The Sorcerer's Handbook

Chapter 256: You Received the Swordswomans Request for Leave

"I'm getting a bit tired of this. Let's switch games."

After his tenth straight loss in Sorcerer Duel 14 that night, Ashe's suggestion came as no surprise to Dia.

Tonight, he had abandoned his usual Wandering Sword Saint and picked popular characters like the Alchemy Overlord and the Earth Empress. He even tried special characters such as the Enemy Sorcerer and the Scythe of Woe. They all had one thing in common, which was that they relied on simple, easy-to-repeat combos that kept the opponent under constant pressure.

In other words, they relied on Spear Moves. In the Sorcerer Duel series, this term referred to techniques as direct and forceful as a spear thrust. They were easy to execute, difficult to defend against, and highly disruptive to the flow of a match. Because of that, players usually agreed to ban them.

Ashe was not the only one familiar with the Sorcerer Duel Series Strategy Guide. The Secret Princess had also let Lys read it, so both of them knew exactly which moves fell into that category.

The problem was that Ashe only picked up these surface-level tricks. He didn't understand that the real key to Sorcerer Duel lay in Precise Counters, Gap Combos, Frame Reading, and Positioning. More accurately, he found them too difficult and gave up on them entirely.

The more Dia played, the more she realized that Sorcerer Duel contained a vast body of knowledge about sorcerer combat, much of which could be applied in real fights. Frame Reading, for example, allowed a player to gauge the stun caused by each attack and chain follow-ups at exactly the right moment, forming an unbroken sequence that dealt devastating damage.

In the game, character abilities were merely tools. Once the underlying principles became clear, any character could be used effectively.

The same applied to Miracles. A beginner unleashed them blindly, producing nothing of value. Someone with a bit of skill, like Ashe, could link them into simple combos, but only up to a point. A true master, like Dia, not only triggered bursts at will but could exploit every weakness in an opponent's defense, or even create openings where none existed.

At first, Ashe managed to use Spear Moves to push Dia to the edge of the stage. But once she understood how they worked, she began to evade them with low crouches and high jumps. When he tried the same tactic again, she spotted the flaw instantly and crushed him without mercy.

So when Ashe suggested switching games, Dia felt no surprise at all. His reliance on Spear Moves tonight had simply been his last stubborn attempt.

He had sunk so far that he was willing to abandon a player's dignity just to gain enough power to win. Yet even that failed. Dia defeated him with ease. In a fairy tale, he would have been the kind of villain trampled effortlessly under the hero's feet.

Ashe knew he could not win this game, so he had no reason to keep playing. On that point, Dia agreed. There was no point in continuing a game you could not win.

"Fine," Dia said, setting down her controller. "What should we play?"

"I'll see..."

Ashe opened the drawer beneath the holo-screen. Inside, game cartridges were neatly arranged under labeled sections like To Play with Kids Later, Hidden Gems, Evergreen Favorites, and Only When Miss Isn't Around.

After a brief search, he pulled one out. "This one."

Dia thought that if the game turned out dull, she could always let Lys take over. After all, the Watcher's task was complete as long as Ashe had been "defeated." But the moment the holo-screen lit up, she couldn't look away. Even Lys knocking against the mirror beside her failed to distract her.

The game was titled Sorcerer Kart 5.

Ashe explained, "It's a spinoff of the Sorcerer Duel series. Characters race karts through different virtual environments, and you can use Miracles to attack your opponents. That's what we're playing."

"Great!"

Both of them thought simultaneously. Maybe I can learn how to attack others while driving!

***

An hour and a half later, the two of them emerged from the game room, disheveled and exhausted. Dia's hair was a mess, and Ashe's clothes were nearly torn apart. They exchanged a glance, snorted, and turned away. Ashe headed back to his room, while Dia made for the kitchen in search of something to eat.

Iger had just stepped out of his room. Seeing their state, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Not that I'm surprised, but did you really have a fight with Lys?"

Ashe said irritably, "Don't make it sound like it's my fault. That brat can't handle losing. Am I supposed to just put up with her temper?"

"I may not have experience raising children, but from my time in the orphanage, guardians were expected to give in to them," Iger said with a nostalgic smile. "Looking back, those were good times. By taking advantage of the Child Protection Act, I managed to control the entire orphanage. Even the adults didn't dare oppose me."

Ashe no longer felt the slightest surprise at Iger's absurdly villainous past. He muttered, "We were playing a racing game. Of course, people trip each other up. But she lost first place three times in a row and threw a tantrum. Kids these days take winning way too seriously."

"Ashe, I sincerely suggest you start wearing a mask. Your expression control is worse than even the newcomer Harvey brought in. You can't even hide how pleased you are while saying that."

Ashe instinctively touched his lips. "Hm? Then pick one up for me when you go out. Make sure it looks good."

"How did you know I was going to..." Iger trailed off, glancing down at his trench coat and boots. Anyone could tell he was heading out. They usually wore slippers indoors.

Ashe asked, "Iger, have you spoken to Harvey?"

Iger caught on immediately and shook his head. "I asked, but he wouldn't say what mission he and Annan carried out last night. But..."

"What is it?"

"The cold, dying fire inside him feels like it's really about to ignite," Iger said, leaning against the wall. "Before, he seemed to be digging his own grave. Now, he's digging deeper, and I'm no longer sure who it's meant for."

Ashe frowned. "So Annan pushed him that far? Could the Lady have used the Flame of Hope?"

Iger shook his head. "Harvey isn't immortal. The Flame of Hope won't fix this. What drives him comes down to two things. One is his dead lover. The other is his obsession with the Necromancy Class."

"Hmph. If I could choose, I'd rather be the only person in the world specializing in the Mind Class. Unlike me, Harvey wants everyone practicing Necromancy."

"You're the abnormal one," Ashe said. "Don't you want someone who can keep up with you, follow your thoughts, and exchange ideas with you?"

The fraudster shot the cult leader a sideways glance. "Only cowards need companions. Harvey isn't like that. He doesn't rely on anyone to survive. He lives only to burn himself out. I've seen plenty like him. Strong, determined, and fragile as glass. Even among the mentally unstable, Harvey stands out. Do you know why he's so obsessed with Necromancy? Because he's so lonely, he needs the dead to keep him company—"

"Hey," Ashe cut him off, half-teasing, half-serious. "Talking behind someone's back isn't interesting. If you mean it, say it to their face. Otherwise, it's just like hiding behind a shield while throwing filth. Totally boring."

Iger lifted his head, eyes dripping with sarcasm. "Do you still care what others think, Ashe Heath? Harvey hasn't come to us. That should tell you he has other plans. In this house, you have no friends. The Alliance is gone."

Ashe studied him for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking," Ashe said, "when you want something from me, you speak nicely. So when you talk like this, what exactly are you trying to do?"

He patted Iger on the shoulder. "I'm heading into the Virtual World. Good luck tonight."

"Hope the White Ox tramples over you in there," Iger muttered.

Ashe returned to his room and took a shower. With time to spare, he sank into the bathtub, opened the game system, and began exploring its functions. If not for the map he had obtained last night, he would never have realized the Virtual World map even had a recording feature. There might be other functions he hadn't discovered yet, perhaps even an option to let the Virtual World exploration run on autopilot.

The moment he opened the system, a red dot appeared in the Operator Management menu. He tapped it and saw an envelope icon on the Swordswoman's portrait.

[Notification: You Received the Swordswoman's Request for Leave.]