Mage Manual-Chapter 1453 - 1059: It Absolutely Can’t Be My Fault

In the master bedroom on the second floor of the villa, everyone gathered, including Felix and Dedarose.

Ash didn’t mind them seeing him enter Level Six of Hell, nor did he care if the Supreme Star and the Gods of Four Pillars observed him through them. If the Supreme Star and the Gods of Four Pillars were willing to intervene in this mess, he would be thrilled.

However, Felix clearly didn’t understand what was about to happen. She timidly hid behind Vishi and asked, "Is this really okay? Shouldn’t you invite me to play too?"

Vishi moved her to the front, teasing her with interest, "Don’t be nervous. There are so many people ahead of you in line, you’ll have to wait a while. Once it’s your turn, be smart and mingle with everyone. Otherwise, next time you’ll have to sleep under the bed."

"Don’t joke," Ash said irritably, "I’m letting you watch me go to Hell."

"Even though, in every sense, everyone wants to see you go to Hell, Master," Vishi hugged the nervous Felix, resting her chin on her shoulder, "but I guess you’re talking about literally going to Hell."

"That’s right." Ash glanced around and calmly said, "Tonight I found a clue that will allow me to enter Level Six of Hell again."

"Ash." Weiser’s expression was complex, "You just told me you’d think it over and not take reckless risks. But why now..."

As Silver Lamp looked towards the Sword Maiden, although she didn’t finish her sentence, her reproachful gaze clearly expressed her strong dissatisfaction—she had managed to lead Ash to cherish his life, and yet the Sword Maiden’s influence led him back onto the path of a death row inmate.

Silver Lamp was genuinely upset, not just because Ash was going to Hell on a perilous venture but also because he would return to a state of high-pressure anxiety. For the past week, Ash had behaved properly without transgressing, partly because there were so many people he didn’t want his private life to disrupt the fragile team dynamics, but also because he had been focused on the adventure plan, afraid to let loose and enjoy himself.

It’s like a student who hasn’t finished their homework and becomes anxious when playing with their phone, favoring ’short videos,’ ’novels,’ ’fast-paced games’—shallow entertainments that deceive themselves into thinking, "I’ll stop and do my homework soon." Instead of indulging in deep entertainment that takes hours, they feel a deep sense of guilt.

Silver Lamp tried her hardest to convince Ash, ’You don’t need to work so hard anymore,’ hoping he would relax, allowing him to explore deeper entertainment.

Even if Ash originally didn’t want to take the final step to tear the team apart, if the atmosphere and mood were right and without heavy external pressure, Silver Lamp ensured she could have Ash wrapped around her finger.

As long as Ash was willing to give up, Silver Lamp could become closer to him, not just in dreams but in reality possessing him. Additionally, she could further provoke the Sword Maiden since, among the four operators, Silver Lamp and Vishi had the lowest bottom lines, followed by the Witch, and certainly the Sword Maiden with the highest.

Except Vishi being a bit troublesome, Silver Lamp was confident she could continuously lower her standards to drive away the Sword Maiden and the Witch. For example, if they were to hold an actual developers’ conference tonight, no matter how Ash tried to appease, the Sword Maiden would undoubtedly demolish the whole neighborhood—even Jiale City.

However, Weiser’s plans hadn’t even started before being thwarted. Ash wouldn’t give up, and his mood would certainly remain tense, making it difficult for Weiser to let him indulge in sensual pleasures.

More importantly, he’s going to Hell for them, so how could Weiser bear to play tricks behind his back? Weiser never intended to be his perfect woman but didn’t want to become a burden that crushed him either.

Sonia’s eyes were red, firmly grasping Ash’s arm, apparently trying to persuade him too. Ash raised his eyebrows, "Indeed, the Sword Maiden is partly responsible, but you all can’t dodge it—I sense the character erosion affecting you. Waiting idly is foolish; even if I’m the only one who can go to Hell, it’s better than doing nothing and watching you change."

"We don’t have that!" The Witch climbed onto the bed and hugged Ash’s other arm, proclaiming, "Our character models have always been stable!"

"The Sword Maiden’s character model hasn’t shown abnormal waves either." Weiser said, "What specifically do you mean by erosion?"

"I can’t say it, but it’s there; something’s a bit off about you," Ash insisted, "Don’t worry too much. I can currently dissipate your erosion effects, but I’m afraid the erosion will worsen, so I must seek out Death Mad for more information."

Is something off with us?

Everyone recalled what they had done before, the Witch hesitated for quite a while, but eventually, she decided to resume her girl form, then she embraced Ash’s neck, whispering super quietly, "I... I wasn’t off, I wanted us to play that way for a long time..."

After saying this, she shyly reverted to her younger self, hiding her head in Ash’s embrace, not daring to meet anyone else’s gaze.

"...I wasn’t specifically referring to that," Ash’s mouth twitched, "But I’m not lying; the erosion has started."

"But isn’t the erosion most severe with the Sword Maiden?" Weiser asked.

Ash hesitated momentarily and nodded. Sonia looked uneasy, as if she had done something wrong, bowing her head silently.

"Ash, I mean, is there a possibility," Weiser calmly said, "that the Sword Maiden isn’t affected by erosion, she’s just upset because you’re too much of a jerk?"

"Impossible, absolutely not!" Ash shook his head in firm denial.

Then his head was banged forcefully, Sonia stared at him indignantly, her eyes starting to well up again. It seemed he had triggered some valve in the Sword Maiden, making her unusually sentimental, easily tearful tonight. Earlier on the rooftop when he mentioned entering Level Six of Hell, the Sword Maiden thought it was her fault, crying as she kissed him, foolishly trying to charm him with his own tricks.

"In any case, I must go to Hell tonight," Ash said, "I called you to observe my changes, as I should be a soul body with Spirit and Body Unity now. I suspect when I go to Hell, I’ll disappear from reality."

The significant difference between ordinary people and demigods lies in ordinary people’s ability to separate spirit and body—allowing the physical to linger in reality while the soul adventures in the Void Realm. But with demigods achieving Spirit and Body Unity, the moment a mage ascends to demigod, their physical form in reality already ceases, leaving only a soul body about to enter Hell.

Ash was curious about how he’d enter Hell, whether he would disappear from reality as his soul body arrives; if he doesn’t disappear, then his spirit would forcibly separate from the soul body, connecting to Level Six of Hell already consumed by Uroboros. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Besides, I want to test if I can bring you into Hell."

Ash took out a small cubic frame, seemingly constructed of a transparent crystal material, with four different colors flowing and chasing within—blood red, deep blue, ink green, and peach pink. Looking closely, there’s a faintly visible near rainbow glow.

Staying by, Dedarose’s eyes instantly lit up; had Vishi not stopped her promptly, she would’ve pounced on Ash.