Sorcerer’s Handbook

Chapter 101: Summoning “Sincerity”

Cailleach, Swordflower College.

“……I knew it must be a whirlpool, damn it! Why don’t I have luck like you? My Silver Wings were painstakingly condensed bit by bit every day and night!”

“Oh，no. The more I think about it the angrier I get. The more I look at you the more jealous I become. All my life I’ve hated people like you the most, those with both great luck and talent. Go away, go away!”

“Go back and diligently train your swordsmanship. If I find out you become arrogant and lazy just because of this little achievement, I’ll burn you to ashes with my jealous flames…”

Sonya was kicked right out of the professor’s research lab, spat her tongue out and headed back happily – despite Professor Trotzam’s harsh words, he hadn’t stinted on the rewards at all. He directly gave her two sword spirits from his own treasures, and even shared two Sword Miracles with her!

The two single-wing spirits were ‘Sheath’ and ‘Sharpen’, the former Sonya had seen before with senior sister Sylvia. It can be triggered when the blade is kept in the sheath for more than 15 seconds, which strengthens the power of the next attack;

The latter is a specialized spirit for empowering blades. When sharpening a sword it will trigger, making the edge keener, more resilient and less prone to chips and breaks.

The two Sword Miracles were “Sheath’s Gathered Light” and “Sharpen for Ten Years”, both derived from the main spirits of Sheath and Sharpen. Sonya would need to purchase additional support spirits to activate these Miracles.

For example, “Sharpen for Ten Years” requires the time series spirits ‘Second’, ‘Minute’, ‘Hour’, ‘Day’, ‘Month’, ‘Year’.

Although they are time spirits, they aren’t expensive and can even be considered cheap, readily available at any time on the spirit trading platforms.

In the second layer of the virtual world, the Time Continent, this series of time spirits are practically everywhere. Two-wing casters can harvest quite a few every time they enter the virtual world.

Although only Two-wing casters have the qualifications to gather them, with such large quantities the prices are naturally pressed down. Otherwise Professor Trotzam wouldn’t have taught Sonya this Miracle – the Sword Saint still understands the circumstances of his genius student.

However, because she sold quite a few spirits from the virtual world, Sonya is actually wealthy now. She has been pondering what spirits to purchase recently to improve her tactical system, and Professor Trotzam has helped resolve her dilemma early.

From these two Miracles it’s also clear that Professor Trotzam has established Sonya’s current goals: raise her level, become familiar with spirits, and master Miracles.

This is only natural. Condensing Silver Wings in just eight days starting from nothing, Sonya’s swordsmanship level completely cannot keep up with the speed of her arcane energy growth.

The chasm before Sonya now is her spell level. Until the day she raises her swordsmanship to the Gold level, she cannot summon two-wing spirits for a single day, naturally unable to enter the second layer of the virtual world, unable to step foot on the Time Continent, unable to condense Golden Wings.

A caster’s advancement does not permit weak points. Arcane power and level must reach the criteria together for the virtual world to open up higher level worlds.

Therefore, even if Sonya fully unfolds her Silver Wings, if she wants to advance to Two-wing, she would need at least a year to precipitate her swordsmanship level.

In a certain sense, Sonya condensing arcane energy so quickly actually has huge risks, because from now on she will arrive at the core areas of the sea of knowledge, and if unlucky could even encounter mature knowledge lifeforms – absolutely not something a One-wing caster can contend against.

This is also why Professor Trotzam is so strict with her, because if Sonya becomes lax and lazy, it is very possible she would die repeatedly in the virtual world. Not only would her soul be damaged, she could also lose important spirits, and possibly even cause her spell level to stagnate.

‘Fair winds’ are a great taboo for casters. Countless casters, after obtaining a fortuitous encounter, believed themselves blessed by heaven, confidence inflated, but were soon harshly taught a lesson by the virtual world, ultimately fading away into the masses, their achievements even less than diligent casters who steadily climbed step-by-step.

