Sorcerer's Handbook-Chapter 573: Return to Shattered Lake

“A half with your memories, identical in appearance but completely different in personality?”

In the dream phantom, Ashe licked the iron railing while nodding. “Yes, he’s a tsundere, completely different from me.”

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Sonya and Deya glanced at him but said nothing. The dream phantom here was the academy city within the walls, filled with young, vibrant boys and girls on the streets. The four sorcerers walking among them were considered elders.

“16 to 8, 8 to 4, 4 to 2…” Vesser was surrounded by various phenomena-flames rising, mist swirling, lightning flashing, flowers blooming, and leaves falling. “If only one person can pass the Trial in the end, then the feud between you and Silver Lantern will soon be over.”

“It’s two people because the Fate Twins are a pair,” Ashe corrected. “But you’re right. This long chase will end in death during the Trial.”

“But you can’t use spirit or spellforce now, and even your companions aren’t by your side. Can you really defeat Silver Lantern?” Deya asked worriedly while playing cat’s cradle. “The Blood Seed she planted in you is still there, right?”

Ashe nodded. “I really can’t defeat Silver Lantern. Besides the gap in combat skills, it’s also because of the Blood Seed. The closer I am to her, the stronger its effect. She’s constantly draining my life energy. If we fight, she’ll grow stronger while I grow weaker.”

“This time, I relied on a mutual destruction technique to drag her down to my level, but she might not fall for it next time.”

During the fight, he didn’t notice it, but after distancing himself from Silver Lantern, Ashe clearly felt his body becoming excessively weak. It wasn’t until he ate some high-calorie energy bars in the restroom that he recovered, a sign that the Blood Seed was still active.

“If it were just me and Silver Lantern, I’d probably be out of options this time,” Ashe said, spreading his hands. “But my half doesn’t have this burden, and he’s much stronger in combat. As long as we cooperate well, we can definitely take down the Silver Lantern Twins!”

Although Ashe was very confident, the Sword Princess and the Witch were still deeply concerned. After all, they hadn’t seen this ‘half,’ and Ashe described him as a tsundere, which added to their unease-not that being a tsundere affects combat ability, but someone whose true nature Ashe could easily see through didn’t seem much sharper than a Blade Fish Dragon.

“Found the affix,” Vesser suddenly announced. “It’s related to color. Stepping on white tiles makes you invulnerable, while stepping on black tiles increases negative effects.”

At the same time, the nearby scene began to freeze and rewind, and a stream of information flowed into the sorcerers’ minds:

“Hopscotch: Back to the dorm after school, and whoever steps on the black squares loses! Stepping on white squares grants immunity to all damage, while stepping on black squares applies one layer of the ‘Damage Amplification’ curse. Each layer increases damage taken by 10%, stackable with no upper limit.”

“Affix Identification Reward: A small amount of Truth sect experience, a small amount of fate sect experience, and a small amount of spellforce.”

“Limited Affix Privilege: In the next dream phantom, stepping on white squares grants one layer of the ‘Defense Enhancement’ blessing, reducing damage taken by 5% per layer, up to a maximum of 10 layers.”

Ashe and the others gasped.

Although it was a single-affix phantom, this affix was absurd, especially for sorcerers who might spend over a dozen minutes trying to figure out the affix clues.

The roads here were almost entirely paved with alternating black and white tiles. Once a sorcerer moved, they would inevitably step on dozens or even hundreds of black tiles. Since the curse stacks had no upper limit, this meant that once combat began, they would suffer an additional 1000% damage amplification. Their Sanctuary could very well be shattered by virtual realm creatures in an instant!

It was precisely because of such outrageous affixes that Ashe and the others had to spend so much time searching for affix clues.

Ashe licked the railing, Deya played cat’s cradle, Sonya walked, jumped, flew, and even walked backward… Each of their unusual attempts was a stress response born from being beaten down by affixes.

Sonya had actually read various travelogues and even learned methods for testing affixes from professors like Trozan and Nidhogg. But as the saying goes, knowledge from books is shallow; true understanding comes from being beaten down. For example, they once encountered an affix called “Sword Frenzy,” where gripping a sword caused a gender swap. Since then, Sonya and Ashe’s first step in every new phantom was to draw their swords.

However, as the number of phantoms they experienced increased, they found that their efficiency in identifying affixes also improved rapidly.

