Sorcerer’s Handbook

“It’s him!”

“You’re dead for sure this time!”

Gerard looked over and spotted an un-blessed masked figure breaking out of the line, desperately charging toward the entrance.

An Adventurer beside the masked man shouted loudly, “Stop him, he’s the wanted criminal!”

Gerard watched the scene unfold with a cold gaze and said, “Bass!”

Gerard had not come alone; he was assisted by several hunters in his task. Hearing the Captain’s command, the sacred bloodline Orc, Bass, did not hesitate to draw his Handgun, disengage the safety, and with a blur of crimson shadow, chased after the runner!

Meanwhile, Gerard remained seated on the high platform, for he knew all too well that as long as he guarded the Virtual Realm Passage, Ashe could not escape the Blood Moon no matter what.

As for the one who had fled in panic just now, Gerard did not believe it was Ashe’s true self—having been fooled once by the Substitute, the White-haired Hunter would hardly be deceived a second time.

It was most likely Ashe’s Substitute, and sending Bass to strike was enough to shatter it.

As Bass moved past the crowd of Adventurers, everyone’s Chip Holographic Screens—except for Gerard’s and Acolyte Coir’s—popped up automatically, flashing two blood-red warnings in alternation:

“Warning: You are currently in a no-attack Restriction.”

“Warning: You are currently in a movement Restriction.”

Even Bass was forced to halt amidst the crowd, unable to resist the constraints of the Chip, just like the sacred bloodline Orc. Before he could react to what was happening, screams of agony erupted from around him as Adventurers began to fall one by one, blood gushing from fresh wounds!

“The hunters want to trap and kill us here!”

“They’re even controlling our Chips to make us live targets!”

“Gerard is going to judge us across the Warzone!”

“They’ll kill us all! Controlling the Chips like this is illegal; they’ll never let us leave alive! They’ll silence us!”

Blood, night, Restrictions, screams of terror, combined with Gerard’s notorious reputation and the criminals’ inevitable guilt, panic spread like a plague bomb, instantly igniting and spreading through the crowd of Adventurers.

Just then, the prompts on the adventurers’ Holographic Screens suddenly became blurry and distorted. Tentatively, they moved and, to their surprise, found they could walk!

“Run quickly!”

Without hesitation, the adventurers instinctively obeyed this unknown command. After all, running had no downside, running meant escaping the terrifying Gerard, and everyone else had started running too.

They were like a group of scared rabbits, ready to bolt in all directions at the slightest provocation!

“Break through!”

“Flame Squad, follow me, cut down all enemies who dare to stand in our way—”

“Ah, ah, I’m hit, I’m hit!—”

“Don’t step on me, don’t! Ah~”

The hysterical chaos and shouting pierced the night, and the adventurers who had just fallen were trampled by the panicked crowd, emitting painful wails, about to be stomped to death!

In the face of such a man-made disaster, Gerard’s eyes only grew brighter, as if his ruby-like eyes were about to ignite.

Chaos, manipulation of the human heart, stirring darkness, controlling everyone like puppets.

This was the flavor, this was the feeling!

It was indeed you, Cult Leader of the Four Pillars, Ashe Heath!

Although the first wave of shouts had erupted from various places in the crowd, the Masked Adventurer who first led the adventurers to run and then hid among them, fanning the flames, had been locked on by Gerard!

By now, the adventurers had already charged to the camp entrance. The guards from the Government Affairs Hall tasked with sealing and guarding the gate didn’t dare to intercept. Even though there were Priests for emergency aid, they were just working a job—why risk their lives against these madmen? So, they let the adventurers rush out of the camp and scatter in all directions.

As the heinous fugitives were about to escape amidst the chaos, Gerard brought his hands together in a prayerful pose, unleashing a Miracle, transforming into the light of the Blood Moon to leap over the camp, vaulting over the chaotic adventurers like a white wolf pouncing on its prey at night!

He swung his Chain Sword from afar, which instantly disassembled into a serpentine rope, coiling towards the figure running in the lead!

“Sorry, Ashe,” said Gerard, his eyes filled with a mad killing intent, “but you’re going to die anyway, let me vent a bit!”

Sword Blood Miracle Virgin’s Lament!

Gerard’s most savage and ferocious Miracle was about to unfold. The Chain Sword would transform into a meat grinder, binding its target and pulverizing flesh and bone into a pulp, even evolving to damage the Soul, ensuring the victim would bathe in extreme and vicious agony in their final moments!

It was less an attack and more a punishment!

Now, it was Gerard’s time for judgment!

However, what greeted Gerard was not a splash of blood but… nothing.

There was nothing there. The moment the Chain Sword touched the masked figure, the figure dissipated. In its place were two objects Gerard was all too familiar with—voice recorders.

Like the cruelest of jokes, the most boring of fireworks had burst.

A Substitute?

This was the Substitute?

So the one before—

Gerard landed, turned around, and saw the first masked figure who had begun to flee now lying on the ground screaming in agony, apparently shot in the leg by Bass. The cloak had fallen to reveal a Merfolk face, clearly not the Ashe Heath of his obsession.

The first masked figure was a decoy used by Ashe, a premise for the ensuing chaos; the second was a Substitute to incite panic and divert Gerard’s attention.

Where was the real Ashe?

Gerard turned to see that the Hunter left in charge of the high platform had been taken down, and several bloodied Adventurers were now rushing towards the Virtual Realm Passage.

Indeed, while all Adventurers had been fleeing outward, several had been ‘shot’ for unknown reasons and had fallen to the ground, unable to run and even trampled by the panicked crowd, so Gerard had subconsciously ignored them…

He had been fooled again.

With the same old tricks.

Using a Substitute to shift attention.

Gerard suddenly felt weary, his Chain Sword heavy, his body drained of strength. He knew he was too late; he had been lured too far away, and the Virtual Realm Passage only allowed Two Wings monks to pass through—he couldn’t possibly rush in to pursue them.

Unless someone could stop them, then—

Bang!

Clang!

Just before the sniper fired, Ashe on the high platform drove his Honeyed Blade into the ground!

A warm yellow Sword Barrier formed almost instantaneously, only to be shattered by the Shot Bullets a moment later!

The sniper was an Orc hidden at the entrance of the camp, his right hand fitted with a heavy sniper Gun specifically designed for Orcs. The barrel glinted with a golden hue, hinting at the guidance of a Miracle for precision targeting.

Gerard recognized him, and so did Ashe.

He was Orc Gersas Dav.

A Two Wings Sorcerer, the current Leader of the Woodpecker Gang, and a loyal henchman to Professor Sylin.

His latest mission was to lie in wait near Observation Point 53, ready to assassinate Ashe Heath.

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