯s operator interface. Ash¡¯s current mood was like a naive elementary school student who paid an online scammer for a permanent QQ membership and got blacklisted, his hopes raised by greed devoured by deep disappointment. However, after thinking carefully, he suddenly realized he seemed to have missed a step: ¡°Could it be because I didn¡¯t top up money¡­¡± His family¡¯s company was notorious for a game experience devoid of payment, though paying didn¡¯t necessarily guarantee any. If not paying meant some game experience was cut, that was quite normal. If it was just not topping up, that¡¯s easy to fix; at least there¡¯s a chance to compensate. If due to the traversal, various modules were lost, causing function failure, then the game system Ash relied on could only be played like a Beautiful Girl Dream Factory¡­ ¡°Dear Ash Heath, Shattered Lake Prison has completed the life authentication for you. You may move freely in specified areas, more details can be found in the attached ¡®Shattered Lake Prison Life Handbook¡¯. Note, meal delivery service will no longer be provided. Please proceed to the restaurant for dining.¡± Meanwhile, the light above the door, thick as a fist, turned green, showing a ¡®pass¡¯ icon of a little person. Melodious singing drifted in from outside. ¡°If hurt enough, use these two hands, sever the curse of yesterday, await the bright tomorrow, leaving only scars¡­¡± This is absurd, what kind of song is this, meant to mock the prisoners? Ash was stunned for a moment, unable to grasp the situation, clicked open ¡®Shattered Lake Prison Life Handbook¡¯, and each entry made him doubt if this information was meant to ridicule new inmates with an April Fool¡¯s Message: ¡°¢Ù Free activity time from 7 AM to 10 PM; entry and exit areas include: Central Hall, Reading Room, gym, Video Room, sea-view rooftop, couple room (supplies provided), work room, dining hall¡­¡± ¡°¢Ú Dining hall open hours are: 7 AM-9 AM, 11 AM-2 PM, 5 PM-8 PM. For dining outside these hours, please use the room service.¡± ¡°¢Û Reading Room, missing books can be registered with the administrator, replenishment within three working days.¡± ¡°¢Ü Video Room, currently only provides audio-visual programs from legitimate channels, movies currently showing need to await curtain-fall before being available.¡± ¡°¢Ý Couple Room, used items should be placed in the recycling bin, do not wash them clean and put back to original place.¡± ¡°¢Þ¡­¡± Various tips almost entirely introduced the various facilities¡¯ usage in this prison, enough to make Ash think he was here for a sightseeing day tour as a temporary prisoner. What surprised Ash the most was that this manual listed the rights prisoners had but didn¡¯t mention any prohibitions they had to obey. As if they could do whatever they wanted. Aberrations always have a reason, but with meals no longer delivered, Ash couldn¡¯t stay hungry in his cell. Besides, he was very curious about what this prison¡¯s deal was. When he reached the door, the automatic door slid open on its own. Outside was a very quiet and clean hallway, surprisingly without a single Prison Guard, the wall prominently displayed a notice: ¡°Central Hall¡û¡¤¡úEquipment gym, Sweat room¡± Just by looking at the notice, Ash could imagine the inmates in the cells around him must be muscle-bound men tirelessly working out, bathing, and sweating every day¡­ Considering the couple room, Ash couldn¡¯t help but clench his sphincters, planning to eat and then hurry back to the cell. Walking along the narrow hallway to the Central Hall, it suddenly opened up: the Central Hall was a very broad place, the ceiling was a glass canopy, letting morning sunlight freely fall on benches. There were potted plants on both sides, several people sat on the benches, some chatting, some reading, even some sleeping¡ªif they weren¡¯t in prison uniforms, Ash would¡¯ve thought he was in a park. What pleasantly surprised Ash was that there was a uniformed Prison Guard nearby. Although he seemed to be slacking off, playing with the Light Screen at work, his sheer presence relieved Ash¡ªat least there was someone he could call for help. Although Ash was thinking all about escaping, he was now truly a material waste, devoid of any combat capacity, possessing all psychological weaknesses of an overworked office worker. Without Law Enforcers¡¯ protection, he wouldn¡¯t even know if he could protect his own chastity¡ªHeath¡¯s body looked rather alluring. On the wall in front of the hall was a Light Screen playing news, where it seemed like a parliament discussion was taking place. Just a few words were enough to feel the drudgery. Ash didn¡¯t understand what was being discussed on the Light Screen, as the conversation of the two on the front bench was more captivating: ¡°Didn¡¯t expect Lorenzo to become a councilor; it seems he also joined the Immortal Wine Club. Andrey and his faction have completely overshadowed the mayor, the mayor might have to roll out after completing this year¡¯s term¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Fernand mayor has Bishop Enrico backing him. You just wait, Lorenzo is not a signal of Andrey¡¯s rise, but rather a death sentence for him, soonest in three days, at most a month, an important figure in Andrey¡¯s faction is bound to die.¡± ¡°Andrey has rooted in Kaimon for decades, the Church won¡¯t make a move to maintain stability.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten the Railway Department head suicide case fifteen years ago?¡­¡± Listening to two prisoners discuss political shifts in the prison provided a truly bizarre experience, and even more peculiar was that these two, one was a two-meter-tall green-skinned Beastman, and the other a short-legged Goblin only 1.3 meters tall. ¡°If you¡¯re interested in politics, I suggest you go to the Reading Room to chat with old Rein. Godol and Rudodo were merely a Government Affairs Hall secretary and a Development Office head before being here, having neither high nor low standing, with ice-cold understanding of the political landscape, chatting mostly about meaningless matters.¡± ¡°However, the infamous head of the Cult of the Gods of Four Pillars, Ash Heath, is also interested in Kaimon City¡¯s politics?¡± Ash turned his head, facing the blonde man nearby: ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°Of course, after all, you were on the 7 AM news, the headlines for the day before yesterday and yesterday were all about you¡ªnews is our fastest way to learn about new comrades.¡± The blonde man smiled, ¡°Nice to meet you, perhaps you¡¯ve seen me in the news too¡ªIgula Bokin.¡± ¡°Ash.¡± Ash took a step back: ¡°So everyone here is this friendly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Igula stated candidly, ¡°We¡¯re all quite friendly to newcomers because we are comrades with the same aspirations.¡± ¡°Same aspirations?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Igula glanced at the Prison Guard on duty and extended a hand to Ash: ¡°Interested in joining our jailbreak research group, becoming supportive friends?¡± Ash was secretly pleased, finding a warm pillow when feeling sleepy, eager to escape, unexpectedly finding an existing group in prison ready to accept him. Naturally, he extended his hand with pleasure: ¡°Of course¡­¡± ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d punch him.¡± Suddenly, a cold female voice came from aside. With a sidelong glance, Ash realized it was a young girl clad in a mink coat, ultra-short skirt, silk stockings, and long boots, with a decorative sword that seemed to enhance the intrigue attached to her waist¡ªher attire quite mature yet¡­girl? But he recognized her in the next instant; though the skin was different, wasn¡¯t that appearance the Death Mad Sword Maiden!? The Death Mad Sword Maiden descending beside me? Ash barely hesitated and turned to punch Igula! ¡°` Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Miracle Chip Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Miracle Chip Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Zzz! ¡°Warning, you are outputting excessive kinetic energy to a citizen! This is a prohibited activity!¡± Without Ash¡¯s proactive call, a light screen suddenly popped up in his vision, streams of red warning messages cascading through his pupils like a waterfall. The piercing alarm, sharp as a scream, echoed endlessly in his ears, stunning him instantly. What¡¯s happening? Have I been hacked by a virus? But I¡¯ve just arrived¡ªI haven¡¯t even visited any mysterious websites yet!? His body froze completely, unable to move, until after three seconds he regained control. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re quite satisfied with life in Shattered Lake Prison, Ash, so I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± Igula moved the fist that was almost touching Ash¡¯s nose away and smiled, ¡°By the way, Ash, your soft and powerless punch is quite adorable.¡± The other prisoners in the hall glanced at them, including the guards, who seemed to briefly shift their attention from the light screen to them. However, everyone quickly looked away as if nothing noteworthy had happened. Watching Igula¡¯s retreating figure disappear into the corridor, Ash lowered his head and looked at his own fist, filled with doubt. ¡°What¡¯s so surprising? Isn¡¯t it just your Miracle Chip at the nape of your neck detecting your attempt to attack someone, emitting a nerve current to temporarily paralyze your body, rendering your attack ineffective?¡± the Sword Maiden said. ¡°This technology is widely used in animal husbandry outside of prison, but it seems more practical when applied to humans.¡± ¡°Then why did you tell me to hit him?¡± ¡°Though fighting and magic power are restricted here, there are still many little tricks you can pull.¡± The Sword Maiden casually said, ¡°For instance, using Technique Spirit to sign a Contract¡ªif I¡¯m not mistaken, that man just now had a bit of Meiwa bloodline, and Meiwa is the easiest and best race at mastering the Spirit Faction¡­ If you had responded to his request, shook hands, and signed a Contract, it would have meant becoming ¡®mutually helpful friends¡¯ with him.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s merely a relationship where you must help him, and whether he helps you depends on his mood. Hmm, to a Spirit Mage, there¡¯s not much difference between friends and slaves.¡± Ash understood, if he had shaken hands with Igula earlier, it would have been the same as becoming Igula¡¯s employee, possibly even an intern. How despicable this otherworld is, not even needing to sign a labor contract. Ash glanced at the other prisoners around him, ¡°Can¡¯t others see you?¡± ¡°You can keep talking to me like this, as long as you don¡¯t mind others looking at you like you¡¯re crazy and avoiding you.¡± The Sword Maiden: ¡°Though I¡¯d rather hear you spit out pearls than listen to the garbage in your mind, still, when a person is under a roof, they have to lower their head.¡± Ash understood, seriously looking at the Sword Maiden, ¡°So, are you really the Death Mad Sword Maiden?¡± ¡°Yes, I am the Death Mad Sword Maiden.¡± The Sword Maiden leaned idly against the wall, saying, ¡°But you, Observer, if I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have thought you¡¯d end up in a place like this¡­ Do you mind if I mock you?¡± ¡°Very much, but why aren¡¯t you wearing the clothes from the artwork?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you also wearing this ultimate luxury edition classic Shattered Lake Prison inmate outfit?¡± The Sword Maiden rolled her eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t even look like your artwork¡ªhow dare you say that about me? I am a woman, you know. Do you expect me to show up every day in the same set of clothes without washing them?¡± Because the Sword Maiden¡¯s reasoning was quite sound, Ash was convinced by her. However, he clearly didn¡¯t care about these details, looking at the Sword Maiden with eagerness in his eyes, ¡°Sword Maiden A Dream, since you¡¯re here, help me escape from this prison!¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why should I help you escape from here?¡± the Sword Maiden lazily said, ¡°Here you have food, you have a place to stay, isn¡¯t it quite suitable for a loser like you to remain? Why are you always trying to break out? Outside might be harsher than here, why not just retire early here and live the life you¡¯ve dreamed of?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m carrying a huge burden, and in a few days, I have to participate in something called the Blood Moon Judgement. That thing definitely isn¡¯t inviting me for a buffet, is it!?¡± ¡°Oh, the Blood Moon Judgement¡­¡± The Sword Maiden nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Hee hee, that makes me even less inclined to help you escape.¡± Ash¡¯s mindset almost collapsed; he thought he finally had a strong backer, but unexpectedly the silk stockings on the strong backer were too slippery to hold onto, ¡°You can¡¯t do this; I am your¡ª¡± ¡°My what?¡± The Sword Maiden¡¯s eyes suddenly became sharp as she poked Ash¡¯s forehead hard with her finger, ¡°What are you trying to say? What are you trying to say? What are you to me? Huh? Huh? Huh?¡± With each poke, Ash stepped back until he bumped into a long bench and sat down, leaning back to avoid the Sword Maiden¡¯s finger, but still getting poked on the forehead. She leaned over, their noses touching, their eyes meeting, and Ash saw his reflection in her wine-red pupils. ¡°Are you trying to say you are my¡ªMaster?¡± she sneered, ¡°Heh heh, do you want me to call it out a few more times so your filthy mind has more material for reference?¡± Ash instead calmed down, ¡°Is that wrong? You¡¯re just a virtual character in a game; I¡¯m the player. If I die, you naturally would cease to exist. With a bond like this, why can¡¯t you help me?¡± At the word ¡®bond,¡¯ the Sword Maiden seemed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling, blood vessels spreading across her eyes, her expression becoming morose and terrifying. Ash was startled, but he didn¡¯t back down; instead, he sat up straight, forcing the Sword Maiden to retreat, ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden, I¡¯m not your Master, but likewise, I¡¯m not your servant either. If you can¡¯t treat me equally, you might as well roll back into the game as your data stream.¡± The Sword Maiden¡¯s bosom heaved, showing her mood was far from calm. Just when Ash thought she might kill him with a powdery fist, she suddenly smiled warmly, ¡°A virtual character, huh? You have a point; I am indeed just an illusory thought¡­ But Observer, you¡¯d better remember what you said today.¡± ¡°You are not my Master,¡± the Sword Maiden said word by word, ¡°and you never will be.¡± Ash: ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Swear it, liars will lose their face, never changing in ten thousand years.¡± Though unsure why the Sword Maiden was so insistent, Ash indeed had no such worldly desires, so he said straightforwardly, ¡°I swear, liars will lose their face, never changing in ten thousand years.¡± The Sword Maiden seemed completely reassured, turned, and left: ¡°Let¡¯s go, talk while we walk.¡± ¡°Go where?¡± Ash immediately perked up. ¡°To the cafeteria, aren¡¯t you going for breakfast?¡± ¡°What about escaping prison¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but I can¡¯t,¡± said the Sword Maiden. ¡°As you¡¯ve seen, besides you, no one else can see or touch me. I don¡¯t have the ability to impact the physical world, so how am I supposed to help you escape from prison?¡± Ash was greatly disappointed, ¡°Then why are you here, to show off your new skin?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it yourself? Bonds,¡± the Sword Maiden said, ¡°I¡¯m here to pass on that 30% shared experience to you.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ash was thrilled, ¡°Come on, I¡¯m ready!¡± ¡°Ready for what, humph.¡± The Sword Maiden pouted, ¡°Do you think a ¡®Bling¡¯ sound happens and you magically gain all my swordsmanship experience? If you want to dream, go lie on your bed and dream.¡± ¡°Then how do you pass it on to me?¡± ¡°Very simple, go pick a fight with someone, and while you¡¯re fighting, I¡¯ll transmit the experience to you, allowing you to naturally gain a lot of experience in battle.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± As they spoke, they arrived at the cafeteria. Like a typical dining hall, it had fixed seats, and as soon as Ash entered, he spotted a perfect target for a fight: bald, tattooed, muscular, with scars on his face, clearly a serial killer who killed hundreds. He walked over, pretending to accidentally bump into the bald guy¡¯s cup, causing a full cup of milk to spill, drenching the guy¡¯s shoes with white liquid! ¡°Ah.¡± Ash said nonchalantly, ¡°Sorry about that.¡± The bald guy glared at him, slammed his hand on the table, making the whole table shake, as if he was going to stand up and fight Ash! Ash swallowed hard, ready for his first veteran fight, but then saw the bald guy pull a tissue from his pocket and crouch down to clean his shoes. ¡°Remember to be careful next time, the milk today is pretty good, I highly recommend it.¡± The bald guy said to the stunned Ash. ¡°` Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 You Will Die Under the Gaze of the Public Chapter 15: Chapter 15 You Will Die Under the Gaze of the Public Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Give me a piece of toast, a glass of milk¡­ What¡¯s that? Braised lala fat? I¡¯ll have that too.¡± Ash held the tray as he sat down, observing the diners in the cafeteria. Aside from prisoners dressed in classic uniforms, there were quite a few prison guards eating here as well. This prison seemed not to foster a hierarchy; guards and prisoners appeared equal, or rather, the guards didn¡¯t bother with the prisoners, and the prisoners didn¡¯t deliberately provoke the guards, creating a harmonious prison environment together. Ash could understand prison guards not bothering with prisoners, after all, slacking off was human nature, but why did the prisoners also keep their distance from the guards? After all, people who are smart don¡¯t commit crimes, so those who end up in prison must be fools who don¡¯t know their place, like some cult leader arrested by police hunters. Accordingly, those prisoners must not be that bright either, but why wouldn¡¯t they tease or provoke the guards? ¡°Because they¡¯re locked.¡± Sitting next to him, the Sword Maiden poked at the braised lala fat with a finger and casually said, ¡°The chips in your neck are locked. No attacking people, no insulting others, no harming yourself. That¡¯s why Shattered Lake Prison is so free¡ªyou¡¯re shackled with chains on every bone and nerve.¡± ¡°You see, on that wall is a poster for ¡®Creating a Civilized Prison,¡¯ with a photo of death row inmates and students. Looks like the fostering of civilization here is quite successful; they even have students visiting for spring and fall trips.¡± Ash instinctively touched the back of his neck, eyes widening, ¡°This¡ªthis is like having a bomb on your neck¡ª¡± ¡°Do you have to talk so loudly?¡± The Sword Maiden pointed at the prisoners who looked over upon hearing him. Ash quickly muffled himself with toast: ¡°As long as I wear this chip, there¡¯s no way I can escape, right? It must have a tracking function!¡± ¡°More than that, if they wanted, they could send a strong current through the chip to stop your heart directly.¡± The Sword Maiden spread her hands, ¡°So, you¡¯re right; theoretically, there¡¯s no way to escape this prison. Forget about escaping; even if you wanted to dig a tunnel with a spoon, the chip would stop you from destroying public property.¡± ¡°Theoretically no way, so what about in practice?¡± Ash took a sip of milk, surprised by its sweetness. ¡°In practice¡­ there isn¡¯t.¡± The Sword Maiden rolled her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not from here, how would I know so much?¡± ¡°Then where did you get the info you just shared?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a ¡®Shattered Lake Prison Encyclopedia¡¯ in your light screen folder. I was bored and took a look.¡± Ash froze for a moment, realizing of course, the Sword Maiden was just a character from a game, how would she know anything about this world? But now it¡¯s troublesome, she can apparently look through other files on my light screen. I was hoping to find any mysterious websites with black and yellow out there¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t help with escaping, but if you want to get stronger, I have some ways.¡± The Sword Maiden said, ¡°In any case, first find someone to fight with. Nothing is easier to understand than a fight, right, Observer?¡± ¡°Wait, according to what you said, prisoners can¡¯t attack others, so how do I fight them?¡± Ash finally realized the prison had fundamentally prohibited prisoners from brawling. ¡°Do you ask me about everything? Are you the one trying to escape prison, or am I?¡± The Sword Maiden mocked, ¡°And if you¡¯re hungry, do you have to call for your mom?¡± ¡°Mom! Grandma!¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking for trouble!¡± Ash rubbed his forehead, thinking it was so unfair. The Sword Maiden was intangible, yet her flicks on the forehead hurt so much¡­ Ash looked around and saw a bald, muscular guy who had taken a glass of milk, so he went over and sat in front of him¡ªknowing others couldn¡¯t hit him made Ash bolder. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Ash, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hi, Ash, I have a boyfriend.¡± The bald guy was very friendly. Ash was stunned, noticing that nearby guards and prisoners also turned their heads, prompting him to quickly explain, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I just have some questions for you!¡± ¡°I understand, I understand, really.¡± The bald guy nodded understandingly, ¡°When you hit on someone and they proactively disclose having a partner, it¡¯s indeed awkward. But my love for my boyfriend is pure and sincere, allowing no doubt, so I state my stance right from the start, being kind to everyone, including you, Ash. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your own love.¡± ¡°I¡­ no¡­ I just¡­¡± ¡°Ask away.¡± The bald guy signaled with an encouraging look, ¡°Don¡¯t feel awkward; failing to hit on someone is quite normal. If you can¡¯t think of a question to cover it for now, I can wait. But honestly, Ash, your way of getting my attention is outdated, knocking over my milk on purpose like a grade-schooler¡­¡± Now there was no refuting, with witnesses and evidence, Ash had no choice. Ash felt the nearby eyes becoming curious, and he opened his mouth, ultimately giving up on explaining, ¡°I just wanted to ask, if I want to fight, is there a way?¡± The bald guy blinked, ¡°You¡¯re new here? Oh, right, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s been all over the news lately¡­ the Four Pillars God Sect leader?¡± ¡°Uh~ I¡¯m actually quite interested in The Gods of Four Pillars, but unfortunately, I have a boyfriend, otherwise I could¡¯ve given you a chance¡­¡± Ash was truly fed up and wanted to leave, but the bald guy¡¯s next words made him stay: ¡°If you want to stretch your muscles, you¡¯ve come to the right person¡ªoh, I haven¡¯t introduced myself. I¡¯m Lanna, a member of the Death Battle Society.¡± ¡°Death Battle Society?¡± ¡°Because of the chips, we can¡¯t harm others. But the Death Battle Society has the warden¡¯s permission, and during a death battle, we can temporarily lift the chip restrictions to fight. This is an exclusive benefit for Death Battle Society members.¡± Ash was quite surprised, ¡°The prison agrees to this kind of thing? How humane!¡± Lanna shook his head, ¡°But there¡¯s a cost to this, the biggest being what our society is named after.¡± ¡°Death battle?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lanna finished his milk, sticking out his large tongue to clean the milk off his lips, looking at Ash with calm eyes. ¡°If you join a death battle, someone must die for it to end. Death battle fights to the death.¡± Ash blinked, ¡°But¡­ with so many measures to restrict us, would the prison actually allow us to kill?¡± ¡°If someone dies, it doesn¡¯t mean you killed them.¡± Lanna smiled, ¡°The death battle ring is next to the medical room. As long as the body remains intact and death is within five minutes, taking it to the medical room can revive them. Of course, any leftover sequelae are uncertain.¡± ¡°And even if a prisoner does die, the prison doesn¡¯t mind. After all, every prisoner here is destined to die.¡± His words carried the ¡®people die when they are killed¡¯ vibe, and Ash agreed, ¡°Yes, yes, people do indeed die.¡± ¡°Hmm? You seem to have misunderstood me.¡± Lanna seemed surprised, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of Shattered Lake Prison¡¯s reputation outside? Haven¡¯t you watched the Blood Moon Judgment on the first and fifteenth of every month?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Every prisoner in Shattered Lake Prison, every single one, is on death row.¡± Lanna calmly stated, ¡°No appeals, no escape, stripped of political rights for life.¡± ¡°Prisoners, after entering the prison, can eat well, sleep well, exercise, watch movies, and play games, but the only thing not allowed is taking a life¡ªnot even their own. Because we are only ever waiting for one outcome¡ª¡± ¡°To participate in the Blood Moon Judgment and die a terribly tragic death in front of an audience.¡± ¡°` Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16 The Contribution of the Death Row Inmate Chapter 16: Chapter 16 The Contribution of the Death Row Inmate Editor: Atlas Studios Although he had expected it, Ash still felt a chill in his heart when he heard that the Blood Moon Judgment was indeed a death penalty. He had held onto a bit of fantasy, thinking perhaps the people here would recognize he wasn¡¯t the Cult Leader, or that he¡¯d go through a long trial, or maybe there¡¯d be a two-year reprieve¡­ This fantasy peaked after entering the prison, because, in Ash¡¯s view, how could a death row inmate have such a nice room with its own bathroom? How could a death row inmate move freely within the prison? How could a death row inmate receive so many privileges from the prison? Lanna¡¯s words shattered all his childish expectations¡ªit was precisely because they were going to die that the prison treated them so well. ¡°The prison raises us like this, just to let us die in a more pathetic way?¡± Ash asked with difficulty, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a waste of resources?¡± ¡°Would you complain that fireworks aren¡¯t brilliant enough when they explode?¡± Lanna laughed, ¡°I¡¯m surprised, you really don¡¯t seem to know much about the Blood Moon Judgment¡ªit¡¯s a live broadcast program shared by every City, most citizens stay home at eight o¡¯clock on the first and fifteenth of each month, turning on the Light Screen to watch the end of each criminal, and the ratings reach nearly seventy percent.¡± ¡°By the way, compared to the advertising revenue from the ¡®Blood Moon Judgment¡¯ program, the cost of the prison raising us is insignificant.¡± Watching executions is actually a popular show in this world¡­ Ash tugged at the corner of his mouth, ¡°It¡¯s absurd; how can seventy percent of people watch an entertainment program at eight o¡¯clock in the evening, don¡¯t they have to work overtime? I think they¡¯re not working hard enough¡­¡± Lanna was not surprised at Ash¡¯s impotent rage. He had seen too many death row inmates disgracing themselves as the Blood Moon Judgment approached, from railing against societal systems to denouncing the ignorance of the populace. If you stayed in this prison long enough, you¡¯d naturally see it all. ¡°But if you want to escape the Blood Moon Judgment, it¡¯s not impossible.¡± Ash immediately perked up, ¡°What¡¯s the way?¡± Lanna didn¡¯t tease him; he bluntly said, ¡°Although each Blood Moon Judgment inevitably results in one person¡¯s death, there are eight people who enter, and these eight spots are not fixed but are ranked by ¡®contribution¡¯.¡± ¡°Every death row inmate starts with fifty contribution points, and ten points are deducted each month. However, even if it¡¯s deducted to zero, the prison won¡¯t do anything to the death row inmate.¡± ¡°But the higher the contribution points, the later the ranking in the Judgement Sequence, and the lower the points, the earlier the ranking. In theory, the top eight in the Sequence are the participants in the Blood Moon Judgment.¡± ¡°There are many ways to earn contribution; the simplest is to create value. Although our memories were extracted by Memory Masters before entering prison and our information is worthless, there are still many ways we can create contributions: Some came here for dereliction of duty and bribery; they can offer institutional reform plans to reduce the chance of future dereliction and bribery; Some came in because of illegal experiments; they can continue to do legal experiments and write papers in prison; Some inherently possess various talents, some even write best-selling books in prison, which naturally counts as creating value.¡± ¡°But in this prison, more people are those who came in for murder and are inherently averse to work, preferring plunder¡ªlike me.¡± Lanna pointed at Ash, ¡°Like you.¡± ¡°So how do we get contribution points? The Death Battle Society is our answer.¡± Ash realized something, ¡°You just said participating in the Death Battle comes at a cost¡­¡± ¡°Besides death and pain, the biggest cost of a Death Battle is the transfer of contribution,¡± Lanna said, ¡°In each Death Battle, both parties must bet a certain amount of contribution points. The winner escapes the Blood Moon, and the loser faces judgment.¡± ¡°If the Blood Moon Judgment is the end of the road, then the Death Battle Society is the Blood Sea along the way¡ªalmost every death row inmate eventually participates in Death Battles, gambling their last bit of contribution and draining their last drop of blood, then ascending to the live broadcast room in a most desperate manner.¡± ¡°This is how we make contributions¡ªeliminating the weak and maintaining a bloodthirsty spirit!¡± ¡°This is also why the prison allows the Death Battle Society to exist,¡± Lanna¡¯s voice was as calm as discussing someone else¡¯s affairs, ¡°Before going on stage, actors always have to put on makeup.¡± Actors have to put on makeup, otherwise, the audience won¡¯t enjoy watching. Even without watching the Blood Moon Judgment, Ash understood Lanna¡¯s meaning. Just like how they meticulously create illustrations for mobile game characters, so-called ¡®Death Battles¡¯ are the process of turning death row inmates into an illustration: gambling, fighting, despair, fear, pain¡­ nothing evokes the bloodthirsty spirit in people more than ¡®fighting for one¡¯s life.¡¯ When a death row inmate becomes hysterical from pain after numerous defeats in Death Battles, desperate and insane from fear, he becomes a ¡®main dish¡¯ ready for serving. What is then presented to the audience is such a blood-thirsty, fighting-spirited, desperate, fearful ¡®beast.¡¯ Compared to a numb, decayed, sluggish ¡®human,¡¯ naturally a ¡®beast¡¯ that still seems to dare to resist is more entertaining to kill. This was an overt conspiracy that death row inmates could not refuse. Not only would the losers become the product needed by the prison, selling at a ¡®good price¡¯ on the live broadcast, but the victors also merely drink poison to quench their thirst and will one day appear on the broadcast, walking down the same dead-end path. From the beginning, death row inmates had only one outcome: to be squeezed of all value by the prison and then die. The private-bathroom dormitories, good food, and comprehensive facilities were only to fatten them up. The so-called Judgment Sequence was actually an internal competition mechanism; everyone was in a zero-sum game. Either you accept the judgment, or I get the death penalty. But that¡¯s actually quite reasonable; who can blame them for becoming death row inmates by breaking the law? And if a death row inmate doesn¡¯t want to be exploited, he can just lie down and wait for death, but it¡¯s the desire to live that stirs the competition. If Ash was outside the prison, he would definitely applaud this mechanism as a bystander. Unfortunately, Heath, as a Cult Leader, was not only weak but also incompetent, causing Ash to be caught up in prison, having to find another way to survive. ¡°After hearing all this, do you still want to join the Death Battle Society?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Lanna was not surprised. He finished his milk and burped, ¡°Then come with me. If we¡¯re lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a fresh corpse.¡± ¡°People in Death Battles even early in the morning?¡± Ash asked curiously. ¡°Although you need to wager contributions for a Death Battle, you don¡¯t have to wager a lot at first. In the first match, you only need to bet one contribution point, then each match requires one more point than the last. The second match is two points, the third match is three points, and so on.¡± ¡°Although the bets accumulate significantly, losing the first five matches still leaves a chance for a comeback, so everyone tries to utilize the first five Death Battles to figure out others¡¯ strengths and weaknesses, assessing their standing in prison.¡± ¡°Therefore, the frequency of Death Battles is quite high; one match a day is normal. With only a few days left until the fifteenth, those lower in the Sequence certainly want to escape judgment through Death Battles. I bet the bloodstains on the Battle Arena won¡¯t dry these days.¡± ¡°By the way, do you want to buy meat?¡± Ash blinked, ¡°Meat? What meat?¡± ¡°The meat that falls on the arena. This is one of the few ways to spend contribution points. The meat on the arena belongs to the prison, and we can buy it back from the prison.¡± Lanna turned to glance at Ash, revealing two rows of pale, neat teeth, ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, you can buy thigh meat, which tastes very good, whether as sashimi or cooked; highly recommended.¡± Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Death Battle Society Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Death Battle Society Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` The first impression Ash had of the Death Battle Society was that it was dim. Unlike the bright places in other parts of the prison, the Death Battle Society had very few lights. Aside from the incandescent bulbs illuminating the deathmatch stage in the center, the surrounding high platforms for the audience had almost no lighting, as if the spectators were submerged in darkness, leaving only the two figures fighting on the stage. This was also the place where Ash had seen the most prisoners. Following Lanna all the way here, he had only encountered a few prisoners along the way. When passing by the library and gym, Ash had only seen about ten prisoners. However, after entering the Death Battle Society, even without bright lighting, just by listening to the whispers and making out the vague outlines in the darkness, Ash could tell that there were nearly a hundred people in the Death Battle Society! ¡°Lanna, you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°A newcomer? Oh, the head of the Gods of Four Pillars. Bold kid, even daring to interact with the Gods of Four Pillars.¡± ¡°Gourmet Lanna has arrived!¡± ¡°Lanna, is that your little boyfriend? Changed your taste, huh?