Sorcerer's Handbook-Chapter 575: I Have a Friend

Many days ago, the Mercury Trojan Horse had mentioned that the tactile sense of the Four Pillars would face hostility from the virtual realm after the Distant Sky Domain.

Concerned for their safety, Ashe naturally didn’t dare to hide this information and quickly informed his teammates, including Vesser. However, over ten days had passed, and aside from the painful experiences of being beaten by affixes, the virtual realm hadn’t targeted them in any significant way-though it was only natural for sanctuary sorcerers to be battered by affixes, as it was part of the established order.

Just as Ashe and Vesser were almost forgetting about this matter, the gaze of the virtual realm suddenly surged upon them like a landslide or a tsunami.

Vesser hid in the shadows of the passageway, invisible to the rioting prisoners. Although “Love and Hate Reversal” caused all virtual realm creatures to actively despise outsiders, it didn’t mean these creatures were immune to the miracles of spirit spells. Her “delusion” spirit still greatly diminished her presence.

She watched the fierce battle among the three in the Central Hall, a hint of doubt rising in her heart.

While “Love and Hate Reversal” was highly effective, it seemed too targeted. Not only Ashe, but even Vesser, given the bonds she had formed over these days, wouldn’t let her go. Of course, Vesser was cold and indifferent by nature, harboring no affection or resentment towards them, which ironically made her unaffected by the reversal.

However, the strength of the virtual realm creatures was gradually increasing. Initially, most of the prisoners were One-Winged Sorcerers, but now Two-Winged prisoners were appearing sporadically, and they seemed almost endless.

It was predictable that in the final minutes of the 30-minute period, a large number of sanctuary enemies would appear, which alone would be enough to trap the tactile sense in an inescapable encirclement.

If it were a true tactile sense, like the Mercury Trojan Horse, who could transform virtual realm creatures into her own Trojan Horses, the initial phase would see her forces grow as she fought. Even if she couldn’t hold out in the end, she could still buy time by consuming her Trojan Horses.

But the effect of “virtual realm creatures besieging” was likely a common feature of all curse affixes, while “Love and Hate Reversal” was the virtual realm’s malice directed specifically at them! It wasn’t random, nor was it aimed at others-it was a deadly trap conceived by the virtual realm based on their situation!

The virtual realm… the summit of Ruby Mountain… the tactile sense of the Four Pillars…

Vesser’s heart trembled slightly. The more secrets the virtual realm held, the more it proved her right-that reality was merely a dream phantom created by the Divine Sovereign for life, and all souls would eventually head to the eternal battlefield known as the virtual realm!

Therefore, she had to act one step ahead, to pierce the illusion of all things before Senlo succumbed to illness!

Vesser looked up just in time to see Ashe being controlled by the Witch and slashed by the Sword Princess. Once close and loyal teammates had now turned into enemies, their killing intent boiling over as cold blades clashed!

In the blink of an eye, Ashe transformed into a warm light, darting along the ground and narrowly evading the combined attack of the Witch and the Sword Princess.

Miracle-Rush.

In the past, he had always used this technique to close the distance between himself and the Sword Princess or the Witch, seeking their help to escape danger. Never had he imagined that one day he would use it to flee from them.

Watching this scene, Vesser couldn’t help but let a faint smirk creep onto her lips. However, she quickly composed herself, transforming the ‘Thousand Changes’ spirit into the ‘Calm Mind’ spirit, forcibly soothing the chaotic thoughts stirred by the reversal, and pondering the impact of “Love and Hate Reversal” on her plans.

It was all gain and no loss, she thought.

If Ashe were to die here, his soul severely damaged, it would be equivalent to cutting off all support from the Virtual Realm, and it might even affect his real-world combat capabilities. With both real-world and Virtual Realm support severed, his mental state would undoubtedly be severely tested, making it easier to strip away his facade of cowardice and hypocrisy.

The most exquisite part was the mutual love and hate among Ashe and the other two. Even if they later realized that their mutual slaughter was caused by the Love and Hate Reversal, once they crossed a certain boundary, they would find that there were no chains to restrain them.

Before this, no matter how severe their emotional entanglements, they would never resort to violence or backstabbing. But after this, that might no longer hold true.

When they argued again, would the Sword Princess remember her sword blade drenched in the Witch’s blood?

When favoritism was shown, would the Witch’s gaze once again solidify into deadly jealousy?

Yes, death in the Virtual Realm was merely an intermission, but precisely because death was not the end, they would be even more unrestrained in their use of violence.

People, having stayed too long in delusion, always believe in the existence of insurmountable walls-morality, rules, life, faith. But once they cross those walls, they realize it was all a delusion, that fate is illusory, and that all truths are permissible.

The scene Vesser most wanted to create was precisely this moment of mutual love and hate. Even if things returned to normal afterward, the seeds had been sown. As long as the conflicts between them persisted, they would inevitably sprout one day.