The virtual world is no charitable place. The more benefits you obtain from it, the greater pressure it will impose on you. All the fortunes bestowed by the virtual world that are given away are marked behind the misfortunes that need to be paid for.

Unless Sonya could meet a Golden Fish like the whirlpool through a burst of luck, directly smuggling her to the Time Continent, then she could ignore the level divide and directly advance to Two-wing.

But not to mention Professor Trotzam, even Sonya hadn’t considered this possibility – because even the Observers couldn’t find Golden Fish.

Thinking of the Observers, Sonya’s excited expression gradually faded away.

She quietly sighed, preparing to return to the dorms – today was still under martial law, the entire school suspended with all students prohibited from approaching the White Tower.

Yet just exiting the research building, she saw a familiar luxury sedan parked on the driveway. She turned to circle around it but the window slowly down, revealing Felix’s handsome face.

“Get in, I’ll take you back.”

A statement without need for response. Felix slowly followed Sonya in the car, asking “You met a whirlpool?”

“Yes.”

By now nearly everyone in school knew that the country bumpkin Sonya had encountered a whirlpool just days after entering the sea of knowledge – if Sonya had displayed some rare spirit, there might still be gossip about her being a mistress to get them or something. But the growth of Silver arcane energy had only this one avenue, even the most gossipy people had nothing to say.

No one could possibly think someone used a whirlpool to take Sonya as their mistress!

As for nonsense like “she’s just lucky”, once it appeared in the Swordflower Exchange, it would only invoke ridicule and bans from the students – the rise of every legendary caster involved fortune’s favor, unfortunate casters had long been bullied by the virtual world into whimpering.

Attacking a caster’s luck is the most shameful behavior, no different than “if he couldn’t breathe then I could definitely beat him”, rogue and boring.

So Sonya had no need to deny it, moreover right now she couldn’t deny it anyway.

Felix was silent for a long time, and only when Sonia was about to enter the dormitory area did he suddenly ask, “After you crossed the whirlpool, didn’t you meet a severely injured fish and get the Murderous Sword from it?”

Sonya was slightly stunned, whatever she was thinking at the moment, but the ritual had already decided what she was going to say, “Yes.”

Felix was a little surprised, he hadn’t actually expected such an answer. If Sonia had actually encountered it, she would have inevitably grasped the subtext of Felix’s statement.

According to Sonya’s character and ability, she would definitely be able to recognize the drop and not let Felix see the slightest trace.

Felix gently tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and asked, “What price would I have to pay to buy back Murderous Sword from you?”

Although Sonya wanted to act tough and say ‘not for sale’, her mouth obediently said “Give me a noble title.”

Felix was slightly surprised “Didn’t I mention to you before, as long as you marry me-”

“I don’t like you.”

What did liking or not have to do with a marriage of mutual benefit… Felix almost blurted out this sentence, but seeing Sonya’s earnest expression, he swallowed the words back down with a sigh “If you’re unwilling to take that path, then I have no other conditions to move you… wait a moment.”

Sonya decisively hurried back to the dorm area, thinking Felix wouldn’t openly rob a civilian girl’s spirit in broad daylight right?

She saw Felix take out a paper to write on, then directly flew it over to Sonya “Read it then burn it yourself, can this be worth a favor to you?”

Sonya took it and looked – it was surprisingly a Miracle formula called Murderous Activation, with Murderous Sword as the main spirit.

Unlike simply enhancing might like Wicked Light Slash, Murderous Activation was a very comprehensive composite Miracle. Its effect was for the caster to convert murderous intent into self enhancement, comprehensively increasing strength, explosive power, reflexes, health recovery and more, with the boost strengthening as murderous intent rose.

This was a very practical Miracle in both the virtual world and reality, because murderous intent included not just the enemy’s but the caster’s own as well.

At the Silver level, Murderous Activation could grant the caster up to 150% increase. Sonya couldn’t afford such a useful Miracle even if she emptied her little money stash.