¡± joked a burly man with a giggle. ¡°Desmond, say that nonsense again and ruin the relationship between me and my boyfriend, and I¡¯ll bite you to death!¡± Lanna retorted angrily, though it sounded more playful than genuinely mad. However, the surrounding laughter fell silent. The burly man named Desmond quickly brought his hands together in apology: ¡°Haha, Lanna, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. So, are you going to introduce the newcomer?¡± Lanna huffed, seemingly choosing not to pursue the matter. Desmond sighed in relief and quickly retreated into the crowd. Observing this, Ash quietly distanced himself from Lanna. He already felt it. Any seemingly ¡®weak and easy to bully¡¯ bald bystander he found was likely to be an infamous killer in this prison. ¡°Ash Heath, a newcomer who arrived in the past few days. He wants to participate in a deathmatch, so I brought him to have a look,¡± Lanna said with a smile. ¡°Who¡¯s fighting now?¡± ¡°¡®Diamond¡¯ Tiger versus ¡®Blind Beast¡¯ Rudor.¡± ¡°Why is Rudor¡­ Ah, well, Tiger is an old hand, but he won¡¯t even spare a bit of contribution. Didn¡¯t you challenge Rudor?¡± ¡°Of course, we wouldn¡¯t miss this juicy opportunity, but Rudor hasn¡¯t seen Tiger in a deathmatch, thinks Tiger is easier to bully, and Tiger¡¯s stakes are high, so¡­¡± Ash leaned over to the audience seating, watching the one-sided massacre on the stage below¡ªa frail old white-haired man and a muscular green-skinned Beastman were battling barehanded. Yes, a one-sided massacre. Though both sides were attacking without defense, the white-haired old man endured a punch as large as a sand pot without wavering, without gasping, without even leaving a red mark on his skin, as if the green-skinned Beastman was hitting him with a baby¡¯s strength. However, in return, every punch from the white-haired old man was as heavy as a thousand pounds, issuing sounds like stones shattering on the green-skinned Beastman¡¯s body, which made one¡¯s scalp tingle just listening. When Ash arrived, the green-skinned Beastman had already been beaten to a bloody pulp, not a patch of unhurt flesh left, a few teeth gone, and his eyes swollen shut. With a heavy blow, the green-skinned Beastman was struck several meters away, crashing against the wall with a thud, leaving a trace of blood as he slid down, unable to rise. Yet the white-haired old man glanced upwards, then surged forward to continue pounding the green-skinned Beastman. He seemed like a bathhouse worker scrubbing grime, punching again and again to strip the Beastman¡¯s flesh away. Ash watched with some reluctance: ¡°Isn¡¯t the match over? Why hasn¡¯t it ended?¡± ¡°Game over? Not yet,¡± someone nearby chuckled. ¡°Try reaching out your hand.¡± Following the suggestion, Ash extended his hand, only to find himself touching an invisible wall of air, which rippled with resonant waves. An invisible barrier encapsulated the lower stage, completely isolating it from the surrounding audience seats. ¡°Only when one party dies or falls completely unconscious will the isolation barrier release, allowing a Medical Practitioner to emerge from that door to drag the body back for treatment.¡± The person pointed to an inconspicuous door in the stage: ¡°As long as the barrier remains, you can¡¯t let your guard down, you must keep pressing and crushing your opponent.¡± ¡°Moreover, there¡¯s no surrender in deathmatches. The defeated only have two possibilities: death or unconsciousness.¡± ¡°Many fools, overconfident and underestimating their adversaries, fall in these matches. They stop halfway through, treating it as a friendly spar, only to be killed by a counterattack from their opponent, losing a huge amount of contribution, skyrocketing into the upper ranks of the Judgement Series¡­ But that¡¯s also the point of the Death Battle Society, to shift contributions to those more deserving.¡± Thud! Hearing a dull punch, Ash felt like the Beastman¡¯s insides had been blasted out, and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can they really save him?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t lost consciousness yet, but even if they save him, it won¡¯t be much different from dying. Look up there.¡± Ash looked up to find the ceiling¡¯s glowing spot was a display Light Screen showing match information: ¡°Tiger Norris stakes 35 contributions.¡± ¡°VS¡± ¡°Rudor Tooth stakes 5 contributions.¡± Astonished, Ash blurted out, ¡°These stakes aren¡¯t equal. Why would Tiger stake so much more?¡± ¡°As long as both parties agree, even unequal stakes can be valid,¡± the person explained leisurely. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s rare to see equal stakes in deathmatches. By the rules, every time you participate, you must stake slightly more than the previous match. Tiger has fought in 34 deathmatches before, so this time he must stake 35 contributions.¡± ¡°So this is Rudor¡¯s fifth deathmatch?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s his tenth. Every prisoner starts with 50 contribution points. With one additional stake per match, he staked a total of 45 points in his previous nine matches, leaving only 5 for this one.¡± The person nearby sneered. ¡°Thus, if Rudor loses this match, he will have no contributions left and can never earn more through deathmatches. Unless he can pull Gold Coins out from his stomach, he will always remain the first in the Judgement Series.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Ash, suddenly realizing something. ¡°Wait, does that mean he lost the first nine matches too!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they call him ¡®Blind Beast¡¯ Rudor. He always chooses opponents he can¡¯t defeat.¡± Thud! Following a resonating punch, the green-skinned Beastman¡¯s head looked like it was about to explode. At the same moment, the ceiling¡¯s Light Screen chimed, flashing ¡°The match is over.¡± The stage¡¯s barrier instantly dissipated, and the door on the stage creaked open. Three masked figures in black robes entered without a stretcher and just dragged the Beastman¡¯s body away. ¡°The old man is too wicked, playing the fool to fleece contribution from the Beastman.¡± ¡°Trick? I¡¯ve always known the old man isn¡¯t easy¡ªRudor¡¯s got poor judgement and a poor head. You don¡¯t even need to think hard to know that the elderly, women, or children able to survive here in the Death Battle Society aren¡¯t easy to deal with.¡± ¡°How many has the old man carried off?¡± ¡°Since the day I came here, the old man has carried off at least five.¡± ¡°Old man, you have so much contribution already, next time leave such opportunities for us young ones to toil over. That beast too, if it¡¯s purely for giving contribution, better give it to me.¡± The crowd chattered noisily in the dark as the white-haired old man wiped blood off his fists with a towel, suddenly coughing repeatedly, spitting out several mouthfuls of bloody phlegm, and gasped in alarm, ¡°That Beastman¡¯s punches pack quite a punch; I think I¡¯m internally injured¡­¡± ¡°Who believes you!¡± The crowd roared in unison, seemingly having seen others fooled once and then twice playing sheep and tiger with the old man. ¡°He¡¯s strong in this ring.¡± Ash turned to his right to find the Sword Maiden suddenly there again. Different from the others, the dim lighting had no effect on her, as though she emitted her own light to dispel the darkness, starkly seated on the railing. Strangely, she had changed outfits, now appearing in a tight-fitting training kendo uniform, with her long red hair tied up, looking the part of a spirited swordswoman. Ash instinctively asked, ¡°Why is he strong?¡± ¡°Because in this ring, only attack permissions are open, while Magic Power remains limited.¡± The person next to him and the Sword Maiden replied in unison. The Sword Maiden cast a glance at Ash, who had his mouth covered, then continued, ¡°There are many types of Mages¡ªartisans, warriors, scholars, healers¡­ But most mages can only command Technique Spirits through Magic Power. If you limit their Magic Power output, they are no different from ordinary people.¡± ¡°However, there¡¯s a fraction of mages who, without Technique Spirits, still possess strengths beyond mere mortals¡ªthat¡¯s the Body Technique Masters.¡± ¡°Generally, all mages involved in physical cultivation can be called Body Technique Masters, like Sword Masters, Boxers, Gun Masters, Long Spear Masters, Axe Masters¡­ With appropriate weapons, they can also fight many at once. Yet, in terms of physical status, they don¡¯t surpass ordinary people considerably¡ªthey hold ¡®skill¡¯ advantages.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a type of Body Technique Masters who, through relentless bodily enhancement and even Technique Spirit modifications to their flesh and structural framework, wield their own bodies as weapons, achieving crushing-level brutality. Even without Technique Spirits, their physical amplification doesn¡¯t fade. In other places, it might not matter, but in this prison where Technique Spirits are banned, their advantages shine to the fullest!¡± ¡°This type of Body Technique Masters is named¡ªa Weak Mage.¡± ¡°Flesh weakened, their bodies are no longer flesh constructions.¡± Ash looked over to see the old white-haired man, upon leaving the stage, slicing his fingers across the railing, cutting it down as it crumbled away! ¡®Diamond¡¯ Tiger¡­ so that¡¯s the meaning! ¡°Since you¡¯re here, start a fight,¡± recommended the Sword Maiden. ¡°Just avoid fighting that old man. Oh, by the way, for your first fight, pick someone who¡¯s also barehanded, and you best fight barehanded as well.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because your body is too weak. If you wield a real sword, you might not even swing a few times before getting crippled; and if the opponent also uses punches, at least you can maneuver for a few rounds, buying time for experience transfer,¡± she added, crossing her arms. ¡°I¡¯m more afraid of you getting disarmed, then decapitated by your own weapon in a graphic scene. Your first match should be bare-knuckle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not expecting you to win, but you should at least know how to take a hit?¡± Ash complied with the Sword Maiden¡¯s suggestion and turned to ask the person nearby who¡¯d been chatting with him, ¡°I want to join a deathmatch, preferably against someone barehanded. Do you have any recommendations?¡± ¡°Barehanded fighting? You¡¯ve asked the right guy, brother. I¡¯m into barehanded fighting myself. Let¡¯s have a match; I promise not to bully you.¡± ¡°Sure, sure, but this is my first deathmatch, and I¡¯ll only stake 1 contribution point. Even if you play dumb, you can¡¯t earn much,¡± Ash joked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. Not only won¡¯t I take your contribution, I¡¯ll even give you some. I¡¯m quite weak, seeing as¡ª¡± Suddenly, the Death Battle Society¡¯s lights brightened fully, consuming the darkness of the spectator area, making everything starkly visible. Only then did Ash realize that the ¡®friendly stranger¡¯ he¡¯d been chatting with was someone he¡¯d met not too long ago. ¡°¡ªeven you wanted to give my face a punch.¡± Igula smiled at Ash and said, ¡°We meet again, Ash, with your cute fists.¡± ¡°` Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18: "Beautiful Beast" Igula Chapter 18: Chapter 18: ¡°Beautiful Beast¡± Igula Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°The new cult leader is going to a deathmatch with the ¡®Beautiful Beast¡¯!¡± ¡°The Beautiful Beast doesn¡¯t even let a single contribution point slip by?¡± ¡°Could it be that the cult leader has already fallen for it?¡± ¡°Oh hoo, then it¡¯s not just a single contribution point; the Beautiful Beast might earn 50 contribution points this time¡­¡± Listening to the chatter from the audience, Ash, who was wrapping his fists with bandages, forced a smile: ¡°Seems like you are indeed a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.¡± ¡°I actually think it¡¯s you hiding your strength to lure me in,¡± said the fair-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Igula with a laugh, ¡°You dare to oppose the Blood Frenzy Hunters and are the Four Pillars God Sect¡¯s hierarch. While I¡¯m just a mundane swindler, no matter how you think about it, your combat power should be higher, right?¡± Indeed, before the deathmatch with Igula, Ash had already asked Lanna about Igula¡¯s criminal record. After all, almost every prisoner would first introduce themselves on the news channel upon arriving, so criminal records are nearly transparent to each other. Just like everyone knows that Ash is a small-time cult leader taken down by hunters. Igula Bokin, also known as the ¡°Swindler,¡± worked in the insurance industry and was imprisoned for defrauding many wealthy individuals of large sums of money. He was a Spirit Mage with a series of Technique Spirits like the ¡°Contract¡± that could manipulate the mind. Although theoretically, the use of Technique Spirits is banned in the prison, this ban was only a ¡®direct¡¯ ban, not a ¡®complete¡¯ one. Spirit Mages like Igula, who focus on spiritual cultivation, can still use rhetoric, suggestions, body language, etc., to trigger their Technique Spirits. Just like when Igula invited Ash to team up in the hall, if Ash agreed, the Technique Spirit would silently imprint Ash¡¯s spirit. It seems Igula indeed lacked direct combat ability, but¡ª¡ª Ding! The lights around the Death Battle Society dimmed again, leaving only the light screen above the arena, capturing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Igula Bokin bet 46 contribution points¡± ¡°VS¡± ¡°Ash Heath bet 1 contribution point¡± In a deathmatch, everyone only bets the minimum amount, meaning Igula had already participated in 45 deathmatches! Moreover, according to Lanna, Igula had a perfect record in the past 45 deathmatches! So why did Ash agree to this deathmatch? Because he already agreed. When Igula jokingly asked Ash whether he would fight, Ash casually replied, ¡°Sure, sure,¡± also as a joke. At that moment, he had already fallen into the trap¡ªhe couldn¡¯t backtrack on this jest anymore. It¡¯s hard to describe this feeling; it wasn¡¯t as though his body was being controlled, but his perception was altered. It¡¯s as if some absurd belief like ¡°water is highly toxic¡± had emerged, and Ash was sure he had to fight Igula. Ash didn¡¯t know the consequences of refusing, as the thought of ¡®refusal¡¯ never even crossed his mind; it was as if even contemplating the freest of thoughts had been shackled. ¡°So, always be cautious in responding to people¡¯s invitations.¡± The Sword Maiden leaned against the railing and said lazily, ¡°You are the Final Observer; as far as I¡¯m concerned, you should refuse anyone¡¯s goodwill or malice, say ¡®no¡¯ to everything, take over with your power, dictate everything with your will, and rule the world like a Demon King¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°¡­You brat¡­¡± Just as the Sword Maiden was stumped, transparent barriers rose around the arena, announcing the official start of the deathmatch. As a ¡®ding¡¯ sounded in his mind, Ash felt an internal shackle loosen, and the chip at the back of his neck no longer restrained them from attacking each other! Simultaneously, Igula darted forward, his agile body charging like a hunting leopard! Ash immediately raised his arms in defense and sidestepped, but Igula seemed to predict Ash¡¯s reaction early on. He slid in with a tackle, causing Ash to lose his balance and fall face-first into the ground! Even though Ash quickly recovered and stood up, he still couldn¡¯t avoid Igula¡¯s follow-up, receiving a heavy punch to the abdomen with a muffled groan as if he was about to vomit bile. ¡°Bite down,¡± Igula ¡®kindly¡¯ reminded him, then slammed another punch to Ash¡¯s temple! Ash was hit dazed, his back against the wall, using his arms to protect his vital parts. However, Igula seemed to foresee all his moves, each direct punch and hook landing in areas Ash failed to defend. Before long, Ash¡¯s face was bruised and swollen, wretchedly trying to evade while getting pummeled. He roared in his mind, ¡°Has the transmission of experience not started yet? I¡¯m going to get beaten to death like this!¡± ¡°Damn it! Sword Maiden, take control and beat up this blondie!¡± ¡°Mom! Sword Maiden, save me¡ª¡± The Sword Maiden spoke perfunctorily, saying, ¡°Soon, soon, the more you get hit, the faster the experience transfers. Also, don¡¯t just take the hits, try to counterattack!¡± ¡°Will counterattacking speed up the experience transmission?¡± ¡°No, but it¡¯ll make this deathmatch more interesting. Watching you get one-sidedly beaten is quite dull, to be honest.¡± She said this, yet the Sword Maiden was a bit surprised inside. She had anticipated Ash being beaten like a punching bag; after all, this was Shattered Lake Prison. Ash participating in deathmatches here was like a lamb walking into a den of wolves¡ªgetting devoured would be expected. She initially thought Ash would show an unbearable side, kneeling to beg for mercy while crying, yet, although Ash was wretched, he managed to do his best: leaning against a wall to reduce the target area, covering his face¡¯s triangle area with both hands, quickly standing after falling down instead of being pinned¡­ What surprised the Sword Maiden most was that Ash hadn¡¯t cried. As a wandering soul from another world who lived in a greenhouse and had never experienced bloodshed, Ash¡¯s resilience was unexpectedly strong, even exhibiting a certain degree of psychological self-comfort. He continuously mumbled to the Sword Maiden in his mind, using conversation to mitigate the pain, without distraction. His defense became more efficient, and his movements to dodge attacks grew quicker, an embodiment¡­ An embodiment like a sponge that kept absorbing knowledge. The Sword Maiden suddenly felt that even without her, without the Mage¡¯s Handbook, Ash would quickly adapt to this seemingly beautiful and cruel world after enduring the initial shock of crossing worlds. At his core, he wasn¡¯t a cowardly person; changing environments would unveil his true nature. Indeed¡­ he was the Final Observer¡­ Snap! Ash felt like his arm bone was burning as if it were on fire. The Sword Maiden urged him to fight back, and just then, Ash was also fueled by the heat from the beatings. Even a clay figure would have three parts temper, not to mention that Ash wasn¡¯t one to let himself be bullied easily. He had his own methods at work: apart from not talking back to superiors, he wouldn¡¯t suffer losses among colleagues. Plus, being capable and knowing how to flatterled him to often clamor for recognition loudly, achieving a semblance of success in the workplace. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been appointed as the head of the new game¡¯s operations team. Seizing an opportunity by recalling a punch from his military training, he threw a straight punch from a horse stance! ¡°Soft as cotton, how cute.¡± Igula dodged as if he were strolling, wearing a disdainful smile, avoiding Ash¡¯s punch exquisitely, and striking Ash¡¯s face with a counterpunch. ¡°You!¡± ¡°You¡ª!¡± ¡°You¡ªyou¡ª¡± Ash couldn¡¯t bring himself to curse, and he couldn¡¯t land even a single punch. Igula could deliver a painful blow every time to Ash, evading all of Ash¡¯s attempts, simply needing a slight turn to dodge Ash¡¯s direct punch. To the onlookers, it seemed less like a fight but more like a performance¡ªas if Ash voluntarily offered his face to meet Igula¡¯s fists. ¡°There it is again, the Beautiful Beast¡¯s magic trick.¡± ¡°Looks like the cult leader¡¯s remaining 49 contribution points will also end up in the Beautiful Beast¡¯s pocket.¡± ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s all flashy tricks; if it were me¡ª¡± ¡°What would happen if it were you?¡± ¡°If it were me, he¡¯d have to kneel down to check if I was still breathing!¡± ¡°Though we couldn¡¯t beat the Beautiful Beast, Master Tiger certainly could!¡± The white-haired old man, Tiger, hastily shook his head: ¡°No, no, the young generation is surpassing us; an old man like me will sooner or later become a stepping stone for you¡­¡± Old man, could you let go of the rail before saying that? You¡¯re about to twist it into a pretzel! Everyone cursed silently, and then someone turned to Lanna, nestled in a burly man¡¯s arms: ¡°Lanna, can you see through the Beautiful Beast¡¯s tricks?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, and words won¡¯t help; you¡¯ll only know by fighting,¡± Lanna said with a smile, ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t want to fight the Beautiful Beast. He¡¯s not my type. Don¡¯t worry, darling, as long as you¡¯re breathing, I won¡¯t set my eyes on anyone else.¡± The brawny man Lanna was cozily leaning against broke into a cold sweat, forcing a smile in the dim light. In the deathmatch arena, Igula flicked the blood off his fist and casually asked, ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve won all 45 deathmatches? Although my physique isn¡¯t that great and my reflexes aren¡¯t particularly fast, why is it that you can¡¯t hit me, but I hit you every time?¡± Indeed, through the earlier fight, Ash noticed that Igula¡¯s physical attributes were almost the same as his. Forget about comparing with a monster like ¡°Diamond¡± Tiger; even an average brawny man could suppress Igula. Despite being on the same level, Ash could hit nothing but Igula¡¯s face. If Igula¡¯s boxing skills were extraordinary, it would make sense, but Ash could tell Igula¡¯s combat skills were merely average; otherwise, Ash wouldn¡¯t have lasted this long. Both were weak, so why could only you peck at me? ¡°I have defeated Beastmen, Trolls, Goblins; their physical attributes far surpassed mine, yet they all fell on this arena, transferring the contribution points that weren¡¯t theirs to me,¡± Igula said leisurely, ¡°The reason you and they meet such a pathetic end is one and only¡ª¡± ¡°You are, all livestock.¡± ¡°Your life never belonged to you.¡± ¡°From the moment you stepped onto the arena, your neck was already wrapped in the chain I prepared for you. Before squeezing out your last contribution point, you are the livestock under my control!¡± ¡°The fate of livestock is always one and only¡ª¡± ¡°Bleeding, skinning, then¡­¡± Igula, tall and handsome, looked down at Ash, licking his lips with a cruel smile, ¡°being slaughtered and cut into delicious pieces by their master!¡± ¡°Keep going, Ash Heath, and don¡¯t think about surrendering. There¡¯s no such rule in a deathmatch. Rest assured, I¡¯m gentle with my livestock; it¡¯ll end soon.¡± Ash straightened up, twisted his neck, and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva: ¡°Yes.¡± The Sword Maiden nodded from the stands, lazily commenting, ¡°It¡¯s time to end.¡± Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Such a pretty face, a punch could make it cry for a long time! Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Such a pretty face, a punch could make it cry for a long time! Editor: Atlas Studios Every era had its own theme, and in the age of mysteries before the gods shed their light, the theme was violence, plunder, and destruction. All creatures struggled for resources, betting their lives on survival and reproduction. In this era of the gods, Igula believed the main theme was domination. Domination of others, domination of organizations, domination of culture, domination of thought¡­ Large-scale wars had become rare. People no longer expanded territories, instead everyone competed over existing resources, class had solidified, systems had become supreme, and plunder had been replaced by more sophisticated exploitation. All actions had to follow the rules of the game set a thousand years ago. Crude violence was no longer appropriate; only the romantic mind control could thrive in this world. And when it came to domination, Spirit Mages were undoubtedly the best choice. Although Igula was only a Two-winged Spirit Mage, in this class with fixed inherent paths, predetermined life trajectories at birth, and where most people never had the chance to enter the Void Realm¡¯s Kingdom of Blood Moon, he was like a beast at the top of the food chain. The most dangerous knowledge was controlled by the Blood Saint Clan and the Moon Shadow Clan. Ordinary mages hadn¡¯t even heard of the Spirit Faction, let alone knew how to defend against it. Even Igula¡¯s psychic knowledge was due to the awakening of the Meiwa bloodline in his body, allowing him to find the two crucial Technique Spirits, ¡°Resonance¡± and ¡°Fulfillment,¡± in the Void Realm, transforming him into a Spirit Mage. Additionally, he was a Contractor in the insurance industry, possessing the fundamental Technique Spirit ¡°Contract,¡± enabling him to create a miracle aimed specifically at intelligent beings, ¡°Words Into Action¡±! Whether it was jokes or falsehoods, once someone made an agreement with Igula, he could use ¡°Resonance¡± to establish a connection and bind with a ¡°Contract,¡± then demand ¡°Fulfillment¡± to make them stick to their words! In a civilized society, this miracle was unstoppable. If he hadn¡¯t hit a roadblock, he would be enjoying wine in a seaside villa instead of fighting in this prison surrounded by lake water. Yet, as long as there were rules, he would remain the master, and the prison was no exception. Even if Technique Spirits were banned here, since they were manifestations of knowledge, Igula could still achieve his goal indirectly. Technique Spirits were like a campfire for roasting meat, even if the fire was extinguished, with a little effort in fire-making, it could still be rekindled. ¡°Contract,¡± ¡°Resonance,¡± and ¡°Fulfillment¡± were closely related to speech, so with the power of language alone, Igula could bypass the chip¡¯s restrictions to invoke Technique Spirit resonance. In his past 45 death matches, he forced opponents to agree to fight using the miracle ¡°Words Into Action,¡± and even if they lost, they would agree to a second, third, and fourth match, until Igula drained their contribution completely. ¡°He will attack my left cheek.¡± ¡°Weak, weak, too weak!¡± Igula easily dodged Ash¡¯s attack and mocked, ¡°Your punch still smells of milk, who do you think you can hit!?¡± ¡°He will kick my left calf.¡± ¡°He wants to hug me.¡± ¡°He wants to use a right hook.¡± Intense thoughts flowed continuously from his opponent into Igula¡¯s consciousness. Igula looked at this man, like a trapped beast, with pity and a disdainful smile curled at the corner of his mouth¡ªas soon as the chains were placed, livestock had already lost the ability to harm its master! This was a small trick Igula invented after his imprisonment, not considered a miracle, only leveraging the ¡°Contract¡± connection and enhanced by linguistic coaxing, enabling ¡°Resonance¡± effects between Igula and his opponent to decipher their offensive intentions! If he could leave Shattered Lake Prison, perhaps Igula could invent a miracle similar to ¡°Foreseeing Enemy Moves¡± from this. However, even an underdeveloped trick was enough for Igula to win 45 consecutive matches! But the winning streak would soon add another 10 matches¡ªAsh Heath seemed to Igula like a lamb ready for roasting, seasoned with cumin! This death match was just the starting point; next, Igula planned to win ten times in a row, completely taking away Ash¡¯s initial 50 contribution! This was the essence of death matches, eliminating the weak, distinguishing the livestock! Crawl at my feet, let me trample you, livestock! ¡°He will use a direct punch to hit my chest.¡± Igula dodged his punch, responding with a counterattack, laughing, ¡°Come on, you almost got me¡ªhuh?¡± Though his punch missed, Ash quickly ducked to evade Igula¡¯s attack and even moved closer, raising his elbow. Naturally, Igula swiftly retreated, filled with suspicion¡ªthis was the first time Ash evaded his attack. Though one instance was insignificant, it was not a good omen. He couldn¡¯t play around anymore; it was time to knock Ash out directly. Just as he thought this, Igula shook off the blood on his fist and lunged forward, focused entirely on capturing Ash¡¯s intentions and targeted Ash¡¯s vulnerabilities with his attack! ¡°Beautiful Beast, stop wasting time and hurry up to the end!¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare to have a newcomer, don¡¯t ruin the fun too soon!¡± ¡°Beautiful Beast, you have so many contributions, why not let me enjoy once?¡± ¡°Beautiful Beast, bring a knife next time; I want some meaty thigh meat! Lanna, don¡¯t fight me for it!¡± The prisoners in the audience laughed and joked, but Lanna, who was outlining circles on his boyfriend¡¯s chest, suddenly said, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t fight, you still won¡¯t get to eat it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The prisoners were slightly stunned. As they watched closely, many people¡¯s expressions changed, ¡°This kid¡­ is he a believer of the Gods of Four Pillars¡­¡± Despite Ash¡¯s clumsy movements, his defensive efficiency visibly improved. Whereas Igula had landed every punch before, now landing one punch out of four was an achievement, and even that one might be blocked by Ash with his arm. His physical prowess hadn¡¯t dramatically increased, instead, it seemed he developed fighting instincts. Ash¡¯s movements didn¡¯t speed up; in fact, they slowed due to fatigue and pain, yet became more adept, as if mimicking Igula¡¯s steps. Whenever Igula gestured, Ash seemed to naturally follow. Honestly, Igula wasn¡¯t considered strong in the Death Battle Society, not even in the second tier. His strength lay in thoroughly exploiting weak opponents, bypassing prison rules to drain their resources completely. But everyone had to admit Igula had a keen eye, always finding prey to bully, as evidenced by his record of 45 consecutive wins. When Ash faced Igula in the ring, everyone thought Ash would lose all his contribution and become a frequent participant of Blood Moon Judgement. Ash hadn¡¯t demonstrated any combat ability and seemed more like a pretty face, causing many to suspect that the Gods of Four Pillars could very well be a rich women¡¯s dating club. Yet, in just a few minutes of combat, Ash transformed from a delicate flower in a greenhouse into a poised and seasoned jungle predator, and seemed to take the upper hand subtly! ¡°Master Tiger, looks like someone similar to you,¡± someone laughed, ¡°Never expected Igula to be played like a fool.¡± ¡°No.¡± Typically timid, the old, white-haired man known as Tiger had a serious expression, ¡°He wasn¡¯t playing the fool before; he truly was a fool.¡± ¡°Bodies don¡¯t lie.¡± Lanna, sitting up straight on his boyfriend¡¯s lap, said, ¡°His body hasn¡¯t undergone any combat training. He¡¯s clearly a pampered scholar. I watched him closely when I brought him in. All his physical responses lack combat conditioning, even inferior to children.¡± ¡°Judging by his initial defensive stance, this might be one of the few close-quarter combats he¡¯s engaged in over recent years.¡± Someone muttered, ¡°How could this be¡­ does that mean¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± From the shadows, Lanna wistfully stated, ¡°A man in the wrong place, awakening the wrong talent. Truly¡­ a pity.¡± Smack! Using both hands, Igula blocked Ash¡¯s punch¡ªhis first defense in this battle. Compared to the murmuring audience, Igula profoundly felt Ash¡¯s rapid improvement¡ªtransforming from a silent, slaughter-bound livestock into a¡­ ferociously roaring livestock nonetheless. ¡°What adorable fists, softer than a baby¡¯s,¡± Igula sneered, ¡°Are you tired?¡± Ash remained silent, pacing and facing Igula, looking for defensive gaps. ¡°I have to admit, I underestimated you,¡± Igula acknowledged. ¡°Your learning speed exceeds my expectations. Is it a gift from the Gods of Four Pillars? Or a talent you just uncovered? I concede you have the makings to rise above livestock, but your physical condition is utterly dismal, so bad that simply delaying will wear you down!¡± ¡°The 1 contribution you wagered can be your ransom for evolving from livestock to human. Rejoice, Ash Heath, as you¡¯re the only one breaking free of the chains, yet that¡¯s all you¡¯ll ever be. Once this death match is over, I¡¯ll have no dealings with you again, nor accept any challenges from you, and within the prison rules, you can¡¯t retaliate against me.¡± ¡°Understanding rules, leveraging rules, mastering rules, that epitomizes true strength. Your battle potential merely raises you from livestock to a¡­ beast!¡± ¡°When engulfed by power and struggling in the Blood Moon Judgement, I¡¯ll be somewhere safe, savoring red wine while watching your grotesque struggles. That¡¯s the difference between you and me. That is the distance between the dominated and the dominator!¡± At that moment, Ash suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t cover your face.¡± Igula sneered menacingly as if he¡¯d heed that¡ª ¡°You¡¯re quite good-looking, let me take a good look.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite good-looking, let me take a good look.¡± Ash¡¯s words and genuine thoughts arrived simultaneously, catching Igula off guard. For the first time, such praise buzzed in his ears upon the platform, and out of a need to flaunt, he instinctively lowered his hands¡ª Smack! With immense strength, the pent-up punch crashed into Igula¡¯s face, causing him to black out. Ding ding ding! ¡°The victor is decided: the winner is Ash Heath!¡± Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 The Raven Medical Practitioner Chapter 20: Chapter 20 The Raven Medical Practitioner Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Ash Heath, if you¡¯re awake, walk out by yourself; otherwise, you¡¯ll miss dinner. They don¡¯t serve patient meals here.¡± Bathed in the heat from the glaring white light, Ash swiftly sat up, touching his face and abdomen, feeling neither swelling nor pain, as if the beating from Igula had been just a dream. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d witnessed this world¡¯s medical technology, but every time it left him amazed. The wound from the Blood Frenzy Hunter¡¯s sword, which in his past life would have meant weeks in intensive care, had been healed here before the interrogation even began. It made Ash think they wanted to heal him first before administering a full set of interrogation ¡°therapy.¡± He glanced around, noticing this treatment room was unlike what he imagined. There was no smell of disinfectant. The environment, though clean and free of any clutter or bloodstains, had a predominant grayscale palette of gray, black, and brown, giving a ¡®dirty chaos¡¯ impression visually. Not to mention the medical practitioner here, dressed in a full-body black robe, wearing an intimidating crow mask, holding a gleaming short knife. It looked less like a doctor and more like a cultist about to sacrifice Ash. The one speaking to Ash was a slightly short medical practitioner, indistinguishable by voice, as if the mask distorted the sound, making it more eerie. Noticing Ash staring, she asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Ash replied casually, ¡°I think there¡¯s still something wrong with my face.¡± ¡°Hmm? I¡¯ve already healed all your injuries.¡± The medical practitioner seemed puzzled, ¡°Could it be a broken blood vessel inside?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m not as handsome as before. Did you not fix that? By the way, do you offer cosmetic services here?