Chapter 44: Death Maniac Swordswoman's Silver Coin

With the matter of the Experience Orb settled, the duo went on to split the remaining three spirits. The process went much more smoothly.

Sonya had insisted that all three spirits go to Ashe, but after examining them carefully, he opted for the two less potent, Foxfire and Lamplight, leaving the most powerful, Moonthread, to Sonya.

[Foxfire]

One-Winged Spirit

Requirement

- Sorcerer must have a tail.

Basic Effect

- Release varying amounts of blue flames when the sorcerer flicks the tail. Flames cling to targets and burn for a short time. Targets feel no pain and may even experience pleasure.

Passive Effect

- Sorcerer's fur thickens and becomes more flammable.

Signature Quote

- Pain and pleasure are illusions. Burn away the surface you hide behind, and your true form will reveal itself.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Lamplight]

One-Winged Spirit

Requirement

- Sorcerer must possess a luminous medium, or a light source must be nearby.

Basic Effect

- Emits a floating light that moves freely at the sorcerer's command.

Passive Effect

- Feels more energetic in well-lit areas.

Signature Quote

- Light doesn't drive away the darkness; darkness chases after the light.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Moonthread]

One-Winged Spirit

Requirement

- Sorcerer must possess a luminous medium, or a light source must be nearby.

Basic Effect

- Forms multiple taut moonlight threads that suspend briefly in midair.

Passive Effect

- Sorcerers become lighter under moonlight.

Signature Quote

- Listen. The moonlight weaves the night's curtain.

Clearly, Foxfire and Lamplight were the Foxlight Dragon's main means of attack. By combining Foxfire with Lamplight, it could unleash a continuous, flexible barrage of flames.

Fortunately, they had defeated the Foxlight Dragon in its sleep. Otherwise, the Foxfire Lamp alone would have been enough to give them a nightmare.

Moonthread only made matters worse. Sonya had tested Moonthread herself and discovered she could stretch strands of moonlight midair with steel-like tautness. Anyone who ran into them would be instantly sliced, making Moonthread a perfect trap for ambushes.

Ashe had originally wanted Moonthread as well, but he couldn't summon spirits in prison. Possessing a powerful spirit would have been pointless, so he went with Foxfire and Lamplight instead. Without a tail, he couldn't even use the Foxfire Lamp. He planned to take them straight to the gacha afterward.

The stronger Moonthread went to Sonya for research. Any knowledge she gained would eventually benefit Ashe. He couldn't let her go without at least one spirit to practice on.

Just then, Ashe realized a problem. He asked, "Can we exchange spirits inside the Virtual World?"

Sonya's eyes narrowed as she immediately understood his thought. "You want me to find a spirit you need for the Slash Me Miracle, then swap it with you inside the Virtual World?"

"Well... yeah, since you—"

"It won't work," she interrupted.

"What?"

"You must never break your link with a spirit inside the Virtual World. If you do, something very serious will happen."

Ashe gulped. "W-What will happen?"

"The spirit will flee. Instantly."

"Can't we just catch it again?"

Sonya shook her head. "No sorcerer has ever recaptured a spirit once it flees. Maybe you haven't realized it yet, but in the Virtual World, we are outsiders. Spirits are the natives.

"They might not count as true living beings, and no one knows if they can think, but they definitely have instincts and a sense of freedom."

Ashe recalled how the spirits on Serendipity Island had escaped all at once. He nodded, but still wasn't entirely convinced. "But spirits move so slowly. Why can't we catch them?"

"Those were spirits that have never been caught before. Think about it. What's more cautious, a mouse that's been trapped once or one that hasn't? Instinct and learning are part of a spirit's nature."

"But even if they're cautious, they're still slow," he insisted.

Sonya nodded, then shook her head. "True, in the real world, breaking a link only makes a spirit run. It doesn't affect reality much, so it's fairly easy to catch it back. But the Virtual World is different. It's the spirits' home and the birthplace of Miracles. When a spirit wants to escape, the entire world itself will help it."

"No one knows what price a spirit pays for its freedom, but countless records have proven that once a link is broken in the Virtual World, the spirit vanishes instantly. So far, no sorcerer has ever managed to recapture one that has fled."

Realizing that another potential path had closed, Ashe sighed. He was about to head back to the boat when Sonya called out, "Don't rush off. There's still something left to split."

She walked over to the small tree where the Foxlight Dragon had been and plucked two unripe fruits. Ashe accepted one, but was unable to tell what kind of fruit it was supposed to be.

"Virtual Fruit, Soul Fruit, Mystic Fruit. This fruit goes by many names and takes all sorts of forms. But they all share the same effect. Eat it, and it restores drained soul energy, letting you stay longer in the Virtual World on this trip.

Oh

, and one more thing, it tastes awful."

Ashe gagged the moment he swallowed it. He stared at Sonya for several seconds until the nausea finally eased.