The three of them clashed once more, and to Vesser’s surprise, although the primary target of both the Witch and the Sword Princess was Ashe, they did not cooperate sincerely with each other. Instead, they secretly clashed and sought to harm one another.

This meant that there was still some emotion between the Witch and the Sword Princess; their experiences on the Time Continent had not been in vain… How weak they were…

As Vesser observed and pondered, the combat power of the Prison Guards began to rise rapidly, and even a large group of Blood Hunters charged in. Faced with such pressure, Ashe, despite the killing intent between them, had no choice but to divert more attention to the external threat.

Vesser also began to move. Although her Delusion Spirit was effective, the Blood Hunter had already used the Reconnaissance Miracle to search for her, forcing her to temporarily retreat. Fortunately, Ashe and the other two had drawn the aggro of all the virtual realm creatures; otherwise, she would have been overwhelmed by the tide of enemies.

However, she still needed to prepare. If Ashe and the others fell, the virtual realm creatures would have only her as their target. No matter how powerful her Delusion Miracle was, it couldn’t completely shield her from the overwhelming Reconnaissance Miracles. She had to create advantageous terrain to survive the final few minutes.

Time ticked by, and new enemy types began to appear in the prison: Moonshadow Priests and Blood Saint Physicians. Though still at the two-wings golden level, the Moonshadow Priests excelled at blessings and enhancements, linking everyone’s life energy together. This caused Ashe and the others’ killing speed to plummet. Meanwhile, the Blood Saint Physicians cursed the Blood Hunters, causing them to explode and shoot corrosive Blood Arrows upon death. The more enemies Ashe and his group killed, the more they injured themselves.

Vesser grew increasingly excited.

Facing the relentless onslaught, Ashe and the others had already expended most of their spellforce. If this continued, they would inevitably be overwhelmed by the virtual realm creatures. With their intelligence, they surely realized this. So, before death, would they submit quietly, or would they fight to take down the one they hated the most?

Perhaps unconsciously, or perhaps sensing that sticking together would help share the pressure, Ashe and the other two gradually closed the distance between them.

Soon, the three were forced into the central area. They exchanged glances, their eyes revealing inexplicable emotions.

But in the next second, they unleashed their most violent killing miracles, charging at each other!

Vesser held her breath, waiting for the most spectacular scene to unfold-

Crack!

Ashe’s Rage Sword pierced through the air, stabbing into a chest!

Sonya’s Blood Moon shattered the lake, destroying everything in its path!

Deya’s Empress’s Gaze slaughtered the bodies of her foes!

They killed the ones behind each other, then stood back-to-back, forming a rock-like defense against the tide of virtual realm creatures.

“Have you recovered yet?”

“No, I still want to rip out your intestines and strangle you with them, you scheming Little Trumpet.”

“I… by constantly switching between my sisters… I can barely stay calm…”

“Don’t think of me as your friend or anything,” Ashe said, rising. “This is the virtual realm curse, ‘Love and Hate Reversal.’ The more emotions you feel, the more you’re affected.”

“So, we need to return to the beginning, to where we started.”

“Even without emotions, even if we despise each other, hate each other, and even wish to tear each other apart, it doesn’t matter. Did we have any bond from the very beginning? Did you have any goodwill towards me from the start?”

“But in the lonely virtual realm,” Ashe drew a defensive line with the ‘Heart Pen,’ “we are destined to be inseparable companions, teammates moving forward together.”

“No reason is needed; we are each other’s strength.”

Vesser stared blankly as the three of them, as usual, cooperated seamlessly, forming a defense against increasingly powerful virtual realm creatures. She was so mentally shaken that she almost failed to maintain the delusion, nearly being noticed by a death row inmate.

As the inmate lunged at her, Vesser slapped and pressed down, crushing the inmate’s head against the wall like a mosquito until it exploded like a watermelon.

She had been so distracted that she forgot to hide her close combat skills in the virtual realm.

Watching Ashe, still in the state of Love and Hate Reversal, fight alongside the Sword Princess and the Witch, effortlessly resolving the crisis, the usually calm Vesser felt a surge of intense… resentment for the first time.

Ashe suddenly sat up, seeing the Observer already packed and ready to leave. He pulled the latter to the bedside and said, “You’ll never guess what I just encountered in the virtual realm-I actually wanted to kill the Sword Princess and the others! You can’t imagine what that felt like, can you?”

The Observer’s eyebrow twitched, and he brushed off Ashe’s hand on his shoulder, asking, “So did you kill them?”

“How could I? I can’t beat her,” Ashe grumbled. “Just thinking about it makes me break out in a cold sweat. I was controlled by the Witch, and then the Sword Princess swung her sword at my head… God knows how I dodged it.”

You’re quite proud of not being able to beat them, huh?

“Oh.”

