Sorcerer’s Handbook

Chapter 57

Red Mist Tavern.

"Don't be afraid! Hurry up and kill Ashe! How can you tolerate his arrogance?"

"Aren't you a serial killer? How could you be persuaded so easily?"

"This batch of death row inmates is the most cowardly I've ever seen!"

Seeing Scarface put down his hand, many customers let out a cry - they were all smart people who had predicted fighting would break out among the death row inmates. Thus, they had placed bets on "the death row inmates will kill each other."

Now that Scarface had been persuaded by Ashe, it seemed their bets were going down the drain.

"But this Ashe kid is pretty interesting. Can we watch him in a few more Blood Moon Tribunals?"

"I'd rather see his expression when he becomes one of the redeemed! That must be entertaining."

"Can I still place a preorder for his and the elf's full blood? I'm feeling a bit hungry."

"There aren't even enough sacred bloodline members in the prison to go around. How could there possibly be any left for you? Don't even think about preordering full blood...maybe you can preorder some hemorrhoid blood."

Sitting alone with his drink, Lorens looked at Ashe Heath on the light screen, suddenly recalling something from years ago.

It was several years prior, when he hadn't yet undergone the blood replacement ceremony and was still a student at Caimon University. Someone had handed him a flyer in the second cafeteria.

He vaguely remembered it was for a student mutual aid society, with the tenets of "Courage," "Wisdom," "Life," and "Joy." But he had been close to graduating then and naturally uninterested.

Lorens didn't know why he recalled this now.

But when he looked at Ashe Heath again, an ephemeral feeling of...familiarity arose in his heart.

His hand trembled slightly as he prepared to vote.

We should be the ones to go!?

Although it sounded reasonable, seeing Ashe's arrogant face made every death row inmate feel extremely stifled. It was like waiting in line for an hour before someone tapped their shoulder and said, "You're in the wrong line, you should go over there. Let me cut in front of you."

And on further thought, this path didn't seem viable either. After all, there were still executors on their small platform. Purgatorial Flame was just an itch to Ashe and Valcas, but to them it was flaying their brains!

"Or there's an even better way," said another skinny man holding a dagger sinisterly. "After the voting ends and before the executors arrive, we can just kill off you two. Then the executors won't come."

"That's right!"

"Restrain them first!"

"Cut off their four limbs and throw them into the sea after voting ends!"

Ashe thought to himself, damn it, his current combat ability was just a bit higher than a normal person's. He could barely handle deathmatches, let alone uncontrolled fighting against these vicious and ruthless senior sorcerers!

From afar, Nago shouted, "Although the prison can't interfere during the tribunal, I advise you to refrain from suicide and murder. Shedding blood under the blood moon will only escalate your crimes. You can still repent and make amends if you stop now. Don't harm Ashe Heath - just let him wait quietly in my boots for the tribunal's judgment..."

Boots, my boots... Nago stamped his feet anxiously. Fight if you must, but don't get blood on the boots!

Just as Ashe shivered at the edge of the platform while the death row inmates closed in, a sharp sound suddenly came from beside him!

Zheng!

A sword mark slashed between Ashe and the others, penetrating three feet deep as the sword qi cried out!

"You...want to catch me?"

While everyone was focused on Ashe, Valcas had silently logged onto the platform and picked up a longsword, sending out crossing rays of sword qi with a gentle wave!

But Valcas' deterrence did not make the death row inmates retreat. Dagger-man licked his blade, chuckling coldly. "So what if you're a swordsman? There are six of us and two of you... Moreover, who said none of us are sorcerers!"

With a flash of silver, fluttering silver wings unfurled from Dagger-man's back, unleashing intense waves of arcane energy that rippled outward!

Silver Wings!

The arcane medium through which mortal sorcerers touched the principles of law!

Only those who had sailed ten thousand miles in the Sea of Knowledge could possibly condense Silver Wings!

Someone like Ashe now, who had just entered the virtual world, couldn't even condense a single feather - let alone Silver Wings. While Dagger-man's Silver Wings weren't very long, based on their size he must have sailed at least two to three thousand miles in the Sea of Knowledge. He had likely been a sorcerer for quite some time!

Although the scale of one's Silver Wings wasn't directly proportional to combat ability, more complete Silver Wings meant the sorcerer had sailed farther in the Sea of Knowledge, learned from more sorcerer lineages, encountered more island adventures, and slain more creatures of knowledge!

At least Ashe could ascertain he couldn't beat this dagger-wielding man one-on-one!

The other death row inmates scoffed as they each revealed their own Silver Wings. Even the cannibal had a small, chicken wing-sized Silver Wing.

The most complete Silver Wings belonged to none other than the necromancer, Harvey. Nearly fully unfurled, they were probably only a bit away from the ten thousand mile voyage. Noticing Ashe's surprised gaze, Harvey revealed a friendly smile. The way he looked at Ashe was full of enthusiasm.

Ashe blinked.

Could it be that after an afternoon together, Harvey had decided to recognize me as a good buddy?

But upon closer inspection, Ashe suddenly recalled the same look of affinity and enthusiasm on Harvey's face when he talked about handling corpses previously. His face darkened immediately - damn, Harvey probably hadn't gotten to handle fresh corpses for many days in prison, and wanted to indulge using this chance!

But he was truly done for this time. As a sorcerer who had only entered the virtual world a few days ago and whose only spirit was a shadow clone, how could he compete against six silver-winged sorcerers? Even with Valcas, they were still outmatched!

Zheng!

With a cry like ringing steel, a radiant flash of silver-gold pressed down the death row inmates' silver wings!

Valcas' Silver Wings had fully unfurled!

Each feather resembled a dancing firefly. Every flutter seemed to warp the laws of reality!

Compared to Valcas' perfect Silver Wings, Harvey's looked like expired goods taken out of a dusty warehouse - which they were, in fact. Bathed in the silver glow of perfection, Harvey's silver wings instantly wilted as if ashamed of their own shabbiness.

Not only perfect Silver Wings, Valcas even had a short, dazzling section of Golden Wings!

A two-winged golden sorcerer!

Valcas was a virtual world traveler who had completely traversed the Sea of Knowledge, broken through its constraints, summoned a two-winged spirit, and successfully climbed onto the Temporal Continent!

"So do you still think two can't beat six?" Valcas mocked.

Hearing this, Dagger-man forced out an uglier-than-crying smile and tried to hide behind the others, only to find they had all distanced themselves from him. He could only lower his head and say, "Master Uhl, I was just joking earlier. Please..."

"Not funny at all."

"...Please forgive me..."

"Kowtow and I'll forgive you if you split your head open."

Without another word, Dagger-man immediately smashed his head on the ground, looking so pitiful it hurt just to watch. After three knocks, his forehead split open with blood flowing down his nose ridge in two streams.

"Master Uhl, is this enough?"

"Ugly, yes, but your sincerity is adequate. You pass."

Dagger-man relaxed in relief and quickly shrank to the side, not even daring to curse as he cowered submissively.

But everyone understood. After all, the other was a two-winged sorcerer. Although they could probably still defeat him together, was it necessary?

Only Dagger-man had offended Valcas. Why should they risk a bloody battle to the death with the strongest close-combat sorcerer for the sake of a single inmate?

Wouldn't selling out Dagger-man be better?

Dagger-man also knew if Valcas wanted him dead, the others would absolutely stand by and watch, even applaud. Thus, conceding was his only way to survive.

Ashe hurried to Valcas' side, folding his arms as he looked down at these cowardly death row inmates.

Humph, the two of us are so powerful.

"Let's consider this even," said Valcas.

Ashe was baffled by this. "What?"

Without turning his head, Valcas said, "If not for you earlier, I might still be standing on the steel wire."

Ashe blinked. "That? I did it for myself, not to help you specifically."

"Either way, I've repaid this debt. Don't blame me for what happens next."

Ashe was taken aback. "What are you going to do next?"

"What else can I do?"

Valcas let out a cold laugh and flicked his sword.

"Survive like maggots, dance like flies, fight like dung beetles."

Ashe realized something and exited the livestream channel.

"Current highest number of votes: Valcas Uhl, 244,623 votes."