It tastes just like eating poop.

"Next time, can you mention the important part first?" he said.

Sonya's face twisted in disgust. "On the bright side, we survived eating it. I don't want a second one either."

***

Perhaps their encounter with the Experience Orb had drained all their luck. After that, Ashe never found another area labeled Worth a Visit or Welcome. Every location he came across was marked Certain Death, A Waste of Effort, or even Run Now.

When he returned to the prison from the Virtual World, he immediately traded in Foxfire and Lamplight. Each spirit was worth ten points. Adding them to the Rapid Fire spirit he had sold earlier, Ashe now had thirty points. Conveniently, one Bundle of Source Crystals cost exactly thirty points.

He could have saved for something bigger, but after hearing Professor Syrin's kill order from Varkas, the pressure in his chest only grew heavier. Prison wasn't his safe haven, and danger lurked everywhere. If he didn't spend when he could, he might never get another chance.

He used all thirty points on a Bundle of Source Crystals. A bundle normally contained six crystals, but since it was his first purchase, he received a double bonus—twelve crystals. Adding the three crystals he had earned from daily sign-ins, Ashe now had fifteen crystals, enough for five draws.

After three days, it was finally time to pull again. Ashe washed his hands, pressed them together, and prayed to every god whose name he could remember, even to the origin of miracles itself. "

Oh,

Virtual World... I'm using your spirits to buy these draws. In a sense, I do this on your behalf. What's yours is mine, and what's mine will eventually return to you. Bless me, and you bless yourself. I won't say more. You know what I mean."

He couldn't do a ten-pull, so he went with five singles.

Faith is the source of miracles!

White glow: [Energy Potion!]

White glow: [Basic Combat EXP Card!]

Perfect. The Swordswoman clearly wouldn't be getting any days off next week.

Purple glow: [Virtual World Telescope!]

Orange glow: [Death Maniac Swordswoman's Silver Coin!]

Purple glow: [Awakening Battle Record!]

Three new items in a row! That's the charm of single pulls!

[Virtual World Telescope]

Description

- When exploring the Void, observation range increases by +1.

The shorter the description, the easier it was to understand. Ashe instantly grasped its use. His observation range was one grid in every direction, allowing him to see the nine surrounding grids. With this telescope, his vision would expand from a 3×3 area to a 5×5, increasing visible grids from nine to twenty-five.

One major reason he had struggled to find worthwhile exploration areas was because, in the Virtual World, he was effectively short-sighted and forced to stick to whatever seemed safest. With this tool, their exploration efficiency would improve by at least fifty percent.

[Death Maniac Swordswoman's Silver Coin]

Description

-

One of the three silver coins the Death Maniac Swordswoman treasured for years before losing them. Anyone who brings one to her will either receive a reward or die. Using it unlocks a Bond upgrade.

The description was vague, but Ashe immediately recognized the gimmick. This was the mobile game Limit-Break feature. The player unlocked more perks by pulling the same character again, which enticed them to spend more.

After using the Silver Coin, the Swordswoman's page changed.

[Death Maniac Swordswoman]

Species

- Human Female

Age

- 18

Bond Level

- 1, EXP Share 35%

Bond Resonance

– Never Enough: When acting together, there is a chance to obtain better loot.

Profession

- One-Winged Swordmaster

Profession Trait

- Using Sword Class spirits reduces stamina cost by 10%

Items

- Wooden Practice Sword

Controlled Spirits

- Wave; Moonthread; Torrent

Sword Class

- Silver Rank

Light Class

- Silver Rank

Water Class

- Not Yet Unlocked

Virtual World Exploration

- 0.002%

Aside from the EXP Share rising from 30% to 35%, the most notable addition was the new Bond Resonance, Never Enough. Clearly, this was the Swordswoman's own bad personality trait and had nothing to do with Ashe, but the effect was excellent. From now on, he could simply let her deliver the final blow.

Ashe then turned to the final item from the draw, the Awakening Battle Record. Its purple glow signaled that it was no ordinary item and ranked on the same tier as the Void Telescope.

Awakening Battle Record

Description

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

- Arrange one high-difficulty battle for the operator, allowing them to enter an awakened state. In this state, the operator gains 250% combat experience and has an increased chance of creating Miracles, summoning spirits, or breaking through thresholds. (Risk Level: Medium)

"I barely have any personal time left every day..."

"I'm so tired..."

"Can we shorten training to one hour..."

Sonya's complaints echoed in Ashe's ears, and he hesitated. At that moment, the prison's morning hymn rang on schedule.

If it hurts enough, grip with both hands,

Cut it open, let yesterday's curse expand.

Through endless night and day it flows,

Leaving behind only scars that show.

The song seemingly steeled Ashe's resolve. He activated the Awakening Battle Record decisively.

[Target: Death Maniac Swordswoman]

"Swordswoman, this is for your own good too!"