Chapter 27

Ash had nearly forgotten that Sorcerer's Manual could be topped up.

He had thought the Source Crystals gained from daily check-ins were his only source of card draws. He had never expected this world to have currency recognized by the game.

Regardless of whether it was valuable or not, this discovery gave Ash a burst of excitement and restored his motivation to strive—like when your boss told you, "Work hard, and you'll be my first choice for promotion next time." Even if the odds were slim, at least there was something to hope for.

But he did not dare top up the Medal just like that, because he could tell that it was the foundation of this world's supernatural power, the source of strength Spellcasters tirelessly sought—the Spell Spirit!

"Do you want this Spell Spirit?" he asked.

"You want it?" To Ash's surprise, Sonia showed no interest in the Spell Spirit. "Then take it."

That only made Ash more curious. "But it's a Spell Spirit. You don't want it?"

"It's neither a Sword Art Spell Spirit nor a Universal Art Spirit. It's useless to me, and it'd just waste my money."

"What does this have to do with money?" Ash asked blankly.

Sonia felt that the Watcher was subtly mocking her for being poor. After all, the Watcher could control a little boat and sail through the Void Realm—how could he possibly not know such common Spellcaster knowledge?

Or was the Watcher some rich person who never had to worry about feeding Spell Spirits? Novels often had those comedic plots where wealthy Nobles lacked common sense. She had not expected to encounter such a near-extinct species in real life.

After Sonia explained, Ash realized that the ecology of Spell Spirits in this world was far more complicated than he had imagined.

First of all, Spell Spirits needed to be fed, and they had to be fed with circulating currency!

Silver Coins and Gold Coins were the main food of Spell Spirits. One-Winged Art Spirits needed Silver Coins, while Two-Winged Art Spirits needed Gold Coins. Spell Spirits that were not fed would dissipate on their own. Some poor Spellcasters really could starve their Spell Spirits to death!

Besides currency, Spell Spirits could also be fed with other materials. However, every Spell Spirit required different materials, making them extremely troublesome to find. Silver Coins and Gold Coins, on the other hand, were universal rations for all Spell Spirits. Over time, Spellcasters no longer even knew what their Spell Spirits should be fed. Stuffing money into their mouths was enough.

Moreover, merely possessing Spell Spirits consumed a Spellcaster's mental energy. A Spellcaster with many Spell Spirits was like a man with many girlfriends: not only could his wallet not handle it, neither could his body.

Therefore, low-level Spellcasters—especially those with the fine traditions of the proletariat—did not believe that more Spell Spirits were always better. They had to selectively choose Spell Spirits suited to them. "Few but refined" was the development strategy of most low-level Spellcasters.

Second, Spell Spirits had restrictions on their use.

Based on those restrictions, Spell Spirits were divided into various factions. For example, the Sword Art Faction required a sword, the Gunmanship Department required guns, the Asceticism Department required a strong physique, and the Fist Department required one to overpower others with fists... Spell Spirits that placed high demands on the Spellcaster belonged to specific factions and were also known as Specialized Art Spirits. For example, "Ripple Sword" required the Spellcaster to use a sword before it could be activated.

Those that placed few demands on the Spellcaster—or whose requirements could easily be met by most Spellcasters—were called Universal Art Spirits. For example, "Eagle Eye" could be activated as long as the Spellcaster had eyes.

Generally speaking, a Spellcaster's Spell Spirits consisted of Specialized Art Spirits and Universal Art Spirits. It was best to have no more than two specialized factions, while Universal Art Spirits also had to be chosen based on compatibility. Useless Spell Spirits should be discarded whenever possible.

Even if Sonia took this "Rapid Fire" Spell Spirit, she would surely sell it instead of keeping it and wasting her money.

The reason Sonia had no interest in it at all was simple—"Rapid Fire" was worthless.

"'Rapid Fire' was a product of the flintlock era centuries ago. Now it's the age of Automatic Rifles and Automatic Handguns. A handgun can already fire seven Gun Bullets in one second, so no one needs the extra shot from 'Rapid Fire.'" Sonia spread her hands. "While 'Rapid Fire' can also be used on weapons like Mortars and Shipborne Guns, those have better Spell Spirit options too. They wouldn't use 'Rapid Fire' either."

"For Spell Spirits that have been eliminated by the times, the school's purchase price is at most one Silver Coin—also the minimum purchase price for a One-Winged Art Spirit."

Ash had long known that the Sword Maiden was attending school, but he had not paid much attention to it. He had simply assumed it was part of the game setting.

"Then I'm taking it!"

"Go ahead, go ahead." Sonia did not care.

Ash silently thought, Exchange. The Medal in his hand turned into White Mist and dissipated. A message popped up in the game: "Top-up successful! You have obtained 10 points."

The cheapest purchase option in the game was one Source Crystal for 6 points. In other words, this "Rapid Fire" Spell Spirit was only enough to buy 1.5 Source Crystals, while one card draw required 3 Source Crystals. That meant two One-Winged Art Spirits equaled one card draw.

Spell Spirits were supernatural power, for crying out loud. How could they be as cheap as freshly graduated University Students... Ash clicked his tongue and looked down at the Hunting Notes in his hand. "Then what is this notebook?"