¡± Originally, Ash was just making small talk to build goodwill, hoping for a fruit treat next time during treatment, but unexpectedly, the crow medical practitioner got excited, moving closer and saying, ¡°Of course we do! Eye corner expansion, nasal bone adjustment, bone shaving, chin fillers, any technique you want, even changing to another race is possible! I highly recommend the Kazlan-Dai technique, which effectively enlarges your eyes¡­¡± Ash, looking displeased, pushed the medical practitioner away, ¡°Your crow mouth is poking me!¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, if you¡¯re considering mouth-related cosmetic surgery, I also have the latest White Rabbit Candy technique, which can naturally sweeten your lips¡­¡± Seeing the medical practitioner¡¯s insurance sales-like enthusiasm, Ash became a bit frightened, ¡°I don¡¯t have money!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want your money, I just want you!¡± Ash¡¯s body shivered, ¡°That quick? We barely know each other! Wait, are you male or female? Wait, what¡¯s your race¡­¡± Realizing her misspeaking, the medical practitioner waved her hands, ¡°I mean, if you¡¯re willing for me to perform surgery, that¡¯s enough, no payment needed, completely free!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ash asked, ¡°What if I want you to pay me?¡± ¡°Uh¡­how much?¡± Seeing the medical practitioner really taking out a wallet, Ash hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Stop, stop, I was just asking casually, I didn¡¯t really intend to go under the knife. Are all medical practitioners this kind-hearted, doing surgery for free without asking for anything in return? Seeing you dressed like this, I thought you¡¯d be the type to suddenly upcharge in the middle of a surgery.¡± Medical practitioner: ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t that kind of thing normal?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± For a moment, Ash couldn¡¯t tell if she meant ¡®free¡¯ or ¡®mid-surgery upcharge.¡¯ ¡°So you really don¡¯t plan to have cosmetic surgery?¡± The medical practitioner urged, ¡°I¡¯m a Silver-ranked practitioner with three Technique Spirits. Outside, you wouldn¡¯t find another practitioner as capable and free as me. You¡¯re lucky to meet one!¡± ¡°What if you suddenly charge halfway during the surgery?¡± ¡°Do you have money?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what are you worrying about!?¡± That made a lot of sense, as long as I¡¯m broke, you can¡¯t scam me out of money¡­ Ash still shook his head, ¡°In my line of work, they say ¡®the most expensive things are free.¡¯ If I take this freebie, there must be a catch somewhere.¡± Seeing Ash not take the bait, the medical practitioner admitted, ¡°Well, if you¡¯re willing to let me perform surgery, there might be a bit of risk.¡± ¡°A bit?¡± ¡°Yes, a bit.¡± The medical practitioner gestured with her fingers, ¡°After all, I¡¯m not particularly skilled in this technique, so I need more surgeries to improve, but I have three Technique Spirits, enough to ensure your life isn¡¯t in danger¡­¡± From the medical practitioner¡¯s explanation, Ash finally understood why they allowed patients free treatment: because the healing efficiency of Silver practitioners wasn¡¯t guaranteed. Unlike the empirical medicine of his previous world, the medicine here evolved from Technique Spirits, with the most commonly used being the Water Technique Faction¡¯s ¡®Water Therapy.¡¯ As long as the patient had moisture in their body, this Technique Spirit could be activated to rapidly regenerate wounds. By bleeding and scraping flesh, then activating the Technique Spirit to quickly regenerate the body, was the most common treatment method. Needless to say, this method had many flaws. Yet, all Technique Spirits had evolutionary traits, and this was most evident in the ¡®Water Therapy¡¯ Technique Spirit: illnesses treated with ¡®Water Therapy¡¯ would be remembered and optimized, allowing faster treatment of similar conditions next time. Moreover, if a medical practitioner treated enough cases, the ¡®Water Therapy¡¯ Technique Spirit could even evolve into a Two-winged Technique Spirit! Therefore, Silver medical practitioners were eager for patients but couldn¡¯t find them, while patients were willing to pay more for better Gold practitioners, avoiding Silver ones¡ªsince the weaker the practitioner, the less effective the ¡®Water Therapy,¡¯ increasing the chance of patient complications. Shattered Lake Prison was a goldmine for medical practitioners¡ªinmates on the brink of death needed treatment daily, letting them gain experience rapidly, with a stable doctor-patient relationship; even if a patient died, there¡¯d be no repercussions! The practitioner speaking to Ash wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to gain experience here if not for her connections! Ash thought cleverly; the Death Battle Society was not only about encouraging inmates to outdo each other but also turning them into regenerable resources for practitioners to exploit for experience. This prison was quite the enterprising setup, completely favored by the prison¡¯s management. However, treatment being free without consuming death row inmates¡¯ contributions, showed the prison¡¯s limited scope, falling short compared to Ash¡¯s company¡ªhis company not only sold him sudden death insurance but also deducted his malicious overtime electricity bill from his paycheck, utterly destroying Ash¡¯s mining-for-cryptos get-rich plan. ¡°` Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Ashs Workplace Little Teaching Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Ash¡¯s Workplace Little Teaching Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°If you want more people to come to you for treatment, shouldn¡¯t you put some effort into your appearance?¡± In the treatment room, Ash looked at the medical practitioner wearing a crow mask, feeling a bit puzzled, ¡°Dressing like this, it¡¯s a wonder people don¡¯t suspect you of robbery or preaching, let alone seek treatment from you. Or is this just a meaningless tradition?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tradition, and it has meaning,¡± the medical practitioner said, ¡°Think about it, what if¡­ if by chance¡­ I botch your treatment, and when you wake up, you find you¡¯re missing some parts, would you dare attack me when you see me looking like this?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± The two stared at each other, and Ash suddenly realized, ¡°So the scary attire and the eerie treatment room environment are all tools to improve the doctor-patient relationship¡­ Wait, does this mean your treatment failure probability is high?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not very high, just a tiny possibility¡­¡± The medical practitioner spoke vaguely, not even daring to look at Ash, suggesting that this tiny possibility was about the size of the Milky Way. Ash said, ¡°Your service attitude is inadequate. I¡¯m sure no patients seek you out outside, right? They must even accuse you of poor treatment, so you¡¯re forced to hide in prison to gain experience with us who can¡¯t complain, correct?¡± The medical practitioner shamefully hung her head, clearly showing Ash had hit the mark, as she softly defended herself, ¡°I did cure them, but they still complained and caused trouble everywhere, and some issues had nothing to do with me, they were self-inflicted¡­ I only provided the most basic guarantee of treatment, yet they had so many demands¡­¡± As if Ash had broken through her defenses, the medical practitioner poured her negative emotions on Ash like a trash can. Her story sounded like she deserved it: in an era where most medical practitioners would charge some fee for the diagnosis, she asked for nothing, even made house calls, and consequently got accused of inadequate treatment, unable to survive in the city, resorting to gaining experience in prison. After listening, Ash thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Do you know your flaw?¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s my lack of precision¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s that you don¡¯t speak confidently enough!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The medical practitioner raised her head, her eyes behind the crow mask filled with confusion. ¡°You speak so meekly and without assertiveness; once a medical mishap occurs, the patients will undoubtedly trouble you. Even if you don¡¯t charge, you¡¯ll still get bullied,¡± Ash advised, ¡°When you say you might not cure the illness, you need to speak loudly, stand straight, and say it with confidence and pride.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s only the first step. The second step is to find the patient¡¯s flaws. If the patient looks good, say they live too extravagantly; if they¡¯re ugly, say they have no sex life; if they¡¯re thin, say they¡¯re malnourished; if they¡¯re fat, say they¡¯re over-nourished. There¡¯s always a critique that fits. Nobody¡¯s perfect, and you¡¯ll certainly find something to put the patient down.¡± ¡°As long as you follow these two steps, you can establish your authority, suppress the patient¡¯s status, and create an atmosphere where ¡®you should be grateful I¡¯m willing to treat you.¡¯ Even if something goes wrong with the treatment, patients will not blame you and might even explain on your behalf.¡± The medical practitioner asked, ¡°Does it really work?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Ash nodded emphatically, ¡°This is based on my many years of personal experience!¡± Ash was well-versed in this kind of workplace PUA. First, pick out the other¡¯s flaws to suppress them, then release your own goodwill, making them grateful as if they have Stockholm Syndrome. Newly graduated students are almost defenseless against this tactic. Using such a forbidden technique in the workplace should certainly be condemned, but as the saying goes, ¡°A weapon¡¯s morality lies solely in the wielder¡¯s heart.¡± For a medical volunteer like her willing to provide free medical care, even if there¡¯s a tiny bit of negative impact, Ash felt her career path should be smoother. ¡°So do you know what to do now?¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°No matter what surgery you perform in the future, always tell the patient, ¡®I¡¯ve done my best!''¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done my best.¡± ¡°Louder, I can¡¯t hear you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done my best!¡± the medical practitioner clenched her fist and said. Ash nodded in satisfaction, ¡°You can slowly understand the rest on your own. I should go eat¡­¡± The medical practitioner was lost in thought, and as Ash put on his shoes and was about to leave, she suddenly stopped him and asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want cosmetic surgery? Looking at the face in the mirror, don¡¯t you feel it¡¯s disrespectful to others to go out in public like that?¡± Ash¡¯s body shook, his eyes filled with the satisfaction of a promising student¡ªgoodness gracious, she was using the newly learned skill on her teacher already!? If she joined our company, she¡¯d at least be a team leader level expert! ¡°It¡¯s really about the lack of contrast causing no harm; compared to your crow face, I suddenly feel handsome. Maybe next time, when I feel ugly, I¡¯ll come to you for cosmetic surgery,¡± Ash brushed off the suggestion. ¡°I¡¯m not ugly, you¡¯re ugly!¡± the medical practitioner was so angry she wanted to take off her mask, but as soon as her hand touched the crow mask, footsteps sounded from upstairs. She suddenly remembered something, ¡°Oh, Ash, take this.¡± Ash was handed a nameplate with the number [222] written on it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The medical practitioner said, ¡°It¡¯s my ID badge. Remember to carry it with you every minute of every day, even while sleeping, so everyone knows you¡¯re mine.¡± Ash blinked, ¡°So, what are you actually, GG or MM? I¡¯m a pretty casual person, but if your conditions exceed my bottom line, I¡¯ll have to charge extra¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting cosmetic surgery, so when you venture out, you¡¯ll scare others into fighting you seven or eight times. With my ID badge, when you¡¯re pummeled to a pulp, I¡¯ll have priority in treating you. If your face gets ruined, I can fix that cosmetically while I¡¯m at it.¡± The medical practitioner pushed him out, ¡°Now go eat, the cafeteria is about to close¡­¡± Ash thought briefly, put the nameplate in his pocket, and suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, if I come back next time, could you cut an apple for me?¡± The medical practitioner was stunned, ¡°Sure.¡± Great, mission accomplished. Don¡¯t think Ash was being trivial; this was his secret to workplace socializing¡ªgetting others to help him with a trivial matter strengthens the relationship. The ¡®feeling of being needed¡¯ is a high-level emotional need, and Ash used this tactic to win the most votes in the ¡®Top Ten Employees¡¯ poll, earning an additional six months¡¯ bonus. ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal together sometime, I¡¯m off now,¡± Ash said, ¡°See you next time, [222]¡­ Almost forgot to say, thank you.¡± ¡°If you really want to thank me, let me give you a makeover¡ª¡± ¡°Next time, definitely next time!¡± After Ash left, the medical practitioner continued to tidy up the treatment room tools. Suddenly, another door opened, and a tall medical practitioner walked in and sternly said, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± The medical practitioner glanced at his badge, which was [176]. Indeed, not only did the death row inmates not know the identities of the medical practitioners, but even the medical practitioners were unaware of each other¡¯s identities. Except in their own dorms, they had to wear their crow masks in any public location, identifying each other by their badges. ¡°A patient just woke up, which delayed me a bit. I gave him my ID badge to reserve his future treatments.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t chat with him, did you?¡± The tall medical practitioner¡¯s tone became more serious. ¡°You know, conversing with prisoners is against the rules. Our identities must be kept strictly confidential. If news of our rituals here spreads, the Human Rights Association will dismantle the council¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± The medical practitioner stuck her tongue out behind her crow mask. ¡°Then quickly return to your room, and submit your 11-inch blood magic thesis by this weekend. Don¡¯t forget,¡± the tall medical practitioner sternly said, ¡°Don¡¯t think a little talent allows you to slack off. Without the team leader¡¯s permission, you¡¯d have no qualification to be here¡­¡± In the past, the medical practitioner would have been fearfully self-reflective when criticized by a senior. But after chatting with Ash, a thought suddenly popped into her mind. ¡°Is the senior deliberately criticizing my imperfections to establish his authority and suppress my status? My entry, facilitated by the team leader¡¯s concern, was beyond my influence and unrelated to my skills; he can always criticize me on this point.¡± Listening to the tall medical practitioner¡¯s empty remarks, the medical practitioner found herself missing Ash¡¯s pleasant words more and more. Now that I think of it, Ash¡¯s recovery seemed much stronger than that of a typical body technique master, and the tactile feedback during treatment was really nice¡­ I genuinely hope Ash gets beaten almost to death soon, she thought. ¡°` Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Invitation to a Deadly Battle Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Invitation to a Deadly Battle Editor: Atlas Studios Shattered Lake Prison, Cafeteria. ¡°I won 45 contribution points and still have to participate in the Blood Moon Judgement in a few days!?¡± Ash, who was gobbling down food, lifted his head in disbelief, wearing a betrayed expression, ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that those with more contribution points would be judged later in the sequence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s indeed the case.¡± Lanna said while sipping her milk, ¡°But there¡¯s a condition¡ªall inmates must attend their first Blood Moon Judgement; only a select few escape this under special circumstances.¡± ¡°And those who experience a Blood Moon Judgement and survive will have their subsequent sequences arranged according to their contribution points.¡± ¡°What if I die in my first Blood Moon Judgement?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried about that, why not throw the match with me and hand over your contribution points?¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± Ash muttered, then thought for a moment and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that only one person dies in the Blood Moon Judgement?¡± ¡°Yes, there are eight participants, but only one will die,¡± Lanna said. ¡°That¡¯s only a 12.5% chance of dying, which is actually quite low¡ªthat¡¯s under normal circumstances.¡± ¡°Am I a normal person?¡± ¡°Obviously not. As the cult leader of the Gods of Four Pillars, you¡¯re not. Murder, kidnapping, imprisonment, ritualistic sacrifices¡­ The people victimized by you number in the thousands, and your notoriety is well known. Without any surprises, you¡¯re bound to be a major focus during the Blood Moon Judgement.¡± Heath bravely takes flight while Ash bears the blame¡­ Ash harbored endless resentment toward Heath in his heart. Could Heath possibly drink six walnut drinks to get smarter!? What¡¯s with all the cult activities?! It¡¯s more infuriating than those relentless online loans! ¡°How about it, if you¡¯re going to give up anyway, why not give me your contribution points?¡± Lanna said, ¡°I will remember your sacrifice and live happily with my boyfriend¡­¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Ash grumbled, ¡°I might survive, you know? I won¡¯t give up!¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lanna didn¡¯t seem to care about Ash¡¯s 95 points of contribution. She said, ¡°Someone wants to challenge you, do you accept?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the real reason you¡¯re waiting for me in the cafeteria, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lanna admitted, ¡°As for why, you¡¯ll understand when you see the amount of contribution points the other party bets¡ª37 contribution points.¡± Ash squinted his eyes, ¡°Someone who has already fought 36 death matches challenges me? I only bet 2 contribution points.¡± Lanna shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s why I made a special trip to notify you.¡± ¡°Generally, newcomers challenge veterans in death matches because they can gamble small for a big return. It¡¯s not unheard of for veterans to challenge newcomers, but usually, that¡¯s after at least five matches, or else veterans aren¡¯t even interested in gaining points.¡± ¡°So when a veteran challenges you, I¡¯m quite curious and want to ask if you have a grudge with them.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Valcas Uer.¡± Ash shook his head, ¡°Never heard of him.¡± Of course, he hadn¡¯t heard of him, because he didn¡¯t have Heath¡¯s memories. Even if Valcas had a grudge with Heath, Ash wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°Selin Dole.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ash blinked, ¡°Who?¡± Lanna waved her hand, ¡°Nothing, just reminded of someone familiar.¡± ¡°So do you want to accept Valcas¡¯ challenge?¡± ¡°What weapon does Valcas use?¡± ¡°A sword.¡± Ash felt a stirring inside and glanced sideways with the corner of his eye. He saw the Sword Maiden sitting cross-legged on the table, arms folded, calmly watching him, her legs wrapped in eye-catching black stockings. She gave Ash a sidelong glance, ¡°Sneaking a peek at me is so interesting?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Ash turned his head to stare at the black stockings, suddenly having a thought, ¡°Say, if you can touch me, does that mean I can touch you too? Ahem, Sword Maiden, wash up for later¡­¡± Clang! The Sword Maiden unsheathed her ornate decorative sword, and Ash instantly composed himself, saying to Lanna, ¡°Tell Valcas to wash his neck clean for me tomorrow!¡± ¡°Then show up at the Death Battle Society tomorrow morning. I won¡¯t interrupt your meal any further; my boyfriend is waiting for me. Goodbye.¡± Lanna said and left in a gust of wind. Ash thought that Lanna¡¯s boyfriend was waiting for him at the lovers¡¯ room, but after a couple of glances, he realized Lanna wasn¡¯t heading towards the lovers¡¯ room. Conversely, she left in the direction of the Death Battle Society¡­ Maybe there was a late-night death match, wanting to work the medical practitioners to death, Ash thought. ¡°Back to the dorm,¡± the Sword Maiden jumped down from the dining table, ¡°You have a busy night ahead. I¡¯m going to take you exploring a world you¡¯ve never known.¡± Ash¡¯s face flushed red with anger¡ªwhat do you mean a world I¡¯ve never known!? Do I really look that much like a virginal boy!? This woman was speaking too arrogantly. If she continued unchecked, I¡¯d have no standing left at all! ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming?¡± ¡°Coming~¡± ¡­ ¡­ At 8:45 p.m., in the Death Battle Society without any other spectators, an unknown death match was underway. ¡°Ash agreed, but not because of the name you gave me, but because he looks forward to an opponent who uses a sword¡ªwhen I mentioned you wield a sword, he decided.¡± ¡°Thanks, this counts as me owing you a favor, Lanna.¡± ¡°Valcas, you can repay me right now if you tell me why you suddenly have your sights set on cutie Ash. Is it related to that name¡ªSelin Dole?¡± In the dimly lit stands, a thin middle-aged man was watching the feast on stage. Yes, a feast¡ªthere probably was no better word to describe it. Although the food moved, tried to escape, screamed, and begged for mercy, it ultimately was just food for devouring. ¡°I don¡¯t mind telling you, as long as you don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Then never mind, I¡¯m blissfully happy with my boyfriend and satisfied with life. I don¡¯t want to get tangled up in the chess games of the powerful.¡± Lanna tore off a piece of warm meat and chewed it carefully, ¡°But is Ash really the cult leader of the Gods of Four Pillars? I think I have pretty good judgment of people. He seems more like a student just starting out. I thought he was innocent.¡± The middle-aged man snorted coldly. ¡°Everyone who steps into this cesspool is far from innocent. The only difference is whether only their skin is stained or whether they willingly open their mouths to swallow the stench.¡± ¡°I¡¯m eating, Valcas, can you not talk about feces.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you. Enjoy your meal.¡± ¡­ ¡­ As the doors of the Death Battle Society rumbled shut, the subtle wailing vanished into the thick darkness. Valcas walked through the prison corridors, each prisoner and guard he met keeping a cold distance from him. Occasionally, a newly arrived inmate spotted Valcas¡¯ ears and naturally showed a schadenfreude expression. Because Valcas¡¯ ears were pointed. When Valcas returned to his dormitory, he saw a prison guard waiting at the door. He had expected this, opening the door as he whispered, ¡°Ash Heath has agreed to duel with me.¡± ¡°Make sure to completely crush his brain, heart, and spine, to a degree that not even a Two-winged Mage can heal,¡± the prison guard said. ¡°I will do what you ask, and what about what you promised me?¡± Valcas opened the door but didn¡¯t enter, turning to gaze intently at the guard. ¡°As long as Ash Heath dies tomorrow, after the next Blood Moon Judgement, you will disappear from this prison,¡± the guard said. ¡°But you and that kid can¡¯t remain in Kaimon City, that¡¯s Mr. Selin¡¯s requirement.¡± ¡°I have no interest in continuing to breathe the same air as Selin,¡± Valcas grimaced with disgust. ¡°Free time is almost over; stop standing around outside and enter your cell.¡± Valcas¡¯ mouth twitched as he stepped into his room, letting the automatic door close. The prison guard turned away, a slight smirk forming, sneering softly. ¡°A mere elf death row convict, yet still holding onto that noble pride¡­ ha!¡± Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Observer? Sword Maiden? Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Observer? Sword Maiden? Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, Ingrid. You first, or should I take a bath first?¡± The voice arrived before the person. Lois, who was reading in the dorm room, immediately frowned. The dorm room door swung open, and two girls with sword bags on their backs walked in, their faces sprinkled with beads of sweat. They laughed as they came in, like a breath of spring wind filling the room with vitality, carrying the fresh scent of budding soil. ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Ingrid said as she sat down. ¡°I have to do laundry afterwards, and your legs are already weak. Sit for a while and regain your strength.¡± ¡°True,¡± Sonia stretched lazily, sprawling over the table like a slime. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m starting to regret transferring to the Sword Skill department. It¡¯s exhausting. Besides regular classes, Professor Trozan insists I take two extra hours of advanced courses. I even have to spar with Trozan¡­ then continue swordsmanship training in the evening to master the Wave Sword Technique Spirit. It feels like my whole day is packed.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that great,¡± Ingrid said enviously. ¡°Professor Trozan is a Three-winged Sword Master and was even selected last year as one of the ¡®Dazzling Star¡¯s Top Ten Outstanding Sword Saints,¡¯ known as the ¡®Hidden Hand Sword Saint.¡¯ It¡¯s said he might achieve the legendary Four-winged status¡­ At that time, Sonia, you¡¯ll be an apprentice of a legendary Mage!¡± Lois unconsciously crumpled the pages of her book. Sonia waved her hand. ¡°Professor Trozan hasn¡¯t promised to take me as an apprentice yet, just thinks I have talent¡­¡± Ingrid sighed, ¡°I actually wanted to be Professor Trozan¡¯s apprentice from the start, but he never publicly accepted apprentices. You¡¯re one of the only two exceptions over the years, Sonia!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll recommend you to Professor Trozan tomorrow, though I can¡¯t guarantee anything. It might at least get you an interview¡ª¡± ¡°No need, the professor is clearly focused on nurturing geniuses, and I¡¯m just an ordinary person. Not only wouldn¡¯t he accept me, but he¡¯d probably dislike me for it.¡± Ingrid said as she looked for clothes, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m about to break into the second circle; in a few months, I can summon my Technique Spirit. The Sword Skill department¡¯s resources will open up for me too¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll even catch up to you eventually!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t wait for you.¡± Sonia laughed. ¡°Glad you¡¯re here, Ingrid. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know how to reject Felix¡¯s invitation.¡± Ingrid asked curiously, ¡°I heard he wants to spar with you again. Don¡¯t you want a rematch?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Sonia stated firmly. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to spar, just wants to get closer to me.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t getting closer to Felix a good thing?¡± ¡°Aside from him being a playboy, I can clearly see that my future achievements in swordsmanship will surpass his. I wouldn¡¯t look up to a man who can¡¯t beat me at my strongest skill.¡± ¡°Sword Flower University is too small. I definitely plan to develop over at Truth University in the future. As for romance, I¡¯ll consider it once I¡¯ve achieved something in swordsmanship.¡± Lois¡¯s fingernails almost pierced through the book¡¯s pages. Adelle, who had been watching a program on the light screen, half-joked, half-questioned, ¡°Sonia, are you transferring to Truth University?¡± ¡°No, but Professor Trozan can help me register for swordplay competitions at Truth University and allow me to use their equipment. I might have to juggle between Truth and Sword Flower Universities.¡± Sonia sighed, ¡°The more I think about it, the more exhausted I feel.¡± Adelle exclaimed, ¡°Then you¡¯ll get to meet top students from Truth University! If you find a handsome guy, remember to introduce him to us!¡± ¡°No~ prob~lem~¡± Sonia elongated her words. ¡°If there¡¯s something good, I won¡¯t forget my roommates, who¡¯ve shared a joyful year with me. Right, Lois?¡± Lois¡¯s face contorted with anger, but she managed a strained smile, ¡°Of course, just afraid the Sword Saint Sonia might forget about us roommates.¡± ¡°How could I? I¡¯m just a country village girl. I¡¯ll need Miss Lois¡¯s care in the future.¡± Sonia said mockingly, ¡°Ah, the lady is studying a Water Magic textbook? How envious, I wish I could continue learning Water Magic too, it¡¯s so relaxing and respectable, unlike the Sword Skill department, which is too exhausting~¡± Ingrid realized then that although Sonia was chatting with her, her comments were aimed at Lois. Choosing to ignore their feud, Ingrid headed to the bathroom for a shower. Sonia was ready for Lois to explode, but Lois remained silent, as if resigned to the jibes. Since passive-aggressive banter requires a reaction, and her target had defensively retreated, Sonia found it uninteresting and picked up her bag. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll come back to shower tomorrow morning. I need to prepare for my first Void Realm trip in the meditation room. Everyone, have a pleasant evening.¡± Ingrid was in the shower, and Lois stayed silent, only Adelle replied, ¡°Goodbye, Sonia.¡± ¡­ ¡­ As the footsteps faded away, only the sound of water from the bathroom remained in the dormitory. Adelle glanced at the silent Lois, thought for a moment, and approached her. ¡°Hmph, that village girl Sonia is just a little tart who got lucky. So what if she¡¯s got some talent in swordsmanship? You shouldn¡¯t worry about it, Lois. Someone so arrogant will hit a wall sooner or later¡­ Eh?¡± Upon closer inspection, Adelle found Lois genuinely engrossed in reading, even solving problems from a workbook. ¡°This time, I lost.¡± Lois remarked, ¡°That village girl Sonia is now someone I have to look up to. If things continue like this, when we meet a few years after graduation, I¡¯ll have to bow to her.¡± Imagining her future humiliated self, Lois¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t accept it¡­ I refuse to believe I can¡¯t surpass that village girl!¡± Adelle didn¡¯t disturb her, instead returning to her seat to continue watching her program. Though the show was still captivating, Adelle found it hard to focus. She turned and glanced at Lois again, seeing her still dedicated to studying. After some thought, Adelle turned off the light screen and took out her own books to study. Ingrid finished her shower and was slightly surprised to see the two in the dorm room studying diligently. But she said nothing, quietly heading to the balcony¡¯s sink to wash clothes. ¡­ ¡­ After the guard checked her wristband information, Sonia entered a fully enclosed special building. Just crossing the threshold, Sonia felt herself pass through a thin, invisible boundary, her thought process suddenly accelerated, and the Wave Sword Technique Spirit bounced off her shoulder, looking very excited. ¡°So, will you still be by my side when I enter the Void Realm?¡± Sonia asked. ¡°That¡¯s technically overtime work.¡± said the Observer walking alongside her. ¡°More than my service scope.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t want to¡­?¡± ¡°So, there has to be overtime pay!¡± The Observer rubbed his fingers together. ¡°Even when you chat with someone at a bar, you buy them a drink, right? Going to the Void Realm with you for a chat and tour deserves some gratitude!¡± ¡°I¡¯m super broke!¡± ¡°Besides money, you have plenty of other values to offer.¡± Sonia raised an eyebrow, tugged at her close-fitting shirt with her finger to reveal a deep cleavage, ¡°My most valuable asset is myself¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the answer I was waiting for! You¡¯re now working for me.¡± The Observer snapped his fingers. ¡°Since you haven¡¯t graduated, you¡¯re still on a trial period. And during the trial period, there¡¯s no employment contract, and as for the salary, the energy potion you drank and the wooden sword you¡¯ve been using already cover that, so¡­¡± ¡°So, you want me to work for you for free?¡± ¡°Tsk, how you say that. I give various opportunities for your growth. In your growing phase, some work in return isn¡¯t that the best employer-employee developmental relationship?¡± Sonia didn¡¯t reject this unequal, exploitative contract but questioned, ¡°You¡¯ve invested so much, testing me in dreams, arranging training, and awakening my swordsmanship talents to make me work for you? What¡¯s my job?¡± ¡°Live.¡± ¡°Live?¡± ¡°Living is the rarest thing in the world.¡± The Observer seemed to smile. ¡°Most people merely exist.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡± Sonia said, ¡°Everything given must come with a price. You cultivated me intending to gain more from me. Unless you¡¯re a phantom of my spirit, I can¡¯t see why you¡¯d be so selfless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not selflessness. On the contrary, there¡¯s no one more selfish than I,¡± the Observer laughed. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to live the way I want. Is there anything more selfish?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Ha-ha, I was joking. How could I be so considerate?¡± the Observer laughed. ¡°I do have something to genuinely ask of you. For some reason, I¡¯m really weak now and can¡¯t explore the Void Realm alone, so I need your protection.¡± Mid-conversation, Sonia arrived at room 311. She used her wristband to open the door, revealing a narrow, empty meditation room with an orange carpet covering the floor and bright ceiling lights illuminating every corner. This was the meditation room at Sword Flower University, the best place Sonia could find for entering the Void Realm. She locked the door, sat cross-legged on the carpet, and let the Wave Sword Technique Spirit float on her palm. She poured all her focus into the Technique Spirit, seeking out the Gate of Truth hidden within, attempting her first journey into the Void Realm. Although Sonia managed to summon her first Technique Spirit, she wasn¡¯t yet a One-winged Mage because she hadn¡¯t condensed her ¡°Silver Wings.¡± Without Magic Power, without gathering phantoms, she couldn¡¯t fully activate the Technique Spirit and thus wasn¡¯t considered a Mage. Condensing the Silver Wings required entering the Void Realm, diving into the Sea of Knowledge, attracting knowledge with her soul, extracting Magic Power from knowledge, gathering it as Void Wings, and thus moving the Law Authority to become a Mage! The only way for ordinary people to enter the Void Realm is to find the Gate of Truth within their Technique Spirit, let their soul pass through it, and reach the magical world constructed of Law and Knowledge¡ªthe Void Realm! It¡¯s rumored the Void Realm is tens, hundreds, or even thousands of times larger than the real world. Countless Mages spend their entire lives without ever meeting another person in the Void Realm, so all Mages must rely on themselves for exploring it. The Meditation Building provides a quiet space for Mages to explore the Void Realm. Apart from being undisturbed, Sword Flower University performed the Miracle [Starlight Chasing Shadows], speeding up students¡¯ thought processes and helping them find the Gate of Truth more effortlessly. Additionally, it connects numerous starlights from the Magic Master of Dazzling Stars, making students¡¯ souls exude a fragrance that attracts knowledge, helping them condense the Silver Wings faster! Quickly, Sonia found the Gate of Truth within the Wave Sword Technique Spirit. Since it was her first time, Sonia was as nervous as if she were renting a hotel room. She asked in her mind, ¡°Observer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here. Relax, there¡¯s a sacred bond between us, a divine fate binding you and me.