Sorcerer’s Handbook

After saying those words, Ashe felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

He was well aware of how rude and arrogant his statement was.

Unlike him, a social drifter with no attachments, Raven bore the heavy burden of avenging his cult's massacre, the revival of Raven Annihilation, and his deep attachment to this land.

Especially the revenge against the Mercury Trojan Horse, which was not only the inevitable path to realizing Raven's ideals but also his greatest motivation to live. Before meeting Ashe and the others, Raven was consumed by his hatred for the Mercury Trojan Horse. If he could personally kill it, he would die content the next second.

Abandoning revenge and leaving Senlo would almost negate all the values Raven had lived by.

The last time Ashe asked Raven if he wanted to leave together, Raven said he needed to think about it, but Ashe didn't hold out much hope.

With short lifespans and intense beliefs, every Senlo person had a self-destructive tendency to bloom urgently. Raven would never abandon revenge out of fear of death.

In fact, with over ten days of travel left, Ashe could have slowly discussed it with Raven or teamed up with Igor to subtly imply and soften Raven's resolve, rather than using such direct, almost commanding language to express his deepest request to this friend who had shared life and death with him multiple times.

Raven looked at him quietly, silent for so long that Ashe almost thought he was going to be hit, before Raven softly said, "I-"

Suddenly, the rooftop exploded. Someone inside had triggered something, blowing the entire roof apart!

Ashe and Raven were on opposite sides of the eaves, instinctively kicking off to avoid the blast, as if fleeing along two separate routes. By the time Ashe realized what had happened, Raven had disappeared to the other side, and he had nearly fallen to the ground, with shouts of pursuit echoing behind him.

"Stop!"

"Run again and I'll shoot!"

"Damn thief!"

Ashe quickly darted into an alley, a place easier to escape from, and suddenly remembered something. He tossed the treasure bag behind him: "Take it back!"

Without bothering to see what was inside, he slipped into the alley, rolling up his sleeves, pulling off the black stockings, dismantling the red ponytail, and reversing his jacket. By the time he emerged from the alley, he had completely changed his appearance, and those chasing him glanced at him before rushing past.

Luckily, he had been transformed into the Sword Princess by the Mirage Prism, and having seen the Sword Princess's magical transformations a few times, he managed to replicate it.

Ashe nonchalantly weaved through the crowd, heading back to the Foxlamp Ice Room, but couldn't help feeling a twinge of regret.

He should have said that if there's a way to leave, there's a way to return, and once his spellcasting skills were honed and he could fight alone, he would come back to help Raven kill the Mercury Trojan Horse; or perhaps he should have simply invited Raven to take a short trip to Gospel.

Escaping is much easier to accept than giving up, even if the chance of returning is slim, at least it's still there.

Now that there's no excuse for self-deception, Raven must choose between revenge and departure. Compared to seeking refuge in an unknown kingdom-a feeling inevitable in foreign lands-pursuing revenge aligns more with Raven's interests and emotional needs.

Perhaps Raven has already left quietly. Since their destinations differ, there's no reason to travel together. He continues his mission to assassinate the Mercury Trojan Horse, while Ashe and the others embark on their journey home.

Ashe sighed, looking up at the endless night sky, his gaze slightly dropping, suddenly spotting a terrifying yet familiar figure at the entrance of the Ice Room. Because they had just fled to the other side, the crowd was drawn away, making the figure appear even more solitary and slim.

As Ashe approached, Raven tossed him a bag-the treasure bag. Opening it, Ashe found it full of gold coins.

"You actually kept it?" Ashe asked, surprised.

"They couldn't beat me," Raven said.

Ashe paused, then remembered that in Black Robe Town, where spellcasting was forbidden, Raven, being a mere mortal, was nearly invulnerable. Ashe should never have run; Raven could have handled them all alone.

"So…"

"But this is a crime," Raven said. "This isn't the property of the Four Pillars Cult or any villains; it's legitimate property from an auction house. Although unintended, we indeed plundered someone else's property."

"I've committed a crime, do you know what that means?"

Ashe blinked, tentatively asking, "Means you're tainted?"

