"So this is... a Technique Spirit."
In the single dormitory of Shattered Lake Prison, Ash looked at the Technique Spirit lying in his palm, sleeping soundly in its blue striped pajamas, resembling a human infant. He felt a kinship deep in his heart.
On this night's final adventure in the Void Realm, Ash and his companion ventured to a marked area enveloped in white mist labeled "Welcome," where they discovered an island of chance encounters.
Unlike Inheritance Island, this small island presented no dangers and no trials. Wild Technique Spirits frolicked and played on the island.
When they set foot on the island, the Technique Spirits scattered; despite their keen eyes and swift hands, they only managed to catch two Technique Spirits. These captured spirits, resigned to their fate, agreed to acknowledge them as their masters.
Each of the two received a Technique Spirit; the one that Ash ended up with was the human infant peacefully asleep in his palm—'Substitute.'
"One-winged Technique Spirit"
"Restriction: Magician must be a primate intelligent creature."
"Basic Effect: Creates a phantom identical to a target that shatters upon impact. If the target is an intelligent creature, it will follow the magician's commands."
"Passive Effect: Slightly alleviates pain."
"'If it hurts, just think of yourself as someone else, then it won't anymore.'"
The Sword Maiden acquired a Water Technique Faction Spirit, 'Rapid Stream.'
"One-winged Technique Spirit"
"Restriction: Unclaimed liquid must be nearby."
"Basic Effect: Shoots a stream of water with kinetic impact."
"Passive Effect: Enhances control over liquids."
"'Gentle flow is life; drastic flow is change. Nothing is immutable except the flow itself.'"
According to the Sword Maiden, the Rapid Stream Spirit could fetch a high price in her school's markets, as it was one of the rare high-burst attack Technique Spirits in water magic factions, capable of generating many powerful miracles. However, it was challenging to summon, resulting in an exorbitantly high price, even exceeding some Two-winged Technique Spirits.
Although Ash wanted to comment that a paper figurine had no need for money, he reconsidered, realizing it might be a game mechanic for auto-upgrade. More importantly, he needed to cling to the Sword Maiden at this crucial project phase—offending the only tech resourceful person was unbelievable folly!
So, they happily completed their division of spoils; the Sword Maiden was satisfied, and Ash was even more so, because the Substitute Technique Spirit was an essential Technique Spirit for the Miracle of Severance!
Ash's immediate priority was to gather the required Technique Spirits for the Miracle of Severance to entirely shatter the control of the chip on his nape; otherwise, he couldn't even attempt an escape!
Ash intently gazed at the Substitute Technique Spirit in his palm, pushing the mysterious mental energy he felt in his mind.
Since returning from the Void Realm, Ash discovered his spiritual consciousness had materialized. It felt as though imagination had become a tangible force, like an invisible phantom limb, allowing him to use spiritual power to interact with reality.
Without needing affirmation, Ash knew this spiritual energy was the Magic Power the Sword Maiden frequently mentioned. It's a mage's universal energy and the basis for them to command Technique Spirits. Without Magic Power, a mage was no different than an ordinary person.
Conversely, if you possessed Magic Power, you were a mage, even if an unskilled one.
But Ash remembered that before entering the Void Realm, he had no Magic Power at all.
The sources of this Magic Power were clear to Ash. Together with the Sword Maiden, as they traversed the Void Realm, every layer of white mist they pierced not only honed his Spirit but drew in free knowledge, generating universal energy—Magic Power under dual influence.
Thus, upon returning from the Void Realm, Ash not only gained a Technique Spirit but obtained Magic Power, too.
In other words, he was now a thoroughly genuine and highly pure mage.
Ash tried using a mental probe to explore the Substitute Technique Spirit's form, but the feedback was as perplexing as listening sections of a level-six foreign language exam—meaningless even when scrutinized sentence by sentence.
It perfectly aligned with the Sword Maiden's explanation that 'unless summoning a Technique Spirit personally, you can't even parse its construction.'
Unable to analyze it, Ash couldn't possibly find the Gate of Truth within the Substitute Technique Spirit.
This indicated that Ash was a mage incapable of entering the Void Realm willingly!
This contradicted the Sword Maiden's portrayal of the mage system—every mage, whether innately gifted or hopelessly inept, regardless of noble or orphaned beginnings—had no exceptions. They all learned and trained to summon a Technique Spirit before entering the Void Realm.
Never in history had there been an unlearned mage!
The term mage originally meant 'master of the craft,' suggestive of each mage being competent to instruct in a specialized skill!
But now, an exception had surfaced!
Ash Heath, an unlearned wanderer from the Otherworld, crossed the threshold of knowledge and became an official mage!
He suddenly recalled the Sword Maiden's earlier mention of the golden fish and smuggler legend.