¡± Sonia immediately calmed down, her consciousness touching the Gate of Truth, and her vision was consumed by darkness. When she awoke, she found herself lying in a boat, floating on a lead-grey sea. In front of her was an ink-black sky, surrounded by a misty fog. She lay at the stern and saw a familiar figure at the bow. Sonia: ¡°Observer?¡± Ash: ¡°Sword Maiden?¡± They both glanced at each other and breathed sighs of relief. ¡°` Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Void Realm Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Void Realm Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Here we are, in the Void Realm¡­¡± Ash cupped a handful of seawater, sniffed it, licked it, and surprisingly, it tasted a bit sweet. Looking down, the surface of the sea was extremely blurred, making it impossible to see his own reflection. Examining his attire, he noticed he was wearing the same deep black trench coat as in the illustrations, looking quite dashing. ¡°Just like the Void Realm described in the textbooks.¡± Now that no one else was around, Sonia spoke freely, ¡°This must be the Sea of Knowledge, also known as the Silver Sea, the Sea of Origin¡­ Whether they¡¯re a genius or a common person, a legendary Six-winged Divine Lord or a One-winged Mage, their first stop in the Void Realm is always this ocean.¡± ¡°The only difference is this.¡± Sonia tapped the small boat, looked around, and discovered a book symbol at the bow and a sword symbol at the stern. ¡°The textbooks say that mages arrive here stark naked.¡± ¡°Stark naked?¡± Ash looked at Sonia¡¯s black camisole dress. Sonia¡¯s face instantly turned dark, and she instinctively covered her chest, ¡°Our images in the Void Realm are projections of our consciousness. ¡®Stark naked¡¯ means we can¡¯t rely on any external aids, like bringing items from reality here¡­ I¡¯ve heard people say that when they first enter the Void Realm, they swim directly in the seawater. There shouldn¡¯t be a boat.¡± ¡°I get it!¡± Ash suddenly clapped his hands. ¡°You get what?¡± ¡°This boat must be your true form; you are just a soul phantom!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sonia was taken aback. ¡°Your consciousness has split into two parts, one part, the heavy soul, became this small boat to facilitate your navigation, and the other part, the vibrant mind, took the form you have now,¡± Ash said confidently, ¡°The soul is the boat, the consciousness is the person, and the boat carries the person across to the other side, that¡¯s definitely it!¡± It sounded somewhat reasonable, but¡­ ¡°How do you prove it?¡± Sonia asked. Ash thoughtlessly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, jump into the sea and see. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you can¡¯t leave this boat!¡± Sonia acted on his words and dove into the sea. Fortunately, due to a recent dream trial, Sonia, although never having learned to swim, at least understood some basic swimming skills and didn¡¯t sink like a stone. Soon, Sonia climbed back onto the boat, snorting coldly, ¡°You were wrong. I can leave the boat, and this boat is not a transformation of my soul¡­¡± Personally verifying the Observer¡¯s incorrect statement felt like a victory to Sonia, and she was quite pleased with herself. But then, she turned to see the Observer looking at her. Although his features were still shrouded in darkness, Sonia could fully sense his gaze. She looked down to find her clothes soaked with seawater, clinging wetly to her body, outlining her graceful curves. ¡°You¡ª¡± Sonia, flushed with anger, raised her wooden sword, disregarding the disparity in strength, and was about to unleash the Wave Sword Technique Spirit with a single slash. Ash hastily retreated and surrendered, ¡°Wait, where did you get that wooden sword?¡± Huh? Sonia looked at the wooden sword in her hand. She remembered not having a weapon just a moment ago. But seeing how infuriating the Observer was, she instinctively wanted to smack him with the wooden sword¡­ ¡°You see, when you wanted a wooden sword, it appeared. Clearly, this boat also appeared because you didn¡¯t want to swim,¡± Ash spread his hands, ¡°I just wanted to test it, and doesn¡¯t this prove that the boat is indeed formed by your thoughts?¡± ¡°So was your peeking part of the test too? No, the wooden sword is my familiar weapon, so I could easily manifest it, just like I can manifest clothes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t slander me, I wasn¡¯t peeking; I was looking openly!¡± After this little incident, the initial sense of strangeness and fear of the Void Realm dissipated. Moreover, having someone to accompany them gave both of them a sense of security, as if there was always someone by their side to bear any misfortune. But just as Sonia didn¡¯t know the difference between this ¡®Observer¡¯ and that ¡®Observer,¡¯ Ash didn¡¯t know the difference between this ¡®Sword Maiden¡¯ and that ¡®Sword Maiden.¡¯ ¡­ ¡­ One hour ago. After finishing their meal and returning to the prison dormitory, the Sword Maiden struck up an adult conversation with Ash. ¡°I have two pieces of news for you. The good news is, you¡¯ll have free state-provided housing for life.¡± ¡°What kind of good news is that?¡± ¡°The bad news is, you might be taken out to be executed at any moment.¡± Ash understood, ¡°There¡¯s no chance for me to escape, is there?¡± The Sword Maiden sat on the bed, propping up her legs and looking at Ash sideways, ¡°You should know that mages are the most powerful group in this world, right? As a mortal, you stand no chance against them.¡± ¡°Even the Weak Mage who turned their body into diamond, once disconnected from the Void Realm, is just a diamond rat rolling in a dung pit.¡± ¡°Moreover, today¡¯s experiences should have made you realize that as long as you¡¯re wearing that chip in the back of your neck, no matter where you are, you¡¯re bound by endless chains.¡± At this point, Ash¡¯s expression also changed slightly. He had initially thought the Miracle Chip was akin to an implanted computer, but he hadn¡¯t realized it turned him into a computer¡ªand his admin privileges were remotely controlled by someone else. Whether he could hit someone, what content he could see, even what words he could say, were all under the admin¡¯s control. Today, the admin could make him a polite and rule-abiding civilized youth; tomorrow, the admin could make him gobble up excrement. Before removing the chip, all his plans equated to a virus-infected computer¡ªthe admin only needed to reinstall the system to eliminate everything. If the admin felt that Ash was no longer repairable, they could even perform a factory reset, letting Ash¡¯s life start anew. ¡°Is there a way to remove the chip?¡± Ash gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°For example, by cutting out the back of my neck¡­¡± ¡°If it were that simple, this prison wouldn¡¯t be so lively.¡± The Sword Maiden sneered, ¡°Though it¡¯s called a chip, it¡¯s already integrated deep into your bone marrow as you grew. Every bone, nerve, and muscle of yours now carries the mark of the chip. To remove it, go jump into the molten steel of a steel mill, and you might achieve it.¡± ¡°So, ordinary means can¡¯t remove the chip,¡± Ash said. ¡°What about the mages¡¯ methods?¡± ¡°There are many ways,¡± the Sword Maiden said. ¡°The swordsmanship miracle ¡®Cut Me¡¯ is your best chance.¡± ¡°¡®Cut Me¡¯ is a defense miracle for Sword Masters, specifically used to purify abnormal states. Although it¡¯s a silver miracle a One-winged Mage can use, it can purify most continuous damage from Two-winged Technique Spirits.¡± ¡°The Miracle Chip targets mortals and One-winged Mages but can¡¯t resist the Two-winged power ¡®Cut Me¡¯ miracle. Once you use ¡®Cut Me,¡¯ you can instantly remove all Miracle Chips from your body, thus making an escape possible.¡± ¡°How do I acquire the ¡®Cut Me¡¯ miracle?¡± ¡°To perform miracles, you first need a Technique Spirit. There are four ways to acquire one,¡± the Sword Maiden raised four fingers: ¡°First, resonate with the Void Realm by learning knowledge, making the knowledge of the Void Realm manifest as a Technique Spirit in reality.¡± ¡°Second, go into the Void Realm to find wild Technique Spirits.¡± ¡°Third, kill a mage to seize their Technique Spirit.¡± ¡°Fourth, Technique Spirit trading.¡± ¡°Firstly, the first path is impossible for you.¡± The Sword Maiden glanced at Ash, ¡°The Miracle Chip has severed your link with the Void Realm long ago. No matter how much knowledge you absorb, you will never trigger Void Realm Resonance.¡± Ash glanced at his status on the Light Screen and indeed saw a ¡®Void Realm Resonance Forbidden.¡¯ ¡°The third path, of mortals killing mages, has happened. Most often during moments when a male or female pet murders their master during intimacy¡­¡± The Sword Maiden looked at Ash¡¯s face and shook her head, ¡°You have no chance on this path either.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you leave just a little bit of possibility open? I could rely on my looks!¡± Ash said. ¡°And as for the fourth path, you have no assets to make a trade.¡± ¡°In short,¡± the Sword Maiden cut to the chase, ¡°your only way to get a Technique Spirit is to find a wild one in the Void Realm.¡± Ash asked, ¡°How do I get to the Void Realm?¡± ¡°The only way to reach the Void Realm is to activate the Gate of Truth inside a Technique Spirit and let your consciousness directly traverse into it,¡± the Sword Maiden explained. Ash blinked his eyes. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me, to get into the Void Realm, I need to have a Technique Spirit?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°And my purpose in going to the Void Realm is to find a Technique Spirit?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡­¡± Ash held his head, stepping back. ¡°Isn¡¯t this like the dilemma of college graduates who find all job positions require three years of work experience?! I can¡¯t enter the Void Realm without a Technique Spirit, and to find a Technique Spirit I must enter the Void Realm; isn¡¯t this a deadlock?¡± ¡°Who said you needed to use your own Technique Spirit to enter the Void Realm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The Sword Maiden pointed to herself, ¡°Did you forget? I already have a Wave Sword Technique Spirit, so I have the qualifications to enter the Void Realm. Observer, since you and I have formed a soul bond through the ¡®Handbook,¡¯ and experience can be shared, taking you into the Void Realm is no problem.¡± There¡¯s such a feature? Ash instinctively opened his Mage¡¯s Handbook, intending to look at his talents again, but then noticed a new function module had appeared in the game at some point: ¡°Void Realm Exploration¡±: Organize an operator team to explore the Void Realm. However, when Ash clicked ¡°Void Realm Exploration,¡± selected ¡®Final Observer¡¯ and ¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden,¡¯ and clicked ¡°Ready,¡± nothing happened in reality¡ªbecause the ¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯ was still in ¡°Preparing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed the preparation; you hurry up and confirm too,¡± Ash urged. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get ready; you wait here,¡± the Sword Maiden responded, disappearing with a mischievous smile. Ash was stunned, ¡°What do you need to prepare for?¡± ¡°A lot, lots of things, which a virgin wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What proof do you have to call me a virgin¡ª¡± Ash couldn¡¯t finish as he watched the Sword Maiden vanish into the air with her teasing grin; he could only lie on the bed and wait. Perhaps the regen-treatment had consumed too much of his strength, or the night without a smartphone was too dull; Ash soon fell asleep, his eyes closing wearily. When he woke again, he saw the Sword Maiden sitting on the same boat with him, floating on a fog-shrouded ocean. ¡­ ¡­ On the small boat in the Sea of Knowledge, Ash suddenly remembered something and silently tried to call out the Light Screen. He both failed and succeeded; he succeeded in bringing up the Light Screen, but most functions were unavailable. Indeed, the Void Realm didn¡¯t support physical plug-ins; however, the Mage¡¯s Handbook was still operational. He opened the Mage¡¯s Handbook to ¡°Void Realm Exploration,¡± where a map suddenly popped up on the Light Screen along with a message: ¡°You have entered Void Realm Exploration mode; please read the beginner¡¯s guide¡­¡± On the other side, Sonia noticed Ash being silent, so she focused on the Void Realm, leaning over to stir the seawater with her hand, trying to move the small boat forward. ¡°Wait, Sword Maiden, don¡¯t be so anxious and mess around, let me do it.¡± Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Within 7 Steps, the Gun is Accurate and Fast Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Within 7 Steps, the Gun is Accurate and Fast Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Are you coming?¡± Sonia looked a bit puzzled and cast a doubtful glance at Ash. In the life of a mage, Void Realm Exploration was undoubtedly a crucial part, perhaps even the most important one. Most of the world¡¯s adventures, breakthroughs, and promotions occurred within the Void Realm, and many mages would spend their entire lives exploring it. Compared to the Void Realm, reality was merely a stage for mages to flaunt during their leisure time. Even though the Void Realm was so important, there were still no established strategies for exploring it. Perhaps there were some, but Sonia couldn¡¯t access them given her current status. During her class that afternoon, Sonia specifically asked Professor Trozan for any helpful tips about the Void Realm, but Trozan could only spread his hands helplessly. ¡°The reason mages have equal standing is because we¡¯re all equally ignorant in the Void Realm.¡± Sonia knew Professor Trozan valued her and could recognize that he was a typical swordsman, disdainful of lying to deceive the weak like her. Since even a Three-winged Holy Realm Mage had no effective strategy, Sonia did not place any high hopes on the Observer. ¡°There are indeed dangers in the Void Realm,¡± Sonia cautioned, ¡°If I die here, it¡¯d take three days to recover my spirit.¡± Mages could indeed die in the Void Realm. The most common death was, of course, drowning. When mages tried to explore the Deep Sea or remained static in the water, the Sea of Knowledge could overwhelm them. That¡¯s why Sonia was so surprised by the small boat¡ªit meant they were spared the risk of drowning. The death of a mage in the Void Realm would cause significant trauma to the soul. The stronger the mage, the greater the trauma and the longer the recovery period. A novice Mage like Sonia only needed three days of rest, while a formal Silver Mage would need at least fifteen days, and a Golden Mage would take months. It was said that the recovery time for Holy Sanctuary Mages and Legendary Mages was measured in years. Not being able to explore the Void Realm meant that one¡¯s growth speed would slow down by 90%, so mages had various views on Void Realm Exploration: some were conservative, trying to grow steadily, while others loved to take risks, with the bet being lavish models if they won, and becoming the models themselves if they lost. Sonia used to lean towards adventure because she had nothing to lose. But now she leaned towards caution¡ªafter revealing her swordsmanship talent, Professor Trozan assessed her as ¡®reaching Gold in twenty years, and possibly the Holy Domain in forty.¡¯ In the Kingdom of Stars, a Two-winged Golden Mage could be considered a minor noble, achieving what Sonia considered her life goal. If she could ascend to a Three-winged Holy Domain, she might establish a family and become famous for a while. So Sonia¡¯s petty mindset was quite normal. She wasn¡¯t unaware of a better future, but the pressing reality forced her to hold onto what she had. The world was beautiful and worth fighting for. She could only agree with the latter half. But no matter how conservative she was, Sonia had to explore the Void Realm; staying put was not an option. Numerous school teachers, and even Professor Trozan specifically reminded her: never linger in the same place. No one knew what would happen if someone stayed in one place for too long, but those who stood still after entering the Void Realm soon stopped breathing in reality, unable to be saved even by a Healing Mage, because their souls weren¡¯t in their bodies. Thus, there was a saying: if you stand still in the Void Realm, your body assumes you¡¯re dead and dies on the spot. ¡°I heard that when you first enter the Void Realm, it¡¯s safest to head towards the shallowest fog,¡± Sonia said. This was not a strategy, at most a tip summarized by the senior mages of Sword Flower University, with less than a 60% success rate, while the other 40% encountered danger. But on this completely unknown sea, a 60% chance was worth a gamble. ¡°No, we need to go that way.¡± Ash pointed toward the densest fog, through which nothing could be seen, instilling a hint of fear. Sonia wanted to say something, but the small boat automatically steered in that direction, diverting her attention, ¡°You can control this boat? Is this boat yours?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And yet you tricked me into jumping into the sea earlier!?¡± Seeing Sonia grasp the wooden sword again, Ash quickly explained, ¡°I only just discovered I could control this boat. I sincerely meant it when I told you to jump into the sea!¡± ¡°Sincerely hoping to make me look foolish?¡± ¡°Sincerely wanted to see you wet¡­ hey hey, calm down, calm down, we¡¯ve entered an unknown area and might encounter danger at any moment!¡± The white fog rushed in, and the unknown could appear at any time, leaving Sonia no choice but to sit down in frustration. However, as they passed through layers of white fog, Sonia felt something flowing into her body. Her consciousness became more clear, her skin began to glow silver, and a wealth of swordsmanship knowledge suddenly surfaced in her mind. This was why mages had to explore the Void Realm¡ªsimply moving within the Void Realm allowed mages to automatically gain its knowledge and condense their knowledge into Magic Power of Silver! When a large amount of Magic Power of Silver settled and formed, it would manifest as a Void Wings Mage¡¯s emblem of strength: Silver Wings! Suddenly, Sonia understood why mages loved immersing themselves in the Void Realm. This feeling of gaining knowledge every second and becoming stronger with each moment was akin to the comfort of stretching wide in the morning. While Sonia enjoyed the pleasure brought by knowledge, Ash behaved like a slacker student pulling small tricks during class, constantly watching the map on the Light Screen. In the center of the map was a small boat, surrounded by eight squares. The small boat was entering the upper left square. Indeed, this was the game¡¯s ¡°Void Realm Exploration¡± mode. As Ash moved the small boat in the game, the small boat in the Void Realm moved correspondingly. Besides moving, Ash could also check the information in these eight squares: ¡°A Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Seeking Death,¡± ¡°A Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°A Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°A Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Worth Going,¡± ¡°Troublesome,¡± ¡°Better Not Go.¡± Among the eight hints, ¡°A Waste of Effort¡± clearly meant the square had nothing, ¡°Seeking Death¡± indicated danger, Ash couldn¡¯t figure out ¡°Better Not Go,¡± while ¡°Worth Going¡± was clearly a game hint. Soon, after passing through layers of white fog, an island shrouded in thick mist appeared before the two. Seeing this, Sonia suddenly recalled that the place where the Observer once conducted her dream trial was exactly like the Void Realm! No wonder the Observer was so confident; being able to use the Void Realm for trials meant exploring the Void Realm was no big deal! The boat slowly came to a stop, and as the two stepped onto the island, the thick mist suddenly dispersed, revealing a Hunter wearing a wide-brimmed hat and holding a long rifle. ¡°Beyond seven steps, the rifle is faster.¡± The Hunter raised the rifle and took aim at the two of them, ¡°Within seven steps, the rifle is both precise and fast!¡± ¡°` Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Hunting Record Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Hunting Record Editor: Atlas Studios A gunshot rang out, and the two of them leapt in opposite directions to dodge the gun bullets! Suddenly, an explosion sounded in the air as the bullets fired by the hunter burst into shrapnel, and both Ash and Sonia were inevitably grazed by them! Ash thought it would hurt, but as the bullets passed through his body, he only felt as if he had lost something, and it felt as exhausting as running a 400-meter race. He suddenly remembered that he was in a state of consciousness, not actually a true physical body. Being hit by bullets only resulted in a loss of soul energy. Compared to Ash¡¯s sudden realization, Sonia, who had attended Void Realm advanced courses, had foreseen this. After dodging, she immediately charged toward the hunter, raising her wooden sword high and slashing at the hunter from a distance. The blade gathered a faint white light, which transformed into a crescent wave moving toward the hunter as she swung it! ¡°Wave Motion Sword!¡± This was the Vosloda Family¡¯s secret technique spirit, Wave Motion Sword! Among the sword technique faction, it was a rare long-range attack technique spirit, capable of branching out into powerful attack miracles such as ¡°Crack Wave Slash¡± and ¡°Silver Wheel Burst!¡± ¡°Three-thousand techniques, with a gun in hand, nothing can rival its speed, nothing can withstand!¡± The hunter sang as he dodged, and his long-barreled gun glimmered with light, astonishingly firing another bullet, even though it appeared to be an ancient flintlock! But Ash and Sonia, well-prepared, were naturally not flustered. Not to mention Ash dodging with a lazy donkey roll, Sonia directly sheathed her sword, performed an iaido step, and unleashed a rotating wave slash! Clang! Not only were the bullets deflected, but even the hunter, several steps away, was severely cut by the rotating slash, with the long barrel of his gun cleaved off! Without needing words, Ash rushed forward to bear-hug and restrained the hunter. Sonia, recovering from her iaido stance, took two steps in three strides, lifted the wooden sword, and struck fiercely! Without any sound, under the violent hit of the wooden sword, the hunter transformed into a thick mist and dissipated, dropping a cowhide-bound notebook onto the rocky ground. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, you almost blew my head off!¡± Ash looked at the wooden sword embedded in the rock and touched his head fearfully. ¡°There was just a little distance left,¡± Sonia said with a tone full of regret, bending down to pick up the cowhide notebook. She flipped through a couple of pages, shook her head, and handed it to Ash. Ash took it and looked, discovering it was a¡­ well, a hunting record? The first page was the information of a rat, detailing its weight, size, fur color, cause of death, and even a photo showing the rat pinned to a wall by an arrow. The second page featured a spider, the third a rabbit, the fourth a roe deer¡­ and by the tenth page, there was finally something different. Not only was the prey this time a ferocious carnivore, a wild wolf, but the notebook¡¯s owner had also learned a new skill: He trapped and killed the wild wolf using a trap. By the twenty-third page, the one logged in the notebook was a Beastman soldier clad in full iron armor, wielding a long-barreled gun. The next twenty pages were all Beastman soldiers shot to death, but what caught Ash¡¯s attention more was that the notebook owner seemed to have abandoned his past archery skills, relying on the long gun brought by the Beastman soldiers and the use of traps in the jungle, single-handedly opposing an entire Beastman battalion. The notebook didn¡¯t mention any details regarding the notebook¡¯s owner, but Ash vaguely discerned a story: A young boy born in a hunter family, living in a jungle village, inherited the hunting skills of his ancestors, but a sudden Beastman army destroyed everything. Their proud archery couldn¡¯t penetrate the Beastmen¡¯s armor, while the Beastmen¡¯s muskets easily shattered their bodies. The boy abandoned archery and quickly mastered gun techniques, hunting Beastman soldiers like a Death God in the jungle he knew so well he could navigate with his eyes closed, avenging the villagers. The formidable presence of the boy was evident from the Beastman¡¯s expressions before death: The first few killed appeared calm, likely shot while urinating or defecating. The later ones showed increasing fear, clearly while fleeing. The last one abandoned his weapons, hiding in the bushes, face filled with piety, as if begging the Death God to overlook him. After all the Beastman soldiers had died, the notebook¡¯s owner seemed to have gone through a period of confusion. The hunting targets in the notebook included animals, people, Beastmen, Goblins, rich men, robbers, prostitutes, and common folk. After one hundred pages, the hunting targets of the notebook¡¯s owner suddenly stabilized on one: Beastmen. There were a full three hundred pages of information, all different Beastmen hunted by the notebook¡¯s owner. Although nothing was directly mentioned, Ash speculated from the death causes of the Beastmen: First, the Beastmen were all killed by the notebook owner with a ¡®Type V Standard Tribal Rifle.¡¯ Second, the Beastmen bore more than one bullet hole. Therefore, Ash inferred that the notebook owner probably joined the army and killed Beastmen during the war. He didn¡¯t just kill soldiers but also children, women, old people, and even his comrades¡­ Regardless of who the target was, he never changed weapons, always ending their lives with a single bullet. Later, the notebook owner seemed to settle down, either because his hunting targets were herbivores like rabbits and deer, or because those dying by his hand were no longer soldiers and robbers, but maids, servants, and slaves. Notably, the servants¡¯ death rate wasn¡¯t slow. He likely owned an estate with many servants attending to him, but due to war aftereffects, he constantly kept a gun, and fired without hesitation at servants upon suspicion¡­ Suddenly, an old woman appeared in the hunting notes. Ash guessed she might be the notebook owner¡¯s wife because her eyes showed not horror, fear, or bewilderment, but pity. Pity towards the notebook owner. When Ash flipped to the last page, he confirmed that the deceased¡¯s details were actually the notebook owner¡¯s: ¡°Carbin Story.¡± ¡°Human Race, male, 56 years.¡± ¡°Weight: 72 kilograms.¡± ¡°Height: 1.76 meters.¡± ¡°Features: Brown skin, abundant hair, body odor.¡± ¡°Cause of death: Killed by bow and arrow.¡± The photo depicted a worn, yet dignified old man, already raising his hand cannon towards the enemy, but forever failing to pull the trigger, pierced through the eyes by an arrow. Ash didn¡¯t know who killed him with a bow, possibly an old nemesis, the old woman¡¯s son, or a burglar; Ash also wasn¡¯t sure why he, despite being battle-hardened, was slower than the bow this time, whether due to body sluggishness, or contempt for the bow? Anyway, Carbin Story¡¯s hunting record ended there. Perhaps his name would appear in someone else¡¯s hunting record. Turning to the end, Ash discovered an iron medal inside. The words on the medal were unreadable to Ash, but since it was made of iron, it likely held little value, perhaps being Carbin¡¯s first medal. Perhaps, this medal symbolized the golden moments of Carbin¡¯s life. Ash picked up the medal, feeling a warm current flow into his hand, followed by a message popping up on the light screen: ¡°Rapid Fire.¡± ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit.¡± ¡°Restriction: Requires possessing a long-range shooting tool.¡± ¡°Basic Effect: After one shot, instantly perform a second shot.¡± ¡°Passive Effect: Increases accuracy of long-range shooting.¡± ¡°¡®There are moments when a few seconds delay can never be caught up in a lifetime.''¡± At the same time, a message automatically popped up in the game: ¡°Detected convertible currency, exchange for points?¡± Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Mages Handbook Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Mage¡¯s Handbook Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Ash had almost forgotten that the ¡°Mage¡¯s Handbook¡± game allowed for recharging. He had thought the source crystals he got from daily log-ins were his only means for card draws, and he hadn¡¯t expected that this world actually had a currency recognized by the game. Regardless of whether its value was high or low, this discovery sent a thrill of excitement through Ash and gave him renewed motivation¡ªlike when a boss tells you, ¡°work hard, and next time you¡¯ll be promoted,¡± even if the hope is slim, at least there¡¯s something to look forward to. But he didn¡¯t dare spend his medals so rashly, as he soon realized that these medals were actually the extraordinary foundation of this world, a source of power avidly sought by mages¡ªTechnique Spirits! ¡°Do you want this Technique Spirit?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you want it?¡± To Ash¡¯s surprise, Sonia showed no interest in this Technique Spirit, responding, ¡°Then you take it.¡± Now Ash was curious: ¡°This is a Technique Spirit, don¡¯t you want it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s neither a Sword Technique Spirit nor a Universal Technique Spirit. It would be useless to me and a waste of my money.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it got to do with money?¡± Ash asked, bewildered. Sonia felt as if the Observer was secretly mocking her financial struggles. After all, if the Observer could steer a small boat through the Void Realm, how could he not understand such basic mage knowledge? Or was the Observer so wealthy that he didn¡¯t need to worry about feeding Technique Spirits? Novels often feature humorous scenes where ¡°wealthy nobles don¡¯t understand common knowledge,¡± but she never thought she¡¯d encounter such a nearly extinct species in real life. With Sonia¡¯s explanation, Ash finally realized that the Technique Spirit ecology of this world was far more complex than he¡¯d imagined. First, Technique Spirits needed to be fed, and they required currency to do so! Silver coins and gold coins were the main sustenance for Technique Spirits; a One-winged Technique Spirit needed to be fed silver coins, while a Two-winged Technique Spirit required gold coins. Technique Spirits that went unfed would dissipate on their own. Some poor mages might actually starve their Technique Spirits to death! Besides currency, Technique Spirits could also be nourished with other materials, but the materials required for each Technique Spirit were different and very tedious to find. However, since silver and gold coins served as universal feed for all Technique Spirits, mages eventually forgot how to properly feed their Technique Spirits. In the end, they just stuffed them with money. Additionally, Technique Spirits consumed a mage¡¯s spirit merely by existing. Mages with numerous Technique Spirits, like men with many girlfriends, found not only their wallets but also their bodies strained. Therefore, for low-level mages, especially those with good proletarian traditions, Technique Spirits were not simply better in large numbers. They needed to selectively choose Technique Spirits suitable for them. ¡°Fewer but finer¡± was the development strategy for most low-level mages. Secondly, there were usage restrictions for Technique Spirits. Based on these restrictions, Technique Spirits were divided into different factions, such as the Sword Technique Faction, which required swords, the Gun Master Faction for gun usage, and the Weak Faction, demanding physical prowess. Specialized Technique Spirits that imposed high requirements on mages were marked as specific faction spirits or specialized spirits, like the ¡°Wave Motion Sword,¡± which necessitated using a sword. Technique Spirits that imposed little to no requirements, or requirements that the vast majority of mages could easily meet, were termed universal spirits, like ¡°Eagle Eye,¡± which only needed a mage to have eyes to activate. Generally, a mage¡¯s Technique Spirits consisted of both specialized and universal spirits. Ideally, the specialized spirits should not exceed two factions; the matching of universal spirits should be checked to avoid retaining useless spirits. Sonia would have inevitably sold this ¡°Rapid Fire¡± spirit rather than waste money keeping it. The reason Sonia wasn¡¯t interested in this Technique Spirit was simple: ¡°Rapid Fire¡± wasn¡¯t worth much. ¡°¡®Rapid Fire¡¯ is a product of the Flintlock Gun era from hundreds of years ago. We¡¯re now in the age of automatic rifles and pistols, where pistols can unload seven bullets in a second, so there¡¯s hardly a need for ¡®Rapid Fire¡¯.¡± Sonia spread her hands. ¡°Although ¡®Rapid Fire¡¯ can also be used in mortars, naval guns, and the like, those weapons have better Technique Spirit options and wouldn¡¯t use ¡®Rapid Fire.''¡± ¡°The school¡¯s buying price for such outdated spirits is at most a silver coin each¡ªthe lowest price for a One-winged Technique Spirit.¡± Ash had already known about the Sword Maiden attending school, but he didn¡¯t pay it any mind, thinking it was just a game setting. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it!¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Sonia said casually. Ash silently uttered ¡°redeem¡± and the medal in his hand dissipated into mist, with a game notification popping up: ¡°Recharge successful! You¡¯ve gained 10 points.¡± The lowest price option in the game was six points for one source crystal, implying that this ¡°Rapid Fire¡± Technique Spirit could only get 1.5 source crystals, whereas a card draw required three source crystals, effectively valuing two One-winged Technique Spirits to equal one card draw. For a Technique Spirit to be an extraordinary force, its price was as low as that of a fresh university graduate¡¯s salary¡­ Ash clicked his tongue, glancing at the Hunting Notes in his hand. ¡°What¡¯s this notebook about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Mage¡¯s Handbook!¡± Sonia gave Ash a strange look. ¡°Mage¡¯s Handbook?¡± Ash was taken aback. Sonia nodded. ¡°The Mage¡¯s Handbook summarizes a mage¡¯s life in some form. For instance, this handbook documents the hunting targets of this Gun Master during his lifetime, indicating that hunting was a significant part of his life. Well, it¡¯s essentially a mage¡¯s diary.