Not just Vesser, but Ashe and the others occasionally managed to deduce affixes through their probing. Yet, their nightly progress didn’t improve much-they still only cleared seven or eight phantoms. However, their safety had increased significantly.

Affixes like “Hopscotch,” which could kill you just by testing them, they had preemptively countered at least seven or eight times.

Since the first two phantoms had been so easily cleared, and with the “Hopscotch” affix privilege granting 50% damage reduction, Ashe decided to take on a challenge. Opening the “Virtual Realm Map,” he spotted a three-affix phantom and led the group inside.

“Huh?”

As soon as they entered the new scene, Ashe froze in place. Sonya thought he had already fallen victim to an affix and cautiously grabbed his hand. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.”

Ashe shook his head lightly, then began to wander forward as if sleepwalking. This Phantom was a massive enclosed structure. They pushed open the door and entered a spacious Central Hall with a glass ceiling that allowed sunlight from afar to freely spill onto the benches. Potted plants lined the sides, and a few people sat on the benches-some chatting, some reading, and even one sleeping… If it weren’t for the fact that they were all wearing prison uniforms, this place could easily be mistaken for a park.

Prison uniforms?

Sonya and the other two were momentarily stunned before realizing something.

Ashe walked up to the front bench and looked at the holographic screen playing the news. The content was about the City Council announcing new policies, filled with long, tedious phrases with such low information density that it seemed designed to prevent citizens from understanding. On the front bench sat a 7’2″ green-skinned Orc and a 4’3″ short-legged Goblin, their conversation clearly reaching Ashe’s ears-

“Isn’t it time for the Combat League yet? Finally, it’s ‘Dragon Slayer’s’ turn to fight. His matches are the best-every time, brains and blood splatter all over the arena. Way more exciting than the Blood Moon Tribunal.”

“Hmph, I bet ‘Dragon Slayer’ gets wrecked tonight. His opponent is the newly promoted Ogre fighter, ‘Fenanshe’! He’s the most brutal-last match, he even smashed a Goblin’s head into his chest. They couldn’t even save him!”

“Fenanshe… Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Maybe it’s a common name among Ogres. Who cares?”

“True.”

Ashe snapped out of it and turned to his teammates. “This is a three-affix Phantom. Let’s split up for ten minutes and search for clues separately. How does that sound?”

Sonya and the others had no objections. After Ashe left, the three of them exchanged glances, and Sonya spoke up. “Vesser, come explore with me.”

“No way!” Deya grabbed Vesser’s arm. “This time, Vesser should definitely come with me!”

Vesser, caught between the two, let out a bitter laugh. “Actually, splitting up would be more efficient… But if we have to team up, I’ll go with the Sword Princess. Witch, you can explore on your own.”

“Why?!”

“Because the type of your spirit is far more diverse than that of the Sword Princess,” Vesser said. “You can conduct many tests on your own, but the Sword Princess primarily has Swordsmanship spirits, so she can only perform a limited number of tests.”

Deya pouted unhappily, “Then you must hang out with me next time!”

“Okay, it’s a date,” Vesser waved goodbye to the Witch and then accompanied the Sword Princess through another passage.

During these days, she took the opportunity to have heart-to-heart talks with the Sword Princess and the Witch, while keeping a polite social distance from Ashe, soon becoming the most popular member of the team.

Aside from her diplomatic skills, it was more because the Sword Princess and the Witch had no other option-apart from Vesser, they had no one else to discuss emotional issues with.

Even without making an effort to get close, as long as she showed no interest in Ashe, Vesser would still become the confidante for others.

Vesser glanced at the passing White-haired Hunter and turned to ask, “Are you very worried?”

“How could I not be?”

Sonya sighed, “It seems like he has never had a peaceful day; if he’s not caught in a conspiracy, he’s sucked into a whirlpool; if not being hunted, he is the hunter. And now, his spellforce and spirits are sealed, making him almost as vulnerable as a straw man, yet there are enemies around him wielding scythes…”

“When he was in Shattered Lake Prison, at least the prison had to abide by the law, and he could exploit legal loopholes to protect himself. But now he faces the trials of the wasteland, with no laws, no rules, no companions, only enemies and the unknown…”

Vesser said softly, “It would be better if he had you by his side.”