"A Sorcerer's Manual!" Sonia gave Ash a strange look.

"A Sorcerer's Manual?" Ash froze.

Sonia nodded.

"A Sorcerer's Manual summarizes a Spellcaster's life in some fashion. For example, this manual recorded the information of the targets this Gun Artificer hunted in life, which shows that The Hunt was one of the most important parts of his life. Well, it's basically a Spellcaster's diary."

"However, it isn't a diary voluntarily written by the Spellcaster. After Spellcasters die, their souls automatically return to the Void Realm and become Artificer Projections, while the memories of their lives settle into a book. Like birth, aging, sickness, and death, it's an unavoidable law of nature."

"We collectively call these books Sorcerer's Manuals."

"If the Void Realm is the graveyard of Spellcasters, then Sorcerer's Manuals are their tombstones."

Only then did Ash realize that the hunter from earlier had been a projection of a dead man. He had thought he was alive, wondering how they had encountered another Spellcaster so easily.

But even if he had been alive, Ash would not have held back. After all, dying in the Void Realm was not real death.

Sonia said, "Like Medals, Sorcerer's Manuals can be used. You can directly absorb a manual with your consciousness, and then obtain one random skill from its owner that cannot be categorized under the Spell School—completely random."

Ash asked, "Do you want it?"

"I don't. I felt tired after reading only a few pages." Sonia shook her head. "But you finished the entire manual. You definitely won't be contaminated when you absorb it."

"Contaminated?"

"Sorcerer's Manuals are contaminating. Generally speaking, Spellcasters can only read manuals written by Spellcasters with similar worldviews, values, and outlooks on life. Forcibly absorbing an unsuitable Sorcerer's Manual can damage the soul and may even cause schizophrenia."

"That serious?"

"It is serious, but it's easy to prevent. As long as you don't feel uncomfortable while reading a Sorcerer's Manual, it means absorbing it won't cause any problems."

At that, Sonia grew curious as well. "From what I've heard, if an ordinary Spellcaster encountered ten Sorcerer's Manuals, being able to absorb two or three would already be considered lucky. Many Spellcasters never encounter a Sorcerer's Manual they can absorb in their entire lives... How can you casually pick up any Sorcerer's Manual and absorb it without contamination?"

Naturally, Ash had no answer. Following Sonia's instructions, he guided his consciousness toward the Hunting Notes in his hand.

The Hunting Notes turned into a wisp of smoke and flowed into his body. Before long, Ash felt as though a piece of ice in his consciousness had melted, and suddenly he possessed much indescribable knowledge.

He opened "Agent Management" in the game and found that he had gained a new skill.

"Counter-Reconnaissance Proficiency"

As a Jungle Hunter and War Soldier, even if Carbin Stoli had never formally studied counter-reconnaissance, he would have honed that survival skill through war. For Ash, who intended to escape prison, counter-reconnaissance was a minor skill that could prove useful.

After Ash finished absorbing the Hunting Notes, they discovered that the Island was sinking. The two hurried back onto the boat, and before long, the Island completely vanished. The sea surface was silent and still, as though nothing had happened.

"This is what makes the Void Realm so strange. Encounters are unpredictable, existing only for Inheritance." Sonia sighed. "Countless Inheritance Islands float upon the Sea of Knowledge, quietly waiting for newly awakened Spellcasters to discover them. Once a Spellcaster takes the Inheritance, the Island naturally returns to the sea... Some say that Islands are manifestations of Spellcasters' obsessions, traces left behind because Spellcasters of old hoped someone in later generations would remember them. That is why they placed their Inheritance upon the sea."

"The traces of every Spellcaster's life are deeply etched into the Void Realm. Here, we may encounter the Inheritance of countless predecessors, fight Gunners from centuries ago, or converse with sages from thousands of years ago. Anything is possible... And our traces will also be etched into the Void Realm. When some Spellcaster tears through the White Mist centuries from now, they may encounter the challenges you and I leave behind."

"That sounds rather romantic."

"Really? You think your life can be passed down to future generations without any concealment, allowing them to admire your glorious achievements?"

Ash immediately stopped finding it romantic. "Before a Spellcaster dies, can they delete some life records? Things like Study Materials and Art and Life..."

"How to die with dignity, and how to live in disgrace, have always been two major research subjects for Spellcasters."

Although she had gained nothing and all the benefits had gone to Ash, Sonia was relaxed. She stretched on the boat. "Which way next? You decide. I'll listen to you."

The battle on the Island had not been dangerous at all. If Ash could find such Inheritance Islands every time, Sonia would be more than willing to take risks.

As long as they encountered a Swordsmanship Department Spell Spirit or a suitable Sorcerer's Manual even once, she would make a huge profit.

The hopes of many Spellcasters were no more than exploring the Void Realm safely and steadily. Forget encountering Void Realm Inheritance—simply avoiding danger was already enough to make them rejoice.

"Let me take a look..."

Ash opened "Void Realm Exploration" and checked the surrounding tiles:

"Waste of effort," "waste of effort," "waste of effort," "waste of effort," "Better Not Go," "waste of effort," "waste of effort," "waste of effort."

"Eh?"