¡± ¡°However, this isn¡¯t a voluntary diary written by mages but something that emerges naturally after their deaths. Their souls automatically return to the Void Realm as a mage¡¯s projection, with their life memories condensing into a book¡ªmuch like birth, old age, sickness, and death, it¡¯s an unavoidable natural law.¡± ¡°We call this book the Mage¡¯s Handbook.¡± ¡°If the Void Realm is the graveyard for mages, then the Mage¡¯s Handbook is the headstone.¡± It was at this moment that Ash realized the Hunter from earlier was the projection of a dead person. He had previously assumed it was a living person and wondered how he could so easily encounter other mages. But even if it were a living person, he wouldn¡¯t have held back; since dying in the Void Realm didn¡¯t mean true death. Sonia continued, ¡°Like medals, the Mage¡¯s Handbook can also be used. You can absorb the handbook directly with your consciousness; this way, you¡¯ll gain a randomly selected skill from the book that doesn¡¯t belong to any Magic Faction¡ªentirely random.¡± Ash asked, ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it. Just reading a few pages made me feel tired,¡± Sonia shook her head. ¡°But you¡¯ve read through the whole handbook; you¡¯re sure to absorb it without any contamination.¡± ¡°Contamination?¡± ¡°The Mage¡¯s Handbook is contaminative. Generally, mages can only read handbooks from those with similar worldviews, values, and outlooks. Forcibly absorbing incompatible handbooks could damage the soul and even cause schizophrenia.¡± ¡°Is it that serious?¡± ¡°Serious, yes, but easily prevented. As long as you don¡¯t feel uncomfortable while browsing a Mage¡¯s Handbook, it means there won¡¯t be a problem with absorbing it.¡± Hearing this, Sonia was also curious: ¡°From what I know, it¡¯s fortunate for ordinary mages to find two or three absorbable Mage¡¯s Handbooks out of ten. Some mages might never encounter one in their entire lives. How are you able to absorb any randomly picked Mage¡¯s Handbook without contamination?¡± Ash couldn¡¯t answer that. Following Sonia¡¯s instructions, he guided his consciousness to the Hunting Notes in his hand. The Hunting Notes transformed into a light mist that flowed into him. Soon, Ash felt as if a chunk of ice in his consciousness had melted, flooding him with indescribable knowledge. When he checked the ¡°Operator Management¡± in the game, he found a new skill added. ¡°Counter Reconnaissance Mastery¡± As a jungle hunter and a war soldier, Cabin Stoli undoubtedly honed this survival skill in battle, even if he hadn¡¯t formally learned counter reconnaissance. For Ash, who planned to escape, counter reconnaissance could come in handy. After Ash finished absorbing the Hunting Notes, they found the island was sinking. The two hurriedly returned to the boat, and before long, the island totally vanished, leaving the sea silent, as if nothing had ever happened. ¡°This is the peculiar nature of the Void Realm, fickle meetings serving only inheritance,¡± Sonia mused. ¡°The Sea of Knowledge holds countless Inheritance Islands, quietly waiting to be found by new mages. Once an inheritance is taken, the island returns to the sea¡­ Some say, islands are the evolutionary footprints of a mage¡¯s obsessions, vestiges left by old mages wishing to be remembered by future generations, so they place their inheritances on the sea.¡± ¡°All mages leave deep traces upon the Void Realm. Here, we¡¯ll encounter endless legacies of those who came before us, engage with gunmen from centuries past, converse with wise ones from millennia ago¡ªanything can happen¡­ Yet our traces, too, will remain in the Void Realm. When, centuries from now, a mage tears through the white mist, they¡¯ll face the challenges left behind by you and me.¡± ¡°Sounds quite romantic.¡± ¡°Does it? Do you think it¡¯s romantic to have your life passed down in such an unvarnished manner for future generations to admire your great achievements?¡± Suddenly, Ash didn¡¯t find it romantic: ¡°Can mages delete some life records before they die, like ¡®Study Materials,¡¯ ¡®Art and Life,¡¯ and so on?¡± ¡°How to die with dignity and how to live shabbily have always been two major research projects for mages.¡± Although she hadn¡¯t gained anything, since Ash benefited immensely, Sonia felt relaxed and stretched on the boat, ¡°Where to next? You decide, I¡¯m listening.¡± The battle at the island was not at all dangerous. If Ash could always find such Inheritance Islands, Sonia would eagerly take the risk. If she could just once stumble upon a Technique Spirit from the Sword Skill or a suitable Mage¡¯s Handbook, it would be a huge profit. Many mages¡¯ greatest hope was a smooth exploration in the Void Realm. Encountering no dangers would already be enough to inspire their praise. ¡°Let me see¡­¡± Ash opened ¡°Void Realm Exploration¡± to check the surroundings: ¡°Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Better Not Go,¡± ¡°Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Waste of Effort,¡± ¡°Waste of Effort.¡± ¡°Ah, well?¡± Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28 The Legend of the Golden Fish Chapter 28: Chapter 28 The Legend of the Golden Fish Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°He didn¡¯t catch up, did he?¡± ¡°No, no, he shouldn¡¯t be able to swim, right?¡± ¡°What kind of route is this? It¡¯s really causing harm.¡± ¡°I did tell you there might be some danger before we set out. Who was it that confidently said, just like a student with a cheat sheet, that there¡¯s no problem?¡± ¡°Is this what you¡¯d call just a bit dangerous!?¡± Amidst the white mist of the Sea of Knowledge, Ash and Sonia lay on the small boat, panting heavily, their forms as faint as the surrounding mist, as if they might fade away at any moment. Even their arguing was weak and feeble. Just moments before, having navigated for almost an hour without any success, Ash couldn¡¯t help but suggest to Sonia that they venture into an area on the map marked ¡°Better not go.¡± Entering the Void Realm for the first time, Sonia was filled with confidence, and so the two of them broke through the white mist and entered the dangerous area. However, not only was there no Inheritance Island in the dangerous area, but there was also a huge fish with wings. It capsized Ash¡¯s small boat and could shoot water cannons, causing sponges to blast up tens of meters high. Ash and Sonia just brushed against the water cannon, and their bodies felt as if they had been sanded down hundreds of times. Fortunately, the small boat was very sturdy; even when overturned, it stubbornly floated on the surface. The two scrambled back onto the boat, quickly paddling away from the dangerous area with their hands. That giant fish even continued to pursue them, flying towards the small boat. Fortunately, Ash acted quickly, using ¡°Void Realm Exploration¡± to control the boat and accelerate away, barely dodging the fish¡¯s headlong charge and avoiding their first drop of blood in the Void Realm. Having caught their breath, Sonia looked at a soaked Ash, her beautiful eyes flickering with doubt as she nonchalantly asked, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you kill that fish dragon?¡± Ash didn¡¯t suspect anything, panting heavily, ¡°If even you can¡¯t do it, how could I?¡± Is the Observer really this weak? Many thoughts flashed through Sonia¡¯s mind, but they eventually settled into silence. Even if the Final Observer was weak, she was helpless. She had no way to kill the Observer, and she hadn¡¯t found a way to resist its control. Even Professor Trozan hadn¡¯t detected the Observer¡¯s presence. Moreover, after the Final Observer demonstrated its ability to explore the Void Realm, Sonia¡¯s mindset subtly shifted. Even having just become a Void-Winged Mage, Sonia understood the importance of the Void Realm to Void-Winged Mages. She realized how remarkable and extraordinary it was for the Final Observer to have the ability to see through the Void Realm¡¯s mist. It was well-known that no one could penetrate the Void Realm¡¯s mist, and that¡¯s why all mages were equal¡ªfaced with unknown risks and rewards, everyone was equal. The strong could fall, and the weak had a chance to rise overnight! This is what¡¯s called equal opportunity! Now, here was a being who could discern unknown risks and stand above all mages! The highest among mages, the Final Observer! If following the Observer¡¯s orders before had been somewhat involuntary, Sonia¡¯s mindset had now mildly shifted. She was awed by the Observer¡¯s abilities, even beginning to anticipate a bright future led by the Observer, much like a descent into corruption. Originally, Sonia wanted to ask why the Observer had chosen her, what made her different, but then she thought: if the Observer suddenly realized, ¡°Oh right, I don¡¯t need you,¡± and abandoned her, wouldn¡¯t she miss the chance to become someone significant? Moreover, without strong power, how did the Observer control her actions, see through the Void Realm¡¯s mist, and drag her into dream trials? She had to be wary of the Observer playing the weak card! If Sonia fell for this, the Observer might take advantage of it, arranging harsher punishments to mistreat her! ¡°By the way, what was that fish just now?¡± Here it comes, asking even such common-sense questions, acting, you¡¯re just pretending! Sonia played along: ¡°Fish dragon, one of the most common knowledge creatures in the Void Realm. Killing it can yield Technique Spirits from various factions, such as the Water Technique Faction and Earth Technique Faction. If this fish dragon had killed other mages before, it might contain other mages¡¯ Technique Spirits.¡± In the Void Realm, there were only two types of intelligent creatures: mages and knowledge creatures. As the name suggests, when a mage kills a knowledge creature, they can obtain the knowledge it condensed¡ªTechnique Spirits. Unlike the legacies left by mages, the Technique Spirits from knowledge creatures are not fixed. Although they generally belong to the same faction, a fish dragon won¡¯t yield a Fire Technique Faction Spirit. Even within the same faction, there are many different Technique Spirits, and the spoils from knowledge creatures change with version updates. For example, if a mage in reality invented a new knowledge system and summoned a new kind of Technique Spirit, then other mages in the Void Realm could directly obtain this newly invented Technique Spirit by killing knowledge creatures. If the new knowledge system is too novel and crazy, it might directly spawn new types of knowledge creatures, expanding the biodiversity of the Void Realm. Like ¡°equal opportunity,¡± this is also one of the important premises of mage equality: ¡°knowledge equality.¡± No one can monopolize knowledge forever. No matter how you guard your newly invented knowledge, other mages can still obtain your results in the Void Realm. If you want to maintain an advantage, you must keep innovating. Those who cling to outdated methods, hoping for permanent lead with one invention, are no different from fools staying in one place in the Void Realm for too long. If you don¡¯t venture forth, the Void Realm will devour you; if you don¡¯t innovate, reality will beat you down. After introducing knowledge creatures, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but probe, ¡°Since you know there¡¯s danger in the mist, can¡¯t you detect what kind of creature it is?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t detect it, I only know the level of danger in the mist relative to us, not specifically what the danger is.¡± Sonia was a bit disappointed, ¡°Then you certainly can¡¯t find the golden fish either.¡± ¡°Golden fish?¡± Ash was puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± It was like someone asked her, ¡°What¡¯s one plus one?¡± Sonia pursed her lips, and suddenly a thought came to her: was he trying to use asking dumb questions to cultivate my obedience? If I resist, would he think my loyalty isn¡¯t high enough, and then punish me severely? With that thought, Sonia became cautious and answered the seemingly simple question seriously: ¡°The golden fish is a fish floating on the surface of the Sea of Knowledge. On its back is the Time Continent, and the Time Continent is where the Two-winged Mages go¡­¡± ¡°Wait, a continent?¡± Ash interrupted, ¡°How big is this fish?¡± ¡°Huge. No one has seen the entire golden fish, and it¡¯s said that the smallest scales on a golden fish are equivalent to a big city that can accommodate millions of people.¡± ¡°With a fish that big, shouldn¡¯t it be easy to find?¡± ¡°On the contrary, only a very few lucky ones have found the golden fish in the Sea of Knowledge, and without exception, those lucky ones have become renowned Legendary Mages.¡± Ash uttered an ¡°oh,¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the benefit of finding the golden fish?¡± ¡°You ascend to the Time Continent and become a Two-winged Mage.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Directly become a Two-winged Mage.¡± Sonia held back her impatience, thinking the kids she tutored weren¡¯t this clueless: ¡°The biggest difference between a One-winged Mage and a Two-winged Mage is that the former is in the Sea of Knowledge, while the latter is on the Time Continent.¡± ¡°When a One-winged Mage gathers Magic Power to the limit in the Sea of Knowledge and spreads out the Silver Wings, they can¡¯t gain more power during navigation. If they want to ascend to a higher realm, they must advance to Two-winged.¡± ¡°The normal way to ascend is for a mage to study knowledge, summon a Two-winged Technique Spirit, and then find the Gate of Truth within the Two-winged Technique Spirit to pass through the Void Realm, reaching the second layer of the Void Realm¡ªthe Time Continent. Only on the Time Continent can a mage absorb more Magic Power and condense the second Void Wing: Golden Wings.¡± A One-winged Mage navigates the Sea of Knowledge, condensing Silver Wings, while a Two-winged Mage walks the Time Continent, condensing Golden Wings¡­ Ash initially understood the mage¡¯s power system, but he had a question: ¡°Can a One-winged Mage obtain a Two-winged Technique Spirit from someone else and then directly reach the Time Continent?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Sonia shook her head, ¡°Unless it¡¯s a Technique Spirit summoned by themselves, a mage can¡¯t find the Gate of Truth inside it. Even searching within the Technique Spirit is very difficult¡ªTechnique Spirits are made of knowledge. If you don¡¯t understand the structure of the Technique Spirit, how can you explore the secrets of the Technique Spirit?¡± Ash now understood how mages ascend: summon higher-grade Technique Spirits, use them to pass through higher Void Realms, and as they grow stronger, continue to summon higher-grade Technique Spirits, repeating the cycle. With ¡°equal opportunity¡± and ¡°knowledge equality¡± as premises, adventure and research run through the life of a mage. No one can retire comfortably; as long as you don¡¯t give up your current benefits, you must continue to explore and create benefits. This process not only ensures a healthy development of the mage system but continually optimizes old mages who stop striving¡­ Sounds a bit like a KPI system! Throw in an elimination system, and it¡¯d be perfect! Realizing that mages are just another kind of working person, Ash suddenly felt confident: when it comes to hard work and competition, he¡¯s never lost! ¡°Wait, if we can find the golden fish in the Sea of Knowledge and ascend to the Time Continent, isn¡¯t that a shortcut to promotion?¡± ¡°We prefer to call that ¡®smugglers,¡¯ smugglers sneaking from the bottom to the top¡­ That¡¯s why mages want to find the golden fish.¡± Sonia shrugged, ¡°Who can refuse the temptation of getting something for nothing?¡­ So, can you find the golden fish?¡± ¡°I wish I could.¡± ¡°Then why are you asking me so many questions? Let¡¯s keep navigating.¡± Sonia looked at her somewhat ethereal hands, ¡°Let¡¯s not go to places where battles occur. I¡¯m a bit tired. If we navigate one or two more areas, I really have to leave the Void Realm.¡± Ash nodded, feeling tired as well. Navigating the Void Realm is not without cost. While passing through the white mist concentrates their Magic Power, it also tempers their spirit, consuming their soul energy. When their soul energy drops to a certain level, they must exit the Void Realm to rest. Every ordinary voyage is filled with countless precious miracles. Ash activated the ¡°Void Realm Exploration,¡± and unsurprisingly saw many areas marked as ¡°A Waste of Effort¡± and ¡°Better Not Go.¡± But this time, he noticed an area in the lower right corner of the map glowing gold! The note below the area read: ¡°Welcome!¡± Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Smuggler Ash Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Smuggler Ash Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°So this is¡­ a Technique Spirit.¡± In the single dormitory of Shattered Lake Prison, Ash looked at the Technique Spirit lying in his palm, sleeping soundly in its blue striped pajamas, resembling a human infant. He felt a kinship deep in his heart. On this night¡¯s final adventure in the Void Realm, Ash and his companion ventured to a marked area enveloped in white mist labeled ¡°Welcome,¡± where they discovered an island of chance encounters. Unlike Inheritance Island, this small island presented no dangers and no trials. Wild Technique Spirits frolicked and played on the island. When they set foot on the island, the Technique Spirits scattered; despite their keen eyes and swift hands, they only managed to catch two Technique Spirits. These captured spirits, resigned to their fate, agreed to acknowledge them as their masters. Each of the two received a Technique Spirit; the one that Ash ended up with was the human infant peacefully asleep in his palm¡ª¡¯Substitute.¡¯ ¡°Substitute¡± ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡± ¡°Restriction: Magician must be a primate intelligent creature.¡± ¡°Basic Effect: Creates a phantom identical to a target that shatters upon impact. If the target is an intelligent creature, it will follow the magician¡¯s commands.¡± ¡°Passive Effect: Slightly alleviates pain.¡± ¡°¡®If it hurts, just think of yourself as someone else, then it won¡¯t anymore.''¡± The Sword Maiden acquired a Water Technique Faction Spirit, ¡®Rapid Stream.¡¯ ¡°Rapid Stream¡± ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡± ¡°Restriction: Unclaimed liquid must be nearby.¡± ¡°Basic Effect: Shoots a stream of water with kinetic impact.¡± ¡°Passive Effect: Enhances control over liquids.¡± ¡°¡®Gentle flow is life; drastic flow is change. Nothing is immutable except the flow itself.''¡± According to the Sword Maiden, the Rapid Stream Spirit could fetch a high price in her school¡¯s markets, as it was one of the rare high-burst attack Technique Spirits in water magic factions, capable of generating many powerful miracles. However, it was challenging to summon, resulting in an exorbitantly high price, even exceeding some Two-winged Technique Spirits. Although Ash wanted to comment that a paper figurine had no need for money, he reconsidered, realizing it might be a game mechanic for auto-upgrade. More importantly, he needed to cling to the Sword Maiden at this crucial project phase¡ªoffending the only tech resourceful person was unbelievable folly! So, they happily completed their division of spoils; the Sword Maiden was satisfied, and Ash was even more so, because the Substitute Technique Spirit was an essential Technique Spirit for the Miracle of Severance! Ash¡¯s immediate priority was to gather the required Technique Spirits for the Miracle of Severance to entirely shatter the control of the chip on his nape; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t even attempt an escape! Ash intently gazed at the Substitute Technique Spirit in his palm, pushing the mysterious mental energy he felt in his mind. Since returning from the Void Realm, Ash discovered his spiritual consciousness had materialized. It felt as though imagination had become a tangible force, like an invisible phantom limb, allowing him to use spiritual power to interact with reality. Without needing affirmation, Ash knew this spiritual energy was the Magic Power the Sword Maiden frequently mentioned. It¡¯s a mage¡¯s universal energy and the basis for them to command Technique Spirits. Without Magic Power, a mage was no different than an ordinary person. Conversely, if you possessed Magic Power, you were a mage, even if an unskilled one. But Ash remembered that before entering the Void Realm, he had no Magic Power at all. The sources of this Magic Power were clear to Ash. Together with the Sword Maiden, as they traversed the Void Realm, every layer of white mist they pierced not only honed his Spirit but drew in free knowledge, generating universal energy¡ªMagic Power under dual influence. Thus, upon returning from the Void Realm, Ash not only gained a Technique Spirit but obtained Magic Power, too. In other words, he was now a thoroughly genuine and highly pure mage. However¡­ Ash tried using a mental probe to explore the Substitute Technique Spirit¡¯s form, but the feedback was as perplexing as listening sections of a level-six foreign language exam¡ªmeaningless even when scrutinized sentence by sentence. It perfectly aligned with the Sword Maiden¡¯s explanation that ¡®unless summoning a Technique Spirit personally, you can¡¯t even parse its construction.¡¯ Unable to analyze it, Ash couldn¡¯t possibly find the Gate of Truth within the Substitute Technique Spirit. This indicated that Ash was a mage incapable of entering the Void Realm willingly! This contradicted the Sword Maiden¡¯s portrayal of the mage system¡ªevery mage, whether innately gifted or hopelessly inept, regardless of noble or orphaned beginnings¡ªhad no exceptions. They all learned and trained to summon a Technique Spirit before entering the Void Realm. Never in history had there been an unlearned mage! The term mage originally meant ¡®master of the craft,¡¯ suggestive of each mage being competent to instruct in a specialized skill! But now, an exception had surfaced! Ash Heath, an unlearned wanderer from the Otherworld, crossed the threshold of knowledge and became an official mage! He suddenly recalled the Sword Maiden¡¯s earlier mention of the golden fish and smuggler legend. ¡°A Silver Mage who finds a golden fish can smuggle into the Time Continent and become a Golden Mage. Yet I rode the Sword Maiden¡¯s coattail, smuggling into the Sea of Knowledge to become a Silver Mage¡­¡± Other smuggling involved movement within the mage hierarchy, akin to population movement between regions in one nation¡ªinternal conflicts, in essence, whereas Ash¡¯s smuggling was akin to scaling from a primitive tribe to a developed country¡ªa biological invasion. This was a secret that must never be revealed, Ash determined. If other mages discovered he was a smuggler, they wouldn¡¯t spare him in the interest of preserving biodiversity. Substitute! Ash silently invoked, but nothing occurred; the Substitute Technique Spirit remained asleep in his palm. The next moment, a Light Screen abruptly appeared, flashing a stream of information before his eyes. ¡°Warning: You are attempting to output Magic Power! This action is prohibited!¡± Ash slapped his forehead¡ªof course, the chip that restricted his access to the Void Realm would certainly restrict his use of Magic Power too! To command a Technique Spirit to perform a miracle, he had to bypass the chip; to bypass the chip, he had to command a Technique Spirit to perform a miracle and purify the chip¡­ Damn, another deadlock! ¡°Sword Maiden A Dream, save me¡ª¡± ¡°Sword Maiden?¡± Ash called a few times, but the dorm room remained empty. The elusive Sword Maiden hadn¡¯t appeared this time. Thinking it over, he figured the Sword Maiden must be weary after the night¡¯s exertions with him in the Void Realm; even virtual companions needed rest. He decided not to disturb her rest today. ¡°If the pain was enough, use one hand to swiftly cleave, yesterday¡¯s curse. Await night till daylight, leaving only scars¡­¡± Ash raised his head, realizing it was already 8 a.m. of the second day, and the prison¡¯s wake-up song was, as always, timely. Time to go for breakfast; the Death Battle Society awaited his next duel. ¡­.. .. In the Meditation Building of Sword Flower University, Sonia slowly opened her eyes. She extended her hand, and a Technique Spirit, appearing as a girl in a white dress, manifested in her palm. If this Technique Spirit were known publicly, it would certainly attract much attention¡ªit was extraordinarily rare for someone to achieve success their first day within the Void Realm, let alone for Sonia to secure such a precious spoil. She hadn¡¯t lied to the Observer; the Rapid Stream Spirit was indeed highly prized on Sword Flower University¡¯s Technique Spirit trading platform, and quite possibly in the entirety of Jiale City, considered a first-sequence One-winged Technique Spirit. But she hadn¡¯t revealed the full truth: that the Substitute Technique Spirit held considerable value as well. Common Technique Spirits were generally priced higher than specialized ones; unless limited in application, a One-winged common Technique Spirit could sell for the price of a Two-winged specialized one. After all, only certain faction mages needed specialized Technique Spirits, while any mage could utilize common Technique Spirits, creating a naturally high demand and price. So why did she keep this information hidden? She wanted the Observer to discern her ¡®little thought.¡¯ Back in the Void Realm, Sonia had realized that the Observer lost his ability to read her inner thoughts. Perhaps this was due to the Void Realm¡¯s limitations, but ultimately insignificant¡ªsince upon returning to reality, the Observer could hear her thoughts again anyway. When they acquired the Substitute and Rapid Stream Spirits, even if Sonia couldn¡¯t see the Observer¡¯s expression, she saw through his body language that he greatly desired the Substitute Spirit. Hence, Sonia adeptly handed the Substitute Spirit over to the Observer. Once back in reality, the Observer would know through her thoughts that Sonia was aware of the Substitute Spirit¡¯s value, yet she only told half-truths, pretending to profit greatly from obtaining the Rapid Stream Spirit, all to allow the Observer to graciously accept the Substitute Spirit. Such a small scheme, entirely for his benefit, executed with such blatant transparency, would certainly not deliver a critical hit to the Observer, but at least it would increase his affection for her. I thought you were on the first level, I on the second, only to find you on the third and recognized me¡ªbut the truth was I was on the fourth, awaiting your recognition. However, the premise for all this was Sonia¡¯s ability to conceal her true presence on the fourth level. Not difficult for her¡ªtwo days of mental training enabled Sonia to preliminarily control her thoughts so as only to consider what she intended. Sonia retrieved the Rapid Stream Spirit and exited the Meditation Building. ¡°Observer, I¡¯m returning to shower. Please avert your gaze.¡± ¡°Observer?¡± Exiting the building, Sonia looked around to ensure the Observer was truly absent. For the past two days, every time Sonia called, the Observer would appear from a blind spot she couldn¡¯t perceive, without exception. With several minutes having passed without his appearance, the conclusion was evident¡ª After the Void Realm Exploration, the Observer also needed rest, suspending his constant surveillance of Sonia. Yet Sonia felt no joy at regaining freedom; rather, it was as stifling as bringing a cake home to eat and finding the bathroom had exploded! I finally seized the chance for a sugar-coated cannonball, and you stole the sugar coating and vanished!? ¡°` Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Celia Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Celia Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Good morning, Sonia.¡± Sonia turned her head and saw Celia coming out of the Meditation Building. She couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows slightly. Although she didn¡¯t want to get involved with Felix, it was hard to avoid him since Felix was also a student of Professor Trozan. Only swordsmanship geniuses could catch the eye of the ¡°Hidden Hand Sword Saint.¡± The more she interacted with Felix, Sonia naturally got to know Celia. In just a few encounters, Sonia realized Celia was the same type of person as her, the kind of woman willing to do anything to climb up the ladder. So naturally, Celia harbored hostility towards Sonia. After all, Felix was her target, and Sonia¡¯s appearance was like struggling to capture a rare animal only to find a fully armed pet trainer next to the trap. Anyone would be on guard. Even though Sonia said she looked down on Felix, if Felix, the young master of the Vosloda Family, was willing to be her lackey, she wasn¡¯t against giving it a chance, so she was a bit undecided and planned to wait and see. Celia glanced at Sonia, took a step back while covering her nose, ¡°It¡¯s the first time for a junior to enter the Void Realm, and she seems quite excited.¡± Was that step back serious? Although Sonia hadn¡¯t bathed after training last night, she had wiped herself with a towel and changed clothes, so there should be no smell. However, having just come out of the meditation room, her unwashed hair and unmade face looked embarrassingly untidy compared to Celia¡¯s hour-long ¡°no-makeup look.¡± Sonia could tell at a glance that Celia¡¯s ¡°no-makeup look¡± couldn¡¯t have been done in less than an hour. ¡°Hello, Senior Celia,¡± Sonia nodded slightly. ¡°Did you come to the Meditation Building to use the bathroom?¡± Sonia wasn¡¯t the type to take insults quietly. Mocking Celia for coming here to do makeup instead of meditation was a perfectly sharp retort without a single vulgar word. ¡°I came to meditate and enter the Void Realm, of course,¡± Celia forced a smile and extended her hand. ¡°This is the Technique Spirit I found last night. What do you think?¡± A small boy holding a sword scabbard appeared on Celia¡¯s hand. Sonia took a glance, her eyebrows rising as she recalled the information about this spirit. ¡°Sword Scabbard¡± ¡°One-winged Spirit¡± ¡°Restriction: Mages must use sword weapons¡± ¡°Basic Effect: When paired with other swordsmanship Technique Spirits, the first activation every ten seconds of the latter will have 150% effect.¡± For a Sword Master, Sword Scabbard was a very practical Technique Spirit, and could even lead to forming a swordsmanship branch: the Assassin Sword Master. Through miracles like ¡°Light-infused Scabbard,¡± ¡°Poised to Strike,¡± and ¡°Breaking Sword Qi,¡± the Sword Master could and only could unleash a disabling Sword Qi that could pierce through any defense of the same level, its power unmatched by any faction Mage, a fatal strike. For a moment, Sonia even considered taking out her Rapid Stream Spirit to exchange with Celia. Although the Rapid Stream Spirit was more expensive than the Sword Scabbard Spirit on the trading platform, these spirits were often priceless. A suitable swordsmanship Technique Spirit was hard to come by, and even if found, it might not be obtainable. But seeing Celia¡¯s playful eyes, Sonia understood everything¡ªthis madam was here to show off. ¡°Do you think Felix will like it?¡± Sonia suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. Last night in the dorm, her appearance probably had the same punchable expression as Celia¡¯s now. She was genuinely grateful for her roommates¡¯ mercy. ¡°Your boyfriend is so lucky,¡± Sonia forced a smile, ¡°This is a very precious Technique Spirit for a Sword Master.¡± ¡°Is that so? Since you said it, I believe you.¡± Celia laughed, still on guard. After the swordsmanship match the night before, Celia had thought Felix might dump her for Sonia, but surprisingly, Felix had no such intent and was still good to her, just wanting another match with Sonia. Celia didn¡¯t think Felix was two-timing; he wasn¡¯t the type to hide his emotions. If he wanted to cheat, he would break up outright, not string her along. So Celia believed Felix wasn¡¯t interested in Sonia, just fixated on winning or losing. But even so, Sonia was still a formidable rival in Celia¡¯s heart. After all, sparks often fly in competitions between men and women. Felix might not think much now, but what about the next moment? Tomorrow? Next week? As long as Felix was breathing, there was a chance he might change his heart. Thus Celia had to closely watch her boyfriend, preventing any private contact between him and Sonia, like now. Not only that, she had to weigh her options further to intimidate Sonia and prevent any future troubles. ¡°You must work hard too,¡± Celia encouraged. ¡°I heard your family isn¡¯t well-off. Compared to us Jiale City locals, getting into Sword Flower University through the national exam shows your ability is much stronger than ours. You¡¯ll surely be able to stay in Jiale City and bring your family to live in the big city one day.¡± Here it comes, the contemptuous yet encouraging speech of the rich to the poor¡­ Sonia showed a kind smile, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Senior.¡± ¡°Sigh, you could have flown higher without the burden of family.¡± This comment was partly insincere and partly genuine from Celia. She genuinely found Sonia¡¯s situation unfortunate. Not to mention a noble family, even if Sonia came from a middle-class family in Jiale City, she would have a better future. But unfortunately, she was just a village girl from a poor agricultural town on the border. She didn¡¯t notice the change in Sonia¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯re right, Senior.¡± Sonia paused for a moment, revealing a helpless smile, ¡°A person¡¯s starting point often decides their endpoint. Birth is our first lottery ticket, and I only got a consolation prize.¡± Celia wondered if she had been too harsh, causing Sonia to fall apart, and pondered how to comfort her junior. ¡°Coming from a place as poor as mine, I can never change my humble nature. Look, I¡¯ve been chatting with you for so long and forgot I hadn¡¯t washed my face. It¡¯s awfully rude to talk to you with such a messy face.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that¡­¡± Just as Celia was about to comfort Sonia, she saw Sonia summon a Technique Spirit, conjuring a ball of water in her hand to splash on her face. ¡°Washing up feels much better.¡± Celia stared at the Technique Spirit in Sonia¡¯s hand, ¡°What is that¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sonia was slightly taken aback, eyes darting, and stammered, ¡°This, this is¡­ an adventure I had last night in the Void Realm! Mm-hmm, a Rapid Stream Spirit I got from Adventure Island! Pretty lucky, huh?¡± Celia responded with an ¡°Oh,¡± her forehead metaphorically emblazoned with the words ¡°I! Don¡¯t! Believe!¡± How could anyone encounter Adventure Island on their first day entering the Void Realm? And acquire one of the most precious spirits of the Water Technique Faction, the Rapid Stream Spirit!? Did she take me for a fool? Could she have bought it? But where would this village girl get the money to buy such a rare spirit, and the Rapid Stream Spirit was priceless. Celia had wanted to buy one for a long time but couldn¡¯t find a seller! If she didn¡¯t buy it, someone must have given it to her. At Sword Flower University, there weren¡¯t many who could casually give away a Rapid Stream Spirit¡­ Celia barely managed her expression, pulling out a smile, ¡°That is quite an important spirit for the Water Technique Faction. Are you considering switching to the Water Technique Faction?