"In the Raven Annihilation Cult, judgment warriors who commit crimes must undergo seclusion for reflection, temporarily suspending their duties. Crime must be punished, as it reflects both Raven Annihilation's expectations for all beings and the demands on oneself."

"During seclusion for reflection, the warrior needs a Judge to monitor their reflective process and mental state. Whenever the Judge deems the reflection complete, the warrior can resume their duties, under the Judge's control during this period," Raven explained. "Who do you think would be suitable to be my Judge?"

Ashe immediately answered, "Igor."

Raven just stared at him quietly. Ashe looked at the money bag in his hands and quietly tucked it away. "Ahem, actually, I think 'Judge Ashe' has a nice ring to it."

Raven nodded, then turned and walked into the Ice Room.

"I will try my best."

Try what? To reflect? Or to give up?

Ashe's feelings were mixed, touched yet ashamed. He returned to the Ice Room, where Chikara curiously asked, "What happened outside, it seems lively?"

"Oh, someone robbed the auction house."

Saying this, Ashe handed the money bag to Igor. Igor glanced at the bag full of gold coins, looking at Ashe, wanting to speak yet holding back.

"Alright, everyone!" Ashe clapped his hands. "We're leaving Black Robe Town tomorrow, heading home! If there's anything you want to buy or eat, now's your last chance. Tonight's expenses are on Master Bukin!"

"Really? Add this to the order!" Chikara immediately shouted.

Igor glared at the orc, but didn't object.

Harvey glanced at Raven, then suddenly asked, "Tamashi, what pattern do you like on livor mortis?"

"By the way," Ashe turned to Igor and Harvey, "you two shouldn't slack off on your virtual realm exploration. Try to gather the Rainbow Wings soon. I might be able to lend you a hand."

Ashe knew they had probably guessed some of his secrets. Igor might even have figured out that he was one of the four black-robed sorcerers-after all, Ashe had returned from the Virtual Realm a whole day late, which was a glaring oversight.

Yet, Igor hadn't asked anything, and Ashe hadn't offered any explanations. But he remembered that both Igor and Harvey had used external means to ascend to the Distant Sky Domain, which meant they could never independently summon a Four-winged Spirit and thus had no chance of reaching Ruby Mountain.

Now that Ashe had the Dreamwake deity, although he couldn't bring it into reality just yet, he would eventually solve this issue. When the time came, he could use it on Igor and Harvey, allowing them to walk the Path of Origin to reach Ruby Mountain.

"Tonight's the last night, so we don't need to go to the Virtual Realm, right?" Chikara suggested. "Starting tomorrow, we'll be roughing it, and tonight's probably our last night in a hotel. Let's stay up all night playing cards!"

Ashe's eyes lit up, "Sounds good to me."

"I'm in too."

Everyone turned to Raven in surprise, eyes filled with disbelief, as if the words had come from the Mask itself. Chikara paused, then asked, "Do you know how to play?"

"I've watched you play. I know the rules."

"Heh, then get ready to be crushed," Chikara chuckled. "You're up against the Card-Busting King Ashe, the Card-Counting King Chikara, and the Shadow King Harvey!"

Ashe protested, "Why is my title so lame?"

"You dare call yourself the Card-Counting King?" Igor sneered. "I'll join tonight and see what you're made of."

"Ah, Mr. Bukin, you're joining too?" Chikara turned to Gwen. "How about you? We're just one short for a full-blown battle of the gods."

Gwen glanced at Igor, "Alright."

"Wow!" Chikara clenched his fists. "My blood is boiling!"

Why are you so fired up over a card game…

Raven suddenly asked, "By the way, where exactly are we headed?"

Igor replied, "Didn't Ashe tell you? We're going to the very bottom of Senlo. That's the only way to ensure the Void Gate passage is stable enough."

"The very bottom of Senlo…" Raven recalled something, "The underground of the Twin cult?"

"There's a level even deeper than that," Chikara explained. "You probably haven't been there, Raven, but Gwen and I have. It's a trial ground shared by all cults, the origin of Senlo, the belly scales of the earth-"

"The Silent Spiral."