Clearly this was a matching Miracle Felix obtained together with Murderous Sword.

“Can this formula make you owe me a favor?”

“It can, but only a favor approximately equal to one silver coin. If your request exceeds one silver coin, I would guiltily and anxiously refuse it.”

“You’ve calculated it very clearly.” Felix smiled “I will use this silver coin favor at the most suitable place.”

“But you’re just giving this to me?” Sonya said in surprise “No confidentiality agreement? No other conditions?”

“No need, just use Murderous Sword well, don’t waste it.”

Having said that, Felix drove away. Sonya was a bit confused, thinking so this is how rich people are, casually giving away a Miracle?

But it was understandable too. As one of the ’21 Secret Swords’, for Felix obtaining Murderous Sword again would be too difficult, so the matching Miracle Murderous Activation was nearly meaningless to him, better to give it to Sonya as a favor.

Moreover, Felix seemed to want to switch to training in toxins, water and wind, swordsmanship had become his cover, Professor Trotzam was just a temporary shelter he found, now he and Sonya had no competitive relation.

Although that was the case, Sonya still couldn’t help sighing at the boldness of the silly rich young master. If it were her, no way could she bear to freely give away a Miracle, at least need the other party to fork out some money to appease her miserly heart.

But Murderous Activation still needed two supporting spirits, the high price, and the possibility of not being able to buy it, added to Sonia’s already poor situation.

As if she finally became lucky after such bitter, in just a single day Sonya obtained two spirits and three Miracles. Just grasping these new ‘equipment’ would consume quite a bit of her time.

If it was the Sonya from half a month ago, she definitely couldn’t have imagined a day where she would be troubled by having too many spirits and Miracles.

Yet what troubled Sonya most right now was not the spirits and Miracles.

She had originally wanted to relax in the dorms, watch some of Dahlia’s new show or something. But after hesitating for a bit, she still chose to go to the training hall for spirit training.

11 pm at night, Sonya arrived at the Meditation building on time.

Although the school was still under martial law, the areas outside the White Tower had basically resumed operations, like the cafeteria, training halls and such. Only classes were cancelled, having students self-study the entire day – many students hoped these days would continue indefinitely.

When looking for the Door of Truth, Sonya suddenly felt some anxiety, but quickly calmed down.

‘Was still forced to train swordsmanship for two hours tonight… clearly the Observer’s power is still in effect…

‘And for a revived powerhouse with lost memories, even if he died he could definitely revive again…

‘If something really happened to him wouldn’t that be great? Then I could gain freedom. I’ve already condensed the Silver Wings, temporarily no longer needing him to explore the virtual world, he’s useless now…’

‘But he most likely successfully escaped last night, just accidentally overslept which is why he didn’t come to the virtual world. No way something happened that easily. Come to think of it, if I show off the new spirits and Miracles I obtained, wouldn’t he be very surprised?’

Amidst her random thoughts, Sonya found the Door of Truth and sank into consciousness, entering the virtual world.

Her soul passed through layers of dark mist, her consciousness coalescing into form in the virtual world. Sonya slowly opened her eyes, the scene entering her eyes the familiar boat, and the familiar strange man.

His voice was still just as frivolous and unreliable: “Good evening, Swordswoman.”

Sonya suddenly forgot the words she had prepared to complain and rebuke with.

Like a heavy weight lifted from her heart, she breathed out in relief, lightly pressing a hand to her chest, revealing an expression of having a weight taken off as she smiled lightly “It’s good that you’re alright.”

This sudden concern made Ashe pause in surprise, but before he could say anything, a flash of gold light burst out from Sonya’s chest, transforming into a radiant single-wing spirit.

Its exterior looked nearly transparent like a butterfly, with only one wing, but when fluttering about it refracted rainbow light, gorgeous as dreamy bubbles.

Even without contacting it, just seeing it in that instant, Ashe and Sonya already knew this spirit’s name.

“Sincerity”.