¡± ¡°Well, I might have a talent for swordsmanship, but I¡¯m also interested in the Water Technique Faction¡­¡± Sonia saw Felix coming out of the Meditation Building and quickly waved goodbye, ¡°Senior, I have to go. See you later!¡± Celia wondered why Sonia hurried off, only to turn and see Felix emerging from the building. ¡°Were you waiting for me, Senior?¡± Felix smiled, ¡°The Void Realm is such an intriguing place¡­ I want to visit the library to learn more about it. Would you like to join me?¡± Celia glanced in the direction Sonia left, then at Felix, sensing she understood something, her jealousy making her grit her teeth. But every word she wanted to say transformed into a sweet response. ¡°Sure,¡± she smiled, extending her hand, ¡°I got this Sword Scabbard Spirit from the Void Realm last night, but I¡¯m not into swordsmanship¡­ what do you think I should do with it?¡± ¡°` Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Orphans All Together Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Orphans All Together Editor: Atlas Studios Shattered Lake Prison cafeteria. Perhaps because he arrived unusually early today, Ash found the cafeteria packed with inmates having breakfast. A closer look left him wide-eyed in amazement. Aside from humans, beastmen, and goblins, the prison held many other species, some crawling on the ground, others with two horns or four arms¡­ Ash even saw a particularly sensual-looking woman, with hooves and fluffy ears, exposing much of her body. He couldn¡¯t determine her race, prompting a deep interest in this world¡¯s health industry and some peculiar fantasies. He wasn¡¯t into furries, but¡­ ¡°Do you want food?¡± The cafeteria aunt¡¯s soul-searching question snapped Ash¡¯s gaze back. Ash randomly ordered a few filling portions and noticed a unique dish at the window labeled ¡°one per person,¡± which looked particularly enticing. ¡°Auntie, what is this?¡± ¡°Royal Seafood Lala Fat, seasonal delicacy, very limited supply,¡± said the auntie. ¡°If you¡¯re any later, it will be gone.¡± ¡°Alright, give me¡­¡± ¡°Give me five pieces!¡± A loud, muffled shout interrupted Ash¡¯s words. He turned to see a green-skinned beastman getting food. The auntie opposite took all five remaining portions of the seafood lala fat and dumped them into its gigantic bowl upon hearing. ¡°What? How can it take five portions?¡± Ash was dumbfounded. ¡°It¡¯s a beastman,¡± the auntie said matter-of-factly. ¡°Why can beastmen take five portions?¡± ¡°Beastmen can just take five portions, always been that way.¡± ¡°It took five portions, so there¡¯s none for me¡ª¡± Ash¡¯s words suddenly got stuck in his throat, as a Light Screen popped up, filling his vision with a series of red warnings: ¡°Warning: You are attempting to express racially discriminatory remarks! This is prohibited! In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, racial equality is the first principle! Please be mindful!¡± Me saying beastmen eat too much counts as racial discrimination!? Ash gloomily took his tray and searched for a seat, finding the place fully packed. After much effort, he found an empty spot but discovered a blue-skinned monster with a particularly large butt sitting beside it, looking fiercer than the beastman and taking up two spaces. If it were his past life, Ash would have turned and left, but this was Shattered Lake Prison, where the other party couldn¡¯t physically assault him, so Ash confidently walked over. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re taking up two spots. Move over.¡± The blue-skinned monster, eating with its hands, glanced at him, then lowered its head to continue eating. ¡°I¡¯m an ogre.¡± ¡°Oh, and? You can¡¯t take up two spots even if you¡¯re an ogre¡ª¡± ¡°Warning: You are attempting to express racially discriminatory remarks! This is prohibited! In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, racial equality is the first principle! Please be mindful!¡± Saying your butt takes up two seats counts as racial discrimination? Ash felt like swearing but couldn¡¯t, as his words were blocked in his throat. He wanted to dump the tray over, but he couldn¡¯t, as his hand remained stuck. Under the control of the chip at the back of their necks, every prisoner was the most loyal follower of the law. They had maximum freedom when not violating any moral or legal issues, but any attempt to breach these boundaries, even with a single word or look, would see them tightly shackled. Suddenly, a hand tapped his shoulder. A burly man nearby lifted his tray and stood up, signaling for Ash to sit there. Ash thanked him and found the man familiar, seemingly someone he saw in the Death Battle Society yesterday. ¡°Desmond,¡± he introduced himself, giving a disgusted glance at the ogre and goblin at the table. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Death Battle Society. Join me for a round sometime.¡± The surrounding people glanced at them upon hearing ¡°Death Battle Society,¡± scooting their seats away slightly. Ash sat down, listening to the ogre¡¯s chewing noise like a tractor and the goblin across scattering crumbs everywhere, stirring a strong desire to escape from within him. This wasn¡¯t like escaping because he knew staying would mean death; he wanted to flee because he hated the environment. The last time he felt this was during an internship under a dim-witted boss. If a colleague was the fool, he could retaliate or maneuver; if the boss was the fool, enduring was the only option without even verbal protest possible. He could put up with hardship because enduring meant a future without endurance. But if the boss was a fool, that meant endless endurance, making work pointless. Why work overtime anywhere else if you could just leave and find a more agreeable boss? The current situation was way worse than a foolish boss¡ªthe entire environment was foolish. You were seething, yet you couldn¡¯t say anything; you wanted to fight back, but your body wouldn¡¯t obey. Ash suddenly had an epiphany. He once thought Shattered Lake Prison truly treated its prisoners well. But in reality, by confining a group of God-Hated and Ghost-Despised death row inmates together, allowing no transgressions between them, forcing them to create value for the prison to escape the Blood Moon Judgement, was essentially a form of psychological slicing. Extinguishing their anger. Shattering their hopes. Eliminating their courage. Destroying their spirit. Sowing seeds of despair, frustration, regret, fear, etc., within them, letting them grow until they became mere skeletons, mentally collapsing, appearing at the Blood Moon Judgement as ¡®perfect perpetrators,¡¯ welcoming their deserved tragic fate. Ash now understood why so many joined the Death Battle Society. It was the only place for death row prisoners to vent, the only place providing a whiff of fresh air in this prison. It was equivalent to a garbage dump. Ironically, it was Ash, someone unable to tolerate the environment, who was the garbage. It was these death row inmates who could leisurely enjoy their time here; they were the model prisoners. Finishing his meal quickly, Ash hurried to the place meant for garbage. No death matches were ongoing in the Death Battle Society. It was bright inside, and Ash saw Lanna lying in her boyfriend¡¯s arms from afar. Was it an illusion, or did her boyfriend look thinner than yesterday? No way¡­ was Lanna actually the draining type? ¡°Ash.¡± Lanna raised her hand to greet him, saying, ¡°You¡¯re early, just finished breakfast? Want to do some digestion before Valcas arrives?¡± Ash nodded, finding a place to sit. Someone immediately joined him. ¡°Selin D¡¯Or.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Ash glanced over at Igula, a trace of caution in his eyes. Igula raised an eyebrow, ¡°No need to be tense. I¡¯m not interested in challenging you to a death match¡ªI won¡¯t participate in any battle I lack confidence in, and I won¡¯t waste time on meaningless things like pride. I accept my loss, wholeheartedly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too cunning to trust for this kind of strategic play,¡± Ash replied. ¡°Then let¡¯s skip unnecessary foreplay and jump straight to humanity¡¯s oldest interaction¡ª¡± ¡°Mating?¡± ¡°Trading, trading!¡± Igula enunciated each word precisely as if trying to make them bleed. ¡°You answer one of my questions, and I¡¯ll answer one of yours.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any questions for you.¡± ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t you curious why that elf Valcas challenged you?¡± Elf? Ash was slightly surprised internally but maintained a neutral expression. ¡°Well, I¡¯m a bit curious, but how do I know you won¡¯t lie?¡± ¡°I also don¡¯t know if you will lie to me,¡± Igula laughed. ¡°We both take the same risk.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of this trade?¡± ¡°Because I believe I can tell if you¡¯re lying, and even if you do, I can guess the truth. Similarly, you can¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Ash shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t study much; you¡¯re sure to deceive me.¡± Igula was taken aback, seemingly facing someone with such self-awareness for the first time. After a moment of silence, he said helplessly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll directly tell you the information, and you can judge its value. If it¡¯s valuable, answer my question. Agreed?¡± The tone was as begrudging as someone from Sichuan agreeing to a divided hotpot¡­ Ash pondered for a moment, feeling there was no risk of being taken advantage of, and nodded. ¡°Valcas Uer was once a researcher at Kaimon University, imprisoned for stealing important patent technology, privately raising children, and murdering a colleague. Due to his elf status, he¡¯s the only prisoner who hasn¡¯t participated in a Blood Moon Judgement since his incarceration. He¡¯s been in prison for five years without partaking in a single judgement.¡± Ash gasped, remembering Lanna mentioning that every death row inmate must participate in their first Blood Moon Judgement, a rite of passage before they could create value in Shattered Lake Prison. Those who failed had only the fate of becoming fertilizer. ¡°Why was he able to escape the Blood Moon Judgement? Because he¡¯s an elf? Isn¡¯t racial equality the primary principle in the Kingdom of Blood Moon?¡± ¡°Racial equality is indeed the primary principle.¡± Igula wore a mysteriously elusive smile. ¡°But some races are more equal than others.¡± Equality is indeed a horizon¡ªit exists everywhere, yet it can never be reached¡­ Ash didn¡¯t feel much of a sense of lament; his limited time here meant he didn¡¯t fully understand how ¡®racial equality¡¯ was enforced. ¡°Why did he challenge me?¡± ¡°That ties to the crimes he committed. While stealing patent rights and murder are serious crimes, they wouldn¡¯t have sent him to Shattered Lake Prison. The offense that truly enraged the elite was his private raising of children!¡± Ash was utterly bewildered. What the hell? ¡°Why is privately raising children the most severe crime?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s forbidden; no one can privately raise children.¡± Ash felt increasingly confused. ¡°No one raises children, then you¡­ how did we grow up?¡± ¡°We all grew up in orphanages,¡± Igula frowned deeply. ¡°Socialized upbringing is a fundamental policy in the Kingdom of Blood Moon. Are you deliberately causing trouble with such questions?¡± Socialized upbringing? Ash tried to comprehend this unfamiliar term. ¡°You mean we were raised by the state, and every individual is¡­¡± He wanted to say ¡°an orphan,¡± but the words got stuck in his throat. This time it wasn¡¯t the chip stopping him. It was because Ash couldn¡¯t find the words. He searched desperately through Heath¡¯s mind, only to find that Heath¡¯s native language didn¡¯t even include words like ¡°father¡± or ¡°mother¡±! The only remotely related term was ¡°guardian¡±! No stronger evidence was needed. The absence of words like ¡°parents¡± proved there were no such roles in the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s social relations! Wait a minute¡ªsocialized upbringing of orphans and the neck chip controlling everyone¡¯s words and actions¡­ Ash suddenly felt a twinge of fear towards the outside world beyond the prison. What kind of world have I traversed into? Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Elf with a Mouth Smeared with Laxative Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Elf with a Mouth Smeared with Laxative Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Igula felt puzzled. Ash Heath, after asking him a question so foolish it couldn¡¯t get any more foolish, suddenly fell into deep thought. But Ash wasn¡¯t foolish, of course, and Igula wouldn¡¯t admit that he was outsmarted by a fool. ¡°Have you figured out why Valcas challenged you?¡± Ash snapped back to reality and tentatively asked, ¡°Is it because of that child?¡± Igula nodded. ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°Valcas had behaved himself in the prison for five years, rarely challenging others, and merely living comfortably by harvesting the contribution of those he disliked.¡± ¡°This time, he suddenly jumped out. Other than because of that child, there wasn¡¯t any other reason. Back then, he even risked ruin and imprisonment to raise that child, which was enough to prove how much he valued that child.¡± ¡°That child has long been receiving education at the orphanage, and many people can interact with that child, but the ¡®key figure¡¯ who would connect that child, Valcas, and you is only one.¡± ¡°That is Selin Dole.¡± Meeting Igula¡¯s confident eyes, Ash faintly felt this was a name he should know. But he just didn¡¯t know it. ¡°Who¡¯s Selin?¡± Igula stared into Ash¡¯s eyes and suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± He reached out a finger and poked Ash¡¯s face, ¡°Ask again.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Selin?¡± Igula paused for a moment, sighed, and withdrew his hand. ¡°Selin Dole is a history professor at Kaimon Comprehensive University and also the president of the Elf Racial Rights Association. He has many, many titles, but those don¡¯t concern you. Most importantly, he is the advisor to the Ancient Artifact Research Society at Kaimon Comprehensive University.¡± Ancient Artifact Research Society? Ash blinked, realizing a possibility. ¡°Was I once a member of the Ancient Artifact Research Society?¡± ¡°Correctly speaking, you are still the president of the Ancient Artifact Research Society. Although I have no evidence, there should be a relationship of interest that transcends an ordinary teacher-student relationship between Selin and you.¡± The Gods of Four Pillars cult! Could Heath, on his own, have enchanted so many heretics, and established the crime syndicate-like evil cult of The Gods of Four Pillars with personal charisma and leadership? Indeed, that¡¯s possible, but more likely he received someone else¡¯s gifts and assistance! Selin Dole was very likely one of the supporters behind Heath! ¡°I¡¯ve shown my sincerity, so are you willing to answer my question? Though I¡¯ve already guessed the answer.¡± Igula interrupted Ash¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Since you¡¯ve guessed it, why ask me¡­ go on, ask.¡± ¡°How did you manage to deceive me with heart whispers? Last night on the stage, I predicted your attack direction by listening to your heart¡¯s whisper. This move of mine rarely fails because no one can deceive themselves.¡± Ash was slightly stunned. ¡°What, you can listen to my heart¡¯s whisper?¡± ¡°Only on the stage can I hear the whispering of your mind through your agitated emotions.¡± Igula explained, typically avoiding weakness, and he even preferred when others feared him because of it. But for some reason, he felt posturing should be pointless with Ash, so he couldn¡¯t be bothered to maintain the facade. ¡°I didn¡¯t use heart whispers to deceive you.¡± Ash scratched his head, ¡°I only realized now that you could cheat like this. No wonder I couldn¡¯t land a punch on you earlier.¡± ¡°Then how do you simultaneously say ¡®you¡¯re quite good-looking¡¯ in your heart while punching my face?¡± ¡°Saying you¡¯re good-looking and wanting to hit you aren¡¯t contradictory!¡± Igula had to elaborate a bit more: ¡°Generally speaking, I can hear the truest desires from the depths of people¡¯s hearts, so those shallow false thoughts can¡¯t deceive me. If you want to hit me, I should hear ¡®I want to punch your face,¡¯ not hear the compliment ¡®you¡¯re quite good-looking.''¡± ¡°Oh, I think I understand what you mean.¡± Ash tilted his head. ¡°I probably zoned out at that time.¡± ¡°Zoned out?¡± ¡°Yeah, when I zone out, my mind wanders, looking for something captivating, so I genuinely thought you were good-looking.¡± ¡°So why did you suddenly hit me?¡± ¡°Because after zoning out, I refocused and naturally entered work mode promptly.¡± Ash shrugged, ¡°Sensational images would only slow down my work pace.¡± It sounded reasonable, misunderstanding Ash¡¯s heart whispers due to zoning out¡ªwho would believe that! A Sect Hierarch of The Gods of Four Pillars, a genius warrior who rapidly grows in battle, zoning out in a fight? Plus, Ash acted genuinely unfamiliar with the mention of Selin Dole earlier, making Igula more inclined to believe Ash mastered the art of perfect disguise! ¡°Impossible, even if zoned out, I should still hear your true heart whispers!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure, maybe your ability has limits¡­¡± ¡°Since you put it that way, let me test it!¡± Igula reached out and touched Ash¡¯s cheek, ¡°I can tell whether you lied by the change in temperature on your face. Say a true or false statement at random! If my ability is limited, I should be able to distinguish between truth and lie!¡± Ash blinked. ¡°What I¡¯m saying right now is false.¡± Igula was taken aback. Wait, is this statement true or false? If it¡¯s true that he¡¯s lying, then it¡¯s a falsehood; if it¡¯s false, then inversely it¡¯s true¡­ The nested logic scrambled Igula¡¯s mind, and he sat in the audience like a toy wrecked beyond repair, mumbling about truth and falsehood. Ash shrugged. He had faced many such brain teasers during interviews. Apparently, kids in this world haven¡¯t encountered such puzzles. Just then, commotion erupted at the entrance of the Death Battle Society. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this our esteemed Elf lord?¡± ¡°Lord Uer, the humble Beastman offers you the rarest blessing. Do you need me to lick your shoes?¡± ¡°Step aside, step aside, don¡¯t sully the young elf lord¡¯s clothes, you bunch of inferior races aren¡¯t fit to come within five paces of an elf!¡± Though chips prevented prisoners from verbally abusing others, they only banned direct insults¡ªnot sarcasm. Ash was quite surprised by how these people could unite so well to ostracize a particular target. It wasn¡¯t that he had high expectations for the intelligence or ethics of death row inmates, but here you couldn¡¯t physically confront nor verbally bully, and can¡¯t harm even a hair of the opponent; sarcasm was at its limits. Yet in the adult world, this level of bullying was akin to a girlfriend playfully thumping your chest¡ªnot appealing and rather pointless; ordinary people should quickly grow tired of it. If they hadn¡¯t tired of it, then it could only mean¡­ ¡°Thank you all for your concern.¡± Valcas bowed slightly, making a graceful gesture, ¡°Your words are so pleasing, surely you wiped your mouths well before leaving the bathroom, right?¡± ¡°Valcas, are you saying we ate shit?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just complimenting those who clean their mouths well after eating shit. Why jump out yourself? Do you eat shit as well?¡± ¡°Val! Cas!¡± ¡°Hey, here, you sound a bit intense, there¡¯s a smell of urine¡ªyour diet seems diverse.¡± ¡°Val¡ªCas¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, why so agitated? I wasn¡¯t accusing you. Speaking of which, I remember a joke: I once threw garbage downstairs and accidentally hit a dog. The dog surely barked, didn¡¯t it? So, you see, if you hear a dog barking when you throw trash, it must have hit the dog.¡± ¡°Valcas!¡± ¡°I never expected so many people who wipe their mouths after using the toilet. I used to hear rumors that prisoners in Shattered Lake Prison eat crap and crap meals. I¡¯ll definitely clear the air for you guys; it¡¯s not a rumor.¡± Igula couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Such a peculiar argument, only in Shattered Lake Prison could you see this.¡± Ash nodded, fully understanding why Valcas could subdue dozens of people with his words alone¡ªbecause no profane language was allowed. Once you attempted to curse, the chip would automatically choke you, causing crude words to ferment in your gut, effectively muting you instantly. Hence, those people couldn¡¯t say another word after shouting Valcas¡¯s name. Then Valcas would turn around and mock them, appearing as though they willingly sought reprimand. To bypass chip restrictions, knowing how to insult without profanity, and causing the insulter to lose sanity and be muted by the chip, were the two essentials of prison insults. Clearly, Valcas was proficient, like his tongue was buttered with lubricants, completely overwhelming the other death row inmates with his sharp wit. Someone even wanted to act out, but the chip directly took control, forcing them into submission, causing them to fall stiffly to the ground. ¡°No need for formalities, withdraw.¡± Valcas lifted his chin, gracefully stepping over them. Those who lost in the verbal spar, eyes aflame, glared at Valcas, unable to speak nor strike¡ªa living demonstration of impotent rage. No wonder these inmates weren¡¯t bored with sarcasm. With Valcas, a master of verbal daggers, they experienced intense interaction¡ªlikely pondering tonight how to retaliate. ¡°Ash Heath?¡± ¡°Valcas Uer?¡± From afar, Valcas eyed Ash, his gaunt face returning to indifference. He pointed at the ring, ¡°If there¡¯s no problem, let¡¯s start right away.¡± The stares from the Death Battle Society converged, some expectant, some mocking, some curious, some frenzied. Igula glanced at Ash. Now Ash knew Valcas had ties with Professor Selin, meaning there must be something off about this death match. If he were Ash, he would refuse the fight¡ªnever participating in uncertain battles. ¡°Sword Maiden?¡± Igula jerked slightly, hearing Ash softly utter a name. But there was no Sword Maiden here, and Ash¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t on anyone. ¡°Feeling a bit lonely¡­¡± Ash murmured softly, turning to Valcas. For some reason, Igula couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Valcas is much stronger than me; he isn¡¯t an opponent you can outsmart easily. And the sword¡¯s destructive power is much greater, a single strike might decide the fight.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Ash smiled, ¡°This time, I don¡¯t plan on using cunning.¡± ¡°Then what will you use?¡± ¡°My life. I¡¯ll bet my life that his first strike won¡¯t kill me.¡± Watching Valcas step onto the stage, Ash got to his feet as well. ¡°As long as the first strike doesn¡¯t kill me, the second strike will be my opportunity.¡± ¡°` Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Miracle Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Miracle Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Valcas Uer bets 37 contribution points¡± ¡°VS¡± ¡°Ash Heath bets 2 contribution points¡± Normally, it was already rare for a newcomer to the ¡®cesspit¡¯ (affectionately named by death row inmates for the prison) to participate in death matches for two consecutive days, not to mention that his opponent was none other than ¡®noble¡¯ Valcas, naturally attracting countless attention. Many who weren¡¯t part of the Death Battle Society came to watch, and the audience stands were packed, with a large crowd standing at the entrance. ¡°Both of them are using swords¡­ is it a swordsmanship duel? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Sword Masters fight; every time there¡¯s a swordsmanship duel, the whole stage reeks of fragrant blood¡­¡± ¡°Human, hack that Elf to death!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that sword grip, has he never learned swordsmanship? Could it be that he got scared seeing the noble pick up a sword and followed suit?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t use a sword, don¡¯t use a sword! Isn¡¯t a spear easier to handle?¡± ¡°Clearly, an axe would be better, with one swing, regardless of the weapon, everything turns to mush.¡± ¡°What¡­ what nonsense are you spouting? Clearly, a spear is better for beginners!¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not spouting nonsense! An axe is the best weapon for beginners!¡± Ash had one more reason to escape: he¡¯d rather listen to people swearing than hear two old-timers with voices like Black Tornado arguing with elegant phrases like tsundere girls. It was as out of place as tofu in tom yum soup. ¡°They¡¯re so noisy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the cesspit is, full of buzzing flies everywhere.¡± Valcas looked at the iron sword in his hand and flicked it lightly with his finger, producing a clear and crisp sound. ¡°Maggots can¡¯t turn into butterflies. Even if they¡¯re real butterflies, in a cesspit, they¡¯re just bigger flies.¡± Ash chuckled, ¡°Seems like you have a lot to say about prison life. Interested in writing a book?¡± Valcas¡¯s fingers gently brushed the blade, assuming a standard swordsmanship stance. ¡°Ash Heath, I apologize.¡± As the barriers around the arena rose, Valcas transformed into a swift shadow, the long sword in his hand seeming to extend over ten meters as it pierced through the air in an instant! Despite Ash¡¯s careful vigilance, he still couldn¡¯t block it with his sword in time. He could only barely avoid the vital point by darting to the right, and a small piece of flesh was sliced off his shoulder by Valcas¡¯s sword! The intense pain caused Ash to gasp, but he had no time to rest, as Valcas was already within reach! Clang! Clang! Clang! Ash didn¡¯t flee but instead went against the grain, charging right into Valcas¡¯s grasp to bring the fight into the most dangerous distance! His rationality wasn¡¯t drowned by the pain¡ªValcas was ten centimeters taller than him, with long limbs. At a medium-close distance, Ash had almost no room to retaliate. Only by closing the gap to extremely close quarters could he turn Valcas¡¯s advantage into a disadvantage, rendering the sword unusable! ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned any swordsmanship?¡± Ash suddenly felt a chill over his entire body, catching a glimpse of Valcas twisting his wrist from wielding the sword forward to backward! Clang! Valcas¡¯s sword blocked Ash¡¯s thrust, and the Elf pivoted with an elbow, delivering a blow that hammered Ash¡¯s forehead, exploiting his height advantage! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! The force of the elbow strike nearly knocked Ash out, and at that moment, the Technique Spirit, dormant in his mind, began to circulate, emitting a cool aura that quickly restored Ash¡¯s consciousness. His body maintained its combat instincts and decisively retreated! When Ash¡¯s vision cleared, what met him was a glinting blade! Boom! Ash scrambled up, not daring to let his back touch the ground. He looked at the wall shattered by Valcas¡¯s sword with terror, immediately followed by fear. Their swords weren¡¯t sharpened! The prison wasn¡¯t crazy enough to hand sharpened weapons to death row inmates to kill each other! Earlier, Valcas had used an unsharpened blade to slice a piece of shoulder meat from Ash, which was already incredible. Ash merely assumed Valcas¡¯s sword was fast enough that even the meat on his shoulder didn¡¯t react. But that was a stone wall! Solid stone! Stop it. This isn¡¯t swordsmanship! This went beyond the jurisdiction of swordsmanship! ¡°Technique¡­ Technique Spirit?¡± ¡°You seem a bit surprised.¡± Valcas laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for Mages to use Technique Spirits in combat?¡± ¡°But the prison hasn¡¯t lifted the magic power restrictions¡ª¡± ¡°Some things can¡¯t be locked. Even if you bind their hands and feet, they¡¯ll still grow wings and fly. The Technique Spirits born from the knowledge I wholly mastered, even without a supply of magic power, are still my power and can turn every ordinary motion into a miraculous moment.¡± Ash exhaled deeply; his clothes felt heavy, due to his shoulder wound soaking them with blood. He felt his strength ebbing away with the escaping blood. Unlike barehanded boxing matches, swordsmanship death matches using cold weapons had no flashy turns, only the instant breath between life and death¡ªthe strong live, the weak die. But somehow, he felt refreshed, the magic power in his mind even becoming active, and his shoulder didn¡¯t hurt so much. ¡°If a vital point is hit by such an attack, I probably wouldn¡¯t be savable, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never gone full force on anyone in a death match.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the first?¡± ¡°And the last.¡± Boom! With a gentle flick from Valcas, the ground as hard as steel began to crack and explode, like a giant serpent rushing beneath the surface toward Ash! ¡°Elf Swordsmanship Miracle, Shatter Mountain and Earth!?¡± ¡°He actually used a Miracle!¡± ¡°How can that be?¡± A murmur broke out in the audience, with the faces of death row inmates almost pressed against the invisible barriers, eager for more details on Valcas. Igula was no exception; he had seen Valcas in death matches before and anticipated Valcas¡¯s ability to use Technique Spirits. But using a Technique Spirit and performing a Miracle were two vastly different concepts! Every Miracle required coordination of several composite Technique Spirits to be cast, but that didn¡¯t mean having multiple composite Technique Spirits granted the ability to perform Miracles; just like how ordinary people and handsome men or beautiful women both have one mouth, one nose, two eyes, yet the results are a direct hit for angels with faces born sky-first. The difficulty of performing Miracles was so high that ¡®performing a Miracle¡¯ was in itself a part of the Miracle. Remember, those who could become Mages were already prodigious, or they wouldn¡¯t be able to advance a skill to the ¡®technique¡¯ realm and summon Technique Spirits. And yet, most of these exalted ones merely aspired to master one or two Miracles in a lifetime, and this was also the average level among Mages¡ªthe ones below average hadn¡¯t even mastered a single Miracle. With Miracles as rare as they were, their rewards and difficulty were naturally positively correlated. Compared to the straightforward effects of Technique Spirits, Miracles were more complex, grand, difficult to unravel, and even produced unpredictable effects that transcended factional chasms. For instance, a Sword Master¡¯s Miracle might have a healing effect, a Water Mage¡¯s Miracle could evaporate enemies, and a Gun Master¡¯s Miracle might make enemies actively catch gun bullets¡­ A prevalent saying among Mages is, ¡°Technique Spirits are merely extensions of our skills; Miracles are the true wonders!¡± Igula also mastered Miracles, possessing all the Technique Spirits necessary for a Miracle, theoretically granting him the ability to perform one. But he hadn¡¯t succeeded in performing a Miracle even once in prison. Not even once! If invoking a Technique Spirit in prison was like picking one¡¯s nose with a foot, albeit challenging but manageable with practice, then performing a Miracle in prison was akin to applying makeup with one¡¯s foot¡ªand it had to be an exceptionally beautiful job, or it wouldn¡¯t qualify as a Miracle! Ash was done for now. Igula watched the earth-shattering scene on the death match arena and felt pity for Ash. Valcas was clearly aiming to kill. Under the crushing weight of a Miracle, a whole body for Ash wasn¡¯t even a thought; even finding all his body parts amid the rubble would be unlikely, and the medical practitioners in the prison¡¯s infirmary couldn¡¯t handle such severe injuries, leaving Ash¡¯s body to the ogres for processing. This was the reality in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, where beneath the tablecloths of ¡®racial equality,¡¯ ¡®rule of law,¡¯ and ¡®harmonious coexistence,¡¯ carnivores still adhered to the cruel law of the jungle. Once interests were touched, even hiding in Shattered Lake Prison meant being crushed dead by the finger of an upper position¡¯s holder. Too bad, he was quite an interesting man¡­ As the earth-shattering sounds on the death match arena continued for a while, someone finally couldn¡¯t endure it. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he dead yet?¡± ¡°Even if the Miracle¡¯s power was reduced to less than a tenth, it shouldn¡¯t be possible not to kill someone who can¡¯t even hold a sword steady, right?¡± Indeed, why wasn¡¯t Ash dead yet? With all attention on the Miracle, the death row inmates now seriously observed Ash. There was no good ground left on the death match arena; confronting Valcas and his effortless Shatter Earth Miracle, Ash dodged like a frantic hamster, left and right, looking disheveled and almost getting crushed into paste several times. But he dodged every time! Every single time! Although his movements appeared clumsy, in the eyes of these death row inmates, they were becoming more efficient with no wasted effort! Even Ash¡¯s sword holding was becoming steadier, even able to parry Valcas¡¯s strikes! It was practically, practically like¡­ ¡°Just like yesterday¡¯s death match with the Beautiful Beast.¡± Someone murmured softly. As the first victim, Igula naturally felt this intensely. He¡¯d watched Ash become stronger and more skilled during combat, evolving from a sheltered flower who couldn¡¯t roll to a beast filled with combat instincts in just minutes. And now, a second victim emerged. This wretch Ash somehow managed to learn swordsmanship during a fight!? This was prison, not some genius training center, damn it! Yet many connected Ash¡¯s talents with his criminal charges, recalling his origins. ¡°The Gods of Four Pillars¡­¡± In the dimly lit audience, Lanna clung to her boyfriend¡¯s neck, her eyes fixated on the two in the death match arena, a strange light blinking in her pupils. ¡°` Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Substitute Technique Spirit Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Substitute Technique Spirit Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Why don¡¯t you just kill yourself?¡± When Valcas said this, it didn¡¯t mean he was confident of winning. On the contrary, it was a sign of his surrender. Suicide was permitted in the gladiatorial arena. Once a participant committed suicide, the death match would end, the chip restrictions would reactivate, and Valcas wouldn¡¯t be able to desecrate the corpse. As long as Ash left himself a whole body, the Medical Practitioners could communicate with the Void Realm through the Technique Spirit and pull his soul back from the fog of the Void Realm into his body. When Ash dodged his first ¡°Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth Miracle,¡± Valcas already lost. The subsequent attacks were nothing but desperate struggles with false hopes. Even if he could win this death match, he couldn¡¯t accomplish the Task he¡¯d shouldered: completely eradicating Ash Heath. Compared to failing the Task, the scene before him made Valcas feel worse. Nothing was more painful than witnessing the rise of a genius. If there was, it was being the stepping stone for that genius. Even though Valcas was a middle-aged elf over a hundred years old, this situation made him feel aggrieved¡ªwasn¡¯t it unfair? With so many unfortunate people in the world, why should it be him? To be honest, Valcas¡¯s mentality was already a bit shattered. He voiced the fast-track answer straightforwardly, hoping Ash would quickly end this nightmare. ¡°Why commit suicide? I haven¡¯t lost yet.