On the Continent of Time.

An extraordinary scene was unfolding. Three sorcerers had gathered together.

The activity area here was far smaller than the Sea of Knowledge, but that didn't make the Continent of Time any less vast. Two-Winged sorcerers were rarer than One-Winged, and the curtains of Ascending Golden Rain made it difficult to see far. Exploring it felt like navigating a dark, endless forest, where encounters with other sorcerers were rare. But after today, the sight of three sorcerers traveling together might soon become a familiar one.

Feeling the hand around his throat tighten, Ashe hurriedly said, "She's the Witch. She just joined our team. I finally managed to recruit her. From now on, she'll explore the Virtual World together with us..."

Sonya's fury surged. From now on? Together? Finally managed to recruit her?

Grievance and anger boiled within her, but she forced her expression to remain calm. Only her eyes betrayed her, growing brighter and brighter as her pale red pupils narrowed almost to vertical slits.

Ashe felt a chill run down his spine. A crushing fear pressed against him, as if he were standing before the Blood Moon Tribunal. He lowered his voice. "Don't worry. You're still my favorite."

Sonya blinked. "Ah?"

She released his throat and stepped back, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. A trace of embarrassment colored her tone. "Why would you suddenly say something like that?"

Ashe nodded seriously. "Swordswoman, the bond between you and me is still the strongest. You get first pick of the Experience Orbs. You choose the best spirits first. Any other benefits also go to you first. The Witch and I only take what's left. Don't worry, her being here won't make you any less important to me."

"Who cares how important I am to you!" Sonya muttered under her breath. She glanced at Dia, who was observing them curiously nearby, then edged closer to Ashe and lowered her voice. "I may not care... but do not lie to me!"

Ashe swore confidently, "I'm not lying. Unless the Witch's bond with me surpasses yours, or she shows greater potential than you, resources will always be prioritized for you."

The Scarlet Swordswoman stiffened. "So if she becomes stronger than me..."

Ashe met her gaze. "We're a team. The goal is to make the team stronger. I have faith in your talent, Swordswoman, but if you want to maintain your advantage, you'll have to work harder."

Before entering the Virtual World, Ashe had sensed that Sonya might be angry. But he didn't expect her reaction to be this intense.

However, when Ashe stood in her shoes and thought from her perspective, he could see that she had every reason to be upset. It was like a startup company. If a partner suddenly brought in someone new without discussion, how could you not be upset? How would the shares be divided? How would the work be assigned?

A three-person team should theoretically be more efficient than a pair. But in the Virtual World, luck often determined gains. Knowledge creatures might not drop any Experience Orbs, or a sorcerer projection could yield only useless spirits. In moments like that, the only thing a sorcerer could do was curse their bad luck. When rewards were scarce, three people still had to divide the spoils. It was easy for someone to walk away empty-handed, sparking arguments.

Ashe and Sonya had spent a long time building mutual understanding. They rarely argued over spoils. But with another person joining, the dynamic instantly became more complicated.

For instance, if two spirits dropped now, and both the Swordswoman and the Witch could use them, the Swordswoman would have first choice. She could take one, and the second would go to the newcomer.

At first glance, the arrangement seemed fair, beneficial to the Swordswoman, even. But the real issue was if the Witch had never joined, both spirits would have belonged to the Swordswoman.

As a corporate wage slave who had spent years navigating the workplace and witnessing countless office power struggles, Ashe understood human nature all too well. A newcomer might share the workload, boost the department's performance, and help everyone grow a bigger pie together. On the surface, it sounded ideal. But a newcomer also meant redistributing the benefits. Part of the veteran's share would inevitably be taken away, and the balance of office factions could shift.

So Ashe brought the Witch and expected the Swordswoman to just welcome her with open arms? How could that possibly happen? To use a blunt analogy, it was like a wife watching her husband bring his mistress home to sleep in the same bed. How could she possibly agree to that?

The Swordswoman was not a genuine gacha character without a sense of self. In fact, she was an extremely sensitive pragmatist when it came to her interests. If she had worked in the company from Ashe's previous life, she might not have become a model employee under the culture of relentless competition, but she would have been the kind of rights fighter who secretly recorded everything and preserved evidence, the type even the company would hesitate to challenge.

Naturally, she would worry that the Witch might take away benefits that belonged to her, or worse, replace her position. Add to that the fact that she had no initiative in exploring the Virtual World, and it was only natural that she would feel uneasy and angry. People rarely notice how much they gain, but they obsess over what they lose.

Ashe was not accusing Sonya of greed or ingratitude. After all, wanting more was part of human nature. No one was born a saint, and no one would work tirelessly without expecting a reward. Only a collapsing startup would scold employees for lacking gratitude. Managing a team was an intricate, delicate art.

He could not suppress Sonya with lofty principles. Instead, he had to view the situation from her perspective, weighing the pros and cons of the Witch joining the team. At the same time, he could offer a promising outlook, making it clear that as long as she worked twice as hard, she would remain the team's most outstanding member. That was all Ashe could do.

He could comfort her, but he would not indulge her. No matter how strong their bond, no matter that she was one of the pillars supporting his heart, Ashe would not yield.

He had a good relationship with his parents, yet when they hoped he would return to his hometown and become a civil servant, he chose to struggle alone in a big city, only visiting home during the holidays. He had a good relationship with his elder brother, but when his brother attempted a late-night heart-to-heart about how "people always meet the right person at the wrong time," Ashe immediately told his sister-in-law and nipped the potential affair in the bud. He loved his nephew, buying him countless gifts, but if the boy misbehaved, Ashe would still pull off his belt and discipline him without hesitation.

Affection did not mean compromise. Ashe followed his own principles above all else. In many ways, he was like the Blood Moon Kingdom itself,a selfish sinner who valued his inner desires above all else.

Aurora's Sorcerer Handbook was his trump card. He could not choose not to use it. His operatives were essential for exploring the Virtual World. He could not abandon the Black-White Witch.

The Swordswoman might feel uneasy, angry, or wronged. He could understand and comfort her, but he would never apologize, nor retreat even a single step. He needed her to understand him and support him.

Under Ashe's unwavering gaze, Sonya fell silent for a moment before asking, "Will there be more people in the future?"

Ashe himself was unsure. "Perhaps... maybe our team will grow to more than ten someday—"

"More than ten?!"