The Sorcerer's Handbook

”Everyone, keep quiet... don’t wake her...”

”Make sure we enter the Virtual World only after she falls asleep. We can’t let her notice a thing, not even the slightest hint. She must continue the Armor Ritual in complete ignorance, or the witch will discover us.”

”Don’t forget to buy a return ticket before we slip past.”

”The Bronze Dragon... this is our chance! We can finally leave this prison! According to the hints from the Destiny Quiz, we’ll leave on May 2nd!”

”It’s time to decide, Dia.”

”Dia, this isn’t the time to go soft.”

”Once the Bronze Dragon takes us away, she’ll become a burden. That’s right. She may be the purest, most beautiful, kindest girl in the world, but she’s also our enemy.”

”She’s the witch’s chosen sacrifice, unformed despair, suffocating air. If she doesn’t die, we remain trapped in the web the witch has woven. No matter how far we run, we can’t escape fate. She is the mask covering our faces.”

”Dia, only you have the right to make this decision. This is the one thing you cannot rely on us for.”

”Because you and she are the original twins. We are only the sisters you created.”

”It has to be you. It must be you!”

”Kill Lys, Dia.”

***

Dia snapped her eyes open and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Ashe asked, ”Did you have a nightmare? This is the first time I’ve seen someone cry in their sleep.”

”In our current state, everything we do counts as a rare and precious first-time experience,” Sonya said, propping her chin on her hand. ”For example... digging out a boyfriend’s eyeballs for the first time.”

”I only have two eyeballs!”

”Then pulling out a boyfriend’s tongue would definitely be a fresh new experience,” Sonya added.

Ashe said firmly, ”I think the cabin got it wrong. How could the person I value most not be the lover who came into this Amnesia Cabin with me? This is just the cabin trying to sow discord. Don’t fall for it!”

Sonya rolled her eyes. ”I don’t care who you value most. And stop talking nonsense. Who said I’m your lover? That is just your own assumption. You’re just taking advantage of my amnesia, hmph.”

She looked away. ”Since I’m not the person you value most, then I’m obviously not your lover either. Once we leave this cabin, we’re going our separate ways. I’m physically allergic to men who are popular with women.”

”You don’t value me the most either...” Ashe muttered.

Sonya shot back immediately. ”That’s because the question didn’t limit the gender! Of course, I like myself the most. If it were limited to men, then I would definitely—”

”Definitely what?”

Sonya turned her back to him. ”I’m not telling you. We’re not that familiar, so let’s not talk so much.”

Phantom Ashe had been watching the exchange. He clapped his hands. ”Well said! Since everyone is awake, please leave the cabin as soon as possible. This isn’t exactly a place for chatting, and...”

He glanced sideways at Phantom Sonya behind him. Phantom Dia finished the thought he had been holding back. ”And we happen to have a single woman here who can’t stand seeing others act lovey-dovey. If you keep flirting, you might get cut down.”

The group had stayed in the cabin specifically to wait for Dia to wake up. From the hints revealed in the quiz, they had learned that Dia might be a substitute for Denzel’s lover, and Denzel herself seemed to be a dangerous, obsessive fanatic.

If they carried an unconscious Dia outside and Denzel confirmed her suspicions, she might snatch Dia away on the spot and lock her in a basement, painting her in all sorts of ”colors.” Facing someone as ruthless as Denzel while carrying a literal dead weight put them at a massive disadvantage. It was better to wait for Dia to wake up. Even if she could only run, it would make an escape easier.

Dia had just wiped away her tears when Sonya pulled her aside to whisper. Ashe stepped forward alone to face Denzel. As she stood up to meet his gaze, Ashe realized she was actually much taller than him. Standing upright, she gave off the presence that made him feel like he was the younger one.

It was because of her height that, when Denzel first entered the cabin, everyone had instinctively assumed she was male. Hidden beneath the loose, spiderweb-patterned robe, her tall figure had made her look more like a serial killer who had wandered into the cabin by mistake.

Ashe smiled. ”Interested in a private rendezvous? Just the two of us?”

”I don’t dislike you,” Denzel said, leaning down slightly to speak into his ear. ”But I still want to know what kind of person could actually manage to capture my heart.”

As she spoke, her appearance shifted again. The spiderweb robe tightened into a form-fitting, semi-transparent mesh outfit. Her raven hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. Shorts that barely covered her hips stretched tightly over her toned thighs, and her hands were now clad in black-and-gold chain gloves.

If the earlier Denzel had resembled an untouchable saint, she now looked like a shadowy operative skilled in infiltration and assassination. Ashe squinted at her. ”What is this?”

”Fourth unit of the Spider Tower, Assassination Specialist.”

[Spider Tower · Assassination Specialist]

Effect

All melee attacks deal +30% soul damage.

Stats: 3 layers of armor; humanoid unit.

Traits: equipped with the special Miracles: Direct Death and Concealment.

Cost: Each unit consumes 7 soul energy.

Abilities

1. Direct Death: All things have weaknesses. Assassination Specialists excel at detecting the discord in the rhythm of fate, destroying the enemy’s destiny to eliminate them completely. Attacks have a chance to bypass enemy armor.

2. Concealment: So long as other Spider Tower units are on the field, the Assassination Specialist can never be designated as a primary target. Enemies are compelled to eliminate all other Spider Tower units before they can even perceive her presence.

The cabin prohibited the use of the Seeker of Secrets ability, but Denzel could still manifest other units, just as Ashe’s Starshot Warrior state remained active.

Ashe narrowed his eyes. He knew Denzel would never simply stand by and let Dia leave. He could stay behind to hold Denzel off while Sonya and Dia escaped, but that was a desperate option. Denzel was alone. The best strategy was to leave the cabin, restore their full strength, and suppress her with numbers.

Ashe turned and exchanged a glance with Sonya and Dia. Without a word, they understood the plan. Of course, once they stepped outside, Denzel would also regain her full power. Still, there was no reason the three of them couldn’t defeat one person... was there?

”And... my fake little lover, aren’t you being a bit careless?”

Two arms suddenly wrapped around Ashe. One locked around his neck while the other cinched around his waist. Denzel pulled him tightly into a cold embrace. The dormant Starshot Warrior armor on Ashe flared up, trying to resist her hold, but it was useless. The assassination gloves on Denzel’s hands were designed to bypass armor entirely.

Ashe lost his chance to resist. His neck was in Denzel’s grasp, and he had already experienced her strength. His neck would not withstand a single squeeze. It would snap as easily as a wafer.

Ashe remained calm. ”Are you taking me hostage?”

Denzel’s breath brushed lightly against his ear. ”I just want to enjoy a few more moments with my little lover before I regain my memories.”

Seeing this, Sonya instinctively gripped her sword, but Ashe stopped her with a sharp look. At the same time, Phantom Ashe pressed a finger to his lips. With that single gesture and a sharp gaze, he forced Phantom Sonya, who had been halfway out of her chair, to remain seated.

”Perfect. I’d also like to feel my lover’s warmth a little longer before we leave. After all, once we step out, there might not be another chance,” Ashe said with a faint smile. ”Let’s go. It’s time to leave this cabin... the place where our relationship began anew.”

The four of them walked to the cabin door. Denzel and Ashe stood on one side, with Sonya and Dia on the other. Just as Ashe grasped the doorknob, he suddenly paused.