¡± ¡°You think you have a chance to defeat me?¡± Valcas laughed in anger. ¡°Oh really? Centuries from now, bards will recite your glorious deeds on the streets, ¡®Ash Heath, who never learned swordsmanship, faced an overconfident Elf Swordsman in a battle and miraculously defeated him. This marked the beginning of his undefeated and illustrious life.''¡± ¡°Ah, merciful Mr. Ash, the humble Valcas pleads that you mention my name in your future autobiography, so I can be immortalized as a clown, alright? Hmm?¡± ¡°So, Valcas, when are you publishing a book?¡± Ash raised his left hand with difficulty, wiping away the blood flowing down his forehead to prevent the blood stain from sticking to his eyelashes and obstructing his vision, his face still bearing a smile. ¡°I just have a reason I must win against you.¡± ¡°What reason?¡± ¡°I want to ask you, did Selin Dol send you to kill me, and is there another conspiracy behind my imprisonment?¡± Valcas flicked the sword, brushing away the blood and filth on it. ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with you needing to beat me?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t beat you, will you answer?¡± ¡°Maybe I will, maybe I won¡¯t. Besides, even if I answer, could you tell if I¡¯m lying?¡± ¡°I asked someone else the same question earlier,¡± Ash exhaled deeply. ¡°He came to me to solve a mystery. I said, if I lie, can you tell? He said he really could.¡± ¡°So can you?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. But I figured that an answer obtained after beating you is probably closer to the truth than just asking you, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I heard such a pure reason since I left the orphanage.¡± Valcas grinned; for the first time, his expression became grim, abandoning the elegance he maintained from entering the arena to fighting. ¡°But if you don¡¯t kill yourself, you might really die.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s see if your sword is faster or mine is.¡± ¡°Kill you before you commit suicide? Interesting, I accept this challenge.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not exactly what I meant¡­¡± Ash gripped the sword hilt, clenching his muscles. ¡°After all, I have no intention of retiring here. If I can¡¯t even step over you, this stepping stone, what right do I have to leave this prison?¡± ¡°Such bold words!¡± The already shattered ground cracked again. The invisible Sword Qi sketched a menacing outline with dust, like a giant sword thrusting at Ash from the earth! Ash didn¡¯t blink, desperately dodging the Sword Qi and the crumbling debris, prolonging the battle to allow his body to absorb as much swordsmanship experience as possible! The Sword Maiden¡¯s swordsmanship experience was genuine. From initially not being able to see Valcas¡¯s sword, Ash could now predict Valcas¡¯s sword movements just by looking at his shoulders. Though he might not be proficient in using the sword, he was at least skilled in dodging it. He wasn¡¯t merely seeking death; he genuinely had confidence in defeating Valcas. With the Sword Maiden¡¯s swordsmanship experience, the ¡°Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth¡± Miracle was no longer an insoluble mystery. On the contrary, under the constraint of Valcas being unable to exert full power, there was a faint exploitable flaw in this technique! Like the magical auxiliary line in the last question of the college entrance exam math test, Ash suddenly discovered a chance to conquer this difficult problem! If given a little more time, Ash felt he could even find a flaw in the strike surface of the ¡°Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth¡± and counterattack Valcas through the gap! Just a little more time¡ª Boom! Ash let out a muffled grunt as the Magic Power within his mind circulated again, emanating a cool sensation that forced his rationality to suppress the intense pain from his thigh, barely avoiding another ¡°Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth¡±! He glanced at his thigh with his peripheral vision, then dared not look down again. ¡°Your growth rate is indeed admirable, but unfortunately, you¡¯re tired.¡± Valcas couldn¡¯t conceal his regret in his tone. ¡°You¡¯ve been losing blood since the beginning, and after such intense fighting, you¡¯ve lost so much blood that your brain is now oxygen-starved, making you physically depleted. You¡¯re getting slower.¡± ¡°Even if you suppress the pain to keep fighting, your body can¡¯t go on anymore. I¡¯ve dug a chunk of flesh from your thigh. Along with the blood you¡¯ve lost earlier, it¡¯s quite surprising you¡¯re not in shock.¡± ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve been talking to you this much? Because the longer this drags on, the more strength you¡¯ll lose; your sword can no longer be faster than mine. Before you commit suicide, my sword will crush your remnants first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ash. Sorry, Ash.¡± With that, Valcas charged forward with his sword, and the fierce Sword Qi broke the ground again, ¡°Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth!¡± Was my capacity truly limited to this¡­? Ash sighed in his heart. Even before Igula informed him about the information on Valcas, Ash anticipated the dangers of this death match. After all, without any grievances, why would someone challenge him, a newcomer who¡¯d only fought one death match? A strange colleague suddenly causing you trouble is definitely due to a conflict of interest. So why did Ash accept the death match? It¡¯s important to know that even before entering the arena, Ash could directly refuse. Others couldn¡¯t even curse or look down on him; Ash had that freedom. But Ash didn¡¯t want to back down. First, he needed an opponent to digest the swordsmanship experience shared by the Sword Maiden. There¡¯s nowhere more suitable than the death match arena, which is both dangerous and safe, to take a beating. Besides, avoiding temporarily won¡¯t help; trouble will find him sooner or later. Most importantly, as he said, he was planning a prison break. If he couldn¡¯t even step over a stepping stone like Valcas, what was the point in escaping? He might as well retire! But life doesn¡¯t have so many ¡°Miracles.¡± Even if there are, they¡¯re someone else¡¯s¡­ Just as Ash was about to swing his sword to cut his throat in surrender, he suddenly heard a familiar voice from the stands. It was the Sword Maiden. ¡°If it hurts, just think of yourself as someone else and it won¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± In that instant, Ash felt something cool melt in his mind. The Magic Power was surging, but it was bound by an invisible cage, unable to touch reality! Magic Power could be locked, but knowledge couldn¡¯t. Even if tight with restraints, it would grow wings and fly. The dormant Substitute Technique Spirit suddenly started dancing in Ash¡¯s Consciousness. Without any hesitation, he didn¡¯t dodge or retreat but chose to swing his sword, rushing towards Valcas! ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Watching as ¡°Ash¡± was engulfed by the ¡°Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth¡± Sword Qi, Valcas felt a sense of melancholy. As a Sword Master, he had never seen a swordsmanship Apprentice with a Talent greater than Ash in over a hundred years. If in a different time, place, and identity, Valcas felt he might even be willing to be the stepping stone¡­ Nothing was more torturous than watching the rise of a genius, and nothing was more exhilarating than witnessing it up close. Clap. Hearing a sound akin to a bubble popping, Valcas realized something was amiss. Staring intently, he discovered ¡°Ash¡± dissipating under the Sword Qi impact, not even leaving any flesh¡ª It was a Substitute! ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± Valcas glanced sideways and saw that an area in his blind spot was covered in dust and rubble, kicked up by the ¡°Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth¡± slash, enough to mask a wounded person¡¯s charge! As Valcas¡¯s sword fell to the ground, Ash¡¯s sword plunged into Valcas¡¯s throat. The unsharpened blade pierced through the throat! Ding, ding, ding! ¡°The match is decided. The winner is Ash Heath!¡± ¡°` Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Technique Spirit Transaction Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Technique Spirit Transaction Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°¡±¡± Shattered Lake Prison, treatment room. ¡°Are you pretending I haven¡¯t woken up as long as I keep quiet?¡± Ash opened his eyes and stared straight at the medical practitioner fiddling with his face. The practitioner wore a badge labeled [222], clearly the one from last time. ¡°If you don¡¯t want a messed-up face, then close your eyes!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After fiddling for a few more minutes, the practitioner released his face, ¡°All right, you can get up now. Here, the apples you asked for last time.¡± Ash quickly sat up and touched his face, breathing a sigh of relief. By the bedside was a plate of apple slices shaped like rabbits, with toothpicks stuck in them. Ash picked them up, eating them one by one. ¡°Phew, two eyes, one nose, one mouth, didn¡¯t lose any. I thought I might contribute to species diversity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m performing surgery on you, how can you doubt me?¡± The practitioner folded her arms, trying to appear angry, but her crow mask muffled her voice. Ash didn¡¯t feel scared at all; in fact, he reached out his hand. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°You mentioned before that if I let you do cosmetic surgery, you would pay me, right?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The practitioner obediently pulled out her wallet but then snapped to, ¡°I did say that yesterday, but you didn¡¯t agree!¡± ¡°So did you actually give me cosmetic surgery or not?¡± ¡°Cosmetic surgery is complicated, not as simple as you think¡ª¡± ¡°So you did?¡± ¡°Just a little, it was really just a tiny procedure¡­ How much do you want?¡± ¡°Give me a silver coin.¡± The practitioner visibly relaxed, rummaging through her purse before looking up to ask, ¡°How about a gold coin? I don¡¯t have change.¡± Ash, who lived off the state, had no concept of the economy. He was surprised, realizing silver coins were considered loose change given to beggars. One was willing to give it, and the other took it. As Ash accepted the gold coin, a surge of elation bubbled up in his consciousness. Feeling his palm heat up, Ash seemed to see a child in pajamas pat its full belly and fall asleep. He glanced at the gold coin, sensing it had become slightly smaller. Judging by this rate of consumption, it might last a year. So feeding a Technique Spirit was pretty easy after all. Though Ash casually asked for money, he had a reason. After all, the Sword Maiden told him Technique Spirits required money to sustain, and since he had none, he had to find ways to get some from those with lower IQs. Satisfied, Ash pocketed the gold coin and casually asked, ¡°So what cosmetic surgery did you do on me?¡± ¡°The Drue Technique for forehead skin extension and wrinkle removal, simply put, it gets rid of forehead wrinkles.¡± The practitioner straightened up slowly and looked down at Ash through the crow mask, ¡°You should be grateful I did this surgery for you. Know that forehead wrinkles severely affect appearance, and outside, this Drue Technique would cost a fortune¡ª¡± ¡°What, you removed my most handsome, manly forehead wrinkles?¡± Ash was furious, ¡°An unethical practitioner disfigures a sleeping patient, stealing their best features. Is there no justice? Isn¡¯t it a medical malpractice, a plot to murder for money!¡± The practitioner was dumbfounded by Ash¡¯s counterattack, hesitated, and then opened her wallet. ¡°How much do you want?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m not that kind of person.¡± Ash refused righteously, ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of criminal who extorts others with leverage.¡± The practitioner pondered for a moment. ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll find some news about you¡­¡± ¡°In! Short!¡± Ash quickly stopped her, ¡°I just wanted to ask you a few questions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to ask my name, take off my mask, or touch my skin!¡± The practitioner quickly swatted Ash¡¯s hand away and crossed her arms defensively, making Ash truly feel his dignity as a death row inmate. Still, Ash was a bit curious, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the rule in Shattered Lake Prison. Practitioners aren¡¯t allowed private interactions with inmates. If caught, they¡¯ll be dismissed and, if severe, imprisoned!¡± ¡°So¡­ we might soon become prison buddies?¡± ¡°If you have questions, ask quickly and leave.¡± The practitioner seemed indifferent about the rule, giving Ash the impression she wanted a long unpaid leave. ¡°Is the elf I fought still alive?¡± ¡°He was injured less than you and left long ago.¡± ¡°Less injured?¡± ¡°It was only a throat cut, no big deal. He was healed in minutes. I spent over an hour regrowing your flesh.¡± The practitioner spread her hands, looking honest. Ash examined his intact thigh and shoulder, wondering if treatment costs here were weighed by the pound. Was losing more flesh harder to treat, while a slit throat was no big deal? So the butt was considered a high-risk organ here, more important than the head? ¡°Any other questions, ask quickly.¡± ¡°I wanted to know, is there a place in prison to trade Technique Spirits? A solitary man gets lonely and wants a pet¡­¡± The practitioner stared intently at Ash. ¡°I¡¯m going to report you for plotting to escape.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a death row inmate. Even if you report me, can my sentence be extended?¡± ¡°Yes, they can revive you and sentence you to death again.¡± ¡°What, there¡¯s such a procedure!?¡± ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s too wasteful of taxpayer money and inhumane. It was banned a hundred years ago.¡± ¡°So, a hundred years ago, death row inmates could be killed multiple times¡­¡± ¡°Either way, I won¡¯t answer your question.¡± The practitioner crossed her arms, ¡°Death row inmates like you should be obedient medical material, and when you¡¯re no longer useful, just die quietly.¡± ¡°You have surprisingly decent principles¡­¡± ¡°How can you tell mine aren¡¯t?¡± ¡°Well, you chatted with me, a death row inmate, for quite a while. I thought you were someone curious about criminals.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not curious at all. If I were, I¡¯d just read the news reports.¡± While gathering the medical equipment, Ash jumped down from the bed, stretching his thigh and shoulder. The surgery was successful, aside from some thigh and shoulder skin being paler than the rest. ¡°If I said I was framed, would you believe me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think you can fool me.¡± The practitioner sneered, ¡°Since the memory evidence system was introduced, there¡¯ve been no wrongful convictions. The Crime Hunting Hall must have found evidence in your memory before convicting you¡ª¡± ¡°No, they didn¡¯t get evidence from my memory.¡± ¡°How¡¯s that possible¡ª¡± ¡°You can check the reports yourself, but they didn¡¯t take anything from my memory. I truly was framed.¡± Ash spoke confidently, not mentioning the criminal was Heath and not him, and he didn¡¯t even possess Heath¡¯s memories, feeling zero guilt in his claim. The practitioner eyed Ash skeptically. ¡°No tricks?¡± ¡°If I lied, I¡¯d work overtime without pay forever.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re lying, you¡¯re doomed. You better hope you don¡¯t get hurt again, or I¡¯ll change your race and gender.¡± This remark hit Ash hard. Planning to explore the diverse healthcare in this world, he hadn¡¯t expected their medical tech to change races and genders! Could he still believe any pretty girl on the street? Could people still trust each other? ¡°But even if you say that, I still can¡¯t answer you.¡± The practitioner spread her hands. ¡°Your magic power is restricted, and the first step in trading Technique Spirits involves the seller releasing with magic, while the buyer reactivates. Unable to use magic power, you can neither release a spirit nor reactivate one.¡± Magic Power even had effects akin to cryptographic keys; Ash viewed it as universal energy. He¡¯d be unsurprised if it had Bluetooth functions too. No wonder prisons didn¡¯t confine their Technique Spirits. Spirits were likely unbindable; meanwhile, restricting magic power kept things under control. Ash pressed on, ¡°No hope at all? Isn¡¯t there a place like a Death Battle Society where we can lift our magic restrictions?¡± Having experienced a Void Realm Exploration, Ash realized gathering necessary spirits was a needle-in-a-haystack challenge. With enough time, it wasn¡¯t impossible, but his time was limited. Ash wasn¡¯t averse to risk, willing to gamble on odds but also wanted a counter-strategy. Like a company covering health insurance when making them work 996 hours; whether an employee collapsed or not, the company benefitted. As Employee of the Year, Ash embraced this exceptional corporate culture, always preparing a backup plan. If he could find a Technique Spirit trading platform, then even if he only found trash in the Void Realm, he could resell it for a profit. ¡°There is, you don¡¯t know?¡± The practitioner¡¯s answer surprised Ash, ¡°Why would I know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an experience every death row inmate undergoes¡­ Oh right, you just got here; you haven¡¯t experienced it yet.¡± Ash immediately understood her implication. ¡°Blood Moon Judgement?¡± ¡°¡±¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Blood Mage Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Blood Mage Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Ever since coming to this world, Ash had heard the term ¡°Blood Moon Judgement¡± more than once. At first, he thought it was an execution show. Then, he thought it was a live-streamed execution show. Then, he thought it was an online guessing game where a lucky audience member was randomly chosen for execution. Now, Ash felt that Blood Moon Judgement should be an unrestricted fighting variety show. ¡°Yes, when death row inmates participate in the Blood Moon Judgement, the prison will remove all your restrictions, and by then you can use magic power to drive the technique spirit.¡± The medical practitioner extended her hand, and a kind-looking grandmotherly technique spirit appeared in her palm. ¡°If you ask whether there¡¯s an opportunity for trading in Blood Moon Judgement, theoretically there is, but no one can actually achieve it. As to why, I don¡¯t need to explain further, do I? You¡¯re not someone who hasn¡¯t watched Blood Moon Judgement.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t watched it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m so easy to fool!¡± the medical practitioner almost roared, ¡°I won¡¯t believe such a stupid lie!¡± Now the medical practitioner was unwilling to divulge any more information. That lame lie of Ash¡¯s made her feel her dignity was insulted. It¡¯s one thing to try to deceive her, but using a lie even a child wouldn¡¯t fall for? Who does he take her for! Ash felt wronged too; he really hadn¡¯t watched Blood Moon Judgement, but it was common knowledge here, so there was no need for further introduction. Since he couldn¡¯t extract any information, Ash decided to go eat, but the medical practitioner wouldn¡¯t let him leave now. ¡°Why did you ask about that elf¡¯s condition just now? Are you worried about him?¡± ¡°Saying I¡¯m worried is too embarrassing, I¡¯m just a bit concerned.¡± Ash scratched the new tender flesh on his shoulder, ¡°After all, he¡¯s technically the first person I killed. Isn¡¯t it said that murderers always return to the scene of the crime to watch? I guess I have a similar mindset.¡± ¡°Really, he¡¯s your first time?¡± ¡°The way you put it can be quite misleading¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a death row inmate eligible for the luxury suite at Shattered Lake Prison! For you, destroying life should be as simple as dressing, torturing souls as routine as breathing, no?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly a good person, but I¡¯m really wronged!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll believe the first half of your sentence for now.¡± The medical practitioner looked down at the technique spirit in her hand, pondering her words. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll believe that it is your first time killing. So, why are you concerned about the elf¡¯s life or death? Do you want him to not survive, or do you wish he wouldn¡¯t die?¡± ¡°Both.¡± ¡°Both?¡± the medical practitioner couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°You want him both dead and alive?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really have the kind of grudge against him that requires him to die. If possible, I¡¯d rather whack him with a baton shaped like a geoduck to vent my anger, and I have some questions for him, so I don¡¯t particularly wish for him to die.¡± Ash shrugged, ¡°But if he really did die, I might just lament before falling asleep tonight that life is like the ocean, only those with strong will can reach the other shore¡­ So even if he dies, I wouldn¡¯t care much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m inclined to believe it¡¯s your first time killing someone,¡± the medical practitioner said, ¡°Your kind of statement pleases neither side. During case hearings, claiming to be merciful might gain the sympathy of human rights organizations, saying you uprooted with finality might win the support of extremists, but this vague indecisive talk would make all organizations dislike you.¡± ¡°Seems like the world outside isn¡¯t easy to navigate either,¡± Ash sighed, ¡°But where in the world are there so many decisive and determined people? Aren¡¯t most people like me, indecisive?¡± The medical practitioner was slightly taken aback, shrugged, ¡°There are indecisive people, but one needs to have the capital to be indecisive, like¡ªbeing good-looking!¡± The medical practitioner took out a photo album, flipping it open in Ash¡¯s face, ¡°Look, these are trending handsome models of the past five years, do you want to choose one for your new face? I particularly recommend this Number 1 face. It¡¯s very trendy, resembling current popular singers by ninety percent, you¡¯ll definitely like this face¡­¡± ¡°Clearly, it¡¯s you who likes this face!¡± ¡°So what if I like it, the one benefiting from having this face is you!¡± ¡°Who says so, I¡¯m not looking in the mirror all day, I usually can¡¯t see my own face, what use is being good-looking to me? Instead, others stare at me all day, they enjoy it, and I have to endure their leering gazes, do you think I¡¯d be willing to do such a self-sacrificial stupid thing?¡± Ash¡¯s reasoning was so sound that the medical practitioner was convinced. Her crow mask sagged down, dejected, ¡°Alright, you¡¯re right¡­¡± ¡°However,¡± Ash¡¯s tone shifted, ¡°You¡¯re willing to listen to my grievances and chat with me for so long, this is the only warmth I¡¯ve felt in this cold prison. Since it¡¯s a request from a friend, I can¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t agree¡­¡± ¡°What, are we friends?¡± ¡°If not, then I¡¯ll be on my way¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright, so you¡¯re willing to let me perform surgery on you?¡± ¡°Actually, not that willing¡­¡± Ash hesitated, ¡°I do quite like my current face, you know, having looked at it for so many years, there¡¯s a bit of sentiment¡­¡± ¡°So¡­?¡± ¡°I need more money.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± The medical practitioner breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°When should the surgery start? Hang on, there are some techniques I¡¯m not too familiar with yet, let me review them over the next couple of nights¡­ Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s very safe, my technique spirit can effectively prevent malignant issues like flesh collapse!¡± Ash tugged at his mouth, ¡°I, I¡¯m very reassured, I¡¯ll take my leave first then, you prepare slowly, don¡¯t rush!¡± Magic power was the mage¡¯s universal energy, and money was society¡¯s universal energy. Although he hadn¡¯t seen any hope of escape yet, Ash needed to find a way to earn some money for backup. All death row inmates were, needless to say, a bunch of poor wretches feeding off the state, so Ash pondered long and hard, feeling that his only option left was to trade his face for money. But it seemed the price was too high; the chance of a botched face was very high, and Ash was a bit scared. No wonder the medical practitioners were not allowed to reveal their names; probably to prepare for anonymous escape¡ªafter refining techniques through numerous medical accidents in the prison, they could just walk away, and death row inmates wouldn¡¯t even have someone to curse if they wanted to. Ash walked to the door, suddenly turned back to survey the treatment room. ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve wanted to ask for a while¡ªare you ostracized by your colleagues?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why do I always see only you when I wake up, where are the other medical practitioners?¡± Ash speculated, ¡°Did they give the most troublesome work to you, and then pat themselves on the butt and clock out?¡± ¡°Not exactly¡ªbut you being the most troublesome work, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Really not? If you¡¯re being ostracized and boycotted by your colleagues, remember to tell me.¡± The medical practitioner glanced at Ash, chuckling. ¡°Why tell you?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends? Friends are the ones who can gloat on the sidelines when the other encounters misfortune.¡± ¡°Get lost, get lost!¡± Ash waved goodbye, ¡°Doctor [222], see you next time. The apple was delicious, thank you.¡± ¡­ ¡­ The treatment room returned to silence, the medical practitioner packed up her toolbox, and pushed open the door to the public lounge¡ªthe medical practitioners¡¯ area didn¡¯t overlap at all with that of the death row inmates¡ªand then she saw a group of medical practitioners wearing crow masks waiting outside. The medical practitioner was startled, almost thinking they were here to hold her accountable. But upon taking a closer look, she noticed someone in the group of medical practitioners was not wearing a crow mask; judging by the build and the name badge, it was the tall medical practitioner [176] who usually scolded her. His appearance was that of a bluish-scaled fishman, but his eyes were pure crimson, like dazzling rubies. [176] not only wasn¡¯t wearing a mask, but his hands were also bound behind his back, his face showed obvious bruising, and there was a dark green foam necklace around his neck. The medical practitioner knew exactly what that was. Miracle, Venous Foam. It was the most commonly used offensive miracle of the blood mages, integrating trapping and killing, capable of prolonged casting. A target hit by the venous foam would have all veins linked to the foam, and if the foam burst, it meant all the veins would simultaneously rupture, and the heart would quickly lose blood supply and result in instant death. Any mage, even the weakest, had the ability to instantly obliterate life. Being shackled with venous foam was the treatment reserved for criminals. ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°He peeked at your healing technique, miss.¡± A medical practitioner with a name badge [201] bowed and reported, even the distorted voice by the crow mask couldn¡¯t hide his respect. ¡°Attempting to steal the intellectual property of the Blood Tears Research Institute without permission violates the constitutional principle of ¡®the sanctity of individual and collective property,¡¯ which is undoubtedly a crime.¡± ¡°` Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Trial Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Trial Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` In the passageway from the treatment room to the public lounge, a judgment was underway. The other medical practitioners looked at the slightly short figure of [222], their gazes behind raven masks filled with a mix of complex emotions. There was no doubt among them about [176] being accused of ¡°technique theft¡±; they even deemed it quite reasonable. A healing technique was not merely a procedure but rather a method of learning a miracle. Unlike combat mages, healing and creation mages do not require PVP, so they can lower the casting difficulty by extending the casting time, whereas combat mages cannot¡ªan enemy would attack before you finish the cast. Therefore, healing and creation mages break miracles into many steps, combining a series of steps to form a miracle. These steps were known as techniques. Thus, once someone learned the technique, mastering the miracle was only a matter of time. Techniques were naturally regarded as crucial intellectual property. A mage who created a new technique could earn royalties from other mages studying them, even if his technique had a narrow range of application and was commercially unviable; this alone could afford the mage a longevity package extending life by ten years from the four major research institutes. This was also why every time Ash woke up, he found only one medical practitioner in the treatment room¡ªno one was allowed to watch the medical practitioners at work to prevent others from stealing their healing techniques. The medical practitioner looked at [201], ¡°Were you sent by the teacher?¡± ¡°I am a graduate student learning from your senior; she is my boss.¡± [201] chose words carefully, not revealing any names, ¡°The Warden of Shattered Lake Prison is friends with my boss¡­ but my boss instructed me not to disturb you unless this scum went too far by stealing the institute¡¯s property. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± The medical practitioner asked, ¡°Now that my identity is exposed, should I leave here?¡± [201] laughed, ¡°Miss, you jest. Those coming to Shattered Lake Prison for the ¡®Blood Embrace Ritual¡¯ are invariably prospective members of the institutes under the four major research institutes. Why would we betray you? How dare we betray you?¡± The other medical practitioners collectively bent over in a bow, showing their respect. They couldn¡¯t not lower their heads, as there were thirty-six research institutes in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, with twenty-four small, eight medium, and four large institutes. Most of them were only ¡®preliminary bloodlines¡¯ from small institutes, whereas this young lady in front of them was a new member of the ¡°Blood Tears¡± under the four major institutes, a world of difference in status. To be blunt, the best result they could hope for after completing the Blood Embrace and leaving prison was to become a Golden Bloodline, gaining a two-hundred-year life span, reaching no more than Two-winged in their lifetime. New members of the four major research institutes nearly all had a five-hundred-year lifespan as Holy Domain bloodlines, and even a thousand-year lifespan as Legendary bloodlines! The Three-winged Holy Domain was a starting point they had to reach, and Four-winged Legendary was not unusual; they might even touch the realm of the Divine Being, becoming demigod saints above all in the Kingdom of Blood Moon! ¡°Miss, how do you wish to deal with this scum?¡± [201] asked. The medical practitioner was silent for a moment, looking at [176]. ¡°Do you have anything you want to say?¡± [176] raised a fishhead to glance at the medical practitioner, her large eyes showing the scarlet brilliance she was most familiar with. ¡°How dare you!¡± With a snort, [201] pressed a venous bubble. [176] trembled all over, her face, already pale, now looking like a sheet of white paper. ¡°I am not convinced.¡± ¡°What aren¡¯t you convinced by?¡± ¡°I am not convinced that you can become a new member of the Blood Tears Research Institute while I must bite and roll in a small research institute.¡± [176] almost bit through her sharp teeth, ¡°I also am a prodigy among fishmen; I too should become a supreme bloodline, but why is the resource gap between you and me so vast?¡± ¡°I am not convinced. The Blood Embrace opportunity I exhausted my mind to obtain, you could get with ease; I am not convinced that the technique I covet is merely knowledge at your fingertips to you; I am not convinced that the best material from the prisoners is handled by you, while I can only get some tasteless scraps¡­¡± ¡°What I am most unconvinced about is why you have such good talent!¡± [176] became more and more hysterical, ¡°I cannot watch you surpass me¡­ I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°What a piece of scum without the slightest remorse.¡± [201] punctured another venous bubble, and [176] was nearly passing out this time. ¡°His garbage talk is unnecessary to listen to¡­ Miss, how do you want to deal with him?¡± [201] paused, ¡°Generally speaking, he would be executed on the spot.¡± The medical practitioner quietly looked at [176], who was almost about to collapse to the ground, pondering for a long time. ¡°He doesn¡¯t annoy me to the point of wanting him dead, but if he were to die, I wouldn¡¯t particularly care either.¡± ¡°So what are you saying¡­¡± ¡°Find a whip shaped like a razor clam, beat him until he is covered in scales and wounds, and do not heal him; expel him. By the way, isn¡¯t he a Blue-scaled Fishman? A finger shark shouldn¡¯t kill him. Throw him into the sea tonight and let him swim back on his own.¡± [201] was stunned for a moment, ¡°But Miss¡ª¡± ¡°This is my decision.¡± The medical practitioner looked at [201], ¡°If you disagree, do as you see fit; I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I did not mean that.¡± [201] bowed deeply, ¡°Your will shall be carried out.¡± ¡°Then I will go back to rest.¡± The medical practitioner threaded quickly through the people and left, seemingly eager to escape this suffocating atmosphere. But soon, a slow and heavy set of footsteps quickly caught up to her pace. The medical practitioner stopped at her dormitory door, looking at [201] who had caught up. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Since I have already disturbed you, I thought I might as well take this chance to say a few words¡­ a reminder.¡± [201] deliberated over his words, ¡°Just a few reminders.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I noticed that the time you spend with the prisoners in the treatment room is slightly¡­ against the regulations. Of course, this is entirely fine. I assure you no one will use this regulation to offend you, and I¡¯m not here to warn you.¡± ¡°Were it not to avoid trouble from the Human Rights Association and the Racial Rights Association, we wouldn¡¯t have to pretend to be medical practitioners to conduct the ritual here. Those rules merely reduce the chances of encountering trouble, but you, Miss, need not worry about it.