"A Silver Mage who finds a golden fish can smuggle into the Time Continent and become a Golden Mage. Yet I rode the Sword Maiden's coattail, smuggling into the Sea of Knowledge to become a Silver Mage..."
Other smuggling involved movement within the mage hierarchy, akin to population movement between regions in one nation—internal conflicts, in essence, whereas Ash's smuggling was akin to scaling from a primitive tribe to a developed country—a biological invasion.
This was a secret that must never be revealed, Ash determined.
If other mages discovered he was a smuggler, they wouldn't spare him in the interest of preserving biodiversity.
Ash silently invoked, but nothing occurred; the Substitute Technique Spirit remained asleep in his palm.
The next moment, a Light Screen abruptly appeared, flashing a stream of information before his eyes.
"Warning: You are attempting to output Magic Power! This action is prohibited!"
Ash slapped his forehead—of course, the chip that restricted his access to the Void Realm would certainly restrict his use of Magic Power too!
To command a Technique Spirit to perform a miracle, he had to bypass the chip; to bypass the chip, he had to command a Technique Spirit to perform a miracle and purify the chip... Damn, another deadlock!
"Sword Maiden A Dream, save me—"
Ash called a few times, but the dorm room remained empty. The elusive Sword Maiden hadn't appeared this time.
Thinking it over, he figured the Sword Maiden must be weary after the night's exertions with him in the Void Realm; even virtual companions needed rest. He decided not to disturb her rest today.
"If the pain was enough, use one hand to swiftly cleave, yesterday's curse. Await night till daylight, leaving only scars..."
Ash raised his head, realizing it was already 8 a.m. of the second day, and the prison's wake-up song was, as always, timely.
Time to go for breakfast; the Death Battle Society awaited his next duel.
In the Meditation Building of Sword Flower University, Sonia slowly opened her eyes.
She extended her hand, and a Technique Spirit, appearing as a girl in a white dress, manifested in her palm.
If this Technique Spirit were known publicly, it would certainly attract much attention—it was extraordinarily rare for someone to achieve success their first day within the Void Realm, let alone for Sonia to secure such a precious spoil.
She hadn't lied to the Observer; the Rapid Stream Spirit was indeed highly prized on Sword Flower University's Technique Spirit trading platform, and quite possibly in the entirety of Jiale City, considered a first-sequence One-winged Technique Spirit.
But she hadn't revealed the full truth: that the Substitute Technique Spirit held considerable value as well.
Common Technique Spirits were generally priced higher than specialized ones; unless limited in application, a One-winged common Technique Spirit could sell for the price of a Two-winged specialized one.
After all, only certain faction mages needed specialized Technique Spirits, while any mage could utilize common Technique Spirits, creating a naturally high demand and price.
So why did she keep this information hidden?
She wanted the Observer to discern her 'little thought.'
Back in the Void Realm, Sonia had realized that the Observer lost his ability to read her inner thoughts.
Perhaps this was due to the Void Realm's limitations, but ultimately insignificant—since upon returning to reality, the Observer could hear her thoughts again anyway.
When they acquired the Substitute and Rapid Stream Spirits, even if Sonia couldn't see the Observer's expression, she saw through his body language that he greatly desired the Substitute Spirit. Hence, Sonia adeptly handed the Substitute Spirit over to the Observer.
Once back in reality, the Observer would know through her thoughts that Sonia was aware of the Substitute Spirit's value, yet she only told half-truths, pretending to profit greatly from obtaining the Rapid Stream Spirit, all to allow the Observer to graciously accept the Substitute Spirit.
Such a small scheme, entirely for his benefit, executed with such blatant transparency, would certainly not deliver a critical hit to the Observer, but at least it would increase his affection for her.
I thought you were on the first level, I on the second, only to find you on the third and recognized me—but the truth was I was on the fourth, awaiting your recognition.
However, the premise for all this was Sonia's ability to conceal her true presence on the fourth level. Not difficult for her—two days of mental training enabled Sonia to preliminarily control her thoughts so as only to consider what she intended.
Sonia retrieved the Rapid Stream Spirit and exited the Meditation Building.
"Observer, I'm returning to shower. Please avert your gaze."
Exiting the building, Sonia looked around to ensure the Observer was truly absent.
For the past two days, every time Sonia called, the Observer would appear from a blind spot she couldn't perceive, without exception. With several minutes having passed without his appearance, the conclusion was evident—
After the Void Realm Exploration, the Observer also needed rest, suspending his constant surveillance of Sonia.
Yet Sonia felt no joy at regaining freedom; rather, it was as stifling as bringing a cake home to eat and finding the bathroom had exploded!
I finally seized the chance for a sugar-coated cannonball, and you stole the sugar coating and vanished!?