“So the virtual realm really does despise the Tactile Sense of the Four Pillars,” Ashe mused. “We made it through this time, but will we have to endure an additional curse affix every time we enter the virtual realm from now on? I didn’t gain any advantage from the Tactile Sense, and now the difficulty has increased for no reason.”

Though he felt it unnecessary to help him analyze, to avoid Ashe rambling on about this topic, the Observer said, “You didn’t trigger any curse affixes for so many days before, which means the virtual realm doesn’t often notice that you are the Tactile Sense of the Four Pillars. Compared to the virtual realm, you are too insignificant, like a bug on a giant. Occasionally, you might tickle the giant, and the giant will notice and slap you, but most of the time, the giant won’t care about you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Ashe said, puzzled. “How did I tickle the virtual realm?”

The amplification of spellforce, the enhancement of spellcasting, the surging of desires, the triggering of special affixes-all these factors accumulated to a point where the Virtual Realm could no longer endure… The Observer quickly deduced the answer in his mind.

However, he remained silent, knowing that Ashe would arrive at the same conclusion on his own. He stood up to leave but was pulled back by Ashe. “Help me analyze this too, will you?”

For some reason, a wave of inexplicable irritation rose within the Observer. With an expressionless face, he said, “Maybe it’s because you’re in heat.”

Ashe stiffened, then immediately locked the Observer in a chokehold, pinning him to the bed. Half-serious and half-joking, he demanded, “Do you know what happened to me in the Virtual Realm!? Spill it!”

The Observer, of course, couldn’t be subdued by such a crude tactic. He hadn’t even used his true strength in last night’s battle with Yolan Vesser. With a casual flick, he flung Ashe away. However, Ashe, being the unscrupulous type, turned what should have been a fair contest into a test of brute strength. More importantly, the Observer didn’t want to hurt him, so he avoided attacking vital areas like the eyes, groin, or throat.

After a brief tussle, the Observer suddenly calmed down. It had been years since he’d engaged in such low-level grappling, and he almost let Ashe drag him into it. He calmly explained, “I just figured it out.”

“Is it that obvious!?” Ashe exclaimed, startled. “Wait, no-is it because we complement each other? So you can sense even the slightest change in me?”

The Observer wore an expression that said, “Yeah, sure, whatever.” “Yes, since we complement each other, I naturally notice your mood shifts.”

Finally satisfied, Ashe let go and went to wash up and have breakfast.

The Observer straightened his wrinkled clothes. Unlike Ashe, he was meticulous about his appearance. This was something he could never understand about Ashe. He remembered that ever since his time in Shattered Lake Prison, he had paid attention to every detail, ensuring that everything-from his appearance to his plans-was flawless and without a single crack.

How could Ashe be so carefree, almost like a Lala Fatty come to life?

Sigh.

The Observer quickly smoothed out his thoughts. Deep down, he understood the reason for his emotional vibration. Even though he had prepared himself, even though he had experienced countless wars and upheavals, this was still Ashe Heath-the Ashe who still worried about his loved ones, the Observer who had yet to witness the apocalyptic world.

It was like looking at an old photograph, inevitably stirring up a sense of nostalgia.

Even though he had always been an onlooker, now he couldn’t help but become part of the reflection.

What a pointless longing.

The Observer opened his eyes and saw Ashe sitting across from him, munching on an energy bar. “Observer, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

“It’s like this, I have a friend…”

“He seems to be on the verge of being confessed to recently…”

“But…”

The Observer listened calmly as Ashe recounted the intricate and tumultuous details of his love life, and couldn’t help but glance down at the countdown on his wristwatch.

Is the break not over yet?

Swordflower College.

Adelle looked at Sonya, who was hiding under the blanket, and poked Lois. Lois turned to Engulite, who shook her head.

Lois mustered up her courage, climbed onto the village girl’s bed, and asked, “Sonya, are you feeling unwell?”

“No.”

“Then why did you come back and just lie in bed?”

Sonya pulled back the blanket, her lips pressed tightly together, her face filled with confusion. After a moment, she sat up and said, “I’m just thinking about a question.”

“What question?”

“I have a friend who recently confessed, but I’m not sure if it counts as having confessed or not…”

Adelle, Engulite, and Lois squeezed onto her bed: “Tell us more.”

Royal Palace of Yisuo.

Lise wriggled out of Annan’s embrace and hopped over to sit in front of the mirror, asking, “Did Dad talk about Lise today?”

The image of the Witch sisters appeared in the mirror: “No, but something very interesting happened.”

“What?!”

White Queen: “Today, Little Ashe was chasing us…”

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“Oh oh oh!”

Black Butler: “And we warmly welcomed him…”

“Wow!”

Scarlet Dead Apostles: “We even shot threads to tie him up…”

Lise covered her eyes, her fingers spread wide enough to fit eyeballs, her face filled with excitement: “And then? And then?”

Deya: “And then the Sword Princess rushed over and almost chopped his head off with a sword.”

Lise: “Σ(っ°Д°;)っ?”