¡± Each of [201]¡¯s words emphasized his humility. ¡°I am just worried whether you, Miss, while playing, might develop unnecessary feelings for the material, delaying the Blood Embrace Ritual. If your progress with the ritual runs into problems, the boss will hold me accountable.¡± The medical practitioner shook her head, ¡°I have not forgotten the Blood Embrace Ritual; you can rest assured.¡± She paused, ¡°All the prisoners I treated have already had the Blood Embrace seed implanted by me. As long as they die in the judgment, the Blood Embrace seed will naturally condense their knowledge and magic power, turning it all into my Source Blood.¡± The medical practitioner walked into her dormitory, reached up to remove her raven mask, revealing a pair of extremely violent scarlet eyes, gazing at [201] like a hunter, making [201] feel a chill running down his spine. ¡°We of the Blood Saint Clan never develop feelings for bread.¡± ¡°` Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Mastermind Behind the Scenes Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Mastermind Behind the Scenes Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Since it was already nearing 8 p.m. when Ash arrived at the restaurant, he naturally couldn¡¯t order the special Lala Fat delicacies. He randomly picked some meat dishes and sat down to eat. ¡°Does victory make the food taste better?¡± Ash looked up and saw Valcas sitting across from him with a cup of water. ¡°To be honest, these leftovers are already a bit cold, and the Lala Fat has all been taken by you guys¡­¡± ¡°You can order something, after all, you won 37 contribution points from me. Spending a few points to treat yourself isn¡¯t excessive, is it?¡± ¡°Huh? Order food? Spend contribution points?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Makes sense, you¡¯ve only been here a couple of days,¡± Valcas pointed to a menu sign next to the restaurant, ¡°You can order anytime, unrestricted by the restaurant¡¯s daily offerings. If it¡¯s outside of free activity time, the restaurant will even deliver to your room¡ªas long as you spend contribution points.¡± It was only then that Ash realized the menu sign was an ordering menu. He had previously thought it was just for show¡ªleadership showing they offered lots of dishes, truly not skimping on prisoners¡¯ meals! The menu suddenly seemed cheap, any combination of three gourmet dishes cost only 1 contribution point. For example, ¡®Seafood Lala Fat¡¯ + ¡®Cream Chicken Noodles¡¯ + ¡®Mist Spinach and Egg Tart¡¯ were only 1 contribution point, enough for a hearty meal. However, each death row inmate only had an initial 50 contribution points, with 10 points automatically deducted each month. Additionally, it was mandatory to apply for deathmatch. The lower the contribution points, the earlier the sequence for judgement, making it more likely to be selected for the live show ¡®Blood Moon Judgement.¡¯ Thus, contribution points in prison not only represented currency but also the prisoner¡¯s life quota. Spending contribution points was akin to slow suicide¡­ or perhaps there was a difference: with slow suicide, at least you didn¡¯t know when you¡¯d die, while with spending contribution points, you could watch your life quota decrease. ¡°Although the prison doesn¡¯t have much to play with, if you want to spend contribution points, you can surely find ways to do so,¡± Valcas remarked, ¡°Haircare, customizing prison uniforms, buying specific toiletries¡­ You can even spend contribution points to get a better room, a three-bedroom with two living rooms and windows, at 1 contribution point per day.¡± ¡°1 point per day? That¡¯s insane, who would stay there?¡± ¡°There is, ¡®Diamond¡¯ Taiger has been living in that VIP suite for years, his contribution points are so abundant that he can¡¯t spend them all. There¡¯s always some fool newcomer giving him points. If you calculate 1 contribution point as equivalent to 1 gold coin, Taiger might be richer in prison than outside.¡± Ash raised his eyebrows, ¡°So¡­ in the prison¡¯s evaluation system, we prisoners are only worth 50 gold coins?¡± ¡°Does that seem little to you?¡± ¡°Is it a lot?¡± ¡°Most ordinary people who haven¡¯t received higher education won¡¯t earn 50 gold coins in a lifetime, even Mages who fare poorly can¡¯t. With an annual salary of 1 gold coin, you can live a decent life in Kaimon City.¡± It was then that Ash finally understood the true value of the gold coin in his possession and realized how corrupt the prison was¡ªthree meat dishes could cost a year¡¯s salary! Was the Lala Fat here a Ph.D. graduate? ¡°Suddenly, the leftovers feel quite tasty.¡± Valcas snorted, just quietly watching Ash. Ash ate for a while before he couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Mr. Elf, I¡¯m the type who can¡¯t pee when someone¡¯s watching.¡± ¡°Oh, oh.¡± ¡°I was just speaking metaphorically, you don¡¯t have to whistle to agree!¡± ¡°I thought young people nowadays enjoyed eating and peeing at the same time,¡± Valcas chuckled, then returned to his indifferent expression, ¡°I¡¯m going to speak to myself now, most of it just nonsense ramblings. If you overhear it, it¡¯s best to pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Ash was slightly stunned. ¡°Selin Dore, besides being the president of the Kaimon City Racial Rights Association, a Kaimon council member, and a university professor, has a hidden identity¡ªone of the supporters behind the Woodpecker gang. On the surface, he opposes Blood Saint Clan members and Moon Shadow Clan members to protect other races¡¯ interests, but he has secretly conducted numerous under-the-table transactions with Blood Moon members. The Woodpecker gang is his black glove, and Kaimon City¡¯s mayor, Fernand, owes part of his ascension to him.¡± ¡°The cult of The Gods of Four Pillars hasn¡¯t surfaced for many years, nearly disappearing without a trace, except for a baseless rumor¡ªin the Eastern Ruins archaeological excavation eight years ago, it was rumored that important ritual texts related to the cult of The Gods of Four Pillars were unearthed. The same year, the Eastern Ruins were struck by a Void Realm storm, destroying most of the archaeological achievements.¡± ¡°Professor Selin Dore was the main advisory consultant in the excavation team for the Eastern Ruins that year.¡± ¡°Selin is a very patient elf; at least I¡¯ve never seen a being more tolerant. If he wants someone dead, it means that person possesses critical information that could cause him immense damage if revealed.¡± Valcas took a sip of water to moisten his throat, glancing at Ash. ¡°Theoretically, most of the death row inmates in prison have had their memories searched, so if there was any intelligence, it would have certainly been found by the Crime Hunting Hall¡­ unless someone¡¯s memory hasn¡¯t been searched.¡± So that¡¯s how it was. Although Ash still didn¡¯t understand his relationship with Professor Selin, he fully grasped why Selin would go to great lengths to murder him¡ªhe thought Ash possessed undisclosed secrets! Due to the cult of The Gods of Four Pillars, the Crime Hunting Hall didn¡¯t dare to search his memories, thus making Ash Heath the only inmate in prison still holding secrets! This was Selin¡¯s luck because Heath hadn¡¯t divulged his information; It was also Selin¡¯s misfortune because Heath could report him at any moment! To be honest, if Ash truly knew such secrets, he would definitely report them to the Crime Hunting Hall immediately. Not because he¡¯s a detrimental bad guy, but out of curiosity about Selin, wanting to become close cellmates with him, and if given a chance, engaging in thrilling clashes in the deathmatch ring. But the problem was¡ªAsh truly didn¡¯t know Selin¡¯s secrets! Heath¡¯s original memory, he hadn¡¯t absorbed a drop! Annoying, Ash also wanted to use Heath¡¯s memory to help the Crime Hunting Hall bring villains to justice. After all, so many have committed crimes, so why was only he caught!? Unfortunately, he knew nothing about it. Even more irritating, others feared his leaking secrets, so they would go to great lengths to eliminate him! Yet he knew nothing! It felt like being wrongfully accused by a teacher of stealing a classmate¡¯s stationery when he hadn¡¯t stolen anything as a child. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re still here? You didn¡¯t hear my self-talk, did you?¡± Valcas stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day, I¡¯ll find you for a brainstorm when I have time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Haha, kidding, I don¡¯t have the time, and you don¡¯t have the brains.¡± ¡°Wait, Valcas,¡± Ash called after him, ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Although Ash thought Valcas might give him some information as compensation for losing, the way it was presented was completely different from what Ash imagined¡ªhe expected Valcas to confront him with some strong words, something like, ¡®I¡¯m the weakest of the Dark Four Fellows, defeating me isn¡¯t helpful, our people will soon give you trouble.¡¯ Ash didn¡¯t anticipate Valcas¡¯s defection to be so straightforward, feeling as if while punching someone he also carried moral correction with him? ¡°I¡¯m not helping you.¡± Valcas shook his head. ¡°I just wanted to give that bastard Selin some trouble.¡± Causing trouble without benefiting oneself was a very reasonable reason. Ash, taking advantage of the opportunity, asked, ¡°Do you know if there¡¯s any channel to trade Technique Spirits in prison? If I can get a few swordsmanship spirits, I could give Selin significant trouble¡ª¡± ¡°Not my problem.¡± Ash was at a loss for words, deciding to take a concern approach: ¡°By the way, Valcas, since you failed to kill me and lost, will you be in any trouble¡ª¡± ¡°Not your problem.¡± ¡°Then at least tell me how Selin plans to deal with me, right?¡± Valcas glanced at him, leaving a parting remark before directly leaving. ¡°The next time we meet, you¡¯ll know Selin¡¯s methods.¡± Ash felt that Valcas¡¯s downfall to imprisonment wasn¡¯t unrelated to his foul mouth and enigmatic character. But at least now, he could be certain of one thing: the mastermind behind all of this had to be Heath¡¯s former university professor, the elf scholar Selin Dore! ¡­ ¡­ After finishing his meal, Ash didn¡¯t linger in the prison but hurried back to his room and immediately spoke out. ¡°Sword Maiden? Are you there?¡± ¡°Here, but not entirely.¡± The Sword Maiden sat on the bed with her legs crossed, the deep black stockings outlining a graceful curve, resting her chin on her palm, casting a sideways glance at Ash. ¡°Anything you need?¡± ¡°Were you the one who reminded me in the deathmatch earlier?¡± Ash extended his hand, and the ¡®Substitute¡¯ Technique Spirit appeared, lying on its back snoring soundly. ¡°The chip still restricts my output of Magic Power, but why was I able to activate the Substitute Technique Spirit?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You understood the Substitute Technique Spirit¡¯s knowledge, and combined with suitable conditions, you directly triggered a resonance with the spirit, which then automatically exerted influence on reality. Other death row inmates wishing to activate spirits in prison use this method too.¡± Though Ash had heard this many times, he still couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at the phenomenon: that mature Technique Spirits would actually cast spells themselves. ¡°But how did I come to understand the ¡®Substitute¡¯ Technique Spirit?¡± Ash was still puzzled, ¡°I¡¯ve never learned any knowledge about Substitute Technique Spirits.¡± ¡°You did learn, and you understood.¡± Ash was startled, suddenly recalling the Sword Maiden¡¯s words of warning. ¡°Was it due to this phrase? ¡®If it hurts, consider yourself as someone else, and it won¡¯t hurt anymore¡¯?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Sword Maiden nodded, ¡°When you understood those words, you naturally grasped this spirit. At its core, a Technique Spirit is just a collection of knowledge; once you have the spirit, even if you don¡¯t actively study it, the knowledge of the spirit will actively pursue you.¡± ¡°Is it that simple?¡± ¡°Not simple,¡± the Sword Maiden shook her head, ¡°Understanding knowledge and comprehending knowledge are two different matters¡­ If you weren¡¯t in extreme danger earlier, with your body covered in wounds and your consciousness nearly fading, you wouldn¡¯t have resonated with the Substitute Spirit. Simply learning isn¡¯t enough; empathizing is crucial to understanding the spirit.¡± Ash gazed at the Substitute Technique Spirit in his palm, attempting to delve his consciousness into its core. This time went slightly better than the previous; Ash could comprehend the information flow the spirit fed back, but he still couldn¡¯t understand its structure. If the Technique Spirit was a dish, last time Ash couldn¡¯t even taste it, entirely unable to discern its flavor; this time Ash could taste it but didn¡¯t know how to prepare it. ¡°Understanding the spirit is already your limit; if a Technique Spirit wasn¡¯t summoned by you personally, you would find the Gate of Truth it conceals.¡± The Sword Maiden immediately saw his intentions: ¡°Only a spirit born from the knowledge you possess will allow you to find its Gate of Truth. A spirit acquired through other means, no matter how deeply you understand it, is ultimately not yours.¡± ¡°Truth must be pure perfection, leaving no room for any flaw.¡± Truth is indeed very stringent. Ash retracted the spirit, looking toward the Sword Maiden. ¡°How come you disappeared for most of the day?¡± ¡°` Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Sword Maiden Mom Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Sword Maiden Mom Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°What do you take me for? A call girl at your beck and call?¡± The Sword Maiden crossed her arms, lifted her chest, and raised her chin, ¡°Do I need to report to you wherever I go? Do I have to file an application to use the bathroom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but do you need to use the bathroom? Do you prefer squat toilets or sit-down ones?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about toilets!¡± The Sword Maiden suddenly stood up and approached Ash, who backed away until his back hit the wall under her sharp gaze. She stared intensely at him, pressing her finger against his collarbone. ¡°Even though you promised to respect me before, it seems like you don¡¯t actually think that way. You still see me as just an illusion made of data streams, a paper-thin figure born for your convenience¡­ Even though we¡¯ve communicated for so long, even though we¡¯ve had Void Realm adventures together, you still can¡¯t change your¡­ condescension towards me.¡± Ash didn¡¯t refute, nor could he refute. The Sword Maiden wasn¡¯t asking; she was stating facts. Under the premise that she could hear his inner voice, any lies were meaningless. ¡°I can¡¯t change how you think, but remember one thing¡ªI am also a person.¡± The Sword Maiden said word by word, ¡°I have my own life, my own hobbies, my own pursuits, and I have my own world to live in¡­ You are not my whole life, just an unexpected part of it. Even without you, I can live perfectly fine in a place you don¡¯t know about. Understand?¡± ¡°If I help you, you should be grateful. If I don¡¯t help you, you can¡¯t blame me. Understand?¡± ¡°Understood, thank you, Sword Maiden Mom, for your help all along!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± The Sword Maiden poked Ash¡¯s forehead hard, ¡°Who wants to be called Mom at such a young age!¡± ¡°Who said, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you called me Dad¡­¡± Ash sensed she was about to poke him again and quickly changed the subject, ¡°So, Sword Maiden, can you tell me something interesting that happened to you today?¡± The Sword Maiden sat back on the bed, looked at the water cup on the table beside her, and fell into a long silence. Just as Ash thought she didn¡¯t want to reveal her whereabouts to a nosy man, she spoke again. ¡°This morning, I showed off the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit at the Meditation Building entrance; by the afternoon, the whole school knew I¡¯d gotten one from the Void Realm. Ha, even my high-and-mighty roommate came sucking up to me, asking if I¡¯d sell it¡­¡± ¡°So you had a good time today?¡± ¡°Boring!¡± The Sword Maiden gave him a look, ¡°What¡¯s there to be happy about with this bit of superficial vanity? Why should I care about those strangers¡¯ praise and jealousy? Only teenage girls would be smug about it.¡± But I remember you are a teenage girl¡­ Ash just had this thought when she shot him a fierce glare. Seriously, can¡¯t even mention your youth? The Sword Maiden is so strict. ¡°The air in a single man¡¯s dorm is so stuffy and reeky, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Apologize to the air purifier hanging on the ceiling! Right now, immediately!¡± Ash almost roared, ¡°And I haven¡¯t done anything these two days, I¡¯ve been in the Void Realm with you at night, where¡¯s the stuffy stink coming from!¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re breathing, or perhaps your heartbeat is too strong.¡± Ash decided not to argue with her, ¡°Then continue exploring the Void Realm tonight?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The Sword Maiden paused, ¡°Unless there¡¯s a special situation, otherwise, I won¡¯t usually appear. If you have something to discuss with me, wait until the Void Realm to do so. The Void Night is our mutual leisure time.¡± Ash naturally had no objections, or rather, when she reaffirmed her right to freedom earlier, he vaguely expected that she wouldn¡¯t continue offering 24-hour personal service. ¡°But if something happens to me, will you be available?¡± ¡°I already said, you are not my whole life.¡± Ash nodded at these words to show he understood, then turned his head to look elsewhere. ¡°But you are my unexpected event,¡± the Sword Maiden glanced at him, ¡°If you really encounter an accident, I¡¯ll appear as soon as possible¡ªthen rush to the scene and mock you.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t expect me to show up to chat when you¡¯re lonely to the point of collapse, I don¡¯t provide that service.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a mature social person, I won¡¯t be lonely.¡± Ash patted his chest in retort, but the joy in his eyes was almost impossible to hide. Ha, how ridiculous¡­ At this moment, the Final Observer was still afraid of loneliness, afraid of the strange prison, even seeing me as a lifeline, feeling panic if he didn¡¯t see me for a day, just like a child¡­ So, he wasn¡¯t born so¡­ But, fortunately, his mind isn¡¯t working well now, I thought it¡¯d be hard to hide it from him¡­ A thousand thoughts flashed through the Sword Maiden¡¯s mind, then she disappeared from the dormitory, returning to where she ought to be. ¡­ ¡­ Kingdom of Stars, Training Hall. ¡°Sonia, can you still walk?¡± Ingrid looked at Sonia, who was almost melting into the ground, and couldn¡¯t pull her up despite her best efforts¡ªshe was also exhausted from increased training intensity. ¡°No, my legs have no strength at all, need to rest, rest¡­¡± The two girls sat right in the grass by the road, leaning on their sword bags, gasping for air. ¡°Achoo!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°My underwear¡¯s soaked.¡± Sonia fanned her collar for ventilation, ¡°A breeze makes it a bit chilly¡­¡± ¡°Hehe, I recommend you buy sports bras from the brand Fista, they¡¯re quick-dry and breathable.¡± ¡°Really? Let me see.¡± After discussing underwear purchases for a bit, Ingrid exhaled hot air, twisted open her water bottle, finding it empty, and turned to Sonia, ¡°Sonia, where¡¯s your water bottle?¡± ¡°What water bottle?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t bring a water bottle to training?¡± ¡°I¡­ I just brought my sword bag, I forgot I also needed water.¡± Being reminded by Ingrid, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but gulp down, feeling her lips parched, ¡°Do you have any water left?¡± ¡°No!¡­ maybe a drop or two?¡± Ingrid tilted her head back, and after a few seconds, a droplet fell from her water bottle. She licked her lips, marveling, ¡°Why does this water taste so sweet?¡± ¡°Let me have some too!¡± Sonia copied Ingrid¡¯s action, pouring a drop of water into her mouth, sighing melodiously, ¡°This isn¡¯t just water, this is finer than any royal banquet wine!¡± ¡°Have you ever had royal banquet wine?¡± ¡°No, but saying so makes me sound impressive, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had it!¡± Ingrid laughed, ¡°My father has a bottle in the basement he never opens, says it¡¯s wine the Empress awarded him during a royal banquet¡­ I was very curious as a child and sneaked to the basement to take a sip, then added water to the bottle to avoid getting caught, but got found out anyway¡ªit was the worst beating my father ever gave me.¡± ¡°How did he find out?¡± ¡°My footprints were too small; the moment he entered the basement, he saw them leading straight to the bottle.¡± ¡°How did it taste?¡± ¡°I forgot, but it must¡¯ve been terrible. If it tasted good, I would¡¯ve turned the whole bottle to water instead of just adding some.¡± ¡°Haha, you were so mischievous as a kid.¡± ¡°Of course, I once beat all the boys in town when I was younger.¡± Ingrid raised her chin proudly, patting her sword bag, ¡°And I still can.¡± Above them was the glowing starry sky, beneath them lush green grass, and in front, students coming and going from the training ground; yet the two girls just sat there, hugging their knees, chatting and laughing aloud, letting post-training sweat drip down their faces onto the soil. Not far away came the rumble of an engine, and a silver luxury car slowly drove along the campus road, stopping in front of them. ¡°Need a ride?¡± Felix poked his head out, calmly asking, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble for me.¡± Ingrid shook her head, ¡°No need, walking back is a good way to relieve leg fatigue, and we¡¯re all sweaty, don¡¯t want to dirty your car.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Celia come to pick you up tonight?¡± Sonia asked. ¡°We broke up.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± The pair didn¡¯t know how to react, so they just let out a sound. Felix said nothing, simply drove away. Watching the silver car fade into the distance, Ingrid patted her pants and stood up, ¡°Rested enough? Time to head back, the shower¡¯s water pressure drops after 10 PM lately, going back late means no water to bathe.¡± ¡°You go ahead, I¡¯m heading directly to the Meditation Building.¡± Ingrid wasn¡¯t too surprised, ¡°Avoiding Lois? Haven¡¯t figured out how to handle the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Sonia sighed as well, ¡°It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t figured it out¡­ I just want to trade it for a swordsmanship Technique Spirit more.¡± When the news of Sonia having the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit spread, her roommate Lois immediately approached her to ask if it was for sale. Lois wasn¡¯t looking to get it cheap, even offering 120% of the market price; Sonia wouldn¡¯t get that on the school trading platform, selling to her wouldn¡¯t be a loss. Previously, Sonia would¡¯ve rushed to sell it and then giggle under the covers counting money, dreaming of ways to invest that ¡°windfall.¡± But under Professor Trozan¡¯s guidance, Sonia¡¯s perspective broadened, and she realized how crucial Technique Spirits are to a mage¡¯s power; money was just a secondary resource, a cherry on top. Hence she hoped for a ¡®Technique Spirit exchange,¡¯ using the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit to gain a swordsmanship Technique Spirit, boosting her strength for better exploration of the Void Realm. However, ¡®Technique Spirit exchange¡¯ is rare; common spirits can be easily traded, but a rare spirit like Rapid Stream naturally needs to be traded for a rare swordsmanship spirit. Even though Professor Trozan promised to keep an eye out for her, there weren¡¯t any buyers in sight yet. On one hand, there was Lois, who could pay a hefty sum anytime; on the other hand, an unappearing seller¡ªSonia was a bit indecisive and planned to hide for a couple of days to think it over thoroughly. ¡°Actually, you have a third option, use it yourself.¡± Sonia turned her head and found the Observer sitting right beside her. She suppressed a slight joy in her heart and nonchalantly asked in her mind, ¡°When did you return?¡± ¡°When you were discussing underwear.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t buy the Fista brand, Fista is for smaller-sized women. For your size, I recommend the Dosslyn brand, which has good shaping effects.¡± ¡°Enough, I don¡¯t plan to discuss this topic with you.¡± ¡°` Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Observer Dad Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Observer Dad Editor: Atlas Studios Ingrid went her separate way, while Sonia headed to the Meditation Building on her own, asking in her heart, ¡°You mentioned earlier that I can use the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit myself?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Observer walked alongside her, ¡°Didn¡¯t you have some foundation in the Water Technique Faction? I recall that a core Technique Spirit of a Sword Miracle involves both the Wave Motion Sword and Rapid Stream.¡± ¡°You know the specific secret of that Miracle!?¡± Sonia became excited instantly. If she mastered a Sword Miracle, she would not only gain Professor Trozan¡¯s appreciation but also qualify to participate in the Jiale City¡¯s college tournament, opening the doors to high society purely through her strength¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But since you have these two Technique Spirits, you can invent this Miracle yourself.¡± The Observer¡¯s tone was relaxed. ¡°Isn¡¯t the wonder of being a mage in being able to combine any numerous Technique Spirits into an incredible, splendid Miracle?¡± ¡°I also asked Professor Trozan, but even he would take months of effort to create a Water Sword Miracle based on the Wave Motion Sword and Rapid Stream¡­¡± ¡°How can he compare to you? You¡¯re the Sword Maiden I¡¯ve found, after all.¡± Sonia pursed her lips. She wasn¡¯t a three-year-old child; she wouldn¡¯t believe such cost-free compliments¡ªif you really thought so highly of me, just give me the Miracle Technique directly! I would remember your great kindness, and when I achieve success, wouldn¡¯t I repay you? Even if you died before I achieved success, I would certainly prepare a grand funeral for you! She rolled her eyes, doing her best to control her mental fluctuations, continuing, ¡°So, are you saying you took the Substitute Technique Spirit only to let me have the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit? You¡¯re so kind to me~¡± The Observer shivered immediately, taking a step to the side, seeming somewhat uncertain, as his dim face watched Sonia. Sonia maintained her sweet smile, concentrating all her efforts to control her thought processes, doing her best not to let the Observer hear her true thoughts. ¡°¡­Alright, stop probing. The Substitute Technique Spirit is something I need, which is why I took it.¡± ¡°At your level, you still need a One-winged Technique Spirit?¡± ¡°Firstly, there¡¯s no weak Technique Spirit, only weak mages¡ªa principle that should be taught in every mage textbook.¡± The Observer said, ¡°Secondly, I¡¯m currently weak, weaker than you, and in danger, with my body imprisoned. Not only am I very weak, but I¡¯ve also lost considerable memory during my waking process, so I need to learn the knowledge of mages through you.¡± Currently weak¡­ meaning he was stronger before? Lost memory¡­ could he have suffered a Miracle that erases memory? No wonder he asked so many idiotic questions; turns out he really is an idiot. But even Sonia, who rarely read fantasy literature, instantly filled in the blanks about ¡®the return of the strong,¡¯ ¡®the fall of the Legendary Mage,¡¯ ¡®the revival of a great being,¡¯ and such plots, and couldn¡¯t help feeling intrigued¡ª Isn¡¯t this exactly the potential ally she had always been looking for!? Although the current situation was not ideal, given time to grow, he was sure to become a peerless strongman, a towering tree, king of a faction, and enjoy great wealth and honor! Ordinary potential stocks still had an element of chance, whereas the Observer was reclaiming his peak, so given enough time, success was almost guaranteed! Sonia had always been uninterested in Felix, because she hoped to find a potential ally herself. After all, it¡¯s not easy to benefit from nobles; even if Felix, this noble heir, was a fool, his parents weren¡¯t fools. To rely on the power of great nobles, she¡¯d surely have to sacrifice a lot¡ªliterally carving out a part of herself¡ªwithout giving birth to a child, don¡¯t even think about escaping. If she could find a potential ally to marry, Sonia could not only enjoy wealth and honor but also maintain her independence, not entirely losing her voice in the family. Though the Observer was her superior, finding a marriage partner and finding a superior followed the same rationale. Rather than joining a large organization to become a cog in the machine, she would rather become a founding member together with her potential ally superior! ¡°Do you have any danger, Observer? Do you need my help? Just say the word! Protecting your safety is my duty!¡± ¡°¡­Next time during Void Realm Exploration, if we encounter the Technique Spirits needed for my Miracle ¡®Cut Self,¡¯ just let me have them.¡± ¡°The ¡®Cut Self¡¯ Miracle?¡± ¡°Oh right, I haven¡¯t told you yet, I¡¯m currently imprisoned somewhere, and I need the ¡®Cut Self¡¯ Miracle to escape.¡± When the Observer explained the ¡®Cut Self¡¯ Miracle in detail, Sonia was dumbfounded¡ªif she remembered correctly, this Miracle hadn¡¯t been registered in the ¡®Dazzling Star Miracle Directory¡¯! A Miracle that had never appeared in the Kingdom of Stars! And it was an incredibly useful Miracle, one a Silver Mage could use for self-healing sword techniques! Although Sonia couldn¡¯t sell this Miracle¡ªshe couldn¡¯t disclose the Miracle¡¯s source at all, and she completely lacked the conditions to create a Miracle (she couldn¡¯t even gather the Technique Spirits), selling it would only lead to the Mage Association recognizing it as the theft of someone else¡¯s patent¡ªbut if she could authorize the sale of the secret of this Miracle, the money earned would be enough to make Sonia a small rich woman in Jiale City! This is why Sonia, a petite bourgeois, when discovered by the Observer for her swordsmanship talent, and taken on adventures in the Void Realm, only felt ¡®grateful.¡¯ However, when the Observer gave her a Miracle secret that she couldn¡¯t currently use or sell, Sonia found it impossible to contain her joy, simply because the latter had more value in the Kingdom of Stars. This is called the future pie is no match for the present salary, spiritual satisfaction cannot replace material satisfaction. ¡°Is this a sword Miracle you invented?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Observer glanced at Sonia. ¡°I stole this sword Miracle from an enemy.¡± Sonia blinked, ¡°Will using this Miracle get me into trouble?¡± ¡°You can rest assured, that enemy of mine will definitely not appear in front of you.¡± He paused, ¡°Definitely not.¡± So the original patent inventor was dead? Sonia felt a surge of excitement, thinking once she fully unfurled her Silver Wings and found all the Technique Spirits needed for the ¡®Cut Self¡¯ Miracle, couldn¡¯t she claim this Miracle as her own and authorize its sale? Such small benefits and welfare, surely a big figure like the Observer wouldn¡¯t care, right? ¡°Okay, I will certainly work hard during the Void Realm Exploration to help you gather the Technique Spirits for the ¡®Cut Self¡¯ Miracle. By the way, I actually have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it inside the Void Realm.¡± The Observer stepped into the Meditation Building. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time in the Void Realm, you can discuss anything you want. Oh, aren¡¯t you annoyed by me listening to your thoughts? I¡¯ve decided to accommodate your wish.¡± Sonia beamed, ¡°You¡¯re going to stop monitoring my mind?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve decided not to seek you out usually.¡± The Observer shrugged. ¡°From now on, you don¡¯t have to think ¡®Observer¡¯ before going to the bathroom or taking a shower¡ªI¡¯m not a toilet paper or towel.¡± ¡°How did you know that I think of you before going to the bathroom or shower?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important!¡± The Observer waved a hand. ¡°From now on, if you have anything to discuss, save it for the Void Realm. I won¡¯t disturb your normal life, and I won¡¯t appear when you call me.¡± ¡°What if¡­ if you don¡¯t listen to my thoughts, I¡¯m still happy to have you around. Even if you insist on listening to my thoughts, I reckon I¡¯m getting used to it¡­¡± Sonia¡¯s response was somewhat hesitant, clearly she was a bit unsure as well. She undoubtedly disliked the Observer invading her privacy, but precisely because of it, she could bare her true self before the Observer, not needing or able to don any mask. This was also why Sonia was so pleased when she suspected earlier that the Observer was just an extension of her split personality. A wise presence that knows everything about oneself yet cannot affect one¡¯s social relations, isn¡¯t that the ideal confidant? ¡°You talk as if your daily life is so fascinating that I¡¯d shamelessly insist on watching.¡± The Observer folded his arms. ¡°I also have my own things to do; I don¡¯t have time for the spring colors of a college student¡¯s campus life.¡± ¡°In short, the hours in the Void Realm will be our communication time; at other times, I won¡¯t come to disturb you, nor will I respond when you call me.¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s something very urgent I need you for?¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no use calling me.¡± The Observer spread his hands. ¡°The ¡®me¡¯ that¡¯s present with you is just a phantom, I can¡¯t even lift a single hair, I can offer you no real help. If you summon me, all I can do is mock you.¡± ¡°Mocking is okay.¡± Sonia was insistent, ¡°Will you still appear when I call for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really hard to refuse such a request. But I¡¯m curious, do you need me so much because I fill the lack of fatherly love from your childhood?¡± ¡°So do you want me to call you Observer Dad?¡± ¡°No thanks, just call me Observer,¡± the Observer stepped back, ¡°otherwise, I¡¯ll have nightmares.¡± As they talked, they arrived at a solitary meditation chamber. Sonia sat cross-legged, glanced at the Observer beside her, took out the Wave Sword Technique Spirit, sought the Gate of Truth, and entered the Void Realm. As Sonia closed her eyes, her consciousness connected to the distant Void Realm, the Observer suddenly sighed. How terrifying¡­ In merely two days¡¯ time, she had managed to find a way to conceal her thoughts from me, even deceiving me in her mind¡­ Truly worthy of being called the Witch bearing the name of ¡®Death Mad¡¯¡­ This talent, this brilliance, is it for better or worse to have her unearth her potential so early¡­ But that¡¯s no longer my concern. The Observer shrugged, and his form disappeared from the meditation chamber.