The village girl bit her lower lip, her left hand resting on the end of her sword hilt, silent.

“But, you shouldn’t worry too much; didn’t he say he has trustworthy Fate Twins? Copies that possess all his memories and skills-“

“That’s exactly what worries me the most,” Sonya said. “Why would the Trial create such copies? The most likely reason I can think of is to have the Copy replace the original. But right now, he trusts the Copy a lot.”

“You could try to persuade him to be more cautious about the Copy’s actions-“

“No,” the Stretch Paw Club President shook his head. “I can listen, I can make suggestions, but I cannot interfere with hidden possibilities because he is to make judgments, not seek our advice. If I advise him that way, it would only make him feel like I doubt his judgment.”

“But you mean well for him.”

“Although I am worried about him, I respect his abilities, just as he has never interfered with my career development,” Sonya said. “We can only listen to processed, second-hand Intelligence, but only the person involved can assess all the factors comprehensively. Those worries of mine, either he has already considered them, or he does not want me to worry.”

Vesser nodded heavily, “You make a very good point… but besides respect and trust, he might also need your support.”

“Hmm?”

“From what you’ve said, when he was in prison, although his strength was low, he had the protection of legal rules; when he was in Gospel, although he was dominated by the Pact, at least his strength was intact and he had the power to protect himself. But now, he has neither legal rules nor the power to protect himself. Apart from enemies with deep-seated hatred, there are only unpredictable Copies and unknown mysterious trials.” Vesser said, “If you were in such a situation, how would you feel?”

Just thinking about that scenario made Sonya feel suffocated, and she couldn’t help but tightly hug herself.

For a sorcerer, losing power is more terrifying than the environment or enemies.

A sorcerer who has lost their power is like an adult reverting to a three-year-old child. They could once protect themselves, able to resist any danger, but now they have to beg for fate’s mercy-this shift in status is enough to be suffocating.

“…I would be very scared.”

“Anyone would be scared, but he has to put on this confident front so you won’t worry,” Vesser said. “Fear, loneliness, worry… these negative emotions he can only swallow and digest alone. Because he knows that telling you won’t help, it will only drag you into the swamp as well.”

Sonya’s breathing became shallow and rapid. She stopped in her tracks, silent for a moment, then murmured, “What can I do then? I can’t do anything…”

“You should think about it the other way around,” Vesser said. “If you were in such a situation, how would you want him to support you?”

“Like you know, this isn’t the first time he’s faced danger. When he broke out of prison, when he entered the Gospel Royal Palace, when he was almost drained by the Blood Seed, when he couldn’t defeat Silver Lantern tonight… in those moments, did he feel any regrets?”

“Perhaps, he has been waiting for you for a long time.”

Vesser stopped and looked at the Sword Princess, waiting for a moment. The Sword Princess slowly opened her eyes, her ruby-like eyes sparkling and bright, a blush spreading across her face, but her expression was full of determination.

“Next, I’ll trouble you, Vesser, to search for clues alone.”

“Leave it to me.”

The Sword Princess nodded and ran directly along another passage.

Vesser turned around, leisurely passing through the prisoners, and strolled back to the Central Hall.

In fact, she could have pushed the team’s emotional progress earlier, not just because of her subtle hints over the past ten days, but also because the three of them were already a volcano ready to erupt, a flood ready to burst. Without her, perhaps the emotions in the Virtual Realm would have to wait for changes in reality to reach a turning point, but as soon as someone took a step forward, this stable team would face trials no less than a Doomsday catastrophe.

Moreover, now is the most ideal time for trials.

Vesser’s analysis wasn’t baseless; Ashe was indeed at his weakest and most helpless at this moment. If the Sword Princess and the Witch could give him meticulous warmth, it would naturally be a timely help, but conversely, giving him an emotional storm that’s hard to resolve could also be the last straw that breaks his rationality.

The Divine Fire Trial in reality, the emotional trial in the Virtual Realm.

Let me see, Ashe, what kind of truth lies beneath your human skin.

Soon, Vesser encountered the Witch.

Deya looked at her curiously, “Where’s the Sword Princess? Wasn’t she with you?”

Vesser took two steps back, then turned to run, but the next second she was tightly hugged by the Witch: “Speak, where did the Sword Princess go, did you eat her? Was she tasty?”

Vesser blinked, “